it is 9:30 a.m. in the holy city of zefat. the little kids are with me. all four kids officially moved back downstairs on wednesday night. the big kids took a mini vacation and were away for 3 nights. i had the grandson and the sephardi clan took the granddaughter. i spent a fortune keeping him satisfied. his appetite for spending is enormous for a soon to be 5 year old. perhaps it is on par with the habits of his father. my son straightened out the downstairs all by himself while his wife was at work. he did the floors too. i had the kids with me while he scrubbed away. the kids naturally were excited to see their mother after 4 nights.
i bought each of the kids a new back pack for gan. the cost was around $70. it was my prerogative as their grandma. the daughter-in-law was in love with the 'hello kitty' bag. i guess i scored. i don't remember hearing a thank you.. my hearing isn't as good as it once was. i think i inherited the hearing loss from my mom. anyway, it is a bit of an adjustment to being alone again on my floor. i say alone, but i'm not exactly alone yet. i've had the both kids with me since thursday. next week after they return to gan, i will be alone all morning long. my grandson definitely missed sleeping with me. we've been bed mates for a month.
i made the shabbat meals yesterday while the kids played and watched television. i only need to make a couple of salads today. i'm nearly out of mayonnaise and don't see myself dragging the kids with me to the supermarket. it's still hot outside. i was nearly dead last night. i couldn't walk or get out of bed. i fell asleep as soon as the kids went to town with their mom. i drank two breezes so i might have been intoxicated. i doubt it. i was simply worn out. i also baked a cheesecake that no one has sampled yet. i'm staying away from this sort of thing right now. i've managed not to eat ice cream all week long. i haven't loss an ounce but i keep on trying.
i got chewed out this morning for opening up a milk. apparently, one was already opened. i didn't see it. i looked for it too. it seems as if my eyesight is going almost as fast as the hearing. gee whiz! i didn't remind my son of all the toothpaste and liquid soap and shampoo that his kids wasted for fun. i took the higher road. big kids are a pain in the neck. in my case, a pain in my back. i wonder if i will be stuck picking up the kids next week. both gans are in this neighborhood this year. the little one's gan is a few doors down and the bigger one's is about a 7 minute walk up the street. how cozy!
i have an appointment on monday in tel aviv to do my bi annual pet scan.. i sure hope i'm still cancer free. i don't really have any signs of being sick but i didn't have any idea that i had a brain tumor, either. whatever will be will be. i'm a bit fatalistic. i will have the clinic send me there in a taxi and i'll bus it home. i hope it will be quiet in tel aviv. i understand that we are still being bombed in the south. i am so isolated from the world at times. we, in the north, have been so blessed with quiet. i haven't left zefat in months.
the granddaughter is watching 'dora' and the boy is playing with his new "woody' doll. he is obsessed with 'toy story' dolls. the latest doll cost his parents $30. disney sure knew what they were doing. he expects me to buy a 'mr. potato head' for his birthday next week. i wonder what the daughter-in-law expects me to make for the party. i'm really not up to making lasagna. i wanted to buy him a new bicycle for his birthday. maybe we can go half and half. i usually end up paying for the entire thing. i bought 4 new plastic chairs for the downstairs. we lost a few this summer. i also need to buy a new cover for the pool. it was also a casualty of the summer. i don't know if i should buy it now or wait until next summer. by buying it now it's like i' staking a place in the future. does that make any sense?
Friday, August 29, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
We're Having A Heat Wave August 2014
it is 4:30 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. a group of 15 yeshiva students just arrived. my big kids took off for a few days leaving me to fend for myself. at least, i only have the grandson and 3 dogs to mind. the granddaughter went to the sephardi clan. the little kids have cracked up. after being out of gan for 2 months and camping upstairs for nearly 3 weeks, they finally went nuts. they both started screaming at the top of their lungs all shabbat long. the nearly to be 3 year old was the worst offender. she was a real brat.
my back went out after schlepping heavy mattresses and doing tons of laundry. i was the one who stripped the beds and washed all of the sheets and towels almost every other day. i also did all of our personal laundry when i had the chance. i have been crippled for a week. for a couple of days i couldn't bend or get out of bed easily. after resting on shabbat, i felt a bit better. it is unbearably hot and humid in zefat. i walked over to a friend and left the grandson there while i ran downstairs to the supermarket to buy us all some milk.
my grandson wanted to go to my friends' house because they bought him a small 'toy story' present. i want to go out at around 6:00 p.m. and buy us a small pizza at the local pizza shop. it's a 5 minute walk. the grandson wants to buy another small present at the local toy store. these are the small bribes i pay to keep him in toll. i am grateful that the little girl is not here. she was beginning to get attached to me but lately she has become afraid of me. i guess i have been potching them a bit too freely lately. in my defense, they have been super wild and out of control. they have been literally, climbing the walls here.
the little girl got hold of the heinz ketchup and was spilling it all over the chihuahua's blanket and dishes. she also smeared juice all over the t.v.screen. almost every bottle of juice was intentionally spilled on to the floor. i have been washing the floors on a daily basis. the little kids have been torturing all 3 dogs. they especially torture the small chihuahua. i have been refereeing between the dogs and the kids, between the two kids and between the 3 dogs. i am totally worn out. i have been drinking two ' bacardi breeze's a day. the kids go back to the gan next week and i go back to the hospital to scan my body for cancer. that's my day trip.
i need to get a blood test, pick up my medical referrals, buy the kids new back packs for gan, pay my water bill and check out my bank balance. i'm hoping to do this all tomorrow. dragging along a little kid will be hard. i might just wait until tuesday. the heat wave is supposed to end then. it really depends on how early i can get out in the morning. the heat is brutal here. downtown is about 5 degrees hotter. i guess we'll play it by ear. the yeshiva boys are knocking on my door every 5 minutes. the dogs are going wild. the little boy is getting wild too. he keeps using the dogs' leashes as a lasso.
the yeshiva boys arrived and immediately put up a huge barbecue directing the smoke into my house. i quickly ran around and closed all of my windows. they complained about the pool being dirty. well, the last 30 people entering it in black clothes, this past 3 weeks, didn't exactly help. i couldn't afford to refill the pool so it is what it is. next week we'll empty it and maybe buy a larger filter next year. it doesn't help to tell people not to wear dark clothes in the pool. that's what modest, pious people do. i wish i got a chance to hit the pool today but i didn't. the boys freaked out about sharing only one bathroom and shower so i allowed them to use the bathroom and shower on the third floor.
i hope they don't sneak upstairs to sleep. i don't want them using the air conditioner. they aren't paying all that much. no one really did. we are not real savvy business people. we work like dogs and give our home away for nearly nothing. i can't wait to see the new water and electric bills. i keep reasoning that most of the renters were from the south where bombs were falling all summer long and we were providing them an inexpensive respite. who; knows?
my back went out after schlepping heavy mattresses and doing tons of laundry. i was the one who stripped the beds and washed all of the sheets and towels almost every other day. i also did all of our personal laundry when i had the chance. i have been crippled for a week. for a couple of days i couldn't bend or get out of bed easily. after resting on shabbat, i felt a bit better. it is unbearably hot and humid in zefat. i walked over to a friend and left the grandson there while i ran downstairs to the supermarket to buy us all some milk.
my grandson wanted to go to my friends' house because they bought him a small 'toy story' present. i want to go out at around 6:00 p.m. and buy us a small pizza at the local pizza shop. it's a 5 minute walk. the grandson wants to buy another small present at the local toy store. these are the small bribes i pay to keep him in toll. i am grateful that the little girl is not here. she was beginning to get attached to me but lately she has become afraid of me. i guess i have been potching them a bit too freely lately. in my defense, they have been super wild and out of control. they have been literally, climbing the walls here.
the little girl got hold of the heinz ketchup and was spilling it all over the chihuahua's blanket and dishes. she also smeared juice all over the t.v.screen. almost every bottle of juice was intentionally spilled on to the floor. i have been washing the floors on a daily basis. the little kids have been torturing all 3 dogs. they especially torture the small chihuahua. i have been refereeing between the dogs and the kids, between the two kids and between the 3 dogs. i am totally worn out. i have been drinking two ' bacardi breeze's a day. the kids go back to the gan next week and i go back to the hospital to scan my body for cancer. that's my day trip.
i need to get a blood test, pick up my medical referrals, buy the kids new back packs for gan, pay my water bill and check out my bank balance. i'm hoping to do this all tomorrow. dragging along a little kid will be hard. i might just wait until tuesday. the heat wave is supposed to end then. it really depends on how early i can get out in the morning. the heat is brutal here. downtown is about 5 degrees hotter. i guess we'll play it by ear. the yeshiva boys are knocking on my door every 5 minutes. the dogs are going wild. the little boy is getting wild too. he keeps using the dogs' leashes as a lasso.
the yeshiva boys arrived and immediately put up a huge barbecue directing the smoke into my house. i quickly ran around and closed all of my windows. they complained about the pool being dirty. well, the last 30 people entering it in black clothes, this past 3 weeks, didn't exactly help. i couldn't afford to refill the pool so it is what it is. next week we'll empty it and maybe buy a larger filter next year. it doesn't help to tell people not to wear dark clothes in the pool. that's what modest, pious people do. i wish i got a chance to hit the pool today but i didn't. the boys freaked out about sharing only one bathroom and shower so i allowed them to use the bathroom and shower on the third floor.
i hope they don't sneak upstairs to sleep. i don't want them using the air conditioner. they aren't paying all that much. no one really did. we are not real savvy business people. we work like dogs and give our home away for nearly nothing. i can't wait to see the new water and electric bills. i keep reasoning that most of the renters were from the south where bombs were falling all summer long and we were providing them an inexpensive respite. who; knows?
Monday, August 18, 2014
Are We Having Fun Yet? Summer 2014
it is 1:30 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. i just got back from taking out all 3 dogs. it's hot! we have a couple upstairs for a few days and a family of 5 downstairs. right now the family is in the pool. i should be in the pool. the pool is looking a bit murky. we had a group of 8 teenage girls for a few days. they made a lot of noise and went into the pool with long hair and dark clothing. in fact, they left hair everywhere. the kitchen floor looked like a hair salon.
they came to zefat to make a shabbaton. they were all from netanya. they came up to tell me on friday that they couldn't get their shabbat meals made with just two electric burners and a toaster oven. they were told up front that's what we had. anyone else would have not gotten involved. anyone else but me. i gave them a desposable aluminum barbecue to grill their fish. that solved the fish problem. then they had the roasted chicken problem. once again, i stepped up to the plate to solve another problem. i allowed them to use my toaster to roast the chicken. it took over 2 hours. i then used my huge oven to roast two trays of potatoes for them. and last, i used my dairy oven for their chocolate souffles. the kitchen was unbearably hot with 3 ovens going on all day long.
i will have to pay for all that extra electricity. i also ran downstairs to set up the hot water urn for them at the last minute. i struggled to get my meals finished. i didn't get to cook on thursday because i wasn't up to it. i had little kids with me until 5:00 p.m. i made a kiddies wading pool in front of the house so the kids could cool off a bit and i could take a break. i was away from the little darlings for a moment and they had poured a lot of water onto the front steps and onto my pincher dog. she was shaking when i saw her. the little girl dragged mud onto my clean floors and i was forced to rewash all the floors. i was not having fun.
one of the girls downstairs got sick on friday night. i went downstairs to check it out. i thought that the situation might warrant a trip to the hospital even though it was shabbat. we all turned in relatively early and the next morning my neighbor gave me a strange look. i thought that she might be upset that we were renting downstairs. i didn't pursue the matter. a little while later, the young lady who had been sick asked me for cab fare. she told us that she had been in the hospital all night long. i never heard a fuss. her friend didn't want to disturb us so she went to a neighbor for help. how did that look to the neighbors??
my son and i got into a screaming psycho drama fight at lunch and he took to his (my) bedroom. i went to the upstairs apartment and read psalms all day long. i was shaking. i felt that i could easily have slapped him. no one knew where i was. i took a long nap on a real bed. i've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor all week. when i finally came downstairs in the evening, my son apologized. apparently, i set off his triggers. i just started crying. i couldn't look at him. i took off for another few hours. i went to a neighborhood friend and stayed until after havdalah. when i got back my son was watching a sports game in my space. i went downstairs and schmoozed with the girls. everyone was fine without me. the girls liked me and wanted to hear my story. they asked if i was a matchmaker.
the kids were going to town and invited me to tag along. i declined. i needed to be alone. i finally lost my appetite. who knows, maybe now i'll shed some of this awful fat. i can eat just fine, but i don't have any more desire to eat a quart of ice cream. amen! i'm alone today. the little kids are at their aunt's. she's making a summer camp for them. the rest of the family went off to hadera. tonight starts the klezmer music festival. the town will be packed. i think i'll skip it. i thought about going down to see the yeshiva's band but i feel to fat. i know that's crazy. i'm ashamed of how i look.
last night i made dinner for the family. i quickly whipped up spaghetti, chips, onion rings and soy franks. yummy! i opened up a can of mushrooms and the kids went crazy over them. i ate a bunch of pasta. i didn't eat anything else after that. i did drink a lot. i've gone through many bacardi breezers this week. it's the only way i can remain civil. yesterday, while everyone was out, i washed all the towels and sheets. the girls left the place trashed. i washed the kitchen floor and i cleaned the electric burners. they were also trashed. i didn't know that we were having more paying guests that night. my daughter-in-law, after a long day of work, came home and cleaned the entire house. poor thing had a migraine later that night. i gave her the t.v. corner and helped put the kids to sleep.
the upstairs couple don't mind the dogs so much. they aren't thrilled but they didn't complain. they are paying less than 100$ a night to stay here. downtown people are sleeping on the floor for 200$ a night. the lady needed to get to a mikveh so of course, i hooked her up with the phone numbers. my daughter-in-law ended up driving her there. when she came back my son drove them to a local pizza shop. where do you get such personalized service? the air conditioner unit is leaking a major amount of water. i'm waiting for my neighbor to come over and fix it. i wonder how much it will cost me. i think i'll make out with maybe a thousand dollars for all my hard work and sacrifice. big deal!!! i'll buy more food for shabbat.
they came to zefat to make a shabbaton. they were all from netanya. they came up to tell me on friday that they couldn't get their shabbat meals made with just two electric burners and a toaster oven. they were told up front that's what we had. anyone else would have not gotten involved. anyone else but me. i gave them a desposable aluminum barbecue to grill their fish. that solved the fish problem. then they had the roasted chicken problem. once again, i stepped up to the plate to solve another problem. i allowed them to use my toaster to roast the chicken. it took over 2 hours. i then used my huge oven to roast two trays of potatoes for them. and last, i used my dairy oven for their chocolate souffles. the kitchen was unbearably hot with 3 ovens going on all day long.
i will have to pay for all that extra electricity. i also ran downstairs to set up the hot water urn for them at the last minute. i struggled to get my meals finished. i didn't get to cook on thursday because i wasn't up to it. i had little kids with me until 5:00 p.m. i made a kiddies wading pool in front of the house so the kids could cool off a bit and i could take a break. i was away from the little darlings for a moment and they had poured a lot of water onto the front steps and onto my pincher dog. she was shaking when i saw her. the little girl dragged mud onto my clean floors and i was forced to rewash all the floors. i was not having fun.
one of the girls downstairs got sick on friday night. i went downstairs to check it out. i thought that the situation might warrant a trip to the hospital even though it was shabbat. we all turned in relatively early and the next morning my neighbor gave me a strange look. i thought that she might be upset that we were renting downstairs. i didn't pursue the matter. a little while later, the young lady who had been sick asked me for cab fare. she told us that she had been in the hospital all night long. i never heard a fuss. her friend didn't want to disturb us so she went to a neighbor for help. how did that look to the neighbors??
my son and i got into a screaming psycho drama fight at lunch and he took to his (my) bedroom. i went to the upstairs apartment and read psalms all day long. i was shaking. i felt that i could easily have slapped him. no one knew where i was. i took a long nap on a real bed. i've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor all week. when i finally came downstairs in the evening, my son apologized. apparently, i set off his triggers. i just started crying. i couldn't look at him. i took off for another few hours. i went to a neighborhood friend and stayed until after havdalah. when i got back my son was watching a sports game in my space. i went downstairs and schmoozed with the girls. everyone was fine without me. the girls liked me and wanted to hear my story. they asked if i was a matchmaker.
the kids were going to town and invited me to tag along. i declined. i needed to be alone. i finally lost my appetite. who knows, maybe now i'll shed some of this awful fat. i can eat just fine, but i don't have any more desire to eat a quart of ice cream. amen! i'm alone today. the little kids are at their aunt's. she's making a summer camp for them. the rest of the family went off to hadera. tonight starts the klezmer music festival. the town will be packed. i think i'll skip it. i thought about going down to see the yeshiva's band but i feel to fat. i know that's crazy. i'm ashamed of how i look.
last night i made dinner for the family. i quickly whipped up spaghetti, chips, onion rings and soy franks. yummy! i opened up a can of mushrooms and the kids went crazy over them. i ate a bunch of pasta. i didn't eat anything else after that. i did drink a lot. i've gone through many bacardi breezers this week. it's the only way i can remain civil. yesterday, while everyone was out, i washed all the towels and sheets. the girls left the place trashed. i washed the kitchen floor and i cleaned the electric burners. they were also trashed. i didn't know that we were having more paying guests that night. my daughter-in-law, after a long day of work, came home and cleaned the entire house. poor thing had a migraine later that night. i gave her the t.v. corner and helped put the kids to sleep.
the upstairs couple don't mind the dogs so much. they aren't thrilled but they didn't complain. they are paying less than 100$ a night to stay here. downtown people are sleeping on the floor for 200$ a night. the lady needed to get to a mikveh so of course, i hooked her up with the phone numbers. my daughter-in-law ended up driving her there. when she came back my son drove them to a local pizza shop. where do you get such personalized service? the air conditioner unit is leaking a major amount of water. i'm waiting for my neighbor to come over and fix it. i wonder how much it will cost me. i think i'll make out with maybe a thousand dollars for all my hard work and sacrifice. big deal!!! i'll buy more food for shabbat.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Risky Business
it is 2:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. i have an hour to myself before the kids return from their sephardi grandma .it is a little cooler today. things got pretty hot yesterday. i spent the entire day waiting for the 5 yeshiva students to arrive. i made a nice dinner for the family and was looking forward to sitting down and sharing it. at 8:00 p.m. i was told by my son that the boys were coming to check out the place. it wasn't a done deal. all that schlepping for nothing. i was livid. my son turned on me and told me that i didn't hold my Bacardi breezers well. fool that he is, he still thought the deal could be salvaged. i went outside with my food and ate on the table i had set up for the guys. every bite was filled with bile.
the young men finally arrived. they apologized for the inconvenience. i tried to schmooze with them. they were all from brooklyn. they came upstairs and didn't seem too happy. i let them know that i had been waiting for them all day. my son tried to charm them but we both came off as too desperate. they didn't like dogs and one might even have been afraid of them. what could i do? i was stuck with 3 dogs on one floor. my son told them to call me when they wanted to enter the house. what a lame thing to say. i told the young men that i would corral the dogs in so that they wouldn't encounter them alone. i even brought up the new chihuahua to show them that it was a tiny animal. it didn't really go over so well. i told one of them that i had been a cook at an american yeshiva and had a lot of experience dealing with yeshiva students. i told him that i knew they liked their vodka. maybe i came off as degenerate. i offered to help them organize shabbat meals if they needed. i just came off as desperate. it was an awful no win situation.
the guys actually said that they would stay until sunday. they asked me about the curfew. i explained that the house was unlocked. i told them to feel at home. i was going for caring but i came off as desperate, once again. i thought we had settled on a price. my son asked for payment and they hemmed and hawed. they said that they had already paid the agent most of it. my son tried to cover for the agent and he came off as shady. i would have called the agent on the spot to figure out what was really going on. my son and wife were on their way to a concert and didn't have any more time to deal with this. i was left with the 5 young men, the 2 small kids and the 3 dogs. the guys told us that they were going downstairs to unload the car. i showed them the back yard. i offered them the use of the pool on wednesday when the family of 4 leaves. i innocently told them that i had a group of girls coming on thursday and that maybe we could make a future 'mazal tov' out of the situation. i thought i was being charming. they obviously didn't because they took off and never came back. they told me that they were going out to buy a grill. i even offered them the use of mine. oh there's nothing like an old fool.
i told my son from the start that i did not want to do business with this agent. i also said that it was a bad idea to take on yeshiva boys while we have religious girls downstairs. both he and his wife poo pooed me. they always do. they have total lack of respect for my life time experience. i am really annoyed. i see red. i hate myself for wanting and fantasizing about doing in this agent. i want to be a better person. it isn't just the loss of a potential income that is gnawing at me. it's the same old problem. my son is not a mensch. he is all over the place and i can't reign him in and his wife can't either. i am really broken. i want out. i am not enjoying my life one bit. i am too stressed out. i go for a pet scan in a few weeks and i'm obviously freaked out and scared that i might be sick again.
when i told my son that the boys never came home last night he acted like a real cry baby. he wouldn't contact the agent and confront him. he had received an SMS at midnight saying that the students had decided not to stay for shabbat. after all, how could they stay here while we had a bunch of hot babes in the swimming pool. the SMS also said that the students didn't like having to go through our house. no where did he state that they weren't coming back. my son ran to work bright and early and said that he was finished with the rental business. i am so mad at my son. i killed myself the last couple of days. last night i slept on a mattress on the floor because we took the bed upstairs. i had my granddaughter lying on top of me, the chihuahua on my head, and the pincher at my side. the third dog was sleeping on my grandson who was half way on top of me too. i took out all three dogs so that they wouldn't make a pish in the house. i didn't sleep well at all. it was hot and it was way too quiet. i didn't hear anyone coming in. i got up at 5:00 a.m. and went up the stairs. the door was wide open. the lights were still on. there was no sign of human life. we were ripped off..
i called the agent this morning and he blew me off. when i mentioned that i wanted to be compensated for last night he became verbally abusive. i sent him an email that i was planning on going to speak to the head rabbi of zefat about him. i also threatened to write something on the zefat website about him. i doubt that anything will come out of this mess. if only i knew that my son learned his lesson from this i'd feel better. i'm sure he didn't. it makes me feel that i have failed him as a mother. i am scared to leave him alone in this world when i transpire. i guess my mom felt the same way about me. does that make me a loser?
my son called a little while ago. the agent said that 'perhaps' he could reimburse him for the purchase of the DVD. i want more than that. i want a night's rent. we earned it. i want justice in an unjust world.
the young men finally arrived. they apologized for the inconvenience. i tried to schmooze with them. they were all from brooklyn. they came upstairs and didn't seem too happy. i let them know that i had been waiting for them all day. my son tried to charm them but we both came off as too desperate. they didn't like dogs and one might even have been afraid of them. what could i do? i was stuck with 3 dogs on one floor. my son told them to call me when they wanted to enter the house. what a lame thing to say. i told the young men that i would corral the dogs in so that they wouldn't encounter them alone. i even brought up the new chihuahua to show them that it was a tiny animal. it didn't really go over so well. i told one of them that i had been a cook at an american yeshiva and had a lot of experience dealing with yeshiva students. i told him that i knew they liked their vodka. maybe i came off as degenerate. i offered to help them organize shabbat meals if they needed. i just came off as desperate. it was an awful no win situation.
the guys actually said that they would stay until sunday. they asked me about the curfew. i explained that the house was unlocked. i told them to feel at home. i was going for caring but i came off as desperate, once again. i thought we had settled on a price. my son asked for payment and they hemmed and hawed. they said that they had already paid the agent most of it. my son tried to cover for the agent and he came off as shady. i would have called the agent on the spot to figure out what was really going on. my son and wife were on their way to a concert and didn't have any more time to deal with this. i was left with the 5 young men, the 2 small kids and the 3 dogs. the guys told us that they were going downstairs to unload the car. i showed them the back yard. i offered them the use of the pool on wednesday when the family of 4 leaves. i innocently told them that i had a group of girls coming on thursday and that maybe we could make a future 'mazal tov' out of the situation. i thought i was being charming. they obviously didn't because they took off and never came back. they told me that they were going out to buy a grill. i even offered them the use of mine. oh there's nothing like an old fool.
i told my son from the start that i did not want to do business with this agent. i also said that it was a bad idea to take on yeshiva boys while we have religious girls downstairs. both he and his wife poo pooed me. they always do. they have total lack of respect for my life time experience. i am really annoyed. i see red. i hate myself for wanting and fantasizing about doing in this agent. i want to be a better person. it isn't just the loss of a potential income that is gnawing at me. it's the same old problem. my son is not a mensch. he is all over the place and i can't reign him in and his wife can't either. i am really broken. i want out. i am not enjoying my life one bit. i am too stressed out. i go for a pet scan in a few weeks and i'm obviously freaked out and scared that i might be sick again.
when i told my son that the boys never came home last night he acted like a real cry baby. he wouldn't contact the agent and confront him. he had received an SMS at midnight saying that the students had decided not to stay for shabbat. after all, how could they stay here while we had a bunch of hot babes in the swimming pool. the SMS also said that the students didn't like having to go through our house. no where did he state that they weren't coming back. my son ran to work bright and early and said that he was finished with the rental business. i am so mad at my son. i killed myself the last couple of days. last night i slept on a mattress on the floor because we took the bed upstairs. i had my granddaughter lying on top of me, the chihuahua on my head, and the pincher at my side. the third dog was sleeping on my grandson who was half way on top of me too. i took out all three dogs so that they wouldn't make a pish in the house. i didn't sleep well at all. it was hot and it was way too quiet. i didn't hear anyone coming in. i got up at 5:00 a.m. and went up the stairs. the door was wide open. the lights were still on. there was no sign of human life. we were ripped off..
i called the agent this morning and he blew me off. when i mentioned that i wanted to be compensated for last night he became verbally abusive. i sent him an email that i was planning on going to speak to the head rabbi of zefat about him. i also threatened to write something on the zefat website about him. i doubt that anything will come out of this mess. if only i knew that my son learned his lesson from this i'd feel better. i'm sure he didn't. it makes me feel that i have failed him as a mother. i am scared to leave him alone in this world when i transpire. i guess my mom felt the same way about me. does that make me a loser?
my son called a little while ago. the agent said that 'perhaps' he could reimburse him for the purchase of the DVD. i want more than that. i want a night's rent. we earned it. i want justice in an unjust world.
Monday, August 11, 2014
And The Heat Goes On
it is 2:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. it is hot today. the family of 4 downstairs are a bit bummed out that we don't have air conditioner. i'm also bummed out that i can't throw myself into the pool and cool off. for the next two weeks the downstairs are off limit to me, the kids and the 3 dogs. we do have wednesday free. that means we can catch up on the laundry and the kids can be downstairs for the night. my daughter-in-law does the cleaning. she made up the couples' room to be picture perfect. i never accomplish that look. i offer clean and down home style. you know where the sheets don't match the pillow cases. eclectic, you might say.
i slept with the two kids last night. we were all exhausted. i had taken them to an outdoor gymborie. rubber floats for days. i spent a bunch of money on taxis and treats. the little one was not happy there. she did not enjoy bouncing on rubber mats and such. she even cried on the choo choo train ride and was in general, a royal pain. i had to carry her in my arms, to boot. i spent the time screaming at both of the kids. i was ugly. i would potch them and then buy them candy. it was just too crowded and too hot. i needed a chair. my back was killing me and i hadn't slept at all, the night before. yes, i shouldn't have taken them. i thought it would be a good time for all. i thought i could sit and watch them play. i wanted to get out of the house for a bit. i thought very wrong.
my daughter-in-law was at work until 2:00 a.m. they had to do inventory at the clothes store. my son got back at 8:00 p.m. and set up his computer. he could have made up the beds last night. he got angry with me because i wouldn't help him lift a bed. he had another screaming bout with me. he finally got a neighbor to help him with the bed. i went to sleep without talking to him. some time last night he got another bed frame from his mother-in-law. i was fast asleep. my daughter-in-law had to get to work by 7:30 a.m. my son took the kids to the other grandmother so we had a couple of hours to finish getting the roof top apartment together. i took a break and ran down to the supermarket. i bought myself two pineapple bacardi breezers and a package of chocolate icecream pops.
we are still short 2 bed frames. we have a few days to deal with it. next week we have 15 yeshiva students downstairs for two days. i spent the morning running up and down the steps to the roof top apt. i schlepped up chairs and a mattress by myself. i made up the 5 beds because my son was late for work. he was in a foul mood because he was late for work. as i said before, he had the entire night to get the job done. he chose to play on his computer, instead. out of sheer desperation, i helped my son carry up a humongous t.v. set. that was awful. i panicked on each and every step. i felt my legs giving out. i nearly dropped it more than once or twice.
if my son was capable of multi tasking, he could have simply taken up one of the wall t.v.screens from down below before the people arrived. anyhow, we got that old clunker up the stairs. and upstairs, it stays. my son had to buy a dvd player today because the real estate agent said that the yeshiva boys wanted to watch movies. why the heck do we take orders from the agent anyway? does he screen the guests? no he does not. he has sent us some real wackos in the past and took no responsibility in getting rid of them. he gauges the prices and takes 80 %. we do all the schlepping, cleaning and laundry afterwards and he makes a good profit. i am always left with enormous water bills afterwards. that's the life , i guess.
i'm supposed to collect the money from the boys when they show up. i feel like taking more for u as a service tip. the family downstairs didn't pay my son on arrival. they said they'd 'wire' us the money. are you kidding me??? i told my son that it was absolutely not acceptable. big entrepreneur! doesn't know squid about the real world or life. that's my fault for always being there to bail him out. i haven't really prepared him for the practical side of life.
i put a sign on the pool that forbids people going in with black clothes. my son got mad at me for spelling it wrong in hebrew. religious people are very modest. the ladies go in the pool with valour robes. the pool gets black afterwards. i go in a dress that doesn't run. i already saw that the lady downstairs was wearing, you guessed it, a black cotton robe. the pool has only been used this year by me and my grandson. the sephardi family never made it over to partake in any water sports. perhaps i can throw a barbecue/ pool party when the vacation season ends. but then, everyone might be back at school. oh just the thought of it makes me want another bacaardi breezer.
not. does he clean up the apartment and do laundry. no he does not. and to make things worse, he gauges prices and keeps 80 for himself. i get stuck with the laundry and payilng premium electric bill and water bills.
i slept with the two kids last night. we were all exhausted. i had taken them to an outdoor gymborie. rubber floats for days. i spent a bunch of money on taxis and treats. the little one was not happy there. she did not enjoy bouncing on rubber mats and such. she even cried on the choo choo train ride and was in general, a royal pain. i had to carry her in my arms, to boot. i spent the time screaming at both of the kids. i was ugly. i would potch them and then buy them candy. it was just too crowded and too hot. i needed a chair. my back was killing me and i hadn't slept at all, the night before. yes, i shouldn't have taken them. i thought it would be a good time for all. i thought i could sit and watch them play. i wanted to get out of the house for a bit. i thought very wrong.
my daughter-in-law was at work until 2:00 a.m. they had to do inventory at the clothes store. my son got back at 8:00 p.m. and set up his computer. he could have made up the beds last night. he got angry with me because i wouldn't help him lift a bed. he had another screaming bout with me. he finally got a neighbor to help him with the bed. i went to sleep without talking to him. some time last night he got another bed frame from his mother-in-law. i was fast asleep. my daughter-in-law had to get to work by 7:30 a.m. my son took the kids to the other grandmother so we had a couple of hours to finish getting the roof top apartment together. i took a break and ran down to the supermarket. i bought myself two pineapple bacardi breezers and a package of chocolate icecream pops.
we are still short 2 bed frames. we have a few days to deal with it. next week we have 15 yeshiva students downstairs for two days. i spent the morning running up and down the steps to the roof top apt. i schlepped up chairs and a mattress by myself. i made up the 5 beds because my son was late for work. he was in a foul mood because he was late for work. as i said before, he had the entire night to get the job done. he chose to play on his computer, instead. out of sheer desperation, i helped my son carry up a humongous t.v. set. that was awful. i panicked on each and every step. i felt my legs giving out. i nearly dropped it more than once or twice.
if my son was capable of multi tasking, he could have simply taken up one of the wall t.v.screens from down below before the people arrived. anyhow, we got that old clunker up the stairs. and upstairs, it stays. my son had to buy a dvd player today because the real estate agent said that the yeshiva boys wanted to watch movies. why the heck do we take orders from the agent anyway? does he screen the guests? no he does not. he has sent us some real wackos in the past and took no responsibility in getting rid of them. he gauges the prices and takes 80 %. we do all the schlepping, cleaning and laundry afterwards and he makes a good profit. i am always left with enormous water bills afterwards. that's the life , i guess.
i'm supposed to collect the money from the boys when they show up. i feel like taking more for u as a service tip. the family downstairs didn't pay my son on arrival. they said they'd 'wire' us the money. are you kidding me??? i told my son that it was absolutely not acceptable. big entrepreneur! doesn't know squid about the real world or life. that's my fault for always being there to bail him out. i haven't really prepared him for the practical side of life.
i put a sign on the pool that forbids people going in with black clothes. my son got mad at me for spelling it wrong in hebrew. religious people are very modest. the ladies go in the pool with valour robes. the pool gets black afterwards. i go in a dress that doesn't run. i already saw that the lady downstairs was wearing, you guessed it, a black cotton robe. the pool has only been used this year by me and my grandson. the sephardi family never made it over to partake in any water sports. perhaps i can throw a barbecue/ pool party when the vacation season ends. but then, everyone might be back at school. oh just the thought of it makes me want another bacaardi breezer.
not. does he clean up the apartment and do laundry. no he does not. and to make things worse, he gauges prices and keeps 80 for himself. i get stuck with the laundry and payilng premium electric bill and water bills.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
All About The Money
it is 9:30 p.m.. in the holy city of zefat. we are waiting around for a family of 4 who will be residing downstairs for the next three nights. the lady wanted an entire week at first and then settled for four nights. we settled on a price and then she called to cancel the fourth night. it's all pr ordained by heaven but it is a real pain in the butt. i went downstairs to seal off the closets. i was surprised that the daughter-in-law didn't leave them any closet space. i placed fans in all the crucial rooms and the daughter-in-law took them out. i don't get it. yesterday, i washed down the patio area. it smelled like cat urine and pigeon poo. i also schlepped down chairs. i cleaned the pool and filled it to the top.
the little kids are a bit freaked out. it took me a really long time to put them to sleep tonight. the little girl is a fish out of water without her crib downstairs. i had a horrendous day with them. i never went to sleep last night. i dozed off for about an hour around 1:00 a.m. and never fell back to sleep. i watched an old movie until about 5:00 a.m. i jumped out of bed and did my floors with a wet mop. i then did the large back bedroom, where the big kids will be shacking up for a week. the daughter-in-law brought up bags of clothes and toiletries and i arranged them. my son accused me of meddling with his things this morning. he couldn't find something. maybe his hair gel.
i had a humongous blow out with my son at around 8:00 p.m. he actually had me lifting a rather heavy bed with him. i gave up. i don't need to be crippled for the next few years to make a few dollars this summer. he let me have it and i gave it back in aces. i even cursed him out. he has no appreciation of how hard i have been working and how hard it is to take care of the little kids all the time. i have made them shabbat meals for about three months straight without a break. that entails buying the food and drinks and taking care of the kids on thursdays and all day friday. he over booked groups and we are short a bed frame. i don't think it's a catastrophe if one person sleeps on two huge mattresses. i would hate to have to shlepp up the heavy wooden beds at this point. hopefully, a neighbor will help us out.
i should take my share of the money and treat myself to a spa date or something. i won't and i know it. I'm leaning towards a new computer and paying my house insurance. i should save it all and hold on to some money for the future winter electric bill. i'm still paying off last winter's bill. my son can play financier all he wants but the truth is they are a real drain on me. we are splitting the rentals fifty/fifty. but in all honesty, they have been living here rent free for over a year now. and they don't help with all the bills, either. i know they are hurting for money but i think i should receive the rentals in their entirety. it would create world war 3. i have already told my son to take a hike twice this week. i can't take his bulllying me anymore.
i pay the electric and water bills as well as the city taxes and house insurance with little assistance form the kids.. i am going crazy with being home with the 2 kids and all 3 dogs. today was a nightmare. someone was always taking out the Chihuahua and someone was constantly making in their pants. i think both kids pished 2-3 times in their underwear in the course of the day . the bathroom floor was pishied up and the hall was full of dog do. i did a mopping about two times today.
we are having guests upstairs that will using my entrance and going through my house. the kids are wrecking the entrance hall all day long. there is dog hair and dog pish as well as toys and cut up paper all over the place. there is also an assortment of kids shoes all over the place. i spend the entire day cleaning up.
.
the little kids are a bit freaked out. it took me a really long time to put them to sleep tonight. the little girl is a fish out of water without her crib downstairs. i had a horrendous day with them. i never went to sleep last night. i dozed off for about an hour around 1:00 a.m. and never fell back to sleep. i watched an old movie until about 5:00 a.m. i jumped out of bed and did my floors with a wet mop. i then did the large back bedroom, where the big kids will be shacking up for a week. the daughter-in-law brought up bags of clothes and toiletries and i arranged them. my son accused me of meddling with his things this morning. he couldn't find something. maybe his hair gel.
i had a humongous blow out with my son at around 8:00 p.m. he actually had me lifting a rather heavy bed with him. i gave up. i don't need to be crippled for the next few years to make a few dollars this summer. he let me have it and i gave it back in aces. i even cursed him out. he has no appreciation of how hard i have been working and how hard it is to take care of the little kids all the time. i have made them shabbat meals for about three months straight without a break. that entails buying the food and drinks and taking care of the kids on thursdays and all day friday. he over booked groups and we are short a bed frame. i don't think it's a catastrophe if one person sleeps on two huge mattresses. i would hate to have to shlepp up the heavy wooden beds at this point. hopefully, a neighbor will help us out.
i should take my share of the money and treat myself to a spa date or something. i won't and i know it. I'm leaning towards a new computer and paying my house insurance. i should save it all and hold on to some money for the future winter electric bill. i'm still paying off last winter's bill. my son can play financier all he wants but the truth is they are a real drain on me. we are splitting the rentals fifty/fifty. but in all honesty, they have been living here rent free for over a year now. and they don't help with all the bills, either. i know they are hurting for money but i think i should receive the rentals in their entirety. it would create world war 3. i have already told my son to take a hike twice this week. i can't take his bulllying me anymore.
i pay the electric and water bills as well as the city taxes and house insurance with little assistance form the kids.. i am going crazy with being home with the 2 kids and all 3 dogs. today was a nightmare. someone was always taking out the Chihuahua and someone was constantly making in their pants. i think both kids pished 2-3 times in their underwear in the course of the day . the bathroom floor was pishied up and the hall was full of dog do. i did a mopping about two times today.
we are having guests upstairs that will using my entrance and going through my house. the kids are wrecking the entrance hall all day long. there is dog hair and dog pish as well as toys and cut up paper all over the place. there is also an assortment of kids shoes all over the place. i spend the entire day cleaning up.
.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Early In The Morning
it is 7:00 a.m. in the morning. i'm not on duty yet. i let the dogs out and didn't wash the floors yet. i am tired. the fast went pretty well. i spent the day listening to inspirational lectures on the internet. i had the little kids with me on and off. i gave them their morning hot chocolate and half of a pita with butter. i explained that i wouldn't be giving out sweets on a fast day. they survived without lolly pops and chewing gum. no one cracked up.
i managed to sleep a bit. i put the regular childrens' television shows on for them and didn't get up a million times to change the shows, like i do on a regular day. it was very doable. about half an hour before the fast ended i cut up some fruit and made a platter. i quickly made a tomato sauce from some canned tomatoes and boiled up some frozen store bought cheese ravioli to break the fast. i had bought plenty of soft drinks and i had some honey cake on reserve.
the kids were very appreciative. i even helped put the kids to sleep. yesterday i was left alone with the grandson and the new chihuahua, "chiwi". she got out and ran threw the gate onto the street. i managed to catch her in front of the house. it wasn't fun. i spent the day checking up on her and taking her out for short walks. my son doesn't want her spending any time upstairs with my dogs. he is afraid that she will pick up their bad habits, like pishing on the floors. he knows that with just one pish you're out of the old ball game downstairs.
the daughter-in-law is not a dog lover. she is making an effort to please her childish husband. it is like giving in to a terrorist. it is a mess. we do not need another dog here. we need mature parents who will tend to their children. both the parents come home after a really long day at work and neither one has patience to deal with their kids. yesterday the pair didn't return until 8:30 p.m. they threw some onion rings, fries and soy franks into the toaster oven for dinner. the girl got bathed. i had already bathed the boy. they put the little girl to bed and i put the bigger boy to bed. they took a walk. i finished off the 'ben & Jerry's and watched some E news. they came back after 10:00 p.m..
i have the boy with me today. i also have to make shabbat meals again. i am tired. i am bored. i am fat. i am in a rut. it is pretty much the quiet before the storm..next week we will have around 15 paying guests. we will be camped together on my floor. all 5 of us with all 3 dogs. good luck! my back is killing me. sciatic nerve here we go again. it will be grilled chicken, chicken meatballs, spaghetti kugel, piquant fish, wheat pilaf and an israeli salad. i am keeping it simple this week.
i finally got the phone service back yesterday. it took over an hour, 10 phone calls and 3 different personnel. i ranted and screamed my head off. i left the boy downstairs alone with the chihuahua. they both survived. after a few hours with the phone i got a message that the phone was being turned off again due to lack of payment. i give up.
we had an offer of a small family coming up for a week. the woman was a neat freak. i told the kids to pass on it. t meant that my daughter-in-law had to start doing a pesach clean up at 10:00 p.m. she was already screaming at the kids. we need the money but not at the cost of any one's health or sanity. we will have other calls, i'm sure. we all need a couple of days to regroup after the fast. a quiet shabbat will go a long way. i know, i for one, am looking forward to a good nap. i can't get one with my grandson. he is the anti-sleep child. he is non stop and never slows down. he will have a melt down but doesn't nap. he is the bunny in the commercial for batteries that don't quit. i will pass out before he does.
i managed to sleep a bit. i put the regular childrens' television shows on for them and didn't get up a million times to change the shows, like i do on a regular day. it was very doable. about half an hour before the fast ended i cut up some fruit and made a platter. i quickly made a tomato sauce from some canned tomatoes and boiled up some frozen store bought cheese ravioli to break the fast. i had bought plenty of soft drinks and i had some honey cake on reserve.
the kids were very appreciative. i even helped put the kids to sleep. yesterday i was left alone with the grandson and the new chihuahua, "chiwi". she got out and ran threw the gate onto the street. i managed to catch her in front of the house. it wasn't fun. i spent the day checking up on her and taking her out for short walks. my son doesn't want her spending any time upstairs with my dogs. he is afraid that she will pick up their bad habits, like pishing on the floors. he knows that with just one pish you're out of the old ball game downstairs.
the daughter-in-law is not a dog lover. she is making an effort to please her childish husband. it is like giving in to a terrorist. it is a mess. we do not need another dog here. we need mature parents who will tend to their children. both the parents come home after a really long day at work and neither one has patience to deal with their kids. yesterday the pair didn't return until 8:30 p.m. they threw some onion rings, fries and soy franks into the toaster oven for dinner. the girl got bathed. i had already bathed the boy. they put the little girl to bed and i put the bigger boy to bed. they took a walk. i finished off the 'ben & Jerry's and watched some E news. they came back after 10:00 p.m..
i have the boy with me today. i also have to make shabbat meals again. i am tired. i am bored. i am fat. i am in a rut. it is pretty much the quiet before the storm..next week we will have around 15 paying guests. we will be camped together on my floor. all 5 of us with all 3 dogs. good luck! my back is killing me. sciatic nerve here we go again. it will be grilled chicken, chicken meatballs, spaghetti kugel, piquant fish, wheat pilaf and an israeli salad. i am keeping it simple this week.
i finally got the phone service back yesterday. it took over an hour, 10 phone calls and 3 different personnel. i ranted and screamed my head off. i left the boy downstairs alone with the chihuahua. they both survived. after a few hours with the phone i got a message that the phone was being turned off again due to lack of payment. i give up.
we had an offer of a small family coming up for a week. the woman was a neat freak. i told the kids to pass on it. t meant that my daughter-in-law had to start doing a pesach clean up at 10:00 p.m. she was already screaming at the kids. we need the money but not at the cost of any one's health or sanity. we will have other calls, i'm sure. we all need a couple of days to regroup after the fast. a quiet shabbat will go a long way. i know, i for one, am looking forward to a good nap. i can't get one with my grandson. he is the anti-sleep child. he is non stop and never slows down. he will have a melt down but doesn't nap. he is the bunny in the commercial for batteries that don't quit. i will pass out before he does.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Been Down This Road Before
it is 5:30 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. the fast begins in two hours. i already had red lentil soup, bread and cheddar cheese, macaroni and sweet potatoes and a glass of chocolate milk. i already feel uncomfortable. i went down to the electric company this morning to pay the bill. i wanted to avoid any last minute hassles before we receive our paying guests next week.
i was supposed to babysit but i received a reprieve. the daughter-in-law didn't go to work. she drove me with the grandson and the new dog, chiwi, to the bottom of zefat. the industrial zone looks like the wild west, indeed. i was told that one can no longer pay one's bill at the company. that's right, they do not take checks anymore and yes, we have another dog. it was straight to the bank to withdraw money and hustle over to the post office. before that it was take the grandson to a bathroom with the dogie and then pay my city tax bill across the hall.
my phone got disconnected today. my bank returned the payment about 3 weeks ago. i have been calling the company for weeks without ever reaching an operator. i had no way to pay the bill. i managed to order a bill to be sent to my house but i still didn't get it. not having a credit card makes life a bit tricky. my daughter-in-law actually reached an operator this afternoon and they agreed to put the payment through the bank again. they also promised to turn on the phone. it still isn't on. oh well.....
last night about 8:00 p.m. my son pranced in with a cute white chihuahua in his arms. the small kids went berserk. they had been with me at the local playground for hours. they had already had their bubble baths and dinner and were ready for bed, when their father came home. i went ballistic. shades of the past. all those dogs he found and rescued as a kid and as a young man came back to haunt me. all those puppies that i slept with, had inoculated and found homes for and all those huge dogs he brought in that i made him get rid of and paid for someone to haul them out.
he has tried the dog thing several times since he's been married. in the last 6 years he has brought in 4 dogs. each time a dog would pishie on the floor it would be vanished by the wifey. she is not a dog lover. she is a neat freak. she doesn't like dog hair and she doesn't like balagon. i screamed at my son last night. i called him a balogonist, and a child. i told him that i wished he would show the same amount of affection that he bestows on this dog onto his own children. he accused me of ruining his childhood. i went upstairs after i got the kids to sleep and ate a huge bowl of ice cream.
i'm falling for this dog. i can't have her upstairs because of the other two dogs that my son brought in 10 and 11 years ago. she already started being aggressive with my pincher. i really don't know what is going to be. the owner wants us to breed this dog twice before she becomes officially ours. i shouldn't say ours. it's my son's dog. and next week we are receiving 17 paying guests that probably don't like dogs. i need to keep all three dogs hidden away and out of the paths of the guests. i will be alone . the kids will be at work and I'll be stuck with the guests and the dogs and probably the kids.
i have gained even more weight. i haven't been this overweight in 30 years. i am beyond stressed out. i don't have a moment to myself. next week we'll be all camping together on my floor. that will be rough. 3 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms yes, but only one t.v. and a computer that is on it's last legs. it will be an endurance test. to be continued.
i was supposed to babysit but i received a reprieve. the daughter-in-law didn't go to work. she drove me with the grandson and the new dog, chiwi, to the bottom of zefat. the industrial zone looks like the wild west, indeed. i was told that one can no longer pay one's bill at the company. that's right, they do not take checks anymore and yes, we have another dog. it was straight to the bank to withdraw money and hustle over to the post office. before that it was take the grandson to a bathroom with the dogie and then pay my city tax bill across the hall.
my phone got disconnected today. my bank returned the payment about 3 weeks ago. i have been calling the company for weeks without ever reaching an operator. i had no way to pay the bill. i managed to order a bill to be sent to my house but i still didn't get it. not having a credit card makes life a bit tricky. my daughter-in-law actually reached an operator this afternoon and they agreed to put the payment through the bank again. they also promised to turn on the phone. it still isn't on. oh well.....
last night about 8:00 p.m. my son pranced in with a cute white chihuahua in his arms. the small kids went berserk. they had been with me at the local playground for hours. they had already had their bubble baths and dinner and were ready for bed, when their father came home. i went ballistic. shades of the past. all those dogs he found and rescued as a kid and as a young man came back to haunt me. all those puppies that i slept with, had inoculated and found homes for and all those huge dogs he brought in that i made him get rid of and paid for someone to haul them out.
he has tried the dog thing several times since he's been married. in the last 6 years he has brought in 4 dogs. each time a dog would pishie on the floor it would be vanished by the wifey. she is not a dog lover. she is a neat freak. she doesn't like dog hair and she doesn't like balagon. i screamed at my son last night. i called him a balogonist, and a child. i told him that i wished he would show the same amount of affection that he bestows on this dog onto his own children. he accused me of ruining his childhood. i went upstairs after i got the kids to sleep and ate a huge bowl of ice cream.
i'm falling for this dog. i can't have her upstairs because of the other two dogs that my son brought in 10 and 11 years ago. she already started being aggressive with my pincher. i really don't know what is going to be. the owner wants us to breed this dog twice before she becomes officially ours. i shouldn't say ours. it's my son's dog. and next week we are receiving 17 paying guests that probably don't like dogs. i need to keep all three dogs hidden away and out of the paths of the guests. i will be alone . the kids will be at work and I'll be stuck with the guests and the dogs and probably the kids.
i have gained even more weight. i haven't been this overweight in 30 years. i am beyond stressed out. i don't have a moment to myself. next week we'll be all camping together on my floor. that will be rough. 3 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms yes, but only one t.v. and a computer that is on it's last legs. it will be an endurance test. to be continued.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
A time To Cry
it is 1:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. tomorrow night begins the longest jewish fast. we mourn the destruction of our holy temples. everyone is israel has been mourning already for weeks. we are at war. last week a neighbor's 22 year old son was killed in action. i went to the funeral. we were a thousand strong. it was awful. parents, families and community members all over the country are going to these funerals on a daily basis..
we are burying our youth. the most recent kidnapped soldier was to be married in two weeks. another soldier left a pregnant widow with a small child. these are the tragedies that are befalling our nation. some soldiers entered a boobie trapped building to save babies and were blown to bits. this is what we hear every day. every day we have more tragic news. every day another mother loses a son. every day, an entire community goes to comfort the families. the lists of the injured keep rising. we do hear individual miracle stories here and there. and we do hear of a lot of genorosity too.
we don't need to try and force the mourning of our temples. we are mourning naturally on a daily basis. our children are our temples. i have been trying to find recipes online for the pre fast. i'm thinking red lentil soup and pasta with sweet potatoes. i could go out and buy sweet potato ravioli but i think i'll make my own dish. i don't know about eating dairy before the fast. i can't remember what we ate last year. it is a very hard fast. it is really hot again. too. i have been with the grandson all week and will have both kids later today and all day tomorrow..
i am exhausted. shabbat was difficult. my son is still reeling from losing a neighborhood buddy. i went to pay a shiva call on thursday evening. it was torture. the house was filled with women who came to comfort the sisters and mother of the fallen soldier. i stayed for an hour. i read some psalms and cried. i didn't approach the mom. i couldn't. i had no words of comfort. i was sick afterwards. what can you say?
i just finished washing the floors. the house was totally trashed after shabbat. the kids were super hyper and running a muck. i think the parents as well as myself were in no condition to deal with them. i can't count the number of times drinks were spilled, and plates of food were dumped on the floor. my neighborhood friend came over for lunch and i felt bad for her that it was so unruly and noisy. our kids are cracking up from not having gan for over a month. the poor children in the center of the country and south have spent their summer vacation inside bomb shelters.
i made a special meal for shabbat night. i feel that the best revenge on our enemies is to eat well. i made a lovely grilled chicken, a mash potato and mushroom kugel, a string bean and chick pea casserole, a wheat pilaf, a mixed green salad and the usual piquant sephardi style stewed fish. i also made an eggplant salad, an egg salad, a potato salad, a corn salad, a tomato relish and a very hot tomato salad, too. of course, we had the standard humus. i even baked a whole wheat honey cake that i usually make just for rosh hashana. my son noticed and even commented on the special effort i made to make the shabbat meal. trust me, i do not ever serve shlop but it just shows how effected my son is by the recent tragedy. he has been hugging me on a daily basis too.
i just served leftovers for lunch. i did make a fresh salad. there was plenty of beer and soft drinks. my friend and i drank Bacardi breezers. my friend is scared. she's only been in israel for two years and this is her first war. it's quiet in the north right now and we are very fortunate. we are not being forced into bomb shelters yet. i feel bad for my friend. i don't travel much and i'm not running down to the border to bring gifts to the soldiers. there are many people who are attending to the soldiers from all walks of life. i am staying close to home where it is relatively quiet. i'm no hero but i'm coping.
our people, for the most part, are united. we do have our leftists who are absolutely insane. they busy themselves making trouble for their fellow jews. what are we to do?. the entire world is against us right now. we are 'baby killers', right?. i try not to read the news. i stay away from watching it on t.v. bad news seems to reach me anyway. there is no where to run and there is no where to hide.
we are getting ready to have paying guests next week. the kids placed an ad in a religious magazine and we might just be making some money. that is if it continues to be quiet here. we live our lives day by day. and we pray for peace. the kids and i are getting along and working together for a change.
i am exhausted
we are burying our youth. the most recent kidnapped soldier was to be married in two weeks. another soldier left a pregnant widow with a small child. these are the tragedies that are befalling our nation. some soldiers entered a boobie trapped building to save babies and were blown to bits. this is what we hear every day. every day we have more tragic news. every day another mother loses a son. every day, an entire community goes to comfort the families. the lists of the injured keep rising. we do hear individual miracle stories here and there. and we do hear of a lot of genorosity too.
we don't need to try and force the mourning of our temples. we are mourning naturally on a daily basis. our children are our temples. i have been trying to find recipes online for the pre fast. i'm thinking red lentil soup and pasta with sweet potatoes. i could go out and buy sweet potato ravioli but i think i'll make my own dish. i don't know about eating dairy before the fast. i can't remember what we ate last year. it is a very hard fast. it is really hot again. too. i have been with the grandson all week and will have both kids later today and all day tomorrow..
i am exhausted. shabbat was difficult. my son is still reeling from losing a neighborhood buddy. i went to pay a shiva call on thursday evening. it was torture. the house was filled with women who came to comfort the sisters and mother of the fallen soldier. i stayed for an hour. i read some psalms and cried. i didn't approach the mom. i couldn't. i had no words of comfort. i was sick afterwards. what can you say?
i just finished washing the floors. the house was totally trashed after shabbat. the kids were super hyper and running a muck. i think the parents as well as myself were in no condition to deal with them. i can't count the number of times drinks were spilled, and plates of food were dumped on the floor. my neighborhood friend came over for lunch and i felt bad for her that it was so unruly and noisy. our kids are cracking up from not having gan for over a month. the poor children in the center of the country and south have spent their summer vacation inside bomb shelters.
i made a special meal for shabbat night. i feel that the best revenge on our enemies is to eat well. i made a lovely grilled chicken, a mash potato and mushroom kugel, a string bean and chick pea casserole, a wheat pilaf, a mixed green salad and the usual piquant sephardi style stewed fish. i also made an eggplant salad, an egg salad, a potato salad, a corn salad, a tomato relish and a very hot tomato salad, too. of course, we had the standard humus. i even baked a whole wheat honey cake that i usually make just for rosh hashana. my son noticed and even commented on the special effort i made to make the shabbat meal. trust me, i do not ever serve shlop but it just shows how effected my son is by the recent tragedy. he has been hugging me on a daily basis too.
i just served leftovers for lunch. i did make a fresh salad. there was plenty of beer and soft drinks. my friend and i drank Bacardi breezers. my friend is scared. she's only been in israel for two years and this is her first war. it's quiet in the north right now and we are very fortunate. we are not being forced into bomb shelters yet. i feel bad for my friend. i don't travel much and i'm not running down to the border to bring gifts to the soldiers. there are many people who are attending to the soldiers from all walks of life. i am staying close to home where it is relatively quiet. i'm no hero but i'm coping.
our people, for the most part, are united. we do have our leftists who are absolutely insane. they busy themselves making trouble for their fellow jews. what are we to do?. the entire world is against us right now. we are 'baby killers', right?. i try not to read the news. i stay away from watching it on t.v. bad news seems to reach me anyway. there is no where to run and there is no where to hide.
we are getting ready to have paying guests next week. the kids placed an ad in a religious magazine and we might just be making some money. that is if it continues to be quiet here. we live our lives day by day. and we pray for peace. the kids and i are getting along and working together for a change.
i am exhausted
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
