The Hours Are Slowly Creeping By

it is 11:00 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  i can't believe that it isn't much later than that.  i took the dogs out at 6:00 a.m.  that seems like it was so many hours ago.  it just simply cannot be only five hours later.  I've already had breakfast, a snack and now, another snack.  i am beside myself.  i can't deal with such a long day.  i remember when the days sped by so fast that you couldn't keep up.

i watched a wonderful interview this morning with a world's leading vaccine expert.  he spoke so rationally and informatively about vaccines and the urgency to develop one for the covid 19.  it was the calmest i felt in weeks.   it doesn't look like a vaccine will be produced any day soon but when it is, this dreaded virus will be eradicated for a long while.  i personally, do not go to get vaccines.

i had eggs for breakfast with a corn tortilla.  i shared the eggs with the pooches.  i had rice cakes and peanut butter for a snack.  the dogs do not eat rice cakes.  they do love peanut butter.  and i just polished off a huge portion of my make believe banana ice cream.  that is simply a blended banana, splash of rice milk and vanilla extract.  today i added a lot of cashews.  it was tastier yesterday.  maybe i'm getting too used to it.  today it tasted like mashed banana baby food.  the thrill was definitely, gone.

i am already thinking about what to make for supper.  it isn't even noon time.  how will i get through today? you tube has notified me that they will not accept my browser anymore.  luckily, someone updated the browser months ago; for themselves.  it was either my girlfriend; who is always here watching my dogs; when i go to Jerusalem;or my son, who visits occasionally and uses my computer.  i wouldn't have a clue how to update the browser by myself.  i am technologically, retarded.  i need to find a manual for my smart phone for dummies.

i cannot eat another thing and i cannot drink another cup of tea.  i am truly stuffed.  that banana cashew mash was deadly.  i am so bored.  it is too nice of a day to be inside watching television.  i should be outside.  i just got back from taking the dogs for another run.  i stopped off to see my girlfriend.  perhaps, she ran to the supermarket because she was also bored to tears.   i have been picking roses in the local parks.  there are so many in bloom.  they are so gorgeous and fragrant. 

i just picked some lavender.  what a lovely bouquet they make together with the roses and an addition of myrtle from my front yard.  i appreciate flowers now; more than ever.  i have never gone out to purchase flowers for holidays or Shabbat.  i prefer picking them from the local parks or from neighbors' gardens.  i have been known to buy roses for friends' birthdays; but in general, i do not like floral arrangements from shops.

i picked the last few lemons from the tree this morning.  we had tons of lemons this year.  the gardener took his share and i shared the rest with the Sephardi grandma.  there are two or three; way up high on the tree; that i cannot reach.  i guess it's back to buying lemon juice for awhile.  i might just go back to using apple cider vinegar.  i bought a bottle before pesach.  i like it on tuna fish. 

when the gardener comes i'll ask him to pick me some oranges.  the tree is over filled and they are falling all over the garden.  i'd like to give some to my neighbor and the Sephardi grandma.  there are tons.  they might make a nice salad dressing with the vinegar. 

i gave the Sephardi grandma my bank card to check my balance.  it has been preying on my mind.  it's time to face the music.  i know that i am very much in the minus.  no one from the bank has called to threaten me in long while.  that doesn't mean that i'm in the clear.  i hate worrying about finances.  i get so tense when i start.  i am trying to keep calm.  not having a paycheck anymore, is quite frightening.  the vaccine specialist advised that we should not fear the virus.  he said that we should continue to take sanitary precautions as well as maintain our social distancing.  somehow, it made sense to me.

tonight starts remembrance day for the fallen solders.  the flags are flying!  i hung an old schemata of a flag that i found in the garbage at the supermarket; a couple of years ago.  i have never bought a flag.  when i was young i was kind of against the flag and everything in the government.  i was a pseudo revolutionary.  the ultra orthodox here do not recognize the flag nor the state.   for years i didn't dare put out a flag in my old neighborhood.   i do it now because i don't want my new neighbors to think badly of me if i don't. 

Wednesday is independence day.   usually, the entire country is on the road and in parks doing giant barbecues.  it used to be against the law to be open on independence day.  one didn't work, either.  busses didn't run and the country shut down.  it was exactly like the current quarantine's lockdown.  it is so odd that this year there will be no celebration.  there is still a flags war in my neighborhood.  who will hang the most number of flags and who will hang the largest flag?  i have strolled  through the neighborhood.  the flags contest is definitely heating up.  my neighbor waited until now and i see that he has one of the most gigantic flags, ever, to hang.

6:30 p.m  update:  the neighbor across form me just came home with another new flag.  he just took down a small flag; which he must have hung while i was out.  this one promises to be huge!  yes, he now has three huge flags waving in the wind.  he might just have won the jackpot. just looked out the window.  there are now 4 flags.