9:42 AM - You can't go home again. I've written, and questioned, that quote so many times that i serves as some what of a record of times I blogged from my childhood home. It's been months now.  months since my dad fell.  months since my dad's been in his home.  Months since I've gone home again.

After Shul in Staten Island this morning I had a great chat with a fellow who was the assistant to the librarian one summer when i was teaching in Morasha.  In addition to davening and talking in learning with Josh/Shalom, I wrote this:

Our Sanctuaries
Should provide sanctuary
Protection and peace

Our Sanctuaries
Should provide sanctuary
For our darkest sides

10:17 AM - Off to walk to dad and the laundromat and the makolet.

Whatever the length of our lives, dear G-d
Give us strength, dear G-d, give us strength
Whatever our package our story our deal
However we think and whatever we feel
Give us strength, dear G-d, give us strength

12:33 PM - Got the laundry and some cold cuts and food that I hope held up in the walk and the heat. Dad has two visitors from Hillcrest. All of the family called my father from Israel. 

I just came across this poem that I wrote a year ago .  I work under the assumption that G-d accepts written petitions.

Wash me, wash me Father
Cleanse me Shabbos bride
Cleanse me with your water
Until there's nothing to hide

4:58 PM - Been taking care of things I need to take care of. The options I know of are a plag minyan at 6:10 or regular at I think - 7:25 or so, around candle lighting. Spoke to dad.  He had 5 visitors today, and me.

5:38 PM - I wish I drove... But I don't feel safe driving.  Strabismus.

7:30 PM - I wish everyone a Shabbat of Shalom of the highest kind of peace that's doable in this world, an Ellul of Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li - of love and return. I wish everyone growth and connection in life. I wish for everyone the balance of Shamor and Zachor, every day - the balance between keeping every deyail of G-d's law to the best of our ability, and of spiritually remembering what is between all the letters of all the laws, getting the meaning that's there for us.