Tag Archives: Reuben sandwich

The Road to Diamond, Day 165: Kosher

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Posted by on in collaborating, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 12, 2025, Exton, PA- I stopped at a “New York-style” restaurant, in Vernon, CT, while en route from Saugus to this western Philadelphia suburb that is a third anchor for my sibling family. The place was beyond packed, almost reminding me of the old Jack and Marion’s, in Boston. This was the first place I’ve been in a long while, where the lunch line was practically out the door. I took my Reuben sandwich to go, and enjoyed half in the car. The rest will be tomorrow’s lunch.

Urban delicatessens, especially New York and Chicago styles, are centered primarily on kosher, or traditional Jewish foods. The quality of the meats and cheeses has an appeal far beyond those adhering to the dietary instructions of Judaism. Kosher has come to mean correct, present with integrity, “doing what you say”.

We live in a very precise age, and the slightest slip-up can bring down a host of criticism, some of it well-intended, other meant to make the critic feel better about self, by focusing on a flawed other. I have learned that indulging in criticism, however, will invariably bring the “three fingers pointing back at you” of Hindu lore. Being truly “kosher”, in one’s daily life, is best served by being the one finger that points at self, and doing the requisite self-examination.

I ended the day by visiting with my middle sibling and his wife, for a short time, over dinner here in Exton. Thus, all three of my visits with siblings were pleasant, with meals as backdrops. The next few days will focus on friends. My relationships with all are “kosher”.

It’s Snow Barrier

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

February 7, 2024- I got up this morning, right at 5 a.m., and checked online messages. Although there was nearly a foot of snow on the ground, at Home Base, the school district where I was to work today had not completed its safety assessment, meaning that schools were still technically going to be in session today. So, I got ready to go in, went through my morning routine-then got a message that school would be delayed two hours. I laid down and drifted off to sleep. When I got up, forty minutes later, the snow was still coming down, and another message informed me that school was canceled for the day.

Reading and replying to a message from my dear friend, across the ocean, and going through some posts online took up part of the morning. I joined the apartment manager’s husband, to shovel the driveway, then went downtown for lunch, as I had not been to County Seat, since their hours had been cut back for the winter. They have an amazing Reuben.  Back at Home Base, after lunch, I finished clearing the upper driveway and the lower parking stalls. 

It has been a quiet afternoon, with the prospect for working tomorrow as scheduled, 50/50. More snow is expected overnight. Landslides have caused havoc in California, from this storm, and in Mindanao, Philippines, from slight tremors, that have nothing to do with precipitation. It is the dry season in the western Pacific.

The last note I got today was from the Farmers Market staff, giving me three weeks off, as new workers are being trained in the whole operation, which includes Breakdown. Other things are popping up, to take up the slack, so it all works out.