#AtotZ : Jump Rope Camp

Many years ago, I was a sponsor of the Riverdale Ropers jump rope team. This meant two one week sessions of Jump Rope Camp in Huntsville, Texas. Each year, the camp chose a motivational theme. I attended "Christmas in July" and "Super Heroes."

The talent at these camps was unbelievable! Upon arrival, Experts tested kids and divided them into ability groups for a week of intensive workouts. We'd all advance our skills and take this training back home. I say "we" because us adults put on Depends and limped to coaches' training. At the end of the week, we'd show off our skills with a huge performance for the entire camp.

While the kids performed triple unders and booty bounces, we jumped a fabulous routine to Batman music. With ropes behind our backs, like capes, we ran onto the center of the gym floor. Every time the music said the word, "Batman," we jumped twice. Life got tough when hearing, "Batman, Batman, Batman." That's six jumps which had us bent over and puffing. Our finale topped all when we tossed our ropes in the air and missed catching them.

Here's a sample of the sort of amateur performances by others.

And as you see, we jumped a lot to the chosen song! Every Batman meant two jumps.

#AtoZ Meets #WW: "I am a Great Photographer"

Letter I - For "I am great!"

Our son "won" the PTA photo competition every year. (See the details under each photo).

Daniel's Kindergarten Photo Entry tied for 3rd place out of four entries.

1st Grade - Daniel took 2nd Place out of two entries.

2nd Grade "Triangles" placed Honorable Mention out of six entries.

Every year, Daniel marched up stage and accepted his ribbon in front of audience applause. After the third year of straight victory, he boasted from the back seat of the car. "I am a great photographer! I win the photo competition every year!"

My husband and I muffled our laughter and decided to let him think he'd won every year.

#AtoZ : Hebrews

When Tevya spoke to God, he said, "I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't You choose someone else."  Tevye was modeled after my grandfather's uncle, making me related to Sholem Aleichem, author of Fiddler on the Roof, and his grand daughter Belle Kaufman of Up the Down Staircase fame. I'm one of the people chosen to eat unleaven bread while others eat chocolate eggs.

I identify with Tevye when sitting around the Passover table. We enjoyed our family seders complete with our Haggadah, or seder book, that tells the story of our ancestors who were slaves in Egypt. The whole mishpacha took turns reading from the book. The best part of our seders, besides dinner, were the intellectual discussions. For example, we always end the seder with, "Next year in Jerusalem," but if we could really leave our homes and move to Israel for next year, would we? Or if God had only freed us from Egyptian slavery yet left us in the dessert to starve would it really have been enough? As Jews, we are taught to question thus providing great intellectual stimulation.

In the end, our story has not changed: They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat.

After a week of eating matzah, maybe it will be a good thing to have left over Dulcolax from the colonoscopy.