Playing By The Rules

it is 8:00 a.m.in the holy city of safed.  i just got back from a supermarket run.  i took the dogs out at 6:00 a.m. and after i brought them home, i flew to the market.  Did i absolutely need to go? Of course, i didn't.  i still have apples and bananas and ginger left and i have poultry in the freezer and assorted grains in the closet.  i wanted to buy almond extract.  what good are my shakes and muffins and fake ice cream without the extract?  as it tuned out, they didn't have almond extract.  bummer!

i bought two vanilla.  they are pricey because they are from America.  i didn't have the oomph to get on a bus and go to the health food store up here.  these will do just fine.  they are way better than the Israeli brand.  i also bought some dried chickpeas, red lentils, organic canned tomatoes, and another rice milk.  i bought two packages of chicken wings, a celery, some onions, more ginger and bananas and a package of carrots and beets.  nothing else 'spoke' to me.  i want hot food.  i have had enough of boiled eggs and peanut butter on apples.  i want a bowl of soup.

last night i made a pot of rice and threw in a couple of cans of tuna.  i shared it with the dogs.  i would have loved to buy more hot dogs and ground beef  this morning but they didn't have any with the certificate of kashrut that i hold by.  i have yet to drink my morning elixir.  it's on the desk cooling.  i am dreading it.  oh yes, i bought another package of Jasmin green tea.  it was on sale. i tried to buy most of my veggies in a wrapped package.  i wiped everything down when i got home.

there was a lady in the supermarket picking out produce without gloves.  she was donning a mask but how in the world, did no one say anything?  i turned to her and asked her where her gloves were.  she continued to pick stems out of her cauliflower and told me that she had gloves.  she didn't miss a beat and she didn't put her gloves on, either.  you cannot be subtle with an Israeli.  i should have said that according to the rules; she is obligated to wear her gloves.  i didn't. 

i was getting ready to check out my purchases when; of course; she asked if she could go in front of me.  she only had two items.  i wondered how many cauliflowers she had touched before picking one.  of course, i let her go ahead of me.  i did tell her to wear her gloves next time.  i think i muttered under my mask; that it wasn't fair to us old folks that she didn't follow the rules.  i tried to make a mental note to remember to warn my friend not to buy cauliflower in this store.  i am surprised how well folks in this little sleepy town; have kept to the rules.  we haven't had a serious outbreak here in safed.
   
you don't see many young people here wearing masks but they aren't running around the supermarkets, either.  it seems that old people as well as small children have been the shut ins here.  i know that in larger cities, this is not the case.  i am glad that i did my run this morning.  this should hold me for another couple of weeks.  i received another appointment for my oncologist in tel aviv.  it is for the first week in june.  hopefully, it will be less risky for me to travel then.  if not 'ill just wait until i feel more comfortable.