Just Another Rainy Sunday

it is 9:30 a.m. in the holy city of safed.   it is indeed a stormy sunday.  we have been enduring unseasonably warm weather as of late.  everyone us sick.  I got hit with the flu last week.  I was able to prepare three Chanukah meals for the yeshiva and then I broke down.  it was awful.  I was feverish, nauseous, in pain and ravenous at the same time.  I lost my voice.  I babysat for the kids, who were on vacation, while I lay in bed waiting to die.  I thought that perhaps flu shots wasn't such a bad idea after all.  last year I got the flu and stayed ill for nearly three months.

I didn't go to work all last week.  I only went outside to walk the dog.  a couple of times I thought that I might be having a heart attack.  I went down to the supermarket one morning to buy treats for Chanukah and had to cab it home.  I felt like I might collapse outside.  the supermarket is a whole five minutes from here.  I am still coughing and straining to spit up a bit of phlegm.  I wasn't dressed the entire week.

I thought about staying in today.  the yeshiva called to ask me to come in.  the other cook is at the hospital today dealing with the removal of a stent in her urethra.  that means I need to cook both meals today.  I pray that I won't collapse.  I just threw in a small load of laundry.  it is really miserable outside.  I will cab it to and back from work today.  I didn't really sleep last night.  I passed out during the day.  I watched friends' reruns to about 6:00 a.m.

I took the dog to the corner at 7:00 a.m.  it was miserable outside so I came right home.  I left the porch door open if he needs to relieve himself.  I don't really care if he pishes in the house.  I called my son to get a lift to work.  today is his birthday.  he turns 31.  I bought him a small Nivea shaving kit for men and a blueberry cheesecake.  my grandson didn't much care for the cake.  they invited me to come for Shabbat.  I absolutely couldn't make it out.  I had food in the freezer so I had plenty to eat.

I took a headache pill which made it easier to relax.  I read a lot of the saul bellow novel, 'humboldts' gift'.  it is an amazing book but very deep.  I ate too much as I have been doing lately.  usually, one loses weight after the flu.  not me.  I am so nervous about going to work today.  I hope I don't relapse.

it is 5:00 p.m. and I just got back from work.  I only did 5 1/2 hours today on my feet.  I didn't cough much and I had the stamina to make two meals.  the kitchen was trashed from Shabbat.  I had tons of pots to scrub and huge plastic tubs to wash out , too.  I made a big pot of buckwheat groats, sweet potato and carrot soup, a squash soufflé, a sweet noodle kugel  and an Israeli salad for lunch.  I did the rest of the pots and plastic bins and then made dinner.

I made 2 trays of shephard's pie.  I just used chopped meat and corn for the filling.  I made a huge pot of rice but I was too tired to stay longer to make another salad.  there was some leftover for lunch.  I left out the leftover kugel and soup for them to nash.  I cleaned the stovetop and the floor and I fled.  it was warmer than this morning and I only got a bit wet while I waited for the bus.  I think there was enough food made for them.

it's 9:00 p.m. now in the holy city of safed.  just got back from the pub steak house.  these guys really know how to live.  the kids devoured skewers of steak like little carnivores. I demanded a bowl of soup.  I got an enormous serving of lentil soup.  it was wonderful.  I also tasted Carpaccio for the first time served on garlic toasts.  I've seen it on the cooking shows.  I didn't really want meat.  I truly enjoyed the wild rice dish, the string beans in teriyaki sauce, the home fries and fresh salad.  I was really stuffed.  I hadn't been to this pub in years.  it was quite a treat.

I don't know if I am needed for a double shift tomorrow.  I will play it by ear.  my son wants to go out to a fancy meat restaurant in an hour.  it is across the street form the yeshiva.  oh well.....  I could really go for a good bowl of hot soup.  we'll see.