The Shabbat To End All Shabbats

it is 4:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  we are about an hour or more away from candle lighting for shabbat.   i wanted to call a good friend who lives in Netanya all morning long.  i thought that it might be a tad early to call her at 8:00 a.m. so i did some errands first.  i took the dogs out at 6:30 a.m. and it was cold and rainy.  when i got back it was pouring.   i needed to pick up a registered check from the post office/bakery.  yes, i receive parcels at the local bakery.  the young gal there immediately handed me a pair of disposable gloves.  i wasn't planning on buying rolls there because i am sticking to packaged breads.

i looked around and saw barekas and some pastries.  i'll admit that i was a bit tempted to buy some.  i walked home in the pouring rain.  it was the first time all winter that i got wet.  i took out alcoholic  baby wipes with aloe vera and began wiping down all of my pictures and paintings.  i usually use windex but with the current heath hazard i went with the wipes.  i also want to limit the amount of caustic cleaning supplies to avoid getting bells palsy again.  interestingly enough, the homeopathic remedy to cure the palsy is called causticum.  i read today that it helps with respiratory ailments, like we see in corona.  i am not promoting anything at all.

i made a white bean stew with carrots, onion, beet leaves and canned tomatoes.  i call it stew because the soup that i made; nearly evaporated. i was on the phone with the good friend from Netanya.  i first ate a banana to break my 13 hour fast.  i was hungry today.  i then chomped on apple slices and had a huge avocado.  i made some hamburgers for dinner and ate one.  the dogs also got one.  i went to pick up the phone to call my friend and she beat me to it.  we schmoozed for awhile and said our goodbyes.  she did tell me that the country was on complete lockdown.  you can only go out to the supermarket or doctor.  she advised me against walking the dogs.  safed is a lazy little town.  i doubt that the police will be patrolling the neighborhood to catch dog walkers on the weekend.

the synagogues are closed, supposedly.  local groups will be having services for ten.  i think i will stay put.  my friends invited me for Shabbat lunch.  i feel like staying in.  i made a piece of salmon and i have some boiled eggs and a bit of salad for supper.  i also bought chumus.  i have the stew and hamburgers for lunch and i baked a dozen oatmeal blueberry-banana muffins.  i have reading materials and the heaters are on.  it is freezing and pouring.  i'm hoping that all the rain can wash away the corona.  Shabbat shalom!  stay warm and dry and safe!