ENERGY CRISIS

I seem to be having my very own energy crisis today. I'm tired and pretty much listless for absolutely no reason I can think of. Granted, I don't take well to my morning schedule being changed, and that is exactly what happened this morning thanks to cable. I woke up to static on the TV radio and no internet. The radio should have tipped me off, but, it took a while for me to make the connection in mind and look at the light on the modem. Yup, blinking away it was, so I packed it in, shut the machine down, got dressed and headed out. After two coffees at Richard's I went to the 'dog store' to get Peg some treats and try to get an appointment to have the poor lad groomed and anti tick/fleaed. With any luck he'll get done next week. I got home earlyish and cable was working just fine, but it seems Yahoo is bouncing me yet again. I'll have to go and check it out. No posts from the VA is not possible and Yahoo has been a bit schizophrenic since they changed their format. Yeah, why not go check it out now?

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES

I swear, I'm going to thump the next person who tells me I could have *it* cheaper out of town HARD. I just spent a small fortune on a round dining table and two chairs at my favorite furniture store in town, and I am most pleased with myself. I don't need a full set of chairs as not many guests come for meals and I use BBC in any case. Dining chairs in Israel are armless and I wanted chairs with arms. The ones I found have round seats and curvy arms and look very elegant. The chairs will be here next week and the table will follow in the week or so after. Moshe has the chairs I really liked in stock as opposed to the 'other' chairs that were just ok, but slightly less expensive. He gave me the in stock ones at the same price as the 'other' so, I'll be getting EXACTLY what I've been dreaming of for the last 15 years. As Gimp House will most likely be my last home, I want it to be perfect, and so it shall be. One project at a time, it's starting to look fantastic.

THE GAYS ARE ON THE MARCH AGAIN

The gays have their pride parade every year, and it's a colorful show. While it's true that there is a lot of discrimination against them here as well in the rest of the world, and I do think that their civil rights should be protected like everyone else's, I also wish they'd keep their sexual preferences in the bed room and off the street. On one hand, out right discrimination won't stop if they all stay in the closet, and there are many homophobes out there (I'm likely to labeled one after this) These parades are just OTT for me. I think that maybe, just maybe it might not be a bad to give them their rights (no, not marriage too) on the condition they stop these pride parades. Instead of marriage in the usual sense, I would give them all the rights privileges and obligations of traditional marriage under civil law. Call me whatever you want, but keep sex in the bedroom where it belongs. I'm wondering how long it will take the *straight* folk to get their own pride parades going. They should keep it in the bedroom too. Yup-equal opportunity sex bigot pretty much sums me up on the subject! Maybe I'll have a celibates pride parade in town on gay pride day? How's that for an idea? Then I tell myself to keep my celibacy in the bedroom where it belongs!
After a very good night, I went to the mall to look for a Fresh Cream CD but they didn't have one. They only had Disraeli Gears and he wouldn't even try to order it for me so I went to Zagori in town and he'll try to get it for me, and if he can, it will be in one Thursday. Then I went to Richard for a short gossip, picked up a couple of things and came home. I told Richard about the kidnapping and it's results vis a vis Irit and he agrees with my idea that maybe Irit reacted like she did because Achy and Mazal did what she and Guy should have done, but didn't and that her guilt reaction in gear. Maybe, but I'm beyond angry and hurt and it will a snowfort building day in hell before I call her. There are limits to the crap I'll take and she wants her kids to grow with one grandmother and one step grandmother, while the other grandmother is just an hour away, that's the way it will be. I'm stronger, and madder. How to lose two kids, I think I'll write the book. A How To manual from experience.

THE WAY IT SHOULD BE

By some miracle I was ready to be kidnapped right on time. Peg had walkies, I showered,threw a few things in a bag, put his food and water down, sorted the doors and fluffled him, and was ready by the time Achy arrived. The only thing I forgot to do was call Irit and tell her. More of which later. We got to Achy and Mazal's with an hours or so to kill, so down I went and we had a lovely visit, then off to one her sister's in Kiryat Atta, then onward to the sister who has having the Seder. Normally I'm not to wild about Chabad, but these two are of the best Chabad has to offer and it was one of the best, if latest Seders I've ever been to. It started at 2300 and we got back to Carmiel at 0330. I was sorry to see it end. Haim and Edna, our hosts were just wonderful and didn't bat an eye at a surprise guest. (as it should be, but so often isn't) It turned out that we know quite a few of the same people in the ever so small world of Chabad. Luckily most of them are the ones I liked then and still like. It was a bit of a surprised to them! They were so solicitous and did everything they could to make me comfortable. I went chairless as very little walking and a minimum of stairs were involved. There are still a few residual aches and pains as result, but less than I thought. Achy and Mazal's son, Guy, who I didn't much like when he was a kid has grown in a great hulk of a friendly bright 16 year old. We chatted computers, music, and all kinds of things. For the first time since I met him so many years ago I enjoyed him. I suspect the same thing will happen with Shir in a year or two. She's still at an irritating (to me) age. Time will cure that!
My cell phone woke Achy up at around 0830. Irit was quite pissed off to hear where I was, and when I got home and tried to call her back there was no answer on any of their phones. She is going to get such a lesson from me. *I* also know how to not answer phones. It infuriates me anew each time I think that Achy and Mazal did what Irit and Guy should have done, and I won't get over it any time soon. I'm perfectly happy in my quiet little cocoon, and as she and her brother are already written out of my will, they can just take flying leaps at each other. Does it hurt? Damn right it does, but I've gotten beyond and over worse. They'll get theirs from their kids. At least I know I didn't do anything like that to *my* mother. They'll have to live with it and explain it to their kids. I also know that I tried to bring them up to be better than they are now. *I'm* out of the 'bringing up' game and am too old to let them (her) get away with molding Mummy into what she wants me to be. I am what and who I am and if she doesn't like it, she can just stay away and leave me in peace. I DO NOT need the stress.
So much for my gut feelings and thank G-d. Marcelle is fine. The biopsy came back negative and The Philmore is pleased as am I. After talking to him for a few minutes, I called The Jeffie. He got the pictures I sent and Vicky said he got all misty eyed at the historical pictures of our granparents. He liked Harley Too, and wants more pictures of me. I'll send of the ones Achy took last night.

STILL HOPPING MAD BUT GOING AWAY

I am still hopping mad about the furor at the TML list and the attitudes about some of the so called fans, but, I have to accept that some people just don't get it and never will. On a couple of other fronts I'm feeling most chuffed. The camera situation is under control and I found out where and how to edit my vids!
While moving some bothersome books into the *liberry* preparatory to the Barazani invasion tomorrow, Achi called and said he's coming to kidnap me to a seder at his family's in Kfar Atta,(near Haifa) and he'll bring me home tomorrow. He is such a sweetheart. Of course that is exactly what my loving daughter should have done, but, I think I'd prefer being kidnapped by Achy. Among other things I adore about him, is the fact that he really does understand where I'm coming from. When I told him that not one of the religious people I've been seeing all over town this week even asked what/where I am for seder because if I said I had no plans, they'd have to do something about it. He knew exactly what I meant and we had a good chuckle over it! I love seder and if I can't have one, I'm just thrilled to be kidnapped to one. I think I'd better get my bag ready, take Peg for a walk, then take a shower so I'll be ready when the kidnappers arrive! I do things so slowly that it's best to get ready early.

LIVE AND LEARN

I made an important discovery this week. It's something that should be obvious to everyone, but I must have missed that lesson. I prefer to sleep in the altogether, or nakey as a certain elf likes to call it. I wear a long, turtle necked, long sleeved caftanishy night dress when just hanging around the house in the winter. The other night I woke up and had to make a mad dash to the loo. The nightdress was close to hand and I tried to put it on in a hurry. You can take my word for this; trying to put your head through a sleeve is not a good way to put it on in a hurry. In the end, I put my sandals on(the only 'shoes' I can still walk in) and ran nakey while trying to get my head out of the sleeve. Please, just take my word for it. You really don't have to try it to see for yourselves!

A TEAM FANS (NOT)

I guess you could say I'm a bit of an A Team fan. I loved that show from the first time it was aired on Jordan TV's English channel, and made my kids watch it with me every week. Cable started running it a couple of years ago, and I unplugged the phone so no one could bother me during it, I was also known to hang up on people just as it was starting. One day, after hanging up on Striar The Liar (STL) he told me that the actor who played Murdock was dead. I ran to my new computer to find out if it was true, and not only found out that it wasn't, but that there were a fair number of fan sites out there. I promptly joined the one that looked the most friendly, and immersed myself in TAT. Through these lists I meat some wonderful people, one of whom was trying to organize a 20th anniversary party in England with the remaining cast and crew. This looked to be a most brilliant idea, so, I signed up. I not only signed up, I started a campaign to get another of the fans to be able to go too. In the end, we managed to get her sorted for the trip.(A mission in true A team fashion) At the last minute, the con was cancelled, but that didn't stop us. We just changed plans and went to London for a week, and on the Saturday had a noncon at a hotel in Bournemouth. After the noncon, where we meat some of the people behind the names, I realized that that was even better in some ways than having a convention with *stars* because the real stars of The A Team are the fans. Jipster, the gal who put her whole self into the 'con that wasn't,' came to the noncon even though she was financially and emotionally devastated by having to cancel the convention. She was one of many bright spots of that day. Just about a year later, Dwight Schultz was scheduled to be at another convention in the same town Jips had planned to have her con. I decided to go, but there was a bit of a problem. I desperately wanted to go with Jips, but she just couldn't afford it. I came up with a plan in the best A Team fashion. As I couldn't pay for her ticket and a hotel for both us, I asked if maybe I'd pay for her ticket and she'd be the hotel and we could maybe commute? Yes! She agreed, and I got to know the most fantastic person you can imagine. Jips was the Boss Of Me for 5 days and what a 5 days they were. That gal is magical. Not many could put up with this aging gimp and treat her like a contemporary in spite of the age difference. I have a daughter Jips' age, but, for those few days I was just another nutter in a wheelchair. My daughter could learn a thing or two from Jips.
Leia Fee,who was at the first noncon, and I thought it might be nice to have another noncon in October, and asked Jips' permission to use her mailing lists to see who might be interested in coming. Jips' agreed, but little did we know that some people she hasn't refunded ticket money to jumped in an asked for refunds on the list. The whole thing has escalated into a nightmare for Jips that is making me sick. Ok, so, most of them aren't privileged to know her, and don't know how totally devastated she was by having to cancel her con. It wiped her out financially, to put it mildly, not to mention emotionally. I've decided not to jump into the conflagration on list and have been talking to Jips off list. What infuriates me so is that these A Team fans seem to have missed the entire point of the show. Ok, so they paid for something they didn't get, but most got their money back. What I want to know is: WHAT WOULD THE A TEAM HAVE DONE? I think the answer is clear to anyone who saw so much as one episode. They would have come up with a plan to destroy the jerk who caused the con to be cancelled and found a way to help Jips either pull it off, or pay EVERYONE back. I KNOW what it's like to owe money and thankfully I don't have any outstanding debts at the moment. I can't imagine that any of the people who are still owed will find lasting financial recovery from their situations if she repays them now even with interest. I mean, really, is £ 100 going to make that much of a difference one way or another? I don't want to hear it's the principle of the thing because it isn't. While I was in England for the first noncon, STL was merrily depleting my bank account and in the end I took a 20000 shekel loss from him, then, I took another hit from a local 'business' man. I somehow managed to claw my way back to some semblance of financial health while continuing to pay for yet another mistake. I can't count the monies owed me that I've written off simply because they won't make that much difference in the scheme of things. Unfortunately to Jips every £ counts and she's already paid off thousands resulting from the cancellation. If only these so called A Team fans had put their heads together to find a way to help her out with the debt, things would be so much better. Jips is the gal who has Been running some of the best A Team sites on the web out of her own pocket for years. I think we owe her much more than we are giving her now, at the very least, we owe her a write off of what we think we think she owes us. 1 repayment of £ 100 isn't much, but multiply by even 20 and we are talking money, people, money she just doesn't have because she was wiped out by not being able to have the con. I saw WE OWE her big time for all the hours, days, and years she gave us of herself by providing some of the best A Team lists and sites on the web, and because we call ourselves A Team fans.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The good news is that I got my shopping done with a minimum of fuss and only forgot to one thing! I'll pick it up tomorrow. I even found Rye matzos! Should be interesting. I love rye bread, but any whole grain bread is better than white, so I actually hope these rye matzos will be ok.
The bad news is that my camera is acting up. I'll take it to a local guy who is pretty good with digicams. Maybe he'll be able to sort it with a minimum of fuss. I'm really not in the mood for it to be dead, but I'll deal with it id and as when.
I'm still a bit zonked from yesterday, but the house looks so great it was well worth it. I wasn't too tired to have go at The Philmore about The Jeffie. I pointed out that he is actually the success story of the two of us. When I listed all the reasons, The Philmore went very quiet and said something to the effect that maybe I'm right. I'm so proud of The Jeffie I could burst. My baby brother did good in spite of The Philmore. GO JEFFIE

BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL GIMP HOUSE

Whew! Orna and I did it today after weeks of planning and talking about it. The living room is now a living/dining room with the sofa bed and 1 comfy chair on the wall where 2 of the bookcases were. One is now in the spare/guest room. The other is in *liberry* so I'll have a place to put the books that have to be moved until I get the bookcases built. Things look really great here now. AND I can go where I want except the kitchen and here with the wheelchair. Orna couldn't believe it. It really does look nice. I'll get the rest of the boards for the bookcases at the first of the month and start finishing it. That is turning into a great, fantastic room. I am most pleased with myself and Gimp House. I'm hot and tired and sweaty from the things I *did* do. Not the heavy moving stuff, but the little putting in order stuff and getting a load of laundry in. That always leaves me knackered in the extreme.
I called The Philmore to tell him happy birthday but he was out playing bridge. I talked to Marcelle for a few minutes and she's really shaky. She won't have the results from the tests until Thursday and her kids don't know about it yet. Just me. I was hoping to hear some news on that front today, but I'll just have to wait two more days. I'm pretty sure the results will be positive and I don't know why I'm so sure, I just am. It's going to be hard on The Philmore, and I'll have to go over sooner than I wanted. I'll just deal with that when I have to.
I'm thinking that maybe I'll go Pesach shopping tomorrow, now that the kitchen is ready, clean fridge, stove, and cabinets!
I think I'll take my aching back and other parts for a rest now.

NO MORE MUCKING AROUND

I've had it with my present wheelchair situation, and the idiot quack that refuses to his job! I just finished typing a very nasty letter of complaint to The Powers That Be about him, in the hope that it might light a fire under his lazy butt. The jerk refuses to send the people who have to fill our forms that have to be sent to the Health Ministry, where THEY-the Health Ministry- NOT HIM decide if I need an electric chair or not. It seems that he's basing his refusal on a home visit 6 years ago, and just can not conceive of a situation that was then, changing. It is part of his job to visit me here at the new Gimp House, new in 2002. I've been arguing with him about it since them. Not only has my home changed, my physical condition has as well and I have the *glow in the dark* scan to prove it. This is just insane. It's not like they have to pay for the chair! He acts like it will come out of his personal pocket. I wish. I'd have had him court long before now. I'm going out in a few minutes to mail the letter. Tomorrow I'll leave a copy at the office here and suggest that they fax it to the district office. Using a wheelchair of any kind is not what I'd classify as fun, but there's a problem when the one you use causes more damage because of the use. So, off I go to mail it to his bosses and all the 'crip help' groups AND the Minister of Health.

WELL, THAT WAS ENLIGHTENING

For various inexplicable reasons, I spent the last week posting at LJ in Hebrew and opened a blog for Pegasus, the amazing Keeshond. Writing there in Hebrew is totally annoying, so here I am back home, creature of habit that I am.
So, what's new around Gimp House, you ask? Just a few technological advances. The DVD is working just fine as is the new TV card in the computer. Odd thing about the latter. Yechiel the handsome connected the latter so that it somehow by passes the TV and comes straight to the computer. That's just fine as it bypasses the need to tape the show vid cassettes, and saves it right to the computer. Nero is also sorted and I now have 4 Highlander eps burned to a disc. Now all I need is another RAM card so I can do other things at the same time it's saving stuff without worrying about a crash.

I got a phone call from my loving daughter on Friday. She wanted to know what I'll be doing a week from today because maybe they'll come visit. She started with questions about the state of the house vis a vis dog pee and poop. That leads me to think that they just might come here. I'll get one of Orna's girls in later today to help move books and stuff so we can sort the *liberry* and living room. You can safely assume that I was vague about being home on the bog day and told her to call the Friday before. It totally pisses me off that not a word was said about the Seder. They are most likely going to Guy's parents. How rude is it that no one thought to ask if maybe I want to go too? Not that I would, I really don't like them, it's the principle of the thing. Peg and I will do just fine on our own, as we have for so many years. Going to Irit and Guy's last year was an exercise in tension control, and who needs it? I have my own little corner and Peg is the best company I could have! I *will* make the effort to whip Gimp House into the best possible shape before they arrive. Since their last visit, Her Highnesses old room has been transformed, there are curtains, a new bedspread, the *liberry* and a few other nice touches. It all just has to be polished a bit, and the pictures put up. I also have to get the sofa out of the *liberry* and on the wall where two bookcases presently live. One bookcase will go in the *liberry* for now, and the other in her old room. There's not a whole of sense in setting the *liberry* up for TV watching until I figure out to get the picture back on the TV instead of on the computer monitor. As it's not urgent, it can wait until Yechiel the handsome brings the Panasonic VCR home. There are still two TVs I can watch while the computer does it's download work. NOW I know why I set it up the way I did, with the *liberry* set on it's own cable box and the one in my room and the living room on a separate circuit! Funny how you do things without thinking why, then find out later that what you did was exactly right months later!

Ehud Manor, one of our best lyricists died last week at the age of 64 and everyone has been running around saying "before his time". I just don't get that. It was obviously his time, or he'd still be alive. We just weren't ready for him to go.....and of course it reminds us all of our own mortality. I spend more time thinking about it after someone like him goes. No, I am not afraid to die. I'm just having too much fun here to want to just yet. Of course, no one asks us when we want to go. We just go. One of our pundits made a comment to the effect that someone up there must be planning a big production. The Pope, Uzi Hittman and Ehud Manor to name a few who were mentioned, in such a short time. If so, it will be a most interesting production.

AS CLOSE AS I CAN GET.....

12 Apr 2005
OMG. Roman Serov, ranked 19 after competing at Worlds in Moscow sat next to me at the coffee shop. Of course I couldn't quite get up the nerve to talk to him, so I just basked in his presence. Being one of the 20 best skaters in the world is no small accomplishment! I just promised myself to talk with him the next time he shows up there. Mara says he's there frequently.
I checked my bank account today and I'm in pretty good shape. I have all the fags I'll need until next month, so the Visa can pretty much take it easy until then. The balance there isn't too bad and there's a cushion for emergencies. Now, if Yechiel, the handsome, would just bring The Whiz to sort the TV card, I could get on with burning The A Team tapes on to discs.
Leia Fee and I have started organizing our little East Wing A Team noncon. I got Jips' permission to use her lists, Leia has e mailed the hotel I found, to ask about costs for a function room, and I did the calculations and it's well within my budget. We had so much fun at Noncon I that we think it's time to have Noncon II. We are going to keep it nice and simple. Anyone who to come can either stay at the hotel I picked, or one of their own chosing. We are not going to get involved with reservations or stuff like that. Nor are we going to make any money from it. We just want a fun weekend of A Team.

11 April- MY BABY BROTHER

I've been driving myself crazy over who to leave all the sentimental family stuff I've accumulated over the years. My kids not only aren't interested, they don't deserve it. Then the answer hit me right between the eyes. My brother's girls! My baby brother is 50 now and his girls are all grown up. Jenny, the younger is severly disabled. She was born with water on her brain and has lived far past the doctors' prognoses with a shunt. Jessie, the older girl is just fine. For a total screw up my baby brother, who never finished 10th grade has done just fine. His biggest problem in like has been The Philmore who just can not give anyone anything without titanium strings attached. Well, Jeffie has done just fine, and I'm as proud of him as can be. So, he didn't marry a Jewish gal, but they ARE still married as opposed to his older sibling. The poor guy got all weepy and upset when I called last night to ask him if he thought Jen and Jess would be interested in inheriting the family stuff I've been dragging around in the hope my daughter would be interested. As she isn't interested in the least, she just won't get any of it.
Poor Jeffie cried like a baby when I told him I want to leave it to his girls. Then he got all *when are you coming for a visit* on me and offered to pay for a plane ticket, and to give me money to buy a car and why did I ask The Philmore to help with Harley Too and not him. He wants me to visit them in summer, but no way with airfares being so high. I'll go next winter, unless something happens in Florida. The Philmore's wife was supposed to have an operation on her back, but it was postponed because pre op tests showed a spot on her lung. That sounds really not good and it's going to take at least 2 weeks to get a biopsy report. Poor Marcelle. The waiting is worse than knowing. She sounded really shook up. I'm trying to figure out how I can get myself over there if things go downhill fast. I'm sure I'll find a way if it comes to that.
In the meantime, I'm thinking that if Jeffie can afford it, maybe he could send Jess over here for a visit. I was trying so hard to calm him down that it didn't enter my mind until I'd hung up. I'll call next week and ask him.
The Great Video project is all organized and ready to, but there's a problem. The new thing saves the video, but not the audio. What use are A Team discs with no audio. I'll ask The Whiz when I go into town in a bit. I have to get some CD cases and check in with Mara. She's been asking lately what I'll do about The Phimore if anything happens to Marcelle. Is she psychic, or what? It's time to get out of here if I want to get anything done today.

THE REASON I SAVE CORDS

Anyone so unfortunate as to spend more than 10 minutes in the spare/guest room, inevitably asks why I have a box full of jumbled electrical/coaxial/cable/telephone cords. It's for the simplest reason. Never know when you'll need one!
Yesterday, Yechiel, the handsome, and his computer whiz came over to install the DVD and the TV card I got for the computer so that I can start Project Video to Disc. Yechiel, the handsome, had troubles with both VCRs, and told me the clutch on the Toshiba is gone and it might be a good idea to fix it. As the Panasonic hasn't recorded since I started to use it, I used it to watch and to reverse/forward. It's kind of stupid to keep a nonrecording VCR for just those functions, so I asked Yechiel the handsome, if he thought it would be a good idea to repair the Panasonic or just get a new VCR? He said that the Panasonic is better than any VCR made these days and off he went with it to try to fix it.The Whiz had troubles when the computer went into self turn off mode every time he moved it to do something, and he blythely informed me that the cord is shot. This morning I carried on merrily and figured out how to save the video to file, and all was going along just fine, when I decided to move the already rewound tapes into the *liberry*. In order to that, I have to put the keyboard on the table and push the chair in. That little movement made the computer turn itself back off. I futzed about with the cable for a while and when my frustration level sent me looking for my hammer, I quit and went to watch Charles and Camilla get hitched. I kept the cable on the back burner of my mind and tried to call Child Genius every hour....no answer. I came back here and fooled around with it for a bit, then called Gerald, who said that maybe he can have someone drop off a cable tomorrow. At that point, I went into the spare/guest room and went through the cable box. I actually found 2 that match, and the first one did the trick! Now I can wait for Tuesday when Gerald will bring the old computer home and put another 256 RAM strip in this so I'll be able to other things while vids are running.
I put the down time to good use DVD wise, and watched Harvey twice! Hey! DVDs are easier to work than VCRs . This is going to be good. The new DVD does everything except make coffee. It reads all the formats and areas,stops,and does stuff,and even has a kareoke function! The TV card software has capture capability too. I'm going to enjoy this. I'm feeling quite pleased with myself right about now.

DVD AND ME

Ha! I bought a DVD player today, and now have to find someone who knows how to connect them. Cable only connects things that record and as I got a DVD that only plays...
After I get it connected, my next trick will be to figure out how to get all my video tapes onto burned discs through the computer. That's going to be quite a project. One genius suggested that I take the tapes to a photo shop that does it and have them do it. I really don't think I'm going to let even 1 of A Team tapes out of the house, not after what I went through getting all 96 episodes taped! I'd rather do it myself. I got such a late start today that I ended up having lunch in town and waiting until 1600 for the appliance store to open. Of course I wasted many hours at the coffee shop. I could have used my head and bought the DVD on my way to the coffee shop. I did pay my butcher bill before I went there. Why I decided to get the DVD on my way home is beyond me.
I have a funny feeling that something is wrong with my e mail again. It just isn't normal to come after all that time and find only 7. 70 is more usual.
I'm not complaining, mind you, just noting a fact. It's a bit chilly in here [(this is good)a/c can stay off longer] so, I think I'll go change out of my outdoors clothes, and have a wee rest. I still ache from Haifa, and sitting on Harley Too for way too long today. I also have get the bones I got for Peg ready to be cooked tomorrow. Yes, I KNOW he's spoiled, but he deserves to be. After I sort his bones, I'll read through the DVD directions and see if maybe I can handle the hook up myself, but don't bet on that happening!

FRESH FRUIT, MEN, AND ME

Every time I take the bus to Haifa the same thing happens. As we go by the pardess(citrus grove) that I worked in so long ago (1970) I get all senti'mental' and start wondering about *what might have beens* I loved working there. There was something wonderful about getting up in the middle of the night,(we started at 05:30 riding through the fish ponds on a flat wagon with legs dangling over the sides, and being among, and taking care of trees. It took a long time, but in the end the crew accepted me, and my roommate as members of the crew. We did everything they asked us to do, and when it came time to pick the fruit, we were as fast as anyone else. There was nothing I loved more than cutting the fruit and watching my box fill up, unless it was taking a break under a grapefruit tree, and eating a grapefruit I'd just picked. I still have the cutters I used then, and most important, the memories. Looking back, I think those were the best days of my life. Yesterday was no different. The pardess has changed and I doubt I could navigate my way through the fish ponds on a tractor like I used to. Of course I can't drive a tractor now, but back then, they often sent me with the tractor back to the kibbutz proper to pick up things we needed. I *do* have a picture of me driving a tractor on another kibbutz, and maybe I'll scan and post it later.
Yesterday my thoughts sort of took off on their own, and started wondering about the men in my life, in particular, the one I let get away but maybe shouldn't have. He was a huge bear of a man, appropriately named Dov and I worshipped him to the point that I was too scared by it to stick it out. I'm not sure that anything permanent would have worked between us for several reasons, among them the fact that I don't think I could have been happy living on a kibbutz for any length of time and I'm pretty sure that leaving would ever have entered his mind. Yes, he's still there. That line of thought got me to wondering if I could have been happy with any of the men in my life, and I'm just not sure. There are two big maybes; Mike, my South African ex boss, and *G* the one who shall remain nameless. To this day, I don't know why I pushed Mike away, and I desperately want to know what he's doing these days. As to *G*, I know exactly what happened(irreversible things that made a future impossible) and know where he is, and still miss him. Looking back, Dov wins as my first love, and Mike is the one I never should have let get away, and would be ever so happy if he showed up here one day, but it's not likely as no one I know has any idea where he is. I heard years ago that he went back to South Africa, and I just can't bring myself to call his ex wife and ask her. Ah, well, it's not like I'm lonely or anything. I'm quite happy on my own and maybe that's what's meant to be. I just get to wondering sometimes is all, especially when I go my pardess. I just hope my guys are happy doing whatever they're doing, with whomever they are doing it with. Then there was Danny, the first Israeli I ever met. Him I wonder about all the time and am most curious about where he is these days and what he's doing. I've forgiven him for making fun of my Hebrew, as it is now as fluent as my English! I really would like to know what's become of him. Ah, ancient history. There's not much I can do except sit here at Gimp House and wonder about all the *What ifs* Enough nostalgia for now. It's time for coffee # 2 and to get out of here and get some shopping done.

OWIE, OUCHIE, IT HURTS

Well, that's over for another year. Of course Orna couldn't go, so I was on my own. Things were just fine until I got to Haifa and tried to get a taxi. None to had, so, off to the bus stop for Rothschild Hospital. I had to wait for 6 buses until a "bowing' bus came. The driver and one of the passengers were dears and fiddled with the fold out ramp until I could roll on. I managed to get across the street (a nice downhill slope) and inside in plenty of time. It was like old home week and not a word about sending the results to me. After the test, I caught a bus right away, and when we got to the sort of central station and I was looking at the electronic time table for the platform number, oops, there was my bus right in front of me. rolly rolly, grab soldier to throw chair in baggage, leap gracefully on to the bus (with different soldier pushing from behind) and I was home before I knew it. I let Peg out for a few minutes then charged out to get a shwarma for breakfast/lunch/supper, then changed into nightgown and collapsed into bed. My knees and back and shoulders are killing me. This is good incentive to get moving on the electric chair. I think it's about time to collapse back into bed. Brigadoon will be on soon, and I don't want to miss it. Plus, I need a pain pill. Going on these expeditions alone is not a good idea.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THIS OLD DAMAGED BRAIN ACTUALLY WORKS!

Telephone polls usually annoy me very much, but tonight's was a joy. It was from my health insurer and they wanted to know how satisfied or not I am. It wasn't the usual yes, no, rate from 1 to 5 thing. The poor guy actually took down specific complaints, like the cell phone and the jerk who refuses to do his job. Yesterday while looking through one of the gimp boards here, I found the list of what the Ministry of Health is supposed to supply and how to apply. That BASTARD QUACK has to do his job and I've had it. Tomorrow is Haifa, then, I'll be starting the campaign to get what I need. It's just interesting that I got to take a swipe at him the day after I found the criteria from the Ministry Of Health. Talk about timing. I'm even more impressed that it didn't slip my mind as these things so often do. There are rare moments when I impress myself.

IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT ERIC VON ZIPPER: "WHY ME ALL THE TIME< WHY ME?

I guess the answer to that deep philosophical question of my hero from the Beach Blanket movies of the 60s is, "Why not?" Why not indeed? I'm starting think that there might be a finite amount of crap things that can happen to people in this life and those of us who can handle them get them. Ok, fair enough, but there must be others besides me? And shouldn't those of us who have dealt with so much crap be allowed a rest from it? Or do we have to keep on dealing with it so as not to get out of practise? I don't know the answer yet but an pondering on it mightily.
The Visa thing looks like it will sort itself today. I talked to the sweet guy at Visa's overseas security department and sent him the letter again by e mail. He said they can stop all the stuff and reimburse my account. Woohoo!! He just called and will put the money in my account immediately. YES!
The thing that really troubles me about the whole thing is that, after our talk last night, and Child Genius' reaction,I'm beginning to think that he was the one with his hand in my account. That really doesn't sit well. He practically begged me to tell Visa that if reimbursing my account is not done immediately to tell them to hold off and he'll give me the money in a week or so. When I insisted that Visa sort it, he got a bit upset. Suspicious behavior. I hope I'm wrong about him and will ask him the next time I see him. I didn't want to press it last evening as he was here with a friend. If it *was* him, Visa will take care of it.
On a happier note; I am now no longer the only woman in the country with only one bra! I bought a new one today and now am the proud owner of two bras! From there I went to the book store, but they don't have the Adam Smith book yet. AND the fat ladies clothing store is having a special sale next Tuesday and there are lots of purples there. Speaking of purples, I found a pair of kitchen shears, a veggie peeler and a peeler/knife thingy, and a three tray oven/serving set, and bought them all. Not a bad purple day. On my way out, I saw Orna and she still isn't sure about tomorrow. This is not good. But as I have to go anyway, not really important. If she doesn't go, I'll just use the cash I've been hoarding for her bus fare for taxis in the city. Either way it's ok.
I think it might be time to go dry off. Of course it started raining when I came out of Mall *1* with the new bra and dripped and dropped all the way to Mall *2*, so I'm only a little damp. It was dry all the way home, but I'm starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, and a nice hot cup of soup sounds pretty good right about now.

NOT A GREAT WEEKEND

The Pope's death, while sad, was also an inspiration. He was a truly good man, who died as he lived, by his unwavering faith. The TV talking heads kept going on about his belief that suffering was a good thing and about his decision to die in his own bed, close to his people. Considering the way he lived, it was hardly surprising. I am not sure that the suffering he referred to was physical pain, but that might be part of it. I'm sure he was talking about the emotional pain he suffered as a result of all the evil in the world, which is the much greater pain. Of course he was a man who knew both kinds.
A minor annoyance over the weekend was discovering that my Visa is still being charged in $s and if I don't the money back PDQ I'll be in big trouble at the bank. At least they (Visa) did cancel my card, and I hope the replacement is waiting at the bank. I NEED it by Tuesday for the jaunt to Haifa. As things stand now, if nothing else comes in on *that* card, I'll barely squeak through the month. It angers me that after all I went through to get things on the right track this had to happen. Why do I never get used to it? It just doesn't seem that I can ever get the off the brink of financial disaster, no matter what I do! We are not amused. I tried several times this morning to get Visa on the phone, but no luck. Just for the fun of it, I tried to bring up my account, but that was almost an exercise in futility. In the end, I rebooted and managed to get it on line for just long enough to print out what I needed. Well, not to worry, this too shall pass. I think I'll go mess around on the WWW until Child Genius gets here.

PSYCHIC OR PSYCHO?

There are times when I wonder if I'm going nuts or if I am indeed a bit psychic. I check the hit counter at Gimp House every day and this morning there was a hit through the Adrian Paul site. Before I went out to get the Friday papers, I flipped through my usual channels and nothing of interest showed up. For some reason I then checked AXN, and it showed The Highlander from episode 1 through 4. I don't usually bother with AXN on Fridays because rarely is there anything of interest there. At least I was dressed and ready to go, so I grabbed my cell phone and flew out the door, hopped on Harley Too and got the locals, and a new blank cassette. I got home in time to set up the VCR, and cut up some veggies, and settle into my chair for some Highlander. What's the big deal with Highlander? Just Adrian Paul is all. He is one of the best looking men I've ever seen, and there is magic in the way he moves. I could watch him all day long. It's not just juvenile slobbering. There are so few people who move like that, that I notice it. Must be my skating background. There was a time when I moved like that myself. Kinda hard to do from a wheelchair! The Sorbo guy comes in a close second, only because he doesn't quite have that dancer movement, but he *is* a joy to these jaded eyes. I just hope they both appreciate that their bodies are still under their control, and that they never end up like me. I, however, am most thankful that I can watch them from a distance. They make this old gimp smile in memory of the days long gone when she *could* too.
Just before the show started Danny came in to fix one of the busted doors. I can now close that one without using the little lock contraption I put on way back when Pegasus broke the door handle.
Then Danny left with my thanks. I was so engrossed in watching that man move that I ignored Peg's barking until there was a bang on the *liberry* window. Danny and Orna came for the mattress I gave them, but they never got around to taking because of the rain. One down, one to go. Then back for even more Highlander. Good thing I know how AXN works. There will be 4 episodes on every Friday until the end of the series. I'll get 'em all on tape, then get the TV hooked to the computer and burn all my tapes onto VCDs. A plan! The gimp has a plan!
There is something wrong at Visa. More charges have come in. I thought they would stop after I notified them, but no, there they are! At least the card wouldn't work this morning, so I guess it's been cancelled. I'll go into the bank on Mon. Maybe my new card is already there, then I'll call Visa again and get on their case. This is a lot of money. 1231 shekels in one month, about 20% of what I get and I want it back.
The ex called with questions about his site, and I'll have to get Child Genius over to sort it tomorrow. He(the ex) called me Terry(his wife) a couple of times, and I had to remind him that I AM not Terry. I also told him that my latest quest for knowlege is Terry's fault. She recommended The Da Vinci Code to me and that has me all over the place looking for information to fill in the gaps. I'm off to find out more about Paganism. Details are being posted at A View From The North-link in my profile for anyone bored enough to be interested.