Even More Tired

it is 3:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I spent 3 hours washing the floors and changing the linens in my house this morning.  it is just too doggy here.  I was able to clean out all the dog hair, pish and doggie droppings all over the house.  I am dog sitting for my friend's two small pinchers and they are a hand full.  there are currently two female and two male dogs co existing here.  my female pincher is very old and on her way out, I believe.  she has become incontinent and can barely walk.  she pishes and leaves droppings wherever she stands.

I cannot see having her putdown just yet.  she doesn't seem to be in pain.  she makes it outside and to the end of the street.  I may have to leave her on the bedroom porch in her doggie bed.  she seems to enjoy the company of the other dogs.  perhaps she has gone senile.  the two males got into a loud scuffle this morning.  I was not pleased.  my male has been hiding in the costume closet all day.  I just fed them so I will be able to take them out for a walk before Shabbat.

the kids came back from their five day holiday trip on Wednesday.  I had them for about four hours yesterday before I went to the yeshiva to make dinner for the students.  I am cooking for 12 these days.  it takes about 2 hours to make the meal an additional hour or more to wash the pots and put away the leftovers.   it amounts to about 3 hours on my feet.  I am truly feeling it in my back.  yesterday I came home after 7:00 p.m.  I fed the dogs and raced out.  they had a celebratory meal at the Sephardi synagogue for a new sefer torah.  they had a ceremony earlier in the evening for the fallen soldiers at the local high school. 

I was starving and looked forward to a good meal.  we went to the house where the torah was brought the night before.  I wasn't hungry at all.  the hostess, who lost her young son in the army two years ago, served a vegetarian couscous.  I tasted the veggies and had a few raisins, and nuts.  last night I really went for it.  I ate a huge roll and finished a plate of humus with spicy chopped meat.  they brought out the schnitzel after 9:00 p.m.  my friend split.  even tough, I don't eat after 8:00 p.m. I didn't care last night.  they brought out little cubes of very spicy meat with chick peas.  this is a Sephardi delicacy: lungs.  I actually love it.  I pretty much finished off the whole bowl at my table.  at 10:00 p.m. they started bringing out platters of rice and potatoes and couscous.  I left. 

I walked the 3 dogs and then collapsed in bed.  I sleep with 3 dogs now.  I didn't feel so well last night.  I was actually naceous.   that's what you get for eating tons of lungs late at night.  I felt fine this morning.  one of the dogs woke me up at around 6;00 a.m. and not very gently.  I took the 3 out on leashes.  my pincher can't keep up with us on a walk.  we got back a half an hour later.  it was quite cool and breezy.  I decided to take a 'power' walk by myself.  I seem to have high blood pressure now.  I made it only about a couple of blocks away.  I couldn't get myself to climb the hill to the top of the neighborhood.

I walked around a bit for another half an hour and made it to the supermarket.  I bought a few pieces of fruit and eggs and some items that were on sale before the holidays.  I also bought a package of 5 grain tortillas.  they are extremely thin and delicious.  I didn't make a thing for Shabbat.  I kind of wangled an invite out of my kids and friends.  so I am set.  I put up hot water in case I want a tea and I made banana oatmeal silver dollar pancakes.  I love having a few before I go to synagogue.  I don't eat muffins or cake anymore. 

I need a rest and I need a shower and I need to walk the dogs.  I wonder if i'll get a rest today.  candle lighting is in about 2 hours.