Weather It Is (Headed Into Next Year)

Good Afternoon:

Relatively warm temperatures are blanketing this part of the world.  The warm air is courtesy of high pressure situated over northern Africa, resulting in a clockwise flow of warm southwesterly air.  Of course, "old-timers" will tell you we've had worse at this time of year (and we have).

The high pressure will remain in place and influence through Saturday, so air conditioners will probably get a good work out until then.  Still, today may be the hottest day of the period.

The morning I arrived bright and early at Rami Levy was not nearly so warm; in fact the temperatures were quite pleasant.  And, I was pleased to drive right in and have my pick of the parking spaces -- what luck!  I strode quickly to the cart station, "paid" my 5 NIS, and continued, but with shorter strides to the entrance (being careful not to bump my shins on the food cart).

I was the first one in, but I had to wait half an hour (until 7:30, opening time).

Still, it was a rewarding experience in more ways than one.  I arrived home within the hour, my sleigh full of new New Year's items, and quickly unpacked and put away all of the perishables.  But then, a strange thing happened: I felt my heart grow two sizes larger and so before the morning was finished I put away every last item, from jars to bags, and other odd shaped things.

I even cleaned up the back yard and front yard, hopefully completing the process of Teshuva (and, apparently, exempting myself from needing to go to Slichot services anymore).  It's good that I did because a rather potent storm should end our period of early fall warm weather. Right now, it is forecast to bring rain up the far north, but we'll keep an eye on this storm to see if it might shift south a bit.

In any case, next week looks to be a good deal cooler than this week's heat.

Shana Tova,

Barry Lynn