(no subject)

Remind me not to volunteer to lead a service I have never taken before at zero notice, or to promise to do it in five minutes flat.^*

Remind me also not to throw a large meal for seven^‡ requiring copious preparation for, on a morning on which I cannot turn up late to shul.^†

Fortunately, all worked out well in both cases and a pleasant time was had by all.

* Mincha on the first day of Yom Tov. I'd got home from the morning's davening, had a light lunch, then set off on foot to Moishe House, nearly an hour's walk away, for a most enjoyable seuda and niggun-singing session. It was now not long before sunset, and I would have to leave shortly if I wished to be home for maariv. I wanted to daven mincha, and we had an (egalitarian) minyan, but I didn't want to steal time of those who were not religious, so said it would only take five minutes. Only once I had started did it occur to me I should have asked if anyone else could do it fast better...

† On account of being the chazzan for shacharis, and also the בעל קורא. And also, as it turned out, the chazzan for the first half of the Torah service. Well, they certainly got their money's worth from me that day.

‡ Cream of sweetcorn soup; tuna steaks with tomato and caper sauce with a red cabbage dish, new potatoes and green beans; and cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, apple tart (provided by a guest) and ice-cream for dessert. I may have gone slightly overboard for the dessert, but curious_reader and myself at least had a bit of everything. :o)