So I heard this morning that the latest thing that has the far-right in a lather is that Toblerone had their chocolate certified halal.  No change in how they make it, just got it certified.  So the neo-Nazis are calling for a boycott.  What this says to me is that I should go out and buy some Toblerone.  We used to put it in the boys' stockings, somehow got away from that the past few years (they still got chocolate, just different kinds).   It may be a bit weird and muddled to buy chocolate for Christmas stockings just because it was certified halal, but I think my family would appreciate it all the more.  

I have a friend who recently immigrated from Iraq, and she doesn't speak English very well.  Her mother doesn't speak it at all.  Yesterday my friend asked for help deciphering a transcripted voice mail -- it was instructions about her mother's upcoming medical procedure.  I did my best to tell my friend what it said, and she translated for her mother.  Mom has to fast for 24 hours before the procedure.  I've had to do that myself so I said, ruefully, that it will make her hungry.  Mom laughed and said she was used to it as she does it for a whole month.  I guess Ramadan does give her practice!