SO LET ME EXPLAIN

I know I promised to write at least once a week and on Fridays. And I was really planning on doing just that. I have so much to tell you. And I'm sorry that I'm late, but I can explain.

See...I am hooked on The Young and The Restless. Don't ask. I know, I know, but what can I do? And I would have been all right if they would have kept the show at it's old time of 7:30...but NOOOOO...it runs at 5:30 every evening. And now twice a week, thank goodness, I have students at that time.

So big deal you say. And usually I would have agreed with you. BUT...this week Colin found her boyfriend kissing Anita, Britny's MOM! And John is hot on the trail trying to find out who is really Jill's birth mother. And what is Catherine hiding? And Michael spilled the beans and now Christine is off looking for Paul and everything is a mess.

I know that in the course of real life these things may sound trivial to all of you...but hey this is important stuff. I mean how does all of that compare with my own little life?

Our government sorta makes Al Capone look like a good guy. Everyone is reluctantly off to Annapolis where Bush has demanded a command performance. The teachers are still on strike. Teachers and kids alike will suffer from this for a very long time. The country will probably go into a further slump as teachers go into their second month without wages. Olmert doesn't care. Sderot is living in the blitz that our evacuation from Gaza brought them instead. Last night we had our second earthquake in a week...both around 4.2!

But Genoa City is a mess and all those rich people are in trouble. And I can't wait to see how it all turns out. Some of it I already know but shhhhhhhhhh don't ruin the fun.

Thanksgiving was a big yahoooooooooo. My friend Rena outdid herself once again. Thirteen for dinner. Two...yup count 'em two turkeys. Stuffing. Sweet potaoes. Mashed potatoes. Green bean casserolle. Brussel sprouts with smoked duck cubes. Two kinds of cranberry dishes...not an easy task as we do not have fresh cranberries in the is country and they had to be imported. Anyone coming bring cranberries :). Corn bread. And three pies...apple...lemon merangue...and PECAN PIE.

We were stuffed more than the turkeys. Like locusts we filled out plates. And I don't know what everyone was looking forward to more...the food or the company. This is a set group of thanksgiving diners eating a set meal and we all look forward to it every year. Yahooo Rena...Bless You!

My Joe College and Bubbie Channah got Take Away and I was so stuffed that I couldn't think of eating another bite. The next day I was sorry :).

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and, I for one have a lot to be thankful for. You, are part of that list.

Shabbat shalom.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A DOCTOR...

Ask me how my week went...DON'T ASK!!!
Here is a rundown. Grab your coffee as I tell you my tale.

Eight days ago I began to feel that something was brewing inside of me. You know that feeling. Throat starts to feel scratchy, etc. Well, I phoned my wonderful doctor and he told me that if it flared up over the weekend to begin taking antibiotics...moxypen 500 mgs three times a day.

No problem. I always have moxypen in the house...of course I do.

Saturday morning at five a.m. I couldn't breathe. Caught me in the throat. Now Friday and Saturday are no doctor days but there is always Magen David Adom ( our version of the Red Cross ) or the emergency rooms in any one of our four terrific hospitals, so I didn't panic.

But...by Sunday night when I couldn't breathe THAT'S when I started to panic. Whatever it was that I had triggered my asthma and I was in trouble.

I went to my husband...who is still sick with a terrible pneumonia and who, btw, I think infected me altogether...and told him to get up and drive me to our medical clinic near the shuk.

He did.

Now, of course you know it was pouring outside. Yahoo for the rain, but I could have waited for another day when I didn't have to shlep my poor bones outside. He parked the car and told me to let him know what was happening.

When I got to the fourth floor, I was next in line to see the doctor. Yahoo.

He took one look at me...listened to my heart and chest and immediately sent me to the nurse's station to be put on an inhalator. Yahoooooo, I could breathe again. Next came blood pressure/blood work/and a chest X-Ray. Ok. No problem.

In the meantime hubby went home and told me to call him. I didn't want him sitting out there in the rain either. Bad pneumonia remember?

So, now that I could breathe, I gaily went to the different stations to do the rest of the tests and then came back with everything to the doctor.

Dr: Hm, the blood work is not good.
Me: What's wrong with the blood work.
Dr: Not good.
Me: Is it dangerous?
Dr: Not good.

By that time I was getting a little nervous. But then I thought, 'Of course it isn't so great...I have some kind of terrible infection someplace that my body is waging war against.'

Dr: Something small in X-Ray.
Me: What?
Dr: The written results will be available tomorrow morning after ten a.m. Call your Dr. then. No, wait. I will call your doctor. No! Better still be at your doctor's tomorrow morning at ten.
Me: What's wrong? What do I have?
Dr: Your doctor will tell you in the morning.

And that my dear friends was all I could get out of him. So, knowing of course that I am dying, I phoned my husband to come get me and began mentally saying goodbye to everyone. What else could it be if I have to show up at my doctor's office in the morning without an appointment?

Needless to say I had a terrible night. Actually, I was simply beyond sad.

Seven-thirty in the morning, I phoned my doctor and his secretary (my great great great friend Joan) answered and listed to my panicy tale and got the doctor on the phone. He listened very carefully and said that it must be nothing maybe a touch of pneumonia and not to worry but to call him at ten.

I said, 'You know your Mama raised a nice kid?' He laughed.

Somehow, I made it till ten when I phoned back. Joan, by that time had recieved the printed readout of the X-Ray.

CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR AND PERFECT...HEART AND LUNGS!!!

So what the hell was that doctor talking about???

Once I realized that I had my life back again and was back among the living I started to cry. Of course I did.

I phoned Bubbie Channah and told her. This is what she said: 'Marallyn, just because he is a doctor do we know where he graduated in his class?'

Yeah, Bubbie Channah!

At first I thought of lodging a complaint about that doctor. But the truth is that except for scaring me to death, he changed my meds to brilliant stuff and took really good care of me in the clinic.

So, my adivice to any of you out there who might run into a new doctor at a clinic...don't ask him any questions. Just smile and say thank you and phone your doctor in the morning to get the results.

Thank you God...thank you God...thank you God.

Shabbat shalom. Don't get too close...the cough is really scary and hurts and I don't want to share this with any of you. OH. Upper Respiratory Infection plus asthma and sinus complications. My tray next to my bed looks like the pharmacy downtown. But who the hell cares...i CAN BREATHE...I CAN BREATHE!!!

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

SHARING

For those of you who know me, you know that, by nature I am a very sharing person. When I was a kid I used to share my clothes with my girlfriends. I shared my toys with my brother Dovidle, I shared ideas with my fellow teachers.

I shared.

But somethings shouldn't be shared. Like when my husband was coughing all week and I had to take him to the emergency ward...men...they are such bad patients. Pneumonia! In my life I never heard a cough like that.

'Honey, did you go to the doctor?'
'No, I'm fine, COUGH COUGH WHEEZE WHEEZE.'
'Honey, I think you need a doctor.'
THE LOOK.
'OK, it's your life.'

Next day.

'Honey, I think you have to go to Magen David Adom (our Red Cross).'
'I'm fine. COOOOOOUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH...gasp...COOOOOUUUUUUGGGGGHHH.'
'I don't think so.'
THE LOOK.

The next day 11:30 at night.
'I have pains.'
'Where?'
'Chest. Left side.'
'Arm feel funny? Sweating?'
'No.'
'OK. Let me get dressed and we'll go.'
'Where?'
'Magen David. Wait, I'll call and see what hospital is on duty for heart problems.'
'Heart problems?'
'I think it's muscles from your cough. But we have to check.'
'OK'

PNEUMONIA...and lack of oxygen cuz he waited four days before seeing a doctor which caused his blood pressure to go wayyyyyyyyyyy down and hence the chest pains.

In the middle of all that I went to babysit sweetsie tootsie and sweetsie girl. Had to sleep over...boy do I love that...and sweetsie girl has bronchitis. COUGH COUGH COUGH.

Now my throat is sore and my chest is beginning to feel yukky and I'm starting to cough.

Those germs they should have kept to themselves. I wouldn't have minded if they didn't share. I mean it wasn't necessary. But go tell that to a sick man and a little girl.

But there is something I really want to share with you: My Favourite Muslim--Achmed the Dead Terrorist!!!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1uwOL4rB-go

Damn funny if I do say so myself.

So between giggles and coughs let me take a moment to wish you all a sweet shabbat shalom and to tell you that I'll be back, tfu tfu tfu, next week...same time, same place. I miss you all already.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

SO HERE'S THE DEAL

There are some things that always make me feel guilty. You know like when you break your diet...while you are chewing you are happy-go-lucky...but the minute you have finished your last bite you hear that little voice in your head saying 'YOU'LL BE SORRRRRRRRY.'

Or when you play hookey from work/school...oy I'm really not feeling well...cough cough sniffle sniffle. Then for the rest of the day you have to hide out under the covers instead of going to the Mall for an ice cream sundae.

You get the picture.

Well, this blog has been added to my guilt list. See, I love the blog. I love writing it. I love reading your comments. I love visiting your blogs. I love writing comments on yours too.

But, for the past month or so I have simply been overwhelmed with writing...or more to the point, thinking. I am really really happy to tell you that my novel Emma Shelby is No More is in the hands of a Hollywood Producer and even though the writers' strike is still on we have begun the re-write. And it is really thrilling. First of all that he loves Emma and second that I am now back with her again. I missed her. We were constant companions for the past two years. So now I am going to focus all my thoughts and energy on Emma.

At first I thought of simply stopping this blog for the next couple of months. You know, as much fun as writing is, and as much as I am driven to write...it is also a lot of really hard work and serious stuff. But, then I thought I'd miss all of you too.

So, here's the deal. Until I finish the re-write of Emma, I'm going to post a blog once a week. I like Fridays so I can also wish you all a sweet shabbat shalom. I'll keep you up-to-date and check in on you. And when the book is done then I can come back here full force and share and care. How does that sound?

Until tomorrow then...have a great day...stay safe...and thank you so much for dropping in.

SO WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

I figured this morning that by my reckoning, it should be the end of July right now. I mean November??? We are already in November? How did that happen?

First the summer flew by in a heat wave that was awful. Then the holidays were so early this year. Next came the teeth...don't ask. And finally the teachers' strike and here we are almost Channukah/Christmas!!!

At that rate I will be 80 in four years, three months, two weeks, five days...approximately!!!!

Sobering thought. When we were kids time stood still but now it is rushing by so quickly that it takes your breath away.

One of the things I have noticed is that I am spending so much time in my own head plotting and writing that I get tired faster (NO it is not because I am old and a senior citizen...now when did THAT happen?...sigh). And in the golden years of my life I have a group of imaginary playmates who are so very interesting and entertaining.

I think what I am trying to say is how blessed I feel. Blessed that time doesn't weigh heavily on my shoulders. That I have friends both real and make-believe who are a joy. And last but really far from least my wonderful family.

Happy that I am busy for the most part doing things I want to do and that I have the strength and fortitude to do the things I have to do.

Oh, I'm back knitting! After a hiatus of almost five years (after I went crazy knitting when my kid was in a very dangerous place at a very dangerous time and I ended up knitting 150 baby sweathers) and instead of sitting like a lox in front of the TV, I am busy... knit two, purl two yahooooo.

So, are you all watching Prison Break? My kid, Joe College came home with the DVD of the first year and sat with his friends non stop for twelve hours. Then, when they showed up with the next season's DVD, I joined them. Now, I am hooked. And you thought The Sopranos was scary.

OK, godda go...still cooking...pot roast...roasted chicken with carrots and onions...Ben Gurion rice...little pasta things that are the size and shape of rice...lovely...and of course salad. Yahoooo.

Shabbat shalom.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.