I'm grateful for: A trip to the zoo; clearing the air a bit with Neil; new music.

I woke up early this morning, early being defined as after less than eight hour sleep. But, it wasn't too bad, I was able to fall back asleep, or at least doze for a while. By nine o'clock we were all buzzing about going to the zoo. It seemed like it was going to come off.

I phoned Alina, with whom I had spoken about going to the zoo, to see if she was able to/wanted to come. It didn't work out, but we had a nice chat, and she stopped by later with the babies which was very nice.

I reached one of Tzvia's brood and we found out what time they would be expected at the zoo, so we made our plans to leave accordingly. It was supposed to be me, Simcha, Eliyahu and Hans, with Zechy staying home to deal with the dogs, but Neil insisted he was up to coping with the dogs so Zechy came to. John had taken the car to work, and drove home around ten-thirty to load us all up. He drove back to work and then I drove to the zoo from there. A good thing, too!

By the time we got to Jerusalem my right leg was giving me trouble. Fortunately at that point it was only a short drive to the zoo, and we made it without troubles. But I doubt I could have driven longer. Certainly not safely. We had to renew our membership there, which took a little time, and then we all went in. The younger children joyously raced to where the homeschoolers congregate. Zechy stayed with me and pushed the wheelchair while Hans carried all the bags of food and drink we had brought with us.

At our meeting spot, which is near the children's zoo and a wonderful playground, we sit on the grass and talk and share problems and solutions and news and all that. The kids run around and play with each other, and have the 'socialization' that some people keep carping on as so terribly important to their lives. Oy. Sometimes the kids actually do science experiments there (which can be funny), one time, a while in the past, there was a karate demonstration by a sensei and a couple of students on the grass. It's all fun, and all grist for the mill, as it were.

Since I hadn't been there in a long time, people were more than usually wanting to talk and that was kind of nice. I worked hard and not only answering their questions, but asking some of my own which I am not always very good at. When people ask me a lot of questions I get all caught up in answering and forget. I am always interested in what it going on in other people's lives, but I am much better at listening to whatever they volunteer than I am at asking questions, even when there is a lot I am interested in and want to know.

I think I kept a pretty good balance actually. Overall. Better with some than with others, but there are always people who talk more readily about themselves, and others who more readily listen.

We must've had a good time, we were there for several hours. The weather was absolutely perfect, I couldn't have ordered a better day. Warm, with mixed clouds and sunshine, never really cold, and never too hot. Beautiful.

We left the zoo around 3:30, I think, to pick John up and head home. We made plans to meet by the train station in Petah Tikva, because I didn't feel like I'd be able to negotiate the narrow full streets of the aizor tassia (industrial area). A good thing, because about the time I got to Petah Tikva my right foot was trembling on the brake pedal. Fortunately at that point I could practically coast into the train station parking lot. Whew! Made it.

John had a presentation to make at work which seems to have gone well, so kudos for him.

He helped me walk around to the passenger seat, and it wasn't until I was sitting in it that I realize how utterly done in I was. But, I did okay. John drove us home, helped me into the house, and then we had a quick supper. I just sat in my office chair in front of the computer and ate there. The rest of the night has been largely productive, at least I am trying to print a letter I wrote. I read another letter, and have made some progress organizing some cd's that Havva brought home. The ones in Hebrew I have to type in all the information by hand, not the worst job in the world but time consuming and so on. I got a proper bath for the first time in too long, and the bleeding seems to have almost stopped. Not entirely but to the point I can actually sleep without a towel under me. Barukh Hashem!

I also had a very difficult talk with Neil. I prayed hard, all day, that I should be able to talk to him without exploding, that I should only say what Hashem would want and in His time. It worked. At least, it wasn't a big ugly. I did tell Neil we wouldn't be doing his laundry any longer. Its up to him, and I won't permit him and his laundry to interfere with the rest of ours. There are eight people in this house, and somehow his laundry has taken up the lion's share of space on the clothes lines, gets put in the dryer ahead of everyone else's, and so on. Not any longer. Not if I have anything to do with it anyway.

Then, after that, hugely emotional for me (because of the rage I've been carrying around), I kind of detoxed by reading selections from my little book on Courage. It really is a wonderful book, full of nuggets of wisdom that are obvious and yet so helpful to be reminded of. For me, anyway.

Neil finally went to bed and now, after midnight, I finally have some time to myself. Barukh Hashem! And so, here I type, while still working on these cd's (and having a wonderful time with them) being incredibly frustrated because I can't get the printer to work again. I expect tomorrow will be another good day. I am hopeful, anyway. And, Neil will be going to Jerusalem. Yeaaa! We all pretty much look forward to that these days.

I try to remember that this is what it's like the second year here. We were warned, by friends, people who had had the experience, but we didn't know enough to appreciate their wisdom and experience. So now I try and use what I had to learn the hard way. Shoshanna B. said to just throw away the first year. And to give up on the second year, too. I wish I'd understood better then. But, really, it's the truth. Now we are in our third year, and it's not all better, but so much better, and we can clearly see how much of our sufferings were just due to it being our first two years in the country. I wonder if it's like that for immigrants to the U.S.? I kind of assume it has to be, different, but the same, you know?

And that's it for tonight. Tomorrow is more packing, and trying to have a semi-normal day in the midst of moving. Whee, fun.

I'm listening to Jackson Browne: Rosie

:: Yesterdays : Tomorrows ::

~~~Last Five Entries~~~
Hi and goodbye - 2010-10-15
I'll be moving on - 2010-10-10
Gold membership and stuff - 2010-10-10
Decisions, decisions - 2010-10-07
Days to go - 2010-10-06