I'm grateful for: dentist and ultrasound appointments being over; feeling better; having enough money somehow.

Hamas has officially declared the cease-fire over. The eleven rockets this morning didn't indicate an end of the cease-fire, but now that Hamas has stated it officially (that is, in a press conference) the cease-fire is over. Since they've been shelling us all along, does that mean that now we get to fight back?

A bad day but it went well, really. TH got me up late so I didn't get my antibiotic on time. Not blaming him, just the way it works around here. If I have to get up at, say, 7am, then someone has to wake me. So I took the antibiotic late. Again. I am hoping that somehow it will still work, because I really want to get better. Someday.

First stop was the dentist for very possibly the most terrifying dentist visit I've ever had. I was nearly paralyzed with fear, and this was after taking my last valium. Why the fear? The dentist was going to work on an extremely awkward cavity and see if I needed a root canal in the tooth that broke. I assume I wrote about it hear, but just for the record my last experience with the dental clinic revolved around the root canal that the woman performed without any anesthetic - also managing to crack the tooth so that it had to be pulled, rather than just having a crown. The words 'root canal' strike terror in my heart in a way nothing has for decades. So, there was a very difficult morning right up until I had finished crying and laid myself down in the dental chair.

This dentist, the one I was seeing today, is very possibly the best dentist in the world. Bar none. So, no complaints, it was amazing. He had my face numb and the tooth that was a possible candidate for a root canal cleaned in no time. He determined that he could actually fill the hole, so instead of doing the awkward cavity on the top of my mouth, he filled the hole, saving the tooth, at least for now, and saving me from another hideous experience (whether or not the next root canal is equally horrible, the terror will be the same).

The only other thing of note is that midway through working on my tooth, the various tools stopped working. The one that sprays compressed air didn't, and the water squirter thing wasn't. They determined to move me to another chair in a different room, but while I was waiting the technician who fixes things showed up, and he actually got it all working, well, sort of, good enough, before the other room freed up. It was a rather odd experience for me though, a first at least.

S1 had an appointment for a check-up after me. Poor guy is due for two fillings, and they are expensive as well. *sigh* I swear we can't afford him.

S1 decided not to continue with us on our travels, but got a ride down from the parking lot with us, before walking across the town (Netivot is not that big) and tramping home. I hope he had a good time - all of us get little enough time to just get out and wander about. Part of living in rural, here.

TH and I drove fairly quickly to Be'er Sheva for my next appointment, an ultrasound of my kidneys, bladder, and other parts. Not bad, but not fun, either. While we were waiting for the results (they burn it all to a disk, which you then carry about to whichever drs. might be interested in it), TH phoned his boss who told him not to come in today. Which was nice, but after we'd been through so much gearing up for him to go up north today, a bit of a let-down.

Instead TH and I did the rest of the grocery shopping, staying mercifully within our budget. How did that happen? While shopping I got a phone call from D2, who had just been introduced to some Chinese herbs for drying out the sinuses. She was quite dried out, she said. All good.

We forgot to get the 'dangerous dog' sign. A court ruled that a homeowner owed damages to two burglars who broke into his home and were bitten by his dog because he didn't have any warning signs about the dog. So we'd better get signs. What kind of a world do we live in? Not that I mind having signs up, it's a good idea. Don't want neighbourhood kids wandering into our back yard, although the dogs are generally pretty good at giving them clear warning without any written sign. :-)

Our dogs are very sweet, and would love you to death rather than attack you, but we do encourage their territorial tendencies. Too many people in Israel come from cultures in which the rule is if you can steal it, then it's okay. It is the job of the owner to protect what is his, and if he can't, then he doesn't deserve to have it.

Once home, and reasonably exhausted, then there was the coping with kids who want Ima time, dogs who want attention and love, and of course little things like putting groceries away and finding out what else broke while we were out.

Of course *I* didn't put any groceries away, but I find that it gets done more quickly, and in fact actually gets done, if I 'supervise.'

I came to my room, and settled in front of the computer, taking care of a few things - recording appointments and tracking money spent, and somehow just fell asleep right here. S3 was on the bed with me, and he dozed off, too, cuddled up in all the stuffed animals, with his head on my giant panda (stuffed, of course). We had a very nice nap together.

TH went to a yahrzeit (death anniversary) of someone we knew on the moshav, and D1 phoned - I still haven't heard just what her mom did, but she was about ready to do just about anything. She phoned a lawyer to find out about 'divorcing' her parents, and was disappointed to find out that there is no precedent for an adult divorcing his/her parents. There is precedent for MINORs divorcing their parents, but that doesn't seem to apply to legal adults. Whatever it was her mom did, she was definitely feeling threatened, and thinking in terms of defending herself. One good thing, I was able to nudge her a bit, and she finally ordered the birth certificate for my oldest grandchild, that being the last one she needs.

With birth certificates, she can now, if it should become necessary, pretty well jump on a plane with only a couple of days notice. Granted, better to get the passports in order first. I'm afraid it will take the next horrible thing from mom or dad for her to get the passports, though, that's the way she works. I just hope that whatever it is mom and dad come up with to do to her isn't so dire that it's too late for her to take just the next step.

Bearing in mind that mom and dad have already had her locked up in a mental institution and (separate incident) arranged to have her kids taken away by social services, it does frighten one to think of what they will think of next. Scary thing that she isn't just paranoid - they really are out to get her.

Scarier to think I gave her to them to rear because I thought they could do a better job of it than I could.

Scarier still to think I might still have been right.

Well, I am better, thank goodness, no longer a danger to my own children, and I can be there for her now, at least.

We are being guardedly hopeful that she will eventually get here. The father of the kids and his new wife (he was not ever D1's husband legally), likes the idea, is quite supportive of it. New wife really wants her to go, because she is both terrified of losing her husband and they are very much like oil and vinegar. I mean new wife and D1. The do NOT get on overall. They do maintain a friendly relationship, but I think they will just love each other so much more from a distance. Just my opinion, but I'm right often enough.

I talked to RS, who is extremely supportive of getting D1 out of there. She will drive down and pick up D1 and kids at the drop of a hat and take them back to Massachusetts if anything threatens D1 or the grandkids, so I know there is help a bit closer than us on the other side of an ocean.

I admit to a large curiosity bump. I wish D1 had told me just what it was mom had threatened this time. Maybe she'll tell me next time we manage to talk.

I had a long phone conversation with RS after phoning back and forth for a bit between D1 and RS to make some arrangements between them. Then D2 phoned, and I brought her up to date about D1, and she talked a bit to RS - I held earpiece to mouth piece of the internet VOIP phone and my cell phone, and they were able to converse quite well. Until I got tired of that, it was after nine by then, and said I had to break it up.

I am SO dead.

But, a sign that I really am improving is that I am doing all this stuff, and I have more energy and feel better at the end of the day than I have for over a month. So something is working.

Now I have to try and get some sleep, if my cat (Joyce, the great, great, great, grandmama cat), and dog (Chamudah, the short black neurotic one) will permit. They are asleep on me, and shifting position will be fraught. Good night for now.

I'm listening to Janis Joplin: Move Over

:: 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