Summertime Blues

it is 12:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat.  I haven't spoken to my son since Friday afternoon.  I am sick to my stomach.  I ache.  I went to sleep right after I lit my Shabbat candles on Friday evening.  I slept from 8:00 p.m. until 1:30 a.m.   I don't know if I was sick or just traumatized.  I was freezing.  I slept under a comforter.  I got up and made Kiddush for myself at 2:00 a.m. and then ate a tuna sandwich.  I then went back to sleep until around 7:00 a.m.

after I took to my bed the kids were making a lot of noise.  the bedroom is right above the garden area.  it turned out that the married sister and family also came for the shabbaton.  so there were 3 couples and seven kids downstairs.  I finally passed out and heard my son calling me.  I guess it was time for Kiddush.  I didn't answer.  a little while later the daughter-in-law knocked on the door and asked if I wanted to come downstairs.  I answered from bed that I did not want to and said thank you.  I slept the rest of the night.

I made myself a cup of tea and ate a bit of fruit at 8:00 a.m.  I wanted to drink a rum breeze.  I felt really ill and queasy.  I couldn't read because my head was spinning.  I didn't know if I had had too much sun the day before or if I was just sick to death of my son's chutzpah.  I let the dogs out and saw my daughter-in-law's female cousin and sister.  they said good morning but I could barely answer.  I was furious that more of the clan was downstairs.  after all, I had been told on Friday afternoon that I was not allowed to invite my family to use the pool.

I was also told that I had made myself a little too comfortable with their setup downstairs.  I am not allowed to host my friends and family in my own garden area without their permission.  it's their pool, their table and 4 chairs and their swing set.  I pay the real estate tax, the house insurance, the water bill and the gardener and they live downstairs for free.  what is wrong with this picture?

I put up a wooden gate to prevent the dogs from going downstairs to disturb their guests and kids but someone kept on taking it down.  I ended up leaving my dogs on the balcony all morning.  I went to the Sephardi synagogue to meet my friends and had lunch with them.  I didn't feel well.  it was really hot and I had turned off the fans in the evening because I was cold.  I came back and saw even more members of the clan downstairs.  it was beach party bingo downstairs.  I was so upset.  I drank a rum breeze and I went to sleep.  my granddaughter slipped onto my balcony to call down to everyone and my son ordered her to go downstairs.

I woke up in the evening and finished my novel.  I ate another tuna sandwich and waited for Shabbat to end.  I made havdalah for myself and went to my computer.  when I let the dogs outside I found my wooden gate broken into 2 pieces.  someone smashed it.  someone had also taken my sponger stick and broom.  everyone had left.  I guess the daughter-in-law went to work early this morning.  I don't have to take care of the kids today.  and the way I feel right now I won't be babysitting any time soon nor will I be making shabbatons again.