THE DAY THAT RAN AWAY

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but yesterday got away from me and I didn't realize it until this morning. Things started *normally*(relative at the best of times when used in reference to me) enough, but rather quickly got out of control. Friday mornings are busy at the best of times, but when they are on Free the Visa days, things get wild. The day started pretty much ok with a cup of 'eye opener juice' while reading and answering emails, then, into town to get the Friday papers and a couple of cartons of fags. I also had to pay for the cooking gas I got for myself and Orna, then make the first payment on my Holland trip. My travel agent lets me write 3 postdated (legal here) checks and on the appointed day exchange them for either cash or credit card. We've been doing this for several years now and it works. I can pick up the tickets and hotel voucher on the 15th, so all is well. For some reason that I have yet to understand, I have a $400 credit with them. I'm saving that until I know what's going on in Florida with The Philmore. At this stage there's not much I can do except get my head around it, and get the last bit of missing paper for the passport-a form that says under which part of Israeli law I got citizenship here. I'll go to Safad for that tomorrow.
After the travel agent, I went to see Zohar about buying the rest of the useless stuff he promised to buy. He's going to do it on Monday or Tuesday. Of course Gruber was there and we had a grand old visit which got me home at 1230 with the morning gone and my back aching. To bed with the back and my toes started itching, so I slathered them with Eucerin, took a shower and Eucerined them again. Had nonsense on the TV but lost myself in Anne McCaffrey's Pern books, put Peg out, then brought him in when the sreaming started. I went out to the ramp and saw all the neighbors running to the "circles" just around the corner from here. I grabbed the cellphone and hopped on Harley Too to see who/ what was causing the ruckus. It was one of the local hot heads attacking one of the Lebanese refugees for no reason at all. The cops arrived and took the attacker away. The Lebanese guy was taken to the emergency room by a neighbor. The attacker was drunk.......and beat up the guy for no reason.

There are many things I do on Shabbat that are not exactly allowed, but there are some things I will not do. I will not handle money unless it's an emergency, cut finger or toe nails, check my bank account online, and a few other inconsequential things. I will post here, read and answer email, but for the most part, I don't do much. One thing I didn't do was call the hospital for info on The Philmore. I will do that as soon as Shabbat is over.
I had pretty much forgotten how strong childhood friendships are until this happened. Elaine has been so wonderful and she is one of the few people on earth who can yank the string and pull me back to a semblance of sanity(another relative term when used in conjunction with me). If anyone else had written what she wrote to me, I would have had an opposite but equal kneejerk reaction, but as it was Elaine, I had a good hard think. Not that I'm entirely over my rage at the Mrs.The Philmore, but, I've got a more wait and see if she really is up to what I suspect attitude.
I was so pleased that The Philmore called after my operation, but it's making me sad now because it most likely was the last time I'll have spoken to him. Did he feel something? I mean, he knows/knew that I call him and The Jeffey every Sunday before payday, or on the day itself if it's payday on a Sunday, which turned out to be the day he had the bleed. I have a hard time thinking about it without crying. Not hysterical sobbing, mind you, just sad tears. He *is* 83, but up until now was in very good shape. Ah, well. Time to get back to Pern before my tears short the keyboard.