So I skipped my morning run. I’m meeting a friend for an 8-10 mile run tomorrow morning and since I’m running my first official half Marathon (my distance record is 20 miles run with a 7 mile walk at the end) so 13.1 shouldn’t be much of an issue. But I did figure I’d skip today’s run, just to make sure I didn’t over do it the week before my race. I did a little strength training instead, but that is way less time consuming than a 10-12 mile run. Yet we were still late for shul. The kids were not exactly cooperative on the walk, but we got there. We dropped Josh at Torah kids, and had a little time before Torah Tots. Elijah didn’t want to sit up stairs for the main services so Melissa took him down to play in the Torah Tots room, and I got a little mediative time in the grownup service.
At some point I excused myself and made my way down to Torah tots. We had our usual blast. Singing songs, playing with all the kids. After Torah Tots kiddish we went upstairs for the main kiddish, I mean hey why not eat more food. Although I didn’t. Someone twisted my arm and dragged me into the kitchen for a L’Chaim in the Kitchen Scotch club. Yes I even have my own glass with my name labeled on it. The scotch was good but I limited myself to a 1/2 shot because of my don’t worry by happy pills. I didn’t end up actually eating anything and we had no Shabbat Lunch offers so we walked home with some neighbors who were silly enough to offer to walk with us. Not that we don’t enjoy their company but they just had to push a stroller and we had a 3 & 5 year old in less than corporative moods.
Lunch was had and we hung out in the family room. Elijah played a board game with Melissa and Josh has been desperately wanting to help me with the Egret poems. We don’t drive or run errands but we do use our computers and turn on and off electricity on shabbat. Big shocker for most of the community who has seen me jogging with headphones before services. I read him a preview of the next Egret poem. He loves it by the way and Melissa said she did as well. Even though these are first drafts I still need to double check my spelling before posting. Anyway as I said Josh really wants to help me write the poems/stories.
So I started to think of ideas on how we can do that without messing with my own creative process. So I outlined for him what they were going to do in the next story and I asked him for ideas of things they might want to eat, and things they might want to do. I guided him as much as I could. This poem will have at least one mini song in their and he actually came up with the first two lines. OK I had to rearrange the last couple of words so they rhymed but he had a good meter and flow. I actually got a chance to write most of that poem. So whenever I get a chance to edit tomorrow the next two Egret stories will be out either Sunday, Monday or Monday, Tuesday. Much will depend on how much work I get in the garden tomorrow. Anyway Josh was thrilled to help and I think will be really excited when he hears his song (or part of it anyway) in the poem.
Then I went off to PSAL (Potomac Scotch and Learning) with a great bunch of guys and good friends who are all for the most part shomer shabbos. We sit around drinking scotch and discussing Gemara. Many of these guys are ridiculously brilliant. One guy is a Rabbi, Ophthalmologist and Geneticist. Of course there are several lawyers and a few doctors. Most of these guys had a pretty formal Jewish upbringing so I am at a distinct disadvantage, but I seem to hold my own in the conversation and occasionally make some valid points. I don’t drink much, for the most part, only on Shabbat, but I can hold my liquor. I guess it is a holdover from my bartender days. As I mentioned before I need to be careful mixing alcohol with my Don’t worry Be Happy Pills. For the most part I did, I stayed on the right side of sober, but may of revealed an pretty big indiscretion from my youthful single days. Fortunately what happens at Josh London’s house, stays at Josh London’s house. And again I was young and single at the time.
