This is my fourth Shabbat here in Port Townsend and the second family Shabbat. It has rained each of them. That wouldn’t be so bad, except we are eating outdoors at 3 tables. It’s doable and fun. My grandson and
his girl friend sit at what we lovingly call the kids table. They brought their own plates and utensils this time.And wine goblets. They are putting on the Ritz. My son and daughter in law,aunt and uncle to my grandchild, sit at the table ,under a sun umbrella
on my deck. I sit on a kitchen chair next to a small folding serving table ,on the deck, at least 8 feet from my son. It can be done. My son is the designated server. Everything was going great until we heard a crack and small explosion. To protect the Sabbath
candles, we had a glass lamp shade that was must hanging around and thought it would be a great idea to cover the candles with the shade so that the brisk wind and intermittent rain, wouldn’t blow them out. I guess in hind sight that wasn’t as
great an idea as we thought. The lamp shade cracked and shattered tiny pieces of glass around, just missing the challah. We were so lucky. No one got hurt, Dixie was sitting in the doorway and no food came close to the splinters. We thought that it was crazy
that a lamp shade should have done this , when we thought that a light bulb would be hotter than two candles.It has rained 14 out of 15 weekends, the local NPR station told us. This is unusual, even for Port Townsend. But it hasn’t stopped our Friday
dinners together . Candles, wine, challah and umbrellas, nothing better.