Living In The Fast Lane

it is 7:00 p.m. in the hoy city of safed.  we have another hour left of the fast.  tonight starts the beginning of the three weeks, which is traditionally a time of mourning for the destruction of the temples.  it is not a lucky time for the Jews.  it is a time of danger and we are not supposed to take unnecessary risks.  I hit the wrong button on Friday and obliterated my post.  it didn't help that I had injured my right pointer finger while washing the dishes.  I had made a nice Shabbat dinner for myself and had a few glasses in the sink.  apparently, one broke in my hand and sliced open my finger.  I heard the breaking glass before I saw my injury.  I don't think I felt it at first.  I applied cold water and then pressure to stop the bleeding.  it was about a half an hour before candle lighting. 

I was pretty tired and I couldn't cope with all the blood.  I reached for the little bottle of alum talc that I have had in the kitchen drawer since my son's bris, thirty two years ago.  I then remembered that aloe vera also stops bleeding and ran outside to get some from the garden.  I didn't have any paper towels to wrap around my finger so I used a baby wipe.  the wet wipe didn't really keep in the blood.  I wrapped some aloe vera plant around the wound and kept it in place with a sterile patch.  I ended up adding more alum and more bandages.  it started hurting very much.  I couldn't really get changed for Shabbat. 

I had gone to the pool in the morning and had a lovely few hours with a friend.  I made some chicken breasts and a small piece of meat with wheat for dinner.  I even managed to make a small eggless corn bread.  I actually remembered to add the cornmeal this time.  I couldn't wait to eat so I could go to sleep.   I was wiped.  I hit the bed at 9:00 p.m. and pretty much passed out.  I didn't sleep very well.  I had a couple of disturbing dreams.  I did make it to synagogue and had lunch with my friends.  I napped and spent most of the day reading a novel.  I kept on eating until 2:00 a.m. because of the fast this morning.  it was a huge mistake.  it made the fast much harder.  I have been intermittently fasting and not eating after 9:00 p.m. for awhile.  I did not feel well all day long.  I think I strained both arms trying to swim at the pool.

I didn't make it to work.  I felt dizzy all day.  I haven't removed the bandages yet.  I am dreading seeing the injury.  I think it's too late for stiches.  I think the bleeding has mostly stopped.  there seems to be a bit of seepage on the bandages.  I thought about going to the nurse but I couldn't get up today.  I need to buy a blue elastic finger cover tomorrow.  they are quite pricey.  oh well.....

Day Off

it is 4:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I just got home from the pool.  that's right. I had the day off from the yeshiva and decided to go to the pool with my friends.  I have never gone to a pool without taking a kid along.  maybe back in the day but not in the last 20 years.  I had a good time.  I don't know why I have resisted going to the neighborhood pool.  we had a small pool downstairs for the kids and I would stay wet all day in lieu of not having air conditioners; but you couldn't really do laps.  I cannot swim well but I do love being in the water.  I manage well under water.  it is very clean and they do not let the kids get too wild.  I used to go only on women's' hours  but as a senior, I am not that strict, anymore.  we had the entire pool to ourselves for most of the time there, when the kids were playing and eating.

it is only about a 7 minute walk there and it feels good to move.  my friend's husband came to pick me up to take me there in his golf cart.  it was so nice to be with adult friends.  I don't know why I feel guilty that I went without the grandkids.  I never take a day off from work and I never do anything fun for myself.  yesterday, after I was halfway through preparing supper; I was informed that the guys were all going to a local wedding.  the manager told me that I could leave it for today's lunch and he would put it out.  I was actually given the day off, without pay, of course, but still I was free.  I didn't have to make supper for the guys tonight because it was an off Shabbat.  I thought about going to Jerusalem to see the grandkids, but I decided that I needed a mini vacation just for myself.

last night I went with my friend to town for a ladino festival.  I was exhausted but I wanted to do something for a change.  we found a location of music in the artist's colony and sat on concrete steps.  it was actually very pleasant.  we didn't schlepp around at all because it was pretty crowded and we were both tired.  I don't do crowds anymore.  there was a large food court set up but I had eaten at home before I left.  I did bring along some cherries and nuts to nash.  I also brought a Bacardi breezer to share with my friend.  we stayed until midnight.  we did have to walk a bit back to the main bus station to get a taxi home but it was a good night out.

I just might go back to the pool tomorrow morning.  I don't think I will go back to town tonight for the festival.  it was nice but not great.  it has ben good for me to have a little action.  I usually go to work in the early afternoon and return home at night.  I eat my supper quickly because I'm on the intermittent diet plan and usually have a little time before I stop eating at 9:00 p.m.  this morning I didn't eat until 11:00 a.m.  I read that women should fast for 14 hours every day.  I have only been doing 12 hours for the past two months and I have been eliminating sugar.  my friend lost 13 pounds doing this and I am hopeful that I will be successful, too.

Gone Fishing

It is 9:30 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  I have been cleaning and mopping and doing laundry for hours.  I am now having a watermelon and mint smoothie.  I took the day off.  I spent seven hours cooking at the yeshiva yesterday and eight on sunday to cover today's lunch and supper and lunch for tomorrow.  the kids are coming tonight and I want to take them to the pool tomorrow and not be pressured to rush back to the yeshiva to cook.  the kids were there with me last week for less than 2 hours and they were bored.  they also wanted to go to town to buy toys.  I think I'm covered this time.

I got pretty sun burnt last time sitting near the pool, totally dressed; watching the kids play in the water. it was very downcast and cool and that's the worst time to be in the sun. this time I bought sun tan lotion.  my Sephardi grandchildren also got burnt.  I think I will enter the pool this time.  I will wear a long shirt and dancer's tights.  I don't own a bathing suit.  if it is crowded I won't go in the pool. the schools are out so I guess the neighborhood kids will be there. I don't go to mixed swimming but the kids do.

I am going to the family bris, out of town, this afternoon.  I have a ride.  I will return home with my son and family.  he and his wife are going away for a couple of days to chill.  we will all go to the Sephardi family for Shabbat dinner and I will make lunch.  I stopped off at a small mini market last night to get staples.  I bought non gluten potato rolls.  the kids loved them at pesach.  I want to make soy hotdog sandwiches for the pool.  the kids were starving the last time.  I will bring drinks and they can get ice cream popsicles there. the pool is $30 for the three of us.

I will go soon to the neighborhood supermarket to buy the rest of the things for shabbat.  I got paid yesterday so the sky's the limit!  the kids love ravioli and gnocchi and belgian waffles so i'll load up on them.  I bought hotdogs, hamburgers, kabobs, chicken wings and small steaks to make a birthday barbecue tomorrow evening.  I was thinking about going to a Japanese restaurant but I think it will be too much of a schlepp.  I want to buy a watermelon and a festive cake.  of course, we need marshmallows for the barbecue. are we having fun yet?