Home Alone Simchat Torah 2019

it is 3:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I got up pretty early today because I didn't nap on Saturday afternoon.  the weather was truly lovely and I sat in my sukkah with my friend all day.   I didn't feel like being alone in the sukkah on Shabbat so I called my friend to come.  she recently returned from the states and has been coughing up a storm.  I had a pot of chicken soup ready made and I quickly made a beef cholent.  I had only one potato left but I had a bag of wheat so we had a feast.  it was cold on Friday night so we ate pretty fast and retired to the dining room for tea and fruit.

I made it to synagogue in the morning but I felt dreadful.  my head ached and my eyes were burning.  I didn't stick around to see if they were doing a Kiddush at the end of the service.  the cholent was waiting for me and it was quite yummy.  I added just a tad of cinnamon.  it was so airy and pleasant outside.  I read Ecclesiastes out load and broke into the tune of the birds :turn, turn, turn' when I chanted "there is a season to live and a season to die', etc.  my friend was not familiar with the megillah.  she did know the song.

the kids were supposed to come today for the holiday.  I didn't prepare any food because they said we were going to the Sephardi grandparents tonight and the sister's tomorrow for a barbecue.  I was planning on serving the rest of the chicken soup when they arrived and make a package of mini sweet potato raviolis.  I had tons of salad left and I ran out to the supermarket to buy fruit and fresh rolls.  I think I left the fruit at the supermarket.  I went to the large supermarket by bus.  I bought fresh whole wheat baguettes and a package of non gluten rolls.  the grandkids and I love them with hotdogs.  I bought a container of non dairy ice cream and a few tuna steaks.  and I bought two packages of chocolate eggs.  you know, the ones that have the toys inside.

I also bought some lamb kabobs and beef hotdogs for the said barbecue.  I had already purchased chicken hotdogs, beef burgers, chicken wings and lamb kabobs.  I  ran to the pharmacy next door to get acamol for my headache and some anti fungal eye cream for the infection.  I couldn't buy the cream without a prescription.  I then went to the nut store and bought fresh sunflower seeds, a mix of natural nuts and raisins, dried figs, pineapple rings and dates. I then took a taxi down the road to the discount store to find some toys for the kids.  I always have something for them when they arrive.  I had been planning on going to town this morning.  I needed to buy a pay card for my cell phone.  I don't have a line.  when I got to the bus stop I realized that I had left the phone home.

I was planning on going back to Jerusalem on Monday night with the kids; after the holiday ended. and of course, I needed my phone.  I intended to contact my girlfriend, once I got there, and set a time to meet.  I spent quite a bit of money today.  when I got home my son called to cancel.  I wasn't really upset.  I decided to have a quiet holiday with my friend.  I felt bad that she might be alone.  she wasn't interested in coming out.  rain is predicted tomorrow.  I quickly took out a piece of beef and threw it into a pot with onions and beer.  I added some sweet chili sauce.  I then cooked a couple of tuna steaks and a small pot of buckwheat groats.

tonight, we go to the synagogue and watch the men dance with the sefer torahs.  I have been doing this for 35 years here.  I am not as enthusiastic as I used to be, but I still strive to go.  my eyes are burning .  we say farewell  to the sukkah this evening.  we eat in the home tonight.  it is customary to have a small meal before the holiday starts.  we jews like our food!. the house is clean and i'm pretty much ready for the holiday.  I have lost some weight and my clothes are beginning to be loose in the waist.  I don't know what i'll wear tonight.  I am relieved not to have to walk home late, tonight in the cold from the in-laws. it is a bit unnerving to be alone.  it is what it is.  happy holidays!

Festival Of The Ingatherings 2019

it is 8:00 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  we are currently in the second day of the festival of tabernacles.  I put up my portable sukkah last Friday.  I wasn't planning on bothering this year.  the kids stayed in Jerusalem and I stayed put in safed.  women are not obligated to eat or sleep in the sukkah but traditionally, they do.  I had two gal pals come for the evening meal on sunday night.  I kept the menu simple.  I made a small piece of beef and a small amount of beef meatballs.  I had some leftover sweet noodle kugel and I made string beans, beets and a mixed green salad.  I also had tahini and chumus.

 I went to the bakery on Friday to buy challahs for the holiday but forgot them at the supermarket.  luckily, I had some whole wheat raisin challah in the freezer from Rosh Hashanah.  I was able to freshen them up in the oven.  I actually, baked a spelt carrot cake.  it is in the freezer, virtually untouched.  I may bring it to the yeshiva when the break is over.  my baking is not what it used to be.  it has been quite hot here, once again, in the middle east.  I rigged up a fan in the sukkah.  it has been cold at night but not during the holiday.

I walked my friend, nearly home, on sunday night.  it is about an hour from my home.  it was very windy and sand was flying in our eyes.  I returned home to find my sukkah had moved and the bamboo 'roof' covering almost blown off.  I was quite desperate.  I made several attempts to secure the sukkah in it's place but most, unsuccessfully.  the noise from the wind storm was quite alarming.  it was hard to sleep.  it sounded like the end of the world.  living on a mountain does that.  I awakened to find that most of the posters I had pinned to the material walls of the sukkah were gone.  the fake plastic clusters of grapes were intact.  go know!.

I was able to have my festival lunch in the sukkah with my friend.  we sat in the part of the sukkah that was still intact.  I fixed the sukkah last night after the festival ended.  I tried to secure it to the metal fence. right now it looks like it is going to storm.  nothing worse than a soggy and wet sukkah.  there is a memorial service and meal at the synagogue for a lovely lady who recently passed last month, later this afternoon.  I wonder if it will be rained out.  oh the pressure of sukkot is great.  building the sukkah is traditionally, a man's job.  last year my neighbor did it for me.  the year before my grandson helped.  this time I did it myself and it wasn't my best effort.  my neighbor did roll out the bamboo roof covering for me.  it was too heavy for me.  I didn't secure it very well.

I don't think that I will be hosting anyone this week.  perhaps my friend will join me for Shabbat, weather permitting.  I was planning on doing a barbecue but we shall see how it turns out.  I am still a bit bummed out.  I shouldn't be.  for the moment the sukkah is standing upright and looks okay.  the bamboo covering is still in place.  on Sunday night, we celebrate the holiday of simchat torah.  we do not go back to the sukkah for our meals.  the kids are supposed to be coming to me for that.  I could save the barbecue for Monday.

I am currently a bit under the weather.  I am exhausted and not feeling well at all.  I ate too much yesterday and my eye looks inflamed.  I am too tired to schlepp to the pharmacy for dexamol and eye cream. I will stay put for now.  I am so glad that I did the washing up last night instead of waiting for this morning to do the dishes.  the kitchen is straightened up and I am in no shape to do anything right now.  I just might have a cup of tea and some dry toast for now.