A littleTired

it is 6:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I am missing my cooking competition show because the kids are watching a movie.  I am pretty tired and have little patience left.  I had some guests for a few days and I also had the kids here, too.  my friends arrived in the late afternoon on Wednesday and the kids were still here.  my grandson received a giant box of lego and he went into building mode for hours.

my son decided to go out to get a bite to eat with his friend and I stayed home with the kids to about 10:00 p.m.  no one had eaten much so I ran out to the neighborhood pizza shop and bought a small pie.  on Thursday we made a barbecue.  my friend's adult son stayed in the pool with the kids while I got everything organized.  he was a bit shell shocked.  these kids are wild.  anyway, he survived and was able to man the fire that evening.

another friend joined us and thankfully, it cooled off in the late evening.  the kids were tired and we brought out covers and mini mattresses for them to lie on while we ate.  they did perk up for the roasted marshmallows.   the kids slept over on Thursday night.  their parents wanted some 'alone' time.  my friend and I had ventured out to town earlier that day to check out the art galleries.  she hadn't been there in years.

 we stopped off at a local Yemenite restaurant in the old city.  they serve sandwiches and we drank some exotic plant juice, known to make you high. we blew big bucks with the rest of the tourists.  we didn't really get high but we both seemed more relaxed.  we ran to a small market and bought some beer and things for the barbecue and for Shabbat.  once again, we blew big bucks.  or in my case, a big check.  we got stuck in town and waited for 20 minutes for a taxi.

on Friday I washed the floors, once again.  I had done them on Wednesday and changed all the linens in the bedrooms.  what could I do, the floors were trashed.  I got a late start cooking.  the kids needed a lot of attention and they wanted to be in the pool.  my friends joined the kids in the pool while I scrambled to finish the floors.  my friend did all the peeling and helped me cut the veggies for salad.  I seldom accept help, but I was losing steam fast.

while the kids stayed with the adult male guest, his mother and I ran to the local supermarket and bakery.  we schlepped home an enormous watermelon, and a case of bottled water in my shopping cart.  we took turns pulling the wagon.  the amount of shopping and schlepping seemed endless.  my money soon ran out and so did most of my physical endurance.  I was beat. 

I have been suffering from an infected wisdom tooth and neuralgia in my face and ear.  I had taken a week's worth of antibiotics which left me reeling.  the dentist was afraid to do any work until I had my ear checked out and a letter from a neurologist.  she is convinced that my brain tumor is presenting symptoms.  I ran to an ear doctor on Tuesday evening.  he had arrived late and I ended up waiting in a freezing reception area until 8:45 p.m.

he told me that my ear was fine and that I needed a dentist.  he had little patience and said there couldn't be any connection between the pain in my jaw and ear to my brain tumor.  he said to switch dentists.  the bus wasn't running on schedule due to a concert in town.  I waited 40 minutes for a  bus and got home at 10:00 p.m.  I was simply overwrought.  I have an appointment with a neurologist in two weeks.  in the meanwhile, I tread lightly.  every once in a while I get a twinge of pain in my teeth and mouth and eardrum. 

I tried to keep the Shabbat preparations to a minimum.  I made spicy stewed fish fillets, and stewed spicy chicken.  I defrosted  turkey meatballs from two weeks ago and threw it into the chicken.  I wanted to make a liver teriyaki with the left over liver from the barbecue but I ran out of time.  I also wanted to fry some chicken schnitzel but I ran out of strength.  I did manage to make a huge potato kugel and baked a few beets.  I made a  cooked tomato relish, a carrot and almond salad, an egg salad and a lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad.  I had store bought chumus and olives.

I did all the dishes and clean up by myself.  I usually have help.  I set up the electric platter for the morning.  I couldn't get to synagogue.  I was wasted.  I gave over the master bedroom to my son and wife and they slept with the granddaughter.  I slept in the t.v. room on the tiny sofa and my grandson slept in the middle of the room on a mattress.  I stayed in the living room for most of the morning on the large couch.  it was surprisingly comfortable and cool in that room.  I never sit there.

everyone took naps and I fell asleep in the living room with the kids.  I actually passed out while the kids went amok.  I had sat downstairs in the sun while the kids swam in the pool.   I woke up and the kids were in the t.v. area with my friend.  the parents were still resting.  I worried about what to serve for the third meal.  I made an Israeli salad with tiny diced tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion.  I served fresh whole wheat pitas, danish butter, sliced yellow cheese, cottage cheese and 5 % white cheese spread.  everyone was satiated.

another friend stopped by with chocolates, fruit and cookies so we all munched out on her package.  it was a very long Shabbat.  I made French toast with leftover challah this morning and my friends left.  the kids came over at 1:00 p.m. I ran to supermarket to bring back the empty beer bottles and buy some treats.  I am beat.