Back To School

it is 10:00 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  summer is definitely over although we are still experiencing hot weather.  I went to the local pool yesterday but it was empty and I didn't have a gal pal around to hang with.  I left after about an hour.  I am not one to do laps or serious exercise so it was boring for me.  I cooled off a bit and then stopped off at the supermarket to get some fruit.  I bought two packages of ground almonds to make non gluten blueberry muffins.  the recipe called for a cup of greek yogurt.  I had eaten chicken and traditionally wait six hours until eating dairy; so I used orange juice.  I only added a bit of maple syrup so they were not sweet.  I am still on a non sugar regimen.  they actually kept their shape and resemble real blueberry muffins.

I had an ice coffee shake one day at the pool and a yogurt, peanut butter and date smoothie in Jerusalem last week.  and except for the fruit flavored yogurts I had, that is all the sugar I've consumed in months.  I don't think that I have dropped a lot of weight but my waistline is definitely smaller and the jelly belly is going down.  I am still doing the intermittent fasting regimen.  it is my only safeguard against overeating.  it is like second nature to me now.  I do not feel deprived.  there really isn't anything much that tantalizes me.  I could benefit greatly by portion control but I am not there yet.  I still enjoy a full appetite. 

I need to go to work today.  I had a two week, non paid, break from the yeshiva.  I think there are only about ten guys presently there.  I just had the repairman come and finish repairing the screens.  it is wonderful having new screens.  I feel so grateful.   unfortunately, the pigeons returned to the upstairs balcony with a vengeance.  I repaired the netting as best as I could but I didn't shovel up the poo yet.  what a drag!  speaking of poo; I just got a new puppy.  my grandson's friend, on the next block, had a Chihuahua/pincher that I fell in love with.  I offered to babysit the puppy because I really loved it.

last week, the mom of the little boy, called to ask me to keep the puppy.  apparently, she can't cope with work and three small children and a puppy.  I offered to hold onto the dog until she wants it back but she didn't want it back.  I forgot how hard it is to have a puppy in the house. I am constantly tripping over her and her pee.  I take her for walks but she doesn't know how to poop outside.  she finally peed on a diaper pad outside the house this morning but still poops in the living room.  she is also hyper.  she has a lot of toys to play with.  my big dog, 'tiny', isn't thrilled with having a puppy in the house.  he has eaten all of her puppy chow and doesn't let her near the water dish.  she wants him to play with her.  it is very exhausting.

my biggest fear is that she will run away.  she is very tiny right now.  her name was 'stay' but I call her 'teeny', now.  I had three Chihuahuas in the past, and one was the love of my life.  he died young.  another one, I gave away to a great family because my female pincher was torturing him.  he had a very happy life and recently died.  the third one was on loan from my son and she was horrible.  thankfully, she was returned to the breeder. I will have to have teeny fixed soon.  I will not have the male dog castrated.  it is against jewish law.

I forgot how expensive it is to have puppies.  I am not one of these people who spends tons of money on a dog. I will have to buy her a sweater.  in the meanwhile, she is chomping away on a giant chew bone of tiny's and has been eating his large dog chow, while he ravages her puppy chow.  does anyone else see a certain irony in this?

my grandson will be turning ten in two weeks.  I hope they will come to safed for his birthday, which falls out on Shabbat.  they stayed with me for about five days during their break.  we spent a lot of time at the pool and the cheap toy stores.  I blew my salary on them.  we went to an arcade in rosh pina and I blew over a hundred dollars that evening.  I also lost my cell phone that afternoon on the way to said, arcade.  I took them back to Jerusalem at the end of the week and stayed for a couple of days.  their mom had to go back to work.  we went to see the new 'dora' movie and I took them to a maul the next day.  we met up with my girlfriend and had a pizza.  the next day I went to meet my friend alone and we saw a really bad action movie and then had an early dinner.

it was unbearably hot last week and I felt wasted each day. it was good to get home, but I couldn't move for a couple of days.  I went to the pool on friday with my friend and we stayed in the water til about  3:00 p.m.  it was so refreshing.  I don't really swim well but I love being in the water. I did start swimming across the width of the pool with my friend. I am not motivated by myself.  I cannot believe that Rosh hohsanna is just a month away.  it's time to buy honey and start making cakes.  I am not so inspired with the family being in Jerusalem.  I am trying not to stress out over the plans.  I will  be happy not having to make any holiday meals.  last year I was invited to join the kids in Jerusalem and I made a mistake and stayed in safed,  it was the worst holiday I have ever experienced without the grandkids.  I hope this year will be more festive.