I hold the freezer door closed while I hold my breath. It stays closed

I don’t usually make Yom Tov so I don’t need a second freezer. It’s no problem that my freezer only holds a half-finished tub of ice cream, two containers of sorbet that no one likes, frozen pizza, Bodek fruit, frozen pizza bagels, a few “lechem mishnah” rolls, frozen pizza dough (sensing a pattern here?), and other assorted sundries. Oh, and a large box of freeze pops that seemed so important at the beginning of the summer but are still sitting here.

Because, anyway, I’m not making Yom Tov.

When my mother asks me to bake challah for her, it’s no big deal. I even remember to make them round for Rosh Hashanah. I also make a couple of regular challos for the weeks before. That’s fine, long ones can slide into spaces next to pizza and knish boxes, round ones do need a little more real estate... oh, well, the freeze pops don’t need a box.

When I see the request for Yom Tov meals for families with an ill parent, I sign up. I love to cook, especially without the pressure of making Yom Tov.

I make soups and kugels, a pan of chicken and some more challah; time to rearrange. We can have knishes for supper, who wants a freeze pop, the frozen fruits can go on the door. If you turn the long challos the other way they can fit behind pans horizontally.

But again, round takes up more space... hmm, oh, but they have no corners, leaving two perfect spots to perch the sorbet containers. (No one eats sorbet in this house but who can throw out food?)

Good thing I’m not making Yom Tov; the freezer door just needs to get a tough squeeze to ensure it stays closed.