Roll It

it is 4:00 P.M. in the holy city of safed.  i am finally back to my blogging after a long hiatus.  i stopped blogging in october of 2021. i purchased a smart phone and got it activated at the onset of covid.  i was able to see my grandkids via video chats and got onto facebook.  i got reaquainted with friends from the past.  i got totally addicted.  i didn't voice my opinions about the vacinnes because i was afraid of the censorship.  a little while ago; i was reading comments regarding yesterday's reign of rockets and missiles in the southern part of the country.  a few of the arab comments called for the second coming of hitler and the total destruction of israel.  i told one to go to hell and i wished for another to be blotted off the face of the earth.  interestingly, i got a warning about my language.

i have been thinking about blogging for a while.  i was honestly, too busy before pesach.  i have been jounaling about my pesach spring cleaning rituals for years.  my computor was on its way out and somehow, windows 10 got erased.  i made a mad dash to buy a new one.  this year i became devoted to having house repairs done , getting new light fixtures and door handles and tweeking the pictures and judaica.  i even bought a few house plants. i have already pretty much, downsized the objects in my home.  i gave away most of my books to a jewish english book store and a couple of book shelves, too.

i realized like most of my friends, that it was time to take care of myself and my needs.  it was time to spend my money on me.  i started buying more organic products and orthopedic shoes for myself.  i had no guilt whatsoever, in spending money on a new computor.  well, maybe, just a bit.  i haven't gone near, said, computor since i got it.  i am too comfortable with my smart phone and my eyes are getting destroyed, nightly; by watching hours of videos on the phone.  i am quite pleased to admit that the larger monitor is a sheer pleasure.

the whats app is my link to my grandchildren.  i do not travel very often and they live in another part of the country.  yesterday, my grandson asked if i could buy him a few fruit rollups.  i didn't think anything strange about his request.  i used to buy them for his father.  back in the day; it was considered a 'healthy' treat.  i told him that i would buy him some the next day.  i will use any excuse or errend to get me out of the house and out for a walk.  i went to one store that sold nuts and sweets and dried fruits.  each roll up was 15 shekels. that's 4 dollars for one fruit roll up.  i saw a large box of 72 roll ups.  i asked if it was for sale.  she wanted 1080 shekels.  that is 296 dollars for a box of fruit roll ups.

i thought i must have misunderstood.  i walked over to another store that sells party goods and toys and chocolates.  they were selling 3 rollups for 10.90 shekels.  that is about 3 dollars a roll up.  i ended up buying a box of 72 roll ups for 260 shekels.   yes, i spent 72 dollars on that box.  i met a neighbor on the bus ride home and told her about my quest to buy fruit roll ups.  she told me about the afternoon shelling in the south and told me about tik tok's play on fruit roll ups.  apparently, they put them in ice cream for crunch.  i suddenly realized that i was holding onto gold.  i also realized that it was not safe to mail a package of this gold to my grandson.  i needed nothing short of a brink's secrity truck.

my grandson was delighted when i sent him a pix of the box of the roll ups.  he told me it was trending.  i told him that we would sell the roll ups to recover my 'seed' money.  yes folks, i was excited.  i was on fire.  this afternoon i got a text from my granddaughter asking if they sold fruit roll ups in safed.  it is very hot today.  we are in the middle of a heat wave.  i have had a pain in the back of my head all morning long.  i do not want to spend another 72 dollars buying more roll ups.  i gathered from my grandson that his sister was not interested in selling them.  she has a nail polishing business on the side.  she is 11.  i am planning on going back to the store to see if they have any roll ups left.  iam willing to spend another 30 dollars at the most.  are we haivng fun yet?

What's Going On

it is now 3:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  got back a little while ago from town.  i have been going out each morning with a friend to show her around safed.  she just got back to safed a couple of months ago.  i really; haven't been out that much during covid; so it was an adventure for me; as well.  today; we tackled the large hardware store in the southern end of town.  it was huge and chaotic.  after hours of looking around; i realized that i had lost my pocketbook.  we were both pretty much done in at that point.  it was torture to have to go through that entire store to find my purse.  luckily for me; someone had turned it into the cashier.

we then set out to look for a welder or auto repair store.  the metal bar and wheels of my friend's radiator got bent out of shape during the move here.  we saw a small hardware store and the man there tried to bend it back into shape with his hands.  it remains to be seen if that actually helped.  in the meanwhile; we will be on the lookout for spare parts from a radiator that has been trashed.  we then went over to a supermarket nearby.  i was hungry and kind of wanted to buy some salmon.  i also bought fresh turkey wings for shabbat.

we finished our shopping pretty fast and cabbed it back home.  we had both done a huge shopping there together; a couple of weeks ago and spent several hours getting reacquainted with the aisles.  i had completely forgotten that i had defrosted beef schnitzels in the morning; before i left.  it took about five minutes to sauté them in a skillet and make a salad and voila; i had a hot lunch waiting for me.  the dogs had some, too.  i am pretty spent.  it was quite hot this moring in town.

we ventured to the rosh pina strip maul on tuesday.  i hadn't been there since covid.  my friend had banking business and i wanted to find a comfortable walking shoe.  we went to an enormous health food store first.  by then we were both ready to call it a day.  i was hungry and a bit impatient.  i couldn't remember where the orthopedic shoe store was.  the strip maul is not all that large.  lo and behold; i looked up and saw that it was directly across the street from the health food store.  by that point; i had little patience to look for shoes.

we went in and exited a moment later.  there was another israeli brand of shoe store right across so we went in .  i immediately saw a cute pink sneaker by hush puppies.  i tried them on and they were heavenly so i bought them.  they were already more than half price and they offered me a second pair for only $20.  i am now the granny in pink and in blue sneakers; racing down the sidewalk in safed.  yesterday we stayed in waiting for the repairman.  so typical; he was a no show.

i invited another gal pal to join me for shabbat. i stopped off to buy chicken and ended up buying fresh turkey wings.  i thought about making soup and decided instead; to make a stew with barley for saturday lunch.  i found a container of frozen chicken soup in the fridge and a package of chopped turkey so i will make dumplings to go with the soup for friday night.  i want to keep it easy and breezy.

i recently went to do my annual blood test.  i was pretty upset to see that my cholesterol and sugar both went up.  i lost around 40 pounds during covid and have been doing intermittent fasting all year and hour walks.  i managed to drop the sugar and cholesterol last december so i don't know what i did wrong lately.  i haven't eaten chocolate, candy, processed foods, ice cream, cake, cookies or potato chips in over a year and a half.  and i haven't used sugar, honey, date syrup or maple syrup; either.  it is a mystery.  however; i have been indulging in lots of grapes and dates.

there were 20 items that didn't get tested so i have to return to my doctor and reorder another blood test.  nothing here gets done in a day.  i did an antibody test because i was sick during the last holiday.  i was hoping that i had had a mild case of covid and had antibodies' but no such luck.  i remain unvaxed with no antibodies.  it's okay.  i am retired and have no special interest in working, eating out, or seeing a movie.  it's enough that i can shop and get around.

What's Going On?

it is noon in the holy city of safed.  the holiday of sukkot ended on tuesday night.  i was sick on the second part of the holiday.  the kids were here.  this is the holiday where the men dance with the sefer torahs.  it is a happy time for the jews.  we no longer eat inside our sukkahs.  the kids get loaded with sweets and the men; with liquor.   the women as always, cook the festive meals.

at the end of the past saturday night; i got hit with a stomach bug.  it was awful.  i found myself trying to sleep on the bathroom floor close to the toilet.  i spent about 6 hours in and out of the bathroom.  i finally fell asleep in my bedroom at around 5:00 a.m.  thank goodness for adult diapers!  i haven't felt well since.  i have been nauseous and headachy ever since.  the weird thing is that i didn't lose my appetite.  i suffered throughout the holiday being with everyone.  the kids; pretty much; got along and there were no major meltdowns but my head was hurting the entire time.  

i managed to get to the local synagogue in the evening to watch a bit of the cerebration.  i wasn't as fortunate the next morning.  i stayed in bed for most of the day.  the kids came in and out of my house all day long.  the toddler made his way up the stairs all by himself and let himself in to visit with me and my dogs.  it did give me some joy to see him; despite my aching head.  even when a couple of the boys were playing ping pong on my dining room table; i was glad they were here but suffering from the noise.  i thought that i might have covid yesterday.  i tried calling around to find where i could get tested but i didn't have the energy to go anywhere.

as soon as the holiday ended; my son disassembled my sukkah.  it took him less than an hour.  it took me 4 hours to assemble it by myself.  i don't know how many trips up the stairs i took to bring up the rods and wood.  both sukkahs; huge and small; were put away in the shed for next year in rapid speed. it was surreal.  it felt so empty. we spent the entire week eating and sleeping in them.  i didn't sleep in mine but i did eat most of my meals in it.  the weather was lovely this year; no strong winds or heavy rains to move us out of our temporary homes.  i spent a lovely day by myself in my 2x2 meter sukkah.  it was so relaxing and quiet after the chaos of the actual holiday.  the dogs also joined me in the sukkah; lying on a blanket.

it was cool enough without the fan.  i ate and called friends on my smart phone and video chatted with the grandkids.  i even read a novel.  it was bliss.  i had a few female friends come by for meals.  it was so nice.  i did a lot of walking and enjoyed seeing all of the sukkahs on the streets.  people were out late in the night.  i went to visit a friend and hung out in her sukkah on shabbat.  i enjoyed some grapes and potato kugel and then went back home for my shabbat meal.  i was feeling no pain until saturday night.  i haven't left the house except to walk the dogs, since.  i did manage to get an hour walk in last night.  

i thought about getting a covid test this morning  but i actually felt better.  it was the first day in nearly a week; that i woke up without that headache.  i could actually focus and function. i called a friend and had an actual conversation.  the pain in my head is slowly starting up and i am feeling 'heady' once again.  i will take a dexamol tablet and start to make some food.  i want to make a big pot of chicken soup.  i already defrosted wings and thighs.  i have onions and carrots and sweet potatoes.  i couldn't find any celery last night.  i am not going to schlepp to the supermarket today.  if i continue to feel unwell on sunday; i will get the covid test.  i am hoping that a restful shabbat will help.

the holiday of the tabernacles

 it is nearly 8 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  it is nearly time for my nightly hour walk around the neighborhood.  the dogs have gotten out and run away.  i am too tired to search for them.  i know i haven't posted any writing in months.  i have been on facebook.  i spend many hours on facebook commenting on just about everything that's posted.  i communicate with old friends in australia; family and friends in the states and my chabad family in dehli. india.  it's a compulsion.  it gets me very wired and i don't sleep until 4 a.m.

i mostly read everything posted out there on covid.  i am amongst the unvaxed.  i am a traitor to my country and a disappointment to my orthodox community.  i turned 70 in july and according to the covid news; i should already be dead.  i am very tired from all the turmoil.  i spent the first year in isolation.  i went to the supermarket at 6 a.m. and took the dogs out when no one was around.  i did visit a friend or two.  i stayed away from synagogue and any place that involved people.

i went on a strict health regimen and started intermittent fasting. i gave up sugar, chocolate and processed foods. i started walking.  i lost around 45 pounds.  i spent the summer at the local neighborhood outside pool.  i turned brown.  i learned how to swim or dog paddle and get to the end of the pool.  i went to see the grandkids in jerusalem.  i bought a few new things to wear. i went to a maul once with a friend. 

i recently had some tasty pizza.  i haven't been to a restaurant yet and i don't do takeout.  i eat very simple food and don't feel comfortable eating other peoples' cooking.  i went to the gyn oncologist and the lung surgeon but i failed to do a brain MRI; nor see the neurosurgeon.  yes, i am still walking around with a huge, benign brain tumor and a microscopic cancerous tumor in my left lung.  who cares about covid.  oh the good news; is that i am still in remission.

tomorrow begins the weeklong festival of sukkot.  the sephardi family downstairs; built an immense wooden sukkah dwelling with curtains and windows and blinds.  the father of the clan lives in this wooden dwelling all week long.  he prays in it and sleeps in it and of course; eats in it.  i felt sad last year without my own little sukkah upstairs.  sukkot is definitely; a man's world and a man's holiday.  women are not obligated to eat or sleep in the sukkah.

i decided to assemble my sukkah this afternoon.  it took me about 4 hours. i have a collection of plastic vines and grapes and pomegranates and apples.  i do not have the patience to play around with this and string up these fruits this year.  i am exhausted.  i was up and down off a metal chair for hours.  my body hurts and it was hot outside.  i want the dogs to come home and i want to take my walk.  tomorrow i am cooking a holiday meal for my friend and myself.  she doesn't want to be around a lot of people so i won't be joining the sephardi family for the holiday.  i think my son and family will come for shabbat so i will be with everyone then in the huge sukkah downstairs.

i am planning on making stuffed peppers, spicy barbecued chicken wings, chopped liver, humus, tahina, green salad, tabouli salad, and buckwheat and bow tie pasta.  it is actually 2 holiday meals and the dogs have to eat, too.  nice talking to you all again.  Happy holiday to all my jewish readers.

t

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Another Holiday.

it is 9:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  i stopped blogging after pesach.  i was wiped out and didn't think anyone was interested in my blog anymore.  i have been on face book every day.  i spend a good hour every morning reading all the posts of friends and commenting on their posts.  i try to be charitable and say nice things.  i have gotten into heated posts with many dog owners because i commented that i don't think dogs should lie next to brand new infants in bed nor do i think we should leave dogs alone with our babies, either.  maybe; i always had small nervous, skittish dogs but my pincher bit my grandchildren more than once.

people post pix of their pets and babies on a public forum and if you comment anything besides, 'adorable', or 'great', they turn on you.  some of them are more vicious than their pit bulls and other oversized pets.  i guess i see the potential danger in many pix.  i hate when people pose with giant snakes or lions or tigers.  i am always thinking, that in one more moment they are done for.  i guess i am negative, as these bloggers always accuse me of being.  it's kind of ironic because i am always rescuing dogs and am mad for them.

tomorrow night is our holiday of shavuot.  best known for the holiday of dairy.  like, serious cheesecake, is going on in the land.  in the past, i have been known to make a pretty good lasagna and tiramisu but i prefer to leave it in the past.  with prices sky high, i could not afford to buy the makings for these two dishes.  pesach, left me in debt.  i am making one cheesecake for a dear friend, who lives in the neighborhood and i am going to make a pan of cheesecake brownies for the sephardi family, living downstairs.  my son's in-laws are still coexisting with me.  we get along just great.  the sephardi grandmother, 10 years my junior; makes all the shabbat and holiday meals.  i join them when i am up to it and i sit and eat.

i usually spend shabbat alone.  i like the quiet and i prefer eating my own food.   i don't eat late anymore and it is very hard finishing meals at 10:00 p.m.  i still fast every night.  when i am alone i eat less food and finish by 8:30 or 9:00 p.m.  i usually go to sleep right after i finish eating and taking the dogs out.  i stay up all week long till the wee hours of the morning; watching t.v.  on friday night i make up for all the lost sleep during the week.  i like to go to synagogue now.  there has been so much tragedy in israel in the last few weeks.  i find it is difficult to be alone with my thoughts so i go to hear the men chant and pray on saturday mornings.

i have recently committed to walking at least 45 minutes every day.  since we have had severe heat waves; i have taken to get out at 6:00 a.m. to do my walk.  when I haven't made it out early; i go out at night.  for several days, i didn't venture out in daylight except to take dogs out close by.  i was a bit of a vampire for awhile.  this afternoon it cooled enough for me to take a walk at 5:00 p.m.  there were tons of people out, too.  i had a touch of sciatica this morning and the walk helped a lot.  it is acting up now and so are the dogs.

i hope that my son and family make it here in safety.  there are missiles falling all over the country.  the terrorists don't like to waste their missiles in daylight when they can be detected easily.  they prefer to strike in the middle of the night while children and their parents are asleep.  you get about 15 seconds to make it to a bomb shelter in most cities so many people are just sleeping in the shelters every night. i sincerely hope that we will have a quiet and peaceful holiday.  so far, we have not been afflicted in the north but no one knows how long this will last.  a young soldier from safed is in critical condition after his jeep took a direct hit.  his 21 year old sergeant major wasn't so lucky nor was a beautiful 5 year old  boy who took a direct shrapnel hit which killed him.  his mother, who is in critical condition wasn't able to be at his burial.

so we continue our lives and get ready for our holiday.  what choice do we have???  we had a year of peace during corona.  i try to keep my dark thoughts to myself and still be positive.  it is a full time job.  i am looking forward to the holiday even though i won't be eating any cheesecake.  i pray for the jews all over the world who are being targeted by arab violence.  may we all merit to be in our own homes with our families on shavuot night.