Feeling Well

it is 6:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  in another 2 hours we start a major fast.  this one is about 24 hours.  i went to the doctor yesterday hoping that he'd tell me not to fast.  although he is not a rabbi, never the less, he told me to at least start the fast.  i have been eating all day long.  i had eggs and toast in the morning, two glasses of milk, a tuna sandwich, sweet potato ravioli in cream sauce and two bowls of lentil soup.  quite frankly, i am too stuffed to eat anything more.  i will have a green salad and russian dressing for the meal before the fast.

i wasn't planning on preparing anything today at all.  the kids usually go to the in-laws for tisha b'av.  i asked my gal pal what to eat today.  she said pasta and bread.  i remembered making soup for the pre fast meal for many years.  this morning my son asked if i could watch the grandson.  poor kid has been cooped up all day in front of the t.v.  it is pretty hot and very humid outside.  way too hot for me to hang out at the little park.  problem is that they build these parks without any trees for shade.

i made him a bubble bath a little while ago.  he was going bonkers and hitting me with his tee shirt.  the bath chilled him out.  i even took a shower to cool off.  i managed to wet mop the floor while i was cooking.  i had to run to the supermarket this morning to get food for the pre fast.  i bought frozen sweet potato ravioli, pitas, cooking cream, and various veggies to throw into a lentil soup. i also bought a can of diced tomatoes for the soup.  i even baked a vanilla loaf cake.

everything is ready to go.  the salad needs to be dressed.  as soon as the daughter-in-law returns from work, we can feast.  i bought tickets for a concert next monday night.  the popular male singer, yakov shweki, is coming to zefat.  i took the kids to hear him a couple of years ago.  the next day i have to go back to the hospital in tel aviv to see the gyn oncologist and the neurosurgeon.  yes, a double header!  it will be a very long day, for sure. hours of travelling and hours of waiting.  i am amazingly calm.  i guess it's the heat.

i have put on nearly 10 pounds.  there went my svelte body.  i really have to cool it now.  i have to stay away from the carbs and sugar.  they're doing me in.  i seem to lose it on some days and binge all day.  i'm pretty inactive still, so i'm not exactly burning up the calories.  i seem to crave the unhealthy milk chocolate treats.  the 70% dark chocolate doesn't do it for me anymore.   i guess, i don't care what i eat anymore, either.

i went to town yesterday  to see the doctor and buy the concert tickets.  i was lucky to get the referral forms the same day, for a change.  i don't need to go back to the clinic next week.  i didn't want to speak with the social worker in person.  i wanted to save myself the trip, but i tried calling her and she didn't return my call.  i am impatiently, waiting to be reimbursed for all my travel expenses.  the amount is staggering.  i put in a claim for my sister, also.  they will only reimburse her one way.  whatever we can get is still helpful.

the store selling concert tickets wouldn't take credit cards or checks.  my account was overdrawn so i  jumped on a bus and returned to the neighborhood.  i actually asked for half price, for the first time.  they didn't even ask for i.d.  i went over to my friend's for cash.  i then jumped on a bus back to town to buy the tickets.  a half hour later, i was once again, back on the bus with the tickets.  mission accomplished!  i hung out with my friend until 5:30 p.m.

i felt rather well today.  i think being out of the house yesterday really was beneficial.  it's an hour away to the fast.  the kids have had their ravioli downstairs.  if they prefer to have the soup downstairs, it's fine by me.  i washed the floors because the bottoms of my feet were black.  i cleared off the dining room table. too.  i heard that drinking straight lemon juice is a sure way to beat the fast.  i'm having lemon in my water.  an easy fast everyone!  may the moshiach come now!!!!

m