Suddenly Its Springish

I jogged by a Robin this last week on a sleety jaunt around the neighborhood. She shook her head in disgust at a nearby cardinal, trying out his best Zoolander “Magnum” against the snow. The calendar says April, the weather says February. Winter in Wisconsin. Pfffft. Admittedly, bringing home the boys’ snow pants from preschool in March proved a bold move. I take responsibility. I apologize for jinxing my meteorological area.

And yet spring officially sprung. Thursday I spent one of my 4.5 free hours boiling and peeling two-dozen eggs, in preparation for the preschool Passover Seder. Two plastic cups, placed high atop the armoire–where curious hands and paws cannot harm them–encircle baby parsley plants (a Passover symbol for renewal). Will I remember to water their enthusiastic little stems?

“Tell me the story of Passover” requests Five-Year-Old. My pulse quickens—teachable moment, teachable moment!

“A long time ago the Jews were slaves in the land of Egypt. Moses begged the Pharaoh to Let My People Go…and, and…there were ten plagues; frogs, locusts, freezing temperatures, snow, sleet…oops, rather (quick run to the laptop for Wikipedia consult), boils, blood, pestilence…yikes! Redirect, redirect…and baby Moses was in a basket and…sweating Passover story FAIL…let’s see what your Haggadah (Passover book) says.”

Thankfully Five-Year-Old brought home his own preschool age-appropriate Haggadah. They mention only four of the tamer plagues—Thank you, Reform Judaism!

Having burnt-through their five minute quietly seated capacity, Five-Year-Old and Two-Year-Old “Dayenu” their way down the hall, sounding more like trolls than children. DIE-DIE-aynu, DIE-DIE-aynu, DIE-DIE-aynu They place special emphasis on the DIE, relishing the battle imagery ever-present in the imagination of preschool boys. The song “Dayenu” translates roughly from Hebrew to mean “That would have been enough” and celebrates each miracle of Passover with gratitude. DAYENU! I screamed emphatically…enough, my little trolls.

Today I need to go purchase my ration of Matzo (unleavened bread), and Passover treats. Quick, don’t miss the opportunity to spend six dollars on one tiny can of kosher-for-Passover Macaroons! Slackers get left with the odd flavors—which explains the Cookies-N-Cream variety that ends up in our cupboard. On the topic of odd flavors, many people may balk at the jars of gelatinous fish balls swimming around store shelves at present. We Jews affectionately call this fish-Jello “Gefilte Fish” and I for one, love it festooned with beet-horseradish. Think of it as sushi and wasabi for the Israelites…

“Is it winter or spring?” queries Five-Year-Old. “Will it still snow in summer?” I remember a annual bet I made every year with my now-deceased Step-Father, guessing the date of the last snow. An optimist, I always placed my dollar on April, while he—the realist–waited for the first week in May. He usually won. Spring in Wisconsin…Dayenu.