Pretty Lazy

it is 4:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I am having a pretty lazy day.  I can't do laundry because we are in a traditional 9 day period of mourning for the holy temples.  I couldn't go to the pool for the same reason.  we are not allowed to swim for pleasure.  if I needed to go for therapeutic reasons, it might be allowed.  it is hot but not deadly.  it cools off at night.  I didn't need to wash the floors because I did them during the week.  my good friend came to safed for a couple of days.  I wanted to take her to the pool for night swimming but she was too beat from travelling.  I made us some salmon for dinner and we had some baccardi breezers and chatted until about 1:00 a.m.  the following morning we went to the pool.  it was a real scorcher that day and the pool was incredibly refreshing.  I had to leave for work at 3 :00 p.m. but she stayed until 5:00 p.m. with our mutual friend.

after I made dinner for the yeshiva guys I bought some special rolls and salads.  we were having a barbecue that evening.  my other friend was manning the barbecue.  she's from California and barbecuing is second nature to her.  I thought by the time I returned home, the food would be on its way or nearly done.  no such luck.  they had a late start and we didn't eat until nearly 9:00 p.m.  I defrosted everything the night before and marinated the food before we left for the pool.  I didn't realize the amount of food I left out for her to cook.   there were two types of kabobs, a package of hot dogs, two packages of  boneless chicken thighs, a package of chicken livers, 2 packages of steaks, and two packages of chicken wings.  I decided not to take out the hamburgers.  the steaks didn't get done because we ran out of hot coals.  I broiled them on my electric grill but they never got served.

I invited my married friends who live in the neighborhood.  I practically go there every Shabbat for lunch.  they live across the street from the big Sephardi synagogue.  my friend goes to bed quite early.  she is not a night owl like the rest of us.  she is hell bent on getting thin and doesn't eat anything after 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m.  she is the one who told me about intermittent fasting.  she is happy to go 14-16 hours a day without food.  I am at 13-14 hours now but on some days I do only the usual 12 hours.  it is truly an easy way to diet.  and the more I read, the more I am convinced that is a healthy way to live.  it was quite an ordeal for her to be up until 10:00 p.m. and to eat so late.

there were tons of leftovers so every one got a nice size doggie bag.  none of us had to cook shabbat meals today.  the steaks just needed a bit of tweaking so everyone got a couple.  I broiled the little remaining liver and a couple of small steaks and with the salads I bought, I'm all set for Shabbat. I made a salmon fillet for Shabbat lunch and some boiled eggs.  we do not eat meat during these nine days except for Shabbat so no one really wanted to cook a whole chicken.  it's not worth it.  it is a bit strange having little to do on friday.  in all honesty, I'm truly beat so I should just enjoy being lazy.  I feel a bit lonely. afer having company this week it is hard to readjust to being alone.  it is what it is.