Falling On Hard Times

it is 9:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed. shabbat ended a little while ago.  i am expecting friends to visit for a few days tomorrow.  i did a huge washing of the floors yesterday afternoon.  i can't remember exactly how many buckets of soapy water i used. i was sponging water out of the house for hours. i cleaned the counters and put away the pots and pans. i made baked sweet potatoes, broiled salmon fillets, chumus, a huge green salad, and braised chicken with leeks and kale. i didn't get to bake my cickpea flour banana and  blueberry muffins.  i had buckwheat rice cakes and peanut butter for a morning snack.  i didn't really miss the muffins. i even bought some dried dates. the stores were out of the organic ones.

i spent about 3 hours at the pool on friday.  it was quiet and empty at around 10:00 a.m. that's when the older swimmers do their laps.  the kids don't start emerging until around 1:30 p.m. it was so delightful.  i hated to leave.  i stopped off at the local supermarket to buy some dairy products.  i got home at 2:00 p.m. and began my food preparation.  it didn't take long.  i had some frozen chicken and spelt noodle soup defrosting while i swam at the pool.  it was a pleasure to come home to a cooked meal after the pool.  everything was under control and i was feeling pleased with myself.  at around 7:00 p.m. i lit my shabbat candles and went into the kitchen for something.  i slid on a puddle of soapy water and took a nasty fall on the hard tiled floor.  i got winded.  i lay on the floor for a moment and the dogs came to my side.  i used my hand to break the fall.  this is not the best thing to do; i realized afterwards.

i was in a considerable amount of pain.  i found it hard to breathe.  my rib cage was aching.  i took the dogs out for a walk.  i wanted to go to my neighbors to ask their daughter, a nurse, if i needed medical attention.  i dreaded going to the hospital on shabbat night.  i didn't know how i would get home if they discharged me.  it is about an hour and a half walk on a good day.  i was getting scared.  i was sure the nurse would pressure me to go to the emergency room.  i decided to go back inside.  i found my trusty bottle of arnica oil and applied it to the sore area.  i went to lie down for a bit.  i got up not easily; and went into the kitchen to eat my shabbat meal.  i made the kiddush and had a sip of wine.  i ate a tiny piece of a spelt pita and went back to bed.  i was nauseous and tired.  i managed to sleep for awhile.

i got up at around 10:30 p.m. and was hungry.  i ate all of the kale and leeks from the braised chicken and went back to bed.  i had a very good night's sleep.  i got up about 6:30 a.m. to walk the dogs.  i was in a lot of pain.  my friend's husband was on his way to the synagogue and saw me holding my side. i told him i had injured my rib cage after a fall.  he wanted to pray for me for a total recovery and he told his wife i had broken my rib cage.  my biggest fear was that i might wake up during the night and not be able to breathe.  if it wasn't shabbat i would have googled the symptoms. luckily, i woke up and i was not struggling for air.

i have applied the arnica oil several times today.  i didn't need to take a pain pill.  it smarts when i inhale or laugh but otherwise i am doing all right.  i was able to do my daily 45 minutae walk at 7:00 p.m.  i hope that i will be able to clean the upstairs apartment tomorrow. there is a huge parquet floor to wash and a porch area and bathroom.  if i cannot then my guest will have to.  i doubt i will be able to schlepp any mattresses.  its a miracle that i am on my feet. i am very grateful to be in my own home tonight. i might just watch a bit of t.v. or go back to bed and continue reading my murder mystery.  a good new week to everyone.

The Cable Is Out

 it is 10:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  my cable t.v. isn't working.  it is very aggravating. i had the last two episodes of a series that i wanted to finish.  i am tired and just needed to watch a bit of television.  i have android cable.  i keep getting a message that my internet is not working but my internet is working. there aren't any english speakers in the company i use.  at least; i haven't found any. they don't even give me the option of watching certain movies in english.  the best thing about them is that they are cheap.

the last time i had a problem, my grandson was here to deal with the company for me.  sadly, i am alone right now. i am expecting guests on sunday so i may have to wait until then.  it is almost shabbat so i think i can manage.  once upon a time i could not.  i am a t.v. addict.  fortunately; i have a new computer and a smart phone.  i can watch reruns of 'the nanny' and 'everyone loves raymond' until i fall asleep. or i can warch political videos of matt walsh , megan kelly and ben shapiro. i am too tired to read.

my eye is irritated form the heat and the dust and the clorine at the pool. i am not a happy camper. and i need spelling check.  i do not know how to set it up. i have been overly tired since i went to the cemetery last week to visit my sister's grave.  her children arrived right after i finished reading my psalms.  i was not welcome to join them in their recital of the mourners' kaddish prayer.  i have been ousted from the family. i tried so hard not to get disregulated.  i thought i had it under control but i lost a couple of nights' sleep over this. this is not an easy one.  it has been three years since my sister died.  i hoped things would change.

i am lucky enough to have good friends who allow me to vent and rant but this time i tried not to. i really tried to keep it on the down low but it caught up with me. it is like a wound that just keeps on opening to allow the pus out.  there have been large groups at the pool all week long and i have been going in the afternoons instead of the mornings.  unfortunately, it is very crowded and noisy in the afternoons.  it has been a real mess.  the kids are unruly and constantly jumping over our heads. it has not been much fun.

there are loads of out of towners in the city and in my neighborhood.  the stores are crowded and the streets are filthy.  this is my least favorite time of the year. i avoid going to town.  soon there will be the annual  klezmer music festival and that really is annoying. the bus schedules are off and the busses are overcrowded.  i like to walk to town when it isn't too hot.  it has been too hot.  i take my nightly 45 minute stroll around the neighborhood but it has been very humid.  last night i ran into hordes of out of towners and their many kids.  it was not pleasant. we are trapped.  yes, some people profit from the tourists.

i need to use my eye drops and finish my luke warm hot cocoa.  the eye muscle hurts. i hurt.  i am too tired to deal with the cable t.v again tonight.  it's bed for me. the dogs woke me up at 6:00 a.m.this morning.  i haven't napped today so i think i might be able to fall asleep soon.  i am too tired to cry tonight.  hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. i need to straighten up my roof top guest apartment and mop the parquet flooring and wash down the porch area.  hopefully there isn't a lot of pigeon poo. i haven't been upstiars in a while. i wish you all a good night.