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We were both too busy with work this week to have done anything interesting. Not that we normally do interesting things, mind; but some things are more interesting than others.

I spent quite a lot of time interviewing information-security companies for my client, as his project (for which I do all the technical work) ramps up and starts getting serious. The range of prices quoted for what ''should be'' similar services is interesting and informative. From $1,500 for an Indian company to almost $40,000 for a top-line US company. I have a sinking feeling I know what my client will choose…

I also made [https://8th-dev.com/forum/index.php/topic,2638.msg15383.html another release of 8th] this week. This time, concentrating on cleaning up the bug list — including one serious bug which has been around for half a year without being noticed. Embarrassing!

Esther was heads-down in work, dealing with her company’s clients who — it appears — don’t know how to read emails or follow instructions. I can sympathise.

Daniela and the Grands have been on vacation from school this week, so they filled their time with all manner of fun activities. Gabe seems to have a knack for “rock climbing”, which frankly surprises me. Naomi, unsurprisingly, enjoys arts and crafts. Young Joseph didn’t participate: he was not on vacation at all, instead attending his day-care as usual. He likes it, so all’s good.

Things:
* Mallen’s Q&A on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMuw5DW89ow a variety of topics], starting with the war in Ukraine.
* Did [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzxCKupy4EM Biden bomb the Germans]? One investigative reporter with a serious reputation brings his proof.
* Walsh discusses [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIbtmK_aNs8 the lazy TikTok guy] who’s complaining about the need to work.
* Lauren Southern gets [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFAgKgC0ZsY the “North Korea” treatment]. Or, rather, her family does.
* This is, as we say, [https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-731636 not good for the Jews]. I mean c’mon, man! Don’t we already have enough trouble?

We’ve got a “date” this coming Sunday with a newly-connected relative of mine. This is a fellow who showed up right from the beginning of my DNA searches as a fairly close match (2nd-3rd cousin). Try as we might, we couldn’t figure out how the two of us were related, and just put it down to Extreme Jewish Endogamy.

But Jeremy made the breakthrough a few weeks ago, connecting me to my paternal grandfather’s genetic family, of whom we had not had any prior idea. After some investigation, he discovered the link between this guy and me: he’s my third-cousin (once-removed, ascending)! So we’ve got a mini-family-reunion coming up at the start of the week. There are more Aaron-family investigations pending; hopefully we’ll be able to share more information in the next few months.

This same Jeremy has started working on Esther’s family, and immediately found all manner of cousins she never knew existed. Hopefully that means I won’t have to hear her bellyaching about how impossible it is to research her family any more…

It was cooler than average this week, but it’s supposed to be warming up to average for ''shabbat''. Clear weather and slight warming for the start of the week.

This ''shabbat'', we’ve been been invited out to one meal. For the rest:<br>
homemade ''ḥalla'',
baked chicken,
couscous,
roasted zucchini,
various ''salatim'',
and marble-cake<br>

Until next time,<br>
''shabbat shalom''!

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