I'm grateful for: another child successfully launched into the world; such a quiet house; my lovely and loving Kitten.

The end of a long, long, long day. Didn't get to sleep until the wee, small hours, which means that getting up at 6am wasn't the easiest thing I've done this week. Still, got up, dressed, and out the door in good time. S1 spent an awful lot of time fussing about putting things into and out of his backpack. I don't blame him - in a couple of weeks he'll have it down to a science, but for right now it's just a lot of clutter and he doesn't know what is important.

It ended up being just TH and I going with him to the soldier's house. I have no idea what it would be properly called in English, if there is even a word for it. In any event, it was a location for all the new soldiers, at least the ones going in today, to gather together and get bussed to Tel HaShomer, the central army base. There the got inspected, injected, detected and so on. S2 didn't get injected. He showed them the letter from our dr., and now he has appointments scheduled with an allergy specialist. I'm thrilled, he'll find out once and for all what he does and does not have to worry about. And at the end of it all, if he's not got a problem with the shots they'll give him the massive inoculation most of them get on day one - that would be today - and life goes on.

After he drove off in the bus - plenty of other parents there, one woman threw sugar and water at the bus. I don't know what the significance was, I'd like to. Good fortune - whatever. It wasn't from the Ethiopian family that was there, and I'd thought all the rest were from the FSU - but it's easy to be mistaken as they mill around in bunches.

They were pretty much all Russian speakers on the bus, but one fellow was from the Ukraine by way of Boston, so S2 was able to chat with him on the way up. It makes a difference.

How I know all this is that S2 phoned me. I think six times today. Whenever he got a chance, really. It was very sweet, and I am glad that he called. From Tel HaShomer, he was eventually put on a bus with some number of others, I don't think any from the first bus, and driven up to the base where he will do his basic training and his most basic Hebrew lessons. It's WAY up north from here, I don't have any idea how he will be able to get home for shabbos when he has leave, but we'll worry about that when the time comes, I guess. For now I'm glad he's at his base, has a place to sleep, and is over the biggest of his fears - the fear that comes of having absolutely no clue what to expect tomorrow. I mean, he still hasn't much of a clue, but he's made the jump. Phew!

TH and I had planned to meet with someone who has a laminating machine she picked up for us. We bought it from a woman in Jerusalem, and it seemed easier to someone (no one told me) that this woman take it and we would get it from her, than us driving into Jerusalem. I do appreciate not having to go to J'lem, it's just such a pain, but I now have to somehow manage to meet up with this woman. No, it didn't happen today. She was heading into J'lem today as it happened. So TH and I went home.

Home after a few minutes TH remembered he has to go to the bank to verify a check (it's a LARGE check paying off a loan, and they want him to reassure them that he did write it, and he is himself). So off we went, with D3 as well. TH dropped us off at the shuk, and D3 and I bought fruit and veg while TH took care of the bank business. That was fun, but I was utterly exhausted after walking around the shuk. I walked behind the wheelchair using it as a walker, and piling our purchases on the seat. I made it, but I was pretty well done in at the end of it. We also scored some new drinking glasses, very nice, very breakable. I hope they last for a little while. With stone-tile-over-concrete floors, and children, and my clumsiness and all, attrition is high. Very, very high.

Back home again, I got a bunch of work done on the computer - putting together a food order for us and a bunch of friends. We order wholesale and save a fair bit of money, but someone has to sort it all out, both before ordering and after the food arrives. That's me. S3 read aloud to me from a children's book - I have a stack of them set aside for him to get through. This one was called Tamar's Sukkah. Nothing terribly exciting, but good practice. He's reading Harry Potter to himself just about every spare moment. That includes moments he spares himself from playing outside, or watching television. He days are just packed. :-)

We all had a really good time with Kitten, who was being adorable. She is almost able and willing to navigate about the house all by herself, despite the dogs. The longer hall, the one from the salon and kitchen to the bedrooms, is still a bit dicey, but otherwise she goes pretty much where she wants.

She had an appointment for the second course of vaccinations, so she and I and TH and S3 all got in the car and drove back to Netivot. She rode on my shoulder for most of the time, but cuddled up to me on my arm and against my chest purring loudly for large parts of the trip as well. She is a wonderful cat to take places. I'm so glad. A clean bill of health and 120 shekel later, home again. Kitten and I sat outside for a bit, so she could explore. She had a grand time, met Sprite, who is now our oldest cat. Sprite hissed and took off, but it seems to have been purely formal, as Kitten was seen stalking her tail bit later and no complaint from her at all.

I don't know if I've mentioned that D2 has a job at a spa doing massage. It is strictly women only, therapeutic massage, but her boss is a man. It confuses me. She impressed him very much at the interview, by her attention to detail and consideration. So that's good. She is also doing some translating, so money should become less of a problem for her soon. Which means a bit more disposable income for me. Okay, I can hope.

D2 and D3 and I are planning on taking a 'girl's night out' and going to see Wolverine together. Maybe Thursday, if D2 isn't working. We'll have to see how that works out. I'm looking forward to it. I don't get to do much with my daughters that is just fun and really nothing that is really girl stuff. I suggested that TH might like to take S1 and S3 out to see the movie, since they want to see it also, and they can have a night out as the 'guys.' Not quite the same, as S3 is still pretty young, but it might be a good precedent, something to keep doing even.

Other than talking to S2 on the phone many, many times today, I also took calls from D2, and several friends. It was one of those can't get off the phone days. I don't enjoy that, but I do like connecting with people. Hard to find a happy medium.

TH and I played a rail game tonight, and then entered the wholesale order together. Not exactly a fiery time, but he was falling asleep and I really can't stand doing that kind of thing all by myself all the time. Utterly boring beyond belief of course, and with two of us we were twice bored, but it's done. Now someday we may see the food. A person can hope.

I don't know really what I'm typing about. I'm tired, and none of this feels worth the time and trouble. I suppose looking back someday it would be good to have. I'm going to try to sleep. TH goes to work tomorrow, and it is a 'normal' day. Except that S2 isn't here. I'm kind of looking forward to it (there's so much ROOM in the house!), and kind of worried (how will I possibly cope - he does so much around here). *sigh*

Too tired, must sleep. Good night.

I'm listening to the dryer which we must run at night from now until sometime in November.

:: 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