Spin The Draidel 2015

it is 4:30 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  I just got back from a playdate on the next street.  a lovely young mother of 3, invited us to play with her kids.  two out of the three kids are in the same gans.  we met at a local Chanukah party in the nearby community center.

it was way too crowded and over heated.  today was a lovely and warm day.  the sun was pretty strong and you didn't even need a coat.   I got stuck carrying mine as well as the kids' coats.  I took out a huge loan yesterday at the bank.  my checks were bouncing all over the place.  I needed some breathing space.  I ended up taking out more than I truly needed thanks to the bank clerk who was doing some fancy financial hullabaloo.  I was flush today. I spent $10 on the party and another $10 at the bakery.

I will be paying off this Chanukah for the next three years.  go know!  I plan on taking the kids to a production of the 'ugly duckling' in town tomorrow.  we then have a haircutting ceremony in Meron,  followed by a celebratory dinner in the evening.  the daughter-in-law is taking the kids to 'toys are us' to buy Chanukah gifts.   I don't have the strength to go to town now to buy a gift for the three year old birthday boy.

my check to the gas company was returned.  I don't think they have an office in zefat.  I called the number for the guy who schlepps the gas balloons to zefat and I tried to arrange for him to come over so that I could redeem my check with cash.  well, that didn't  happen today.  it's hard to navigate this world  without a cell phone.  yet, I resist using mine.  I could try again in the morning but i'll be out all day.

I just thought of a good idea.  I will ask my daughter-in-law to buy something from the clothes store where she works for her nephew.  of course, I will reimburse her when she returns.  that way I can rest now and not have to jump on a bus.  I do need to jump to the supermarket up here to buy a carton of milk.  my friend is out of town and I have been coming over to feed the outdoor cats they have more or less benefactored, as of late.  they called me last night to come over and get a bag of milk that expires today.  I, of course, need to schlepp on over there and replace the expired bag with a fresh one.

it is very dark outside and the street lights haven't come on yet.  I think I will treat the cats to a bag of milk.   this young mom of three gave me a brand new doggie bed, a bag of top quality dog food and treats.  I see that money is not lacking in this household.  they brought in a puppy and apparently someone stole it.  that happens a lot in zefat.  for some strange reason people/kids steal dog collars off  dogs' necks here.  pretty bizarre!  her 3 small kids were afraid of the puppy.  my grandkids are crazy for dogs, having grown up with two, and now three dogs in my house.

I went off  my diet a bit.  yesterday I had potato latkes and today I had a greasy pita with olive oil and zatar.  I think that's hyssops in English.  I then had two barekas with salty cheese and half a small bag of chocolate milk.  I also had half of a strawberry flavored leban.  however, I didn't succumb to eating a fried donut yet.  I think I will p ass on those and get back to my carb free diet tomorrow.  I allow myself carbs on Shabbat.

Come Back In 6 Months

it is 4:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  I just got back from my gyn/oncologist appointment in Tel Hashomer, a small city near Tel Aviv.  I left by taxi at 6:00 a.m.  my appointment was for 9:15 a.m.  of course, I didn't sleep a wink last night, for fear of oversleeping this morning.  it was very dark and very cold and wet this morning.  it wasn't much warmer in the center of the country.  I read on line that they had foiled a plan by the Arab head of cleaning there to organize a few terror attacks.

I took a boiling hot shower at around midnight and watched the recent British 'x factor' into the wee small hours of the morning.  I felt a bit nauseous when I got out of bed.  I had a strong cup of black tea and away we went.  traffic was pretty decent and I got to the hospital before 9:00 a.m.  after travelling for nearly 3 hours, I was told at the front desk that my doctor wasn't coming in today.  I nearly had a meltdown.

 I have been seeing this top doctor through the clinic for 3 years.  I learned very well at the beginning not to settle for a substitute.  I actually left the women's clinic twice when he wasn't there.  both times I had other appointments with either the radiologist or neurologist.  I was getting ready to get up and go back home at 9:30 a.m.  I was trying to figure out how I could wangle another taxi ride back from my health insurance carrier.  I was called into he doctor's office at around 10:00 a.m.

I was so very relieved to see the doctor.  I had about a ten minute exam and I was finished.  he gave me a clean bill of health and told me to come back in 6 months.  I asked him if he was planning on retiring.  I was fixating on never seeing him again in the outer office.  I don't think I could trust another gyn doctor to touch me.  this man is an angel.  he is the kindest and nicest doctor,ever.  he is the top man in his field and in this hospital.  I had to fight really hard to get in to see him from the start.

I thought that I might have a hernia because I have been experiencing some discomfort around my naval lately.  I couldn't see my navel the other day and got a bit panicked.  I'm not one to run to doctors so I waited t see my gyn this morning.  I told him that I hadn't had any sugar in 2 months but still, haven't managed to get he belly fat in check.  he told me that I needed some physical exercise.  he didn't seem that patient, either.  I thought about rescheduling my appointment for when I was thinner but in the end, I decided to go while the weather was decent.

I asked my son to buy me some Chanukah candles from the zefat candle factory to give to the doctor and his assistant.  the ever wacked out secretary wasn't here today so I gave the doctor two packs of designer candles.  it cost around $25.  I think it's a nice gesture.  I believe that Chanukah starts on Monday evening.  the third day of Chanukah is the 7th year of my mother's passing.  last year I made a latke night for some friends.  I don't know what I will do this year.  the little kids will be home for the entire week and I will probably have them here with me.

money is also a problem, once again.  my daughter-in-law's nephew is having his third birthday next week and his first haircut.  in the past I made chocolate lolly pops with a picture of a scissors and a number 3.  I don't think I can afford to make them this year and I doubt that I will have the energy.  last few times it took about 3-4 hours.  the doctor asked me about my energy level.  I was too tired to tell him how truly tired I am all the time.  he asked about my bowel movements and appetite.  how embarrassing!  just one look at me and you can see that I have no problem with my appetite.

my nephew and wife came back from the Ukraine, where they were running a chabad house, to have their first baby girl.  they are staying in Rehovot, which is just a bus ride away from the hospital.  I  would have liked to go and visit them but I didn't have their address.  my sister was supposed to call me last night to coordinate the details.  she travelled yesterday.  perhaps she did call while I was downstairs with the grandkids but she didn't leave a message and I don't have her cell number.

the taxi driver was very accommodating and offered me a good deal to travel home.  I considered having him drive me to Rehovot but I didn't have my sister's phone number with me.  oh well....  that's par for the course with my baby sister.  she only recently let me know that her daughter-in-law had returned to the country to give birth.  of course, I wasn't told beforehand that they were expecting.  I got a text announcing the birth.  she never uses the phone for personal calls.  when my daughter-in-law was giving birth my sister called the hospital 5 or 6 times even though I promised to call her as soon as the baby was born.  she never let me know once in 4 births that my niece was in labor.  she's funny that way.

I took a 45 minute bus ride back toTel Aviv and caught a 2 1/2 hour express bus back to Rosh Pina.  I then took a 15 minute local bus ride back to my neighborhood.  I stopped off at the small supermarket and bought 6 kilos of dog food which was half priced.  I actually schlepped the dog food home and didn't call a cab.  that's 13 pounds of dog food.  I also managed to carry home 3 bottles of beer too.  my son needs beer at the end of his working day to relax.  yes, I am an enabler.  when he has had a particularly depressing day at the gallery he is MIA, leaving me to put the kids to sleep.

it was supposed to start storming today but the day ended on a very warm and sunny note.  I passed out on the bus ride home and woke up for the rest stop.  I got a cup of tea but it was too hot to drink.  I had some before we got back to zefat.  I ate a ton of roasted peanuts while I waited for the bus in Tel Aviv.  I guess I should have something for dinner.  I probably have a can of tuna in the closet.  I'm way too tired to cook.  I wonder if the kids will be joining me for Shabbat.  I was hoping to go to my friends but they are going out of town for a few days.

How Many More?

it is 9:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  it is quite cold this evening and the wind is howling loudly, typical of a zefat winter night.  a 21 year old girl from zefat was murdered a few hours ago in a suburb of Jerusalem.  she was standing on the roadside waiting for a bus.  she was knifed to death by an arab.  it was the third attack at that location this week.

 my very close friend lives right there.  she services her car there and buys groceries at the supermarket there.  she is afraid to go there with her grandchildren.  it is a beautiful place to live but very dangerous as of late.  I can't see myself going any time soon to visit my friend.  we are enduring knifing attacks on a daily basis.  a young bride who lost her father and brother in a ghastly terrorist attack last week, has decided not to cancel her wedding this week.  she has invited the entire country to come to her wedding.  they are having it in a huge conference hall in downtown Jerusalem.  I saw a notice on the zefat line.  some people are planning on going to the wedding.

an 18 year old yeshiva student was sent home to America in a body bag.  he did a lot of good deeds in his very short life span.  this 21 year old zefat girl never had a chance to be a woman or have a family.  my heart is aching. I feel so sick.  I'm sure I know her family.  I have no way of knowing if there will be a burial tonight.  I can't really go out in this wind and cold.  I will probably find out in the morning where the family will be sitting Shiva.  I'm sure the entire town will be there.

I had a lead today for a really good job but it didn't pan out.  the job was definitely a hard one, but the salary would have taken away all of my financial pressures.  I truly didn't think I was physically up for the job and it required my working on Fridays, too.  it would have been my ticket out of babysitting for the grandkids and it would have provided me with a good income.  when push came to shove, I declined the job.  the hours were a bit much for me and I wanted to work off the books.

I have definitely slowed down a lot.  the cold weather doesn't agree with me.  I get all achy and my right eye gets easily inflamed.  I am super stiff and my back hurts.  as soon as the sun comes out, I am fine.  my granddaughter turns four this week.  my daughter-in-law wanted to have the birthday party in my home.  I didn't agree and she got a bit peed off.  I have way too many pictures and books and chactchkas lying around to entertain a band of 4-6 year old wild kids running around.

 I offered to clean the roof top apartment for the party.  it's a good place for a party.  she declined.  she will just have to suffer and throw the party in the gigantic laundry room.  I offered them a while ago, to take out my maytag washer and dryer from the room.  they both declined.  my grandkids have soiled my dining room chairs, as it is.  I have placed cushions to keep most of the mess off of the chairs but the kids always remove the cushions.  the daughter-in-law won't sit on a cushion because the dogs also use the cushions sometimes.

I think I will be called upon to make yet, another cheesecake.  the one I usually make, which calls for a low fat white cheese spread and instant vanilla pudding, has become very affordable to make.  I bought a caramel like instant pudding hoping to make a slight variation of said cheesecake.  I mentioned the caramel pudding to the daughter-in-law and she said that it tasted horrible.  all of the instant puddings here taste horrible.  the Belgian chocolate and French vanilla are much better but nearly impossible to find.

I had a very aggravating phone call from a nasty clerk at my medical insurance carrier.  she said that my getting a one way taxi ride to the hospital near tel aviv was coming to an end.  I didn't really understand every thing she said.  she was no mean and even hung up on me when I raised my voice.  I get so nervous when I need to deal with these bureaucrats.  I ran to get a doctor's letter and faxed it to this witch.  I haven't heard from her in a week.  it turns out that she was out sick and no one else could tell me if my dotor's note got sent on to the proper authorities for consideration. 

the entire thing makes my blood boil.  I can't fight properly with these small minded paper pushers in Hebrew.  although I've lived here for over 30 years, I still speak like a new immigrant.  it is a real drag.  it zaps me of all of my strength.  I always crash after one of these encounters.  I will have to head on over back to the office tomorrow for another one of these shout outs.  I see red every time I go there.  someone just might get the wrath of zelda tomorrow.

All By Myself

it is nearly 9:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  I am all alone this evening.  I actually spent the entire day alone.  the Sephardi grandmother picked up the kids today from gan.  I was given the day off by the daughter-in-law.  I guess she thought that I was upset last night or just totally overwhelmed.  they don't get that their kids miss them.  I do not understand modern parenting or non parenting, as it may.  it really bothers me that the big kids spend so little time with their little kids and that they don't seem to miss them.

I grew up in a time where the mom was always home.  you came back for lunch and she would have tuna salad with a smiley face made up of carrots and raisins and red pepper.  my parents never took a vacation with out their kids.  I actually was 18 years old the first time my parents stayed away all night.  my father came home at 5:00 p.m. and we would all have our supper.  my mother wasn't out shopping all night and my dad wasn't out at the baseball games.  parents once stayed home with their kids.

I worked long hours when my son was growing up and he was left to his own devices for most of the afternoon.  I did provide him with a car service and plenty of cash to buy pizza or falafel and a pass to the local pool.  nevertheless, I wasn't home to make him tuna faces but I never went shopping without him.  I didn't have any outside help with my son, either.  I will admit that I was already in my thirties when I became a mom.   it never occurred to me to go away for a couple of days without him.

I had a late start today but I wasn't under any pressure of a time restraint to pick up the kids today.  I was able to clean up the house and straighten out the living room.  I even washed the kitchen and front hall and got rid of all the dirty dishes.  it was freezing today and exceptionally windy.  it sounded like a hurricane.  we had a bit of rain but mostly it was dark and grey.  I didn't get out to the supermarket until 4:00 p.m.  I found it hard to focus.  I bought veggies for Shabbat and a few drinks.  I couldn't really visualize what I planned to make for tomorrow's lunch and I was limited with cash. 

I ended up writing a couple of checks.  it was a bit risky but what the heck!  I bought eggs, cornmeal, lettuce,  Greek cheese and black olives.  I came back from the supermarket with a cab.  I was too tired and cold to schlepp with the shopping cart.  I made myself a cucumber and tomato salad with a probiotic yogurt.  it was yummy.  I then made a banana bread and a corn bread.  both were new recipes that I found on line.  both used butter and were quite different from how I usually make them.  I will make the bread pudding tomorrow morning.  I sure hope that my guests don't have eggs for breakfast because I think that i'll be making poached eggs in tomato sauce as well as a Greek salad.

I feel like I should be making some type of soup but I think that it will be enough food without it.   I also keep thinking about making tuna patties, too.  I think the shakshuka and cornbread with a greek salad will be fine.  and we still have the bread pudding and banana cake with the coffee.  I would have preferred making a meat meal but the guests preferred a dairy one.  I didn't feel like making fish.  I thought about baked potatoes but I think it is overkill at this point.  I bought an orange juice  drink so I think we are set.  my girlfriend has gum problems and I know it is hard for her to chew her food.  I think that she will be able to manage with this menu.  I will shred the salad and cheese.

I bought a bottle of sparkling pomegranate wine but I think i'll save it for thanksgiving.  my son had his eyes on it last Shabbat.  it was on sale for $5.  I can get another one, I guess.  if I have the time tomorrow morning, i'll try to buy a soft cream cheese spread.  I already used up 2 bars of butter.  I bought a blue cheese.  perhaps it goes with corn bread.  we will see.  I am truly tired and cold.  I am too tired to take a hot shower tonight.  there's always tomorrow morning.  I will get an early start and if I'm inspired i'll make another dish.

All Night Long

it is 9:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  the small kids are still up and their parents just got home.  I managed to bathe the boy but the girl is still prancing around in a princess gown I found near the trash.  I had them since 2:00 p.m.  I called the big kids three times to ask them to get home.  the little kids wanted to see their parents.  they did not want me to bathe them and i was desperate to get upstairs after being with the kids for 6 hours today.

of course, the big kids came home and didn't get the kids settled down.  the daughter-in-law came home with all sorts of sale clothes.  how that girl loves to shop! it  doesn't matter that it's way past the kids' bedtime, the kids must try on all the new clothes.  they bought the boy Australian leather boots that looked tiny.  watching them struggle and not succeed to get his big hooves into the boots was not pleasant.  it was down right annoying me.  and then my 28 year old son was carrying on because his wife doesn't want him to go out of town tomorrow night to see a champion soccer game.  like I didn't have my fill of whining all afternoon long with his kids.

I haven't blogged in some time because I have been taking care of the little kids every day.  I spend most of the day and evening downstairs.  when I try to sneak a bit of time to blog or make a phone call the kittle kids follow me into my computer room and play with the computer.  they usually are watching videos on my computer.  the computer downstairs is kaput.  mine will be too if I continue toallow the kids to use mine.

I have been trying to shed some pounds before my next gyn/oncologist appointment next month.  I have tried to do 'south beach' but I haven't lost an ounce.  I also haven't been watching how much I eat.  I have stayed away form carbs and sugar for three weeks but nothing is budging. I am still wearing my pregnancy jeans skirt.  my new clothes don't fit.  I have been hitting the humus a bit hard and have been overdoing the sunflower seeds.  that's quite caloric.

my girlfriend who does count calories has been on a strict regimen and has slimmed down a bit.  it was so much easier a few years ago.  I managed to lose ten pounds in a month.  but then I had cancer.  right now, I have a huge belly.  it is actually bigger than when I was pregnant some 28 years ago.  I am not in the best of shape.  I really need to lose about 16 pounds.  I have always managed to do so, on the 'south beach'.  I don't know why this time it isn't working.  I will still hang in there.  I lost some girth during the summer while I had the cooking gig at the yeshiva.  unfortunately, I regained it all.

the house is a mess and I haven't been functioning as of late.  i'm back to not sleeping at night.  that's not good for weight loss or one's vitality.  I am like a golem.  I leave the house every afternoon to pick up the kids but I never make it to the supermarket.  I am out of everything.  the fridge is bare and so are the closets.  I bought just what I needed to make Shabbat meals.   the kids went to their friends for Friday night meal so I went over to my friends.  they live a couple of blocks away, as we say in New York.  since we turned the clock backwards, Shabbat begins really early.  we light candles this week around 4:00 p.m.  by 7:30 p.m. it feels like midnight.

I still have some fish, chicken and soft drinks left over from last week's purchases.  i'll just need to buy veggies for this Shabbat.  I am very broke.  I am afraid to write any more checks.  I paid off the enormous water bill and am waiting for the kids to reimburse me for their share.  I got a little bit of  extra cash from welfare last month, so luckily, I didn't have any more bounced checks.  what a way to live!  is there any wonder I don't sleep soundly at night?

I invited my good gal pal over with her twin sister, who is visiting, for an early lunch on Thursday.  I definitely have to get out early to the supermarket tomorrow and clean my house.  the kids trashed it weeks ago.  they dragged in all sorts of toys and threw it all in the salon.  the salon looks like a storage shed.  we have a baby crib, mattresses, bicycle and mini car plus tons of leggo.    I need to dust all of the furniture.and wash the floor.  my friend's sister has never seen my place before.  are we having fun yet?

I am thinking about making shakshuka, a Sephardi poached egg dish in spicy tomatoes.  I also want to bake a banana bread.  I actually sprung for a few bananas for the kids this week.  they are pretty expensive.  of course, the kids didn't eat them so they are now brown.  they will make a great banana loaf.  I have tons of challah rolls in the freezer and was thinking about making a bread pudding, too.  i also wanted to make corn bread but I might just buy some fresh pitas and call it a day.  i think i'll make a greek salad with shredded lettuce, cucumbers and feta cheese.  let's just see how i function tomorrow.

we are once again plagued with a rat downstairs.  it seems enormous.  he manages to keep moving the trap around.  we haven't seen him but he did manage to eat a huge hole in the sewer pipe.  we need a plumber to replace the pipe but the kids can't be bothered.  if they were paying me rent I could cover the cost of the plumber but they aren't and I can't afford the repairs.  they are not good tenants.  actually, they are really squatters.  that's right, they moved in while I was sick and in the hospital without my okay.

upstairs i am experiencing a flea infestation.  i suffered the entire summer with ticks and now it's fleas.  i am covered in bites.  what's that old adage, "you sleep with dogs and you wake up with fleas"?  i am quite uncomfortable.  i keep sprinkling lavender oil on the dogs, my itching body and the bedding.  i don't think it's working.  i look like i have aids.  my entire body is covered in scabs.  the things we endure for our pets.  i still have three dogs.  'tiny' is huge and still a puppy.  he has eaten about 4 of my siddurs and other holy books.  he is insane.  he recently ate a huge gap in my bed.  i have to remember to leave him on the porch when i'm out of the house.

i started thinking about making a thanksgiving meal.  i don't know if i can swing it financially.  so far i have found new recipes for cranberry sauce, squash soup, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.  i made a pumpkin custard a couple of years ago.  it was foul, all separated and runny. the only place where i can find raw cranberries is the Russian market near my house.  they also sell all kinds of non kosher products including pork.  i try not going in there but once in a while i need a small bottle of some kind of liquor and they always have it .

right now i am not sure if i will actually pull off the holiday feast but it's fun thinking about it.  i no longer have my turkey napkins but i do have a straw turkey bread basket and a thanksgiving paper table cloth.   i didn't take down the stuffing recipe yet.  we still have some time before the big day.

Putting Things In Order

it is 9:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  I just finished putting away the metal poles of the sukkah.  I left zefat around 12 hours ago to travel to Tel Hashomer to see the neurosurgeon at Sheba hospital.  I got there an hour early and had an additional 2 1/2 hour wait.  the surgeon wants to remove the brain tumor.  it hasn't grown much in three years, but there seems to be more swelling than was seen in January.

I have been given another 8 months to consider the surgery and monitor the brain by way of MRI.  I'm thinking "if it ain't broke then don't fix it".  I do not have any symptoms so I am going to do the waiting game.  I went to the shopping center at the hospital to look for possible sales.  I couldn't find any shoes in my size at the orthopedic store, unfortunately.  they were giving them away, practically.

I waited for about a half an hour or more in the hot sun for a bus to Tel Aviv.  it took forever to get to the train station where I catch my bus back to zefat.  fortunately, there was a taxi going back to zefat for the price of a bus.  so for about $10 I rode home in comfort.  the driver left me off near my house.  the regular price is about 700 shekels. ($170).  the driver actually, lived in my neighborhood.

my health care provider paid for my taxi ride to the hospital this morning.  so I really locked out today.  I got up at 7:00 a.m. and took off the bamboo roof from the sukkah and removed all of the decorations.  they are predicting a huge storm tomorrow.  I had some tea and I showered and I left.  I got home some 12 hours later, grabbed a chicken schnitzel and let the dogs out.  Tiny, the overgrown puppy, ate a huge hole in my bed.  I didn't leave him on the balcony, as usual, when I go out.  I guess it's karma.  he ate a gigantic hole in the Sephardi grandmother's mattress that was in my room, and I didn't replace it yet.

 at 7:00 p.m. I took down the sukkah material and wooden slats.  Just then my son came home and I ran in to heat up the leftovers for him.  after he had some dinner, he was open to taking apart the sukkah frame.  I ran up and down the stairs with the metal poles and finally rearranged the items in the storage unit to make room for the entire sukkah.  I then came back upstairs to blog.  I am really tired now.  I hope we have a huge rainstorm tomorrow to wash away all of this brown dust.

Simchat Torah

it is 12:30 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.   we end the holiday of sukkot today and start a new holiday called Simchat Torah, tonight.  we have a farewell meal in our sukkah and we go to synagogue this evening.  we eat in the house tonight.  after all that work decorating the sukkah with my enormous collection of plastic fruits and vines, it's nearly over.  it's like Pesach.  you work really hard and the week goes too fast to enjoy it.  I must have spent 7 hours hanging my decorations.

we actually used the sukkah each day this year.  I made meals every night.  one night my son and his married cousins-in law ate hero sandwiches and beers in the sukkah.  they were supposed to do a barbecue but when push came to shove, everyone was too tired to bother with the grill.  the little kids were with me the entire week.  their parents had to work and I had to stay home with them.  I tried to eat most of the meals in the sukkah with the kids.

their mother and I took them to an outdoor party that chabad made for kids.  the kids could run around the playground, which was a good thing.  they didn't win any prizes in the gift grab bag so we had to buy them candy and balloons to placate their disappointment.  their mom went off to an exercise class and their dad went off to a soccer game in Haifa that night.  nice life these big kids have.  I, on the other hand, do not have a life.

I was sick all week with a throat virus so I didn't have the energy to do much.  I took the kids to a Chassidic puppet show at the chabad house but they were bored out of their little heads.  too bad it wasn't 'Power Rangers' or Roy Boy'.  at least I didn't have to schlepp them on the bus to town.  their mom drove us to the show and took us home.  that was a bit of good fortune for me.  I even got treated to an ice coffee drink.

I let go with the diet regimen and am totally puffed out once again.  even my new fat clothes don't fit.  I need to see the brain surgeon near Tel Aviv on Tuesday.  it's a bit scary to travel these days.  I ran out of checks and cash and have been running on empty, as we say.  I went to the bank before the holiday to order checks but the machine was out of order and I was on a mission to buy a new bamboo roof for the sukkah.  I also ran around the neighborhood trying to find a cash machine.  they were all out of order, too.

I managed to get some cash at the bank when we went to the puppet show but it went very fast on drinks and veggies for shabbat.  I ran into a friend at the supermarket and got to borrow some money to finish my shopping.  my pantry and freezer are nearly empty.  I didn't have money to buy a cake for the holiday.  I made a lovely tiramisu for the holiday but we ate it on Shabbat.  I just made a chocolate fudge cake which is an eggless cake.  I made it with mayonnaise.  I was all out of eggs, sugar and oil.  I did have a large jar of mayonnaise in the fridge and this recipe.  the cake is awful.  I used the rest of my organic brown sugar.  I've made this cake before but this time it didn't come out great.

I fried up my last package of chicken breasts today.  I had one egg left and two challah rolls, which I turned into bread crumbs.  I had a two pound package of chopped beef.  I added some eggs, cilantro and parsley and bread crumbs.  I filled a package of cannelloni noodles with most of the mixture and baked it in a tomato sauce.  not my best work.  I turned the rest into meatballs and threw them into the pot of meat simmering in wine.  I had this tiny piece of meat.  I didn't have any sweet wine so I used a bottle of dry red wine and added some honey.  the meatballs are soggy.  I guess it's better than being hard like hockey pucks.

I don't really have a dessert.  I have been picking pomegranates in the neighborhood.  I didn't get to shop today.  I went to bed really late last night.  the men stayed up all night learning torah and I stayed up all night watching season 10 of  'Grey's Anatomy".  I got up at 7:00 a.m. and washed the floor.  I didn't have the strength nor the care fare to go to town.  I hope my son buys drinks and milk because I'm nearly out.  I was hoping to get a bit of cash from the kids this morning but it didn't happen.

I will have to do a huge shopping next week.