Now What? Play By Play Weather Report

It is 9:30 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  i am breaking my 12 hour nightly fast with a toasted pita.  i decided to have a lox sandwich with some Philadelphia cream cheese.  i actually bought it for the holiday of Shavuot; which falls out on Thursday night but i decided to treat myself to something special.  i have never before seen Philadelphia cream cheese with the appropriate kashrut certification here in safed.

i have been searching for cheesecake and tiramisu recipes since i woke up.  it is freezing.  after about two weeks of an excruciating heat wave; it turned cool.  i took the dogs out on Saturday morning and had to wear a sweater.  it went from temperatures of high 90's to mid 70's in what felt like, just a moment.  this morning we had a rainstorm of some intensity and the temperatures dropped to the 60's.  once again, my house was cold.  i slept with a woolen blanket.

on Friday i started to open up some windows to get some air. i had several fans going.  it was just bearable but the house was still very uncomfortable.  on Saturday morning, i opened up all of my windows to let the cool air in.  by nightfall the house was no longer a sauna.  on Saturday night i had to close some of the windows because it was getting really cold.  this morning i had to shut all of the windows because it was raining inside.

now the sun is out and the sky is so very blue.  and now the sky is covered in clouds and it looks like another storm is on the way.  i managed to take the dogs out for a quick run around 7:30 a.m.   we didn't go all that far and we avoided any grassy areas because it was full of mud.  i even put on my rain boots.  i had made plans to go to town this morning.  i don't think i'll chance it now.  i started to get a cold last night.  this is so very unsettling.

two of my daughter-in-law's sisters came on Shabbat with their 4 children.  one sister and family stayed over.  the kids were like penned in animals let out of a cage.  they hadn't been outside to play in months.  they got to ride scooters downstairs and they were elated.  the weather was marvelous.  i went to my friend's in the morning and sat on her porch while her husband read the torah portion.  it was nice to be outside.  i have been holed up in the house during the heat wave.

i joined the family downstairs after lunch and schmoozed for a few hours.  the kids were all outside playing.  i brought down a lot of my kids' puzzles, leggo and toys.  the kids wanted to investigate what i had upstairs but i didn't want the dogs to get out so i didn't let them come in. they have been here with my grandkids loads of times but his was the first time they came by themselves.  i had bought some gifts for them before the quarantine but i didn't manage to give them out before they left.

my friend stopped by in the early evening and i went back to her house.  i read some psalms and came home before Shabbat ended.  it was getting really cold.  i was exhausted.  i did, practically, nothing and yet i was very tired.  i got into a warm house dress and ended my shabbat.  i didn't hear the families leave at night.  i was on the computer looking up holiday recipes.

4:00 p.m. update:  just went out for a quick walk with dogs.  i wore my heavy winter coat.  it is sunny, breezy and very cool. i thought about doing a supermarket run but i will stay in.  i am very tired and am staying in bed today.  i just saw a couple dozen cows in the valley at the end of my street.  many of them were lying down.  to my recollection, this was a first for me.  who knew?  i also saw a tiny baby calf walking with his elders.  how enchanting!