THEY DO GROW UP DON'T THEY?

It truly amazes me how well kids can grow up. My son Aron, and Etty and Yaacov's Yaron and Dotan being cases in point. On Friday I went to Dotan's plant nursery to settle the bill for the flower shop. I got there well before he did as his parents, Yaron, his wife and kids were all staying at his place and got a late start. When they finally arrived, Etty Yaacov and I waited for Yaron et al to get there too. It's scary to see how detached Yaacov is these days. I'm pretty sure he's getting himself ready for the end and that is so sad. It won't be long now.
Yaron and I managed to have a bit of chat between invoice sorting and paying and he is amazing with his insight into his parents. He said a few things to me about cultural differences in outlook between his folks and me, and he was spot on. I thought about what he said all the way home and the more I thought, the more impressed I was. He was 100% right. And I fully intend to implement what he said.
As to Dotan, Lavana and I figured up what we probably owed him and our figures were a little high, as in "Ouch High" I just let Dotan get on with the figures and almost fell off the chair when he came up with an amount that was much lower than I'd prepared myself for. He basically charged us at his cost. I happily wrote the check. I just hope he didn't lose anything on us. I do know why he did it, but he really didn't have to. Business is business and family/friends are family/friends. Not that I don't appreciate it. I do, and Dotan has also grown up well. It's a bit odd to see those two all grown up so good next to the memories of them as kids. That Yaron would turn out great was a given back then, where as Dotan was a bit of question mark. He lead his parents a merry dance when he was a teenager and young adult, but now.............he's more than made up for all grief he gave them then. And not just because his dad is ill. He's been sorted for a long time now, and I'm really impressed by him too.
Aron, I've already written about at length so will skip him for now and just put question marks all around my daughter's name. ?????Irit????? Where did she go wrong? Yeah, yeah, I know. It's all my fault. Just ask her and if she deigns to answer that's what she'll say. I'm not going to dwell on her today because I'm in a pretty good mood and I don't want to ruin it.

SNOW GIMP AND COLD WEATHER

Hope no one gets nightmares from this picture! I just couldn't resist posting it, even if it's not full length. I'll have another taken properly, but until then, this will have to do. It's freezing up here and my toes are cold. I took a picture of the snow that fell on the hills around town last night. It's all melted now, but it was nice to look at while it was there. It's kind of hard to see the snow because my fingers were too cold to work the zoom and I'm crap at photo editing! I think it's time to get into my fleece jammies and warm up under the duvet!

HOW STRANGE

It was cold, wet, and blustery yesterday. Shmaryah was home in bed with a bad cold. I've never been good in the morning, which is a complete understatement. I hauled my sorry butt out of bed on time, but couldn't seem to get it in gear. I'm usually out of Gimp House by 0830, but didn't even start getting dressed until after 0900. It was raining, and the Abominable Gimp Snow Suit was warm and cozy. With Shmaryah home in bed with his cold, Ophir had opened a bit late. I staggered in to a spiral electric heater right next to my chair. It was unplugged faster than even I could believe. Damn things give me a head ache; something to do with the change they make in the ionization of the air. Ophir made a comment to the effect that if he were me, he'd be out in the jeep on a jaunt. Not five minutes went by before Striar called to say he was with a New Yorker who wanted to see the North up close and personal. I told him to come on up and we'd take the jeep and go for a ride. I went home and got out of the snow suit and we all piled into the jeep for a fog shrouded tour of the far North. Being the driver,and local resident, *I* got to chose the places. After a swing through Metula and a look at the border, we headed for the Golan Heights and my favorite place in the world, Nimrod's Fortress:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod_Fortress
It was a slow drive up there, and we sent our tourist off to explore on his own with a pamphlet. When he came back, he said that he really liked it. It *is* an amazing place, and I wanted to get out of the car and go in too. It's not exactly wheely friendly, so I didn't. The cloud we were in dissipated enough for him to get a look around at the valley. Not being the most 'time aware' gimp, we headed upwards with me thinking we'd have lunch at that restaurant just outside of Madj D'l Shams. When we realized what time it was, we decided to stop for pita with labaneh and zatar. I don't much like it, but Ophir had asked for one, so, we got 3. Our tourist really liked it, and with him happily munching away on it in the back, we headed back to town at a top speed of 20 kilometers an hour. It was foggy to say the least. It was a fun trip. I just hope he enjoyed it half as much as he said he did. I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more than I did if Striar had let me get a word in edgewise. He never stopped talking. Ok, I might not be the most scintillating conversationalist around, but I can and sometimes do have something to say. Oh, well, at least I got to go out and show someone my favorite place. There was some talk about meeting up today in Acco, but I think I'll pass. It's my official day off, and I don't want to spend it listening to Striar go on and on. Maybe I'll go to Nazareth? Or just stay in and try to sort the usb issues on the puter? There are some pictures on the camera that I want in the computer, now that's back from the wasteland that is my room! It might also be a good idea to go grocery shopping. I'll give it a think, then decide.

WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE?

Orna and I must have conducted 100 search parties for my camera since it went missing, but it only turned up when I sent her to look for my comprehensive car insurance policy!! That, of course is still missing, as is my agent according to rumor. I saw him a week or so ago, but haven't tried to look for him. I'll do that today. There's something fishy about the insurance and I want to find out what it's all about. I think I know what he did as opposed to what he was supposed to do. There was a problem back when with the 3rd party part of it(this goes back to the Citruin) and I paid it. He was supposed to transfer the compulsory part to the jeep, but I think he didn't. Good thing I'm a pack rat and keep papers. I'll check it out today. I'm also pretty sure I paid that 3rd party thing back when, but I'll have to dig through credit card statements to find out. By all accounts he's a slippery character. Ah, well, in the end I get these things sorted.
In the mean time, I have a nice big deposit from both stores to make today, after I get dressed for freezing weather. They are saying there might be snow tomorrow night and Wednesday. It's already almost cold enough.
The new kid at the door store is learning how easy it is to annoy me. Yesterday he hinted that maybe it was time for me to go home. Of course that just made me stay until closing time. He really doesn't want to go there with me, as I sign the checks!!
Lots to do today, including finding out how many layers I can wear under the snow suit.

I JUST LOVE DAYS LIKE TODAY!

I just love mornings when I find an e mail from a friend announcing that she's coming to visit! I got one of those this morning and even caught her on IM! I spent the whole morning grinning like an idiot and telling everyone I saw "Jeannie's coming!" Little do they know that the two of us in the same country could be a bit much for most folks (never mind the authorities) to handle. Well, that's just too bad. We are going to have fun, and I pity the fool that gets in our way! We are going to have such a great time. I'll just love taking them, (her mom's coming too) to all the places I love here. They include most of the Christian holy places as well, or at least they are on the way. I'm just giddy with excitement.
Another of my favorite things happened today was well. I went to get my M&Ms stash and the distributor/owner was outside chatting with one of his partners and another guy I didn't know. We did our usual song and dance about M&Ms and the fact that they often can't get the larger size bags. One of them ordered doors from us and the other one told him he'd best get it sorted if he wants to ever get in his house! There was much laughing as the whole thing was explained to the third guy, who must be thoroughly confused by the story of English teacher turned gimp turned door store owner! Damn right I rolled out of there grinning ear to ear. I just love days like today!

THERE'S A TREE IN MY CAR

Yup, there really is a tree in the jeep! I got my butt in gear yesterday and went to see Etty and Yaacov. The last time I talked to Etty she sounded awful, so I gave her a little pep talk and decided to use "Look For Me Day"(Wednesdays) to go see them. Not feeling quite up to climbing their stairs, we went to local restaurant that they recently discovered. It's dirt cheap and the food is great. Seems there's some odd restriction against eating green foods for people with clotting issues. Hmmm, must look into that. Etty kept telling Yaacov not to eat the green peppers that were in one of the salads and I questioned it. She really doesn't understand why so I'm a bit confused. I'll research it later. She was ready to shoot me when I launched into my "it's my life" lecture. I basically said that I rather doubt that one or two bits of greenery will kill him on the spot, and said that both of us have health issues and that not a one of us knows when our time will be up, but because of what we have it's likely to be sooner than later and we have to make our choices as to how we will live our remaining time on our terms. I smoke. It's my choice, my life, and I'll live it on my terms until it's not my choice any more. Yaacov didn't say a word, but he did have a satisfied look on his face when I finished my mini tirade. After lunch we went to their plant place. I found a plant to replace the one that was stolen a few weeks ago and it's still in the jeep. I also found a purple gnome and plants for the planters on the wall. I brought a fountain for the flower shop too.
I got back to town at 1830 and there was no parking space for me at the store. An employee of the cell phone company that shares the lot with us was rude to me in the extreme, and is going to very sorry for it later today. I left the lot and found Lavana so we took the water fountain to the flower shop. I went back to the door store until closing time-1900 and pulled up at home at 1925, and called Orna to help me bring the stuff in, but she was already asleep. I was not pleased. Asleep at 1925? Excuse me. So I got out and hopped on Harley and went back to the jeep and got the small plants out and shoved them into the planters myself. The poor tree-plant spent the night in the jeep and Orna just now got it out. It's now time to get dressed and go make a soon to be unemployed employee's day even more miserable than he dreamed it could be. Oh boy am I going to have fun!

ONE AND A HALF DOWN HALF TO GO

The computer is back in the store and almost all set up. I have threatened everyone to withing an inch of their lives as to what will happen if anyone so much as looks at it and have pass word protected everything I can think of. The virus vault of AVG was overflowing before the reformat and I'm not having any of it with this again. At least it's legal and we won't be busted by the software police. There's a brand new legal sticker on the computer now! We had a little chat with Computer Guy about mine. All he had to do back when was fix the button. He was so embarrassed that he's gone off to investigate how to get my TIVO/TV to copy to the computer for burning. He'll do it for cost, and that's good. See? There are some good people out there. I'm now busy cleaning off the old hard drive so I'll have it available for that project.Last night I spent about an hour moving stuff I want to keep over this hard drive, and only need about another hour to finish up, then I can just delete everything else! I'll have a whole free hard drive to play with!!
Orna and I are off on a bill collecting adventure this morning to a nearby kibbutz. Any excuse to take off in the jeep.
Wallet Weirdness; money keeps disappearing from my wallet. Bills that I KNOW I didn't spend because I just know. I try to keep a minimum in that wallet just in case. That wallet lives in the bag I keep with me all day, and hang on a hook at home. It's been driving me wild for a few months. Yesterday I decided that enough is enough. I do not want to get the point where I open the wallet to pay for something and find it empty. It spent last night right next to me in bed, with the cell phones-good thing I don't move around in my sleep much. If the money is still there I'll know I've found a solution; if not, back to the drawing board. I'll know in a few minutes when I get up to get dressed. Money doesn't get up and walk out of a wallet, does it? I hate the thought that someone that close to me is stealing from me. Very not nice feeling.

A WHOLE DAY WITHOUT A COMPUTER

For no good reason, my computer quit on Saturday and refused to turn back on. There was a hiccup in the power and the turn on button refused to work. I couldn't find the cable for the lap top, so that was out. I figured, fine, I'll use the one at the store on Sunday. And wouldn't you know it? I arrived just as our computer guy was lugging the store computer out to put in the legal Windows!? Great, just what I need. not. I told Shmaryah that the one at home was doing exactly what it had another hard drive and OS put in for and grrrr. The computer guy came over and sorted it in about two minutes. This after spending 1500 on a fix that wasn't. I am not pleased. He could just have fixed the button. Sheesh. A whole day with no e mail, no news, and the kid we hired. It's not his fault he annoys me. He'll learn!
I'm late and must run. More raving later, I hope.

THAT'LL TEACH ME

And I was so proud of myself. Until I figured it out, that is. I was fine until I went to the flower shop, then, all of a sudden I felt really not good, and had to come home to lie down. I threw myself onto the bed Abominable Snow Gimp suit and all and just laid there. After an hour or so I felt good enough to take the snow suit off and get under the covers. It was about half an hour later that I figured out what was wrong. Day before yesterday I wanted something to use as a belt to hold the snow suit up with the top down because it's too bulky to do much of anything. Not having a proper belt, I used a bungee cord that was too tight.I used it again yesterday. Never again! It was not a good idea. Well, it was, but not really. It took a few hours after I took it off to feel better. I haven't felt so bad since I can't remember when. Oh well, live and learn.

I just got a report on the service for my ex. It seems my son broke down during his part in it and his wife did nothing to help him get through it. Figures. According to Alice, there were a few oddities there, to her anyway. But Bless her for going. I knew she would. Isn't that what best friends are for? She went in spite of the fact that he never liked her at all. She went for me. She went for the very reasons that he never liked her; because she's my best friend, and has been for almost 50 years. It really is just that simple.

DAY OFF? YEAH RIGHT

Today, Wednesday is supposed to be my free day. The Flower Shop is closed all day and we have a kid who is getting out of the Army next week working at the Door Store so it can stay open when Shmaryah has stuff to do outside. Not really trusting anyone one other than myself, and then, not always, I'll probably go in for a few hours, then either come home, or think of something else to do. I'm really still sleepy this morning and would go to Nazareth later, but I strongly suspect that I'll be sleepy most of the day, and it's not a good idea to drive for me to drive while napping! Of course if I take a nap later, I'll be back on Gimp Standard Night Time and have to fight to get back on Day Time Function Mode. Not fun, so I'll try to stay awake all day. Spending the day at the Door Store is not the answer because I've been known to doze off there in my comfy 'boss chair'! I know! I'll take the Disco to have the DVD and rear camera sorted once and for all!! Yup, that's a plan. I might also try to figure out how the freaking new printer works
Great! Now I have a plan.

MY POOR LEGS

Not only did Orna walk into the carnage created by Peg yesterday morning and have to spend hours cleaning up, she got screamed at when I got home last night. Poor woman put red sheets on my bed and I went ballistic. Yup, she changed 'em right quick. Thing is, she gets what for her is a very generous salary for the time she actually spends working for me. All she really has to do is keep the house relatively clean, cook every now and then, and run a few errands. She gets paid minimum wage for a 40 hour week and actually works maybe 15 hours total. Not bad and I rarely fly off the handle at her like I did yesterday. Mostly because there's rarely any reason to. Of course having a good scream up released most of my pent up frustration at the events of recent weeks. It's always been better for me to let it out than try to control myself and have a heart attack like happened a year ago November thanks to the soon to be 'late' step mother from hell otherwise known as The Boynton Beach Bitch. I felt so much better after letting it all out and Orna knows that as fast as I blow up, I calm down afterwards.
After work yesterday I went to replenish my supply of bottled water and health juice. I like cranberry juice with my pills and by all accounts it's very good for us gimps. I found some blackberry juice and decided to try it too. It's ok, but I prefer cranberry and pomegranate (they were out of the latter last night, or maybe I just couldn't figure out which carton it was because they were all labeled in Russian) When I got home with all those bottles I called her and told her I needed her for 10 minutes and then walked into red sheets. She arrived as I was in the middle of dragging them off the bed and having a grand yell up in English which immediately turned into Hebrew. She learned the meaning of 'seeing red' on the spot. One good thing about my rages is that I rarely attack the person. but really go after the 'thing' that set me off. There was a lot of yelling about red sheets but not a word at her personally for putting them on the bed. Poor Orna. She spent so much time trying to make up for the previous day and tried so hard only to have me go off on the red sheets. I doubt I'll ever walk into non purple sheets again!

A BIT OF A BAD DAYOR TWO OR THREE

Thursday night:
Turned over to turn off the light and heard a loud crack, felt a big pain shoot through my left shoulder (the one with the floating collar bone)
Friday: Struggled into Snow suit,took things relatively easy with vague achy pains in shoulder.
Saturday: Rested all day, went to Nazareth in the evening. Shoulder with vague pain at night.
Sunday: Wrestled into Snow suit, went to work, discovered that power company found out about something a previous partner of Shmaryah had done to the meter to reduce the bill. Went to flower store only to be greeted by Social Security bill collector because Lavana owes them. Sorted a replacement for the stolen phone and blue tooth ear phones. Shoulder started hurting again, from the stress. If I ever post that things are sorted.....DO NOT READ IT, because it will boomerang back at me.
Actually neither the power thing, nor the S.S. are too bad. We'll have to make good on both, but the amounts aren't that bad.
Then I got home and walked into a rubbish bin. Peg had gotten to the one near my bed and taken everything out, and spread it around. Orna had forgotten to take him out and so never saw the mess he made. I wanted some hot dogs for supper and she hadn't washed the pot from last Thursday. I had a bit of a fit. Got undressed and into bed. Watched news and went to sleep sitting up with the light on. Poor Orna got a good yelling at this morning. My shoulder feels better but I'll have to be careful of it for a while.

OF STOLEN CELL PHONES

Friday was a bit of an odd day at the flower shop. There were no obvious snoops outside, but, there was a guy who came in and asked for 2 100 shekel bouquets which Lavana made for him. He went off for some coffee (or so he said) while she made them up and never returned. Just as he went off for his 'drink' a pick up truck stopped at the cross walk and a man jumped out and ran in asking for something "nice' as a gift. He said that his two pals would be right there to help him pick it out. Lavana showed him plant in a nice pot but he wasn't impressed. His friends arrived and also were not impressed. One of them went into the glass house and asked about the wind chimes. He chose one with an owl on it, argued a minute about the price, paid for it, asked what to feed the owl. A few minutes later, Lavana couldn't find her cell phone, which she had left on a table close to the wind chime. I tried calling the phone but the call went straight to voice mail. The next thing I did was call the cell company and ask them to block the number. This morning we will report it to the police and arrange for a new one. Too bad for the thief that I saw their pick up-an old white Mitsubishi pick up. It's annoying is all. The guy who wanted the 2 bouquets never came back. That was just odd and we used the 2 bouquets for phoned in deliveries. So no big deal. It was just strange.

Yesterday I just rested, watched my TIVO shows, took a nice nap and went to Etty and Yaacov's at 1730. We had a nice visit. Yaacov has a problem with a clot in his leg and a lung. As Etty doesn't really understand much about it I couldn't really get many details. He doesn't look great, but his attitude is good. I got home around 2200 and there was a message from Aron on my voice mail. When I tried to call him back, he didn't answer, so I'll try again today.

I have a lot to today. The cops about the stolen cell phone, salaries to sort and a few other odds and sods. I'd best get on with it.

ALMOST FORGOT

Those balloons on the propeller? Two said Happy Birthday and two said Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. In Hebrew both start out the same and it's hard to read an uninflated balloon. I went a bit nuts when I saw the latter. Orna knows all about the situation between my daughter and me and we had a good laugh about how inappropriate those balloons were, 33 years after the fact! NOW she congratulates me????? On the birth of HER She who will not speak to me?

DOUBLE NICKLES

I'm not quite sure I believe it really happened, but it looks like I did make it to 55 after all. Birthdays have always been such strange things to me. I always feel that I should be the one giving gifts instead of getting them. In fact there have been years when I have done that. I sort of want to thank those friends who have stuck it out with me. This year I just kept pretty quiet about it. Shmaryah of course knew and things got started as I was on my way out of the bank and my cell phone rang and he'd sent me a song. It was kind of cool. Then, Lavana arrived and showered me with hugs and kisses, and gave me a cool purple scarf. Later a cute girl came in with a bag full of purple things to buy a purple plant, and I made her show me what was in the bag. In the end it turned out that she's Ophir's (the kid we have working for us at the door store) girlfriend, and the purple things in the bag were for me! At around 1700 Shmaryah and Ophir arrived with purple balloons and gifts, all purple. There were several customers in the store and it was nice. They walked in singing Happy Birthday and the customers joined in. Red cheeks actually don't clash with purple scarves! I was a bit nervous that Orna might have arranged a surprise party for me because she kept asking when I'll get home. When I did get home, I walked in to purple balloons stuck on my propeller (ceiling fan) a card and package on the bed and a squeaky clean house. There were 2 pairs of purple socks in the package. All in all it was a great purple day. I guess I'm a bit odd in that I think it's great to get older. It means I'm still here and I really am having a good time in this life and the longer it is the happier I am.

On Tuesday we had a car parked outside the flower shop all day. Either court ordered or Social Security checking to see how much business the shop does and/or if I'm really a gimp. As things turned out not so much as single a customer came in, and anyone who sees me take those 4 steps from Harley to my chair can not doubt that I am in fact a gimp. The car was there again on Wednesday but the flower shop is closed on Wednesdays. It wasn't there yesterday and we had a great day that more than made up for Tuesday. Thank you Lord.

Unless something really catastrophic happens we are over the hump from the war and can start building up some cash reserves in both businesses. I'm optimistic because both are solid businesses. Things have been slow at the flower shop because people just don't have money to spend. The war emptied a lot of bank accounts and people just aren't spending. Doors are different because houses that are being built need doors, and lots of houses are being built in the area. People might not be buying the doors they'd hoped to buy, but they are buying, room doors too. Yup, things should be just fine in three months or so.

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWGIMP

Let 'em laugh says I. I finally got sick and tired of freezing on the way home in the evening and came home to put on my snowsuit. There was a lot of finger pointing and laughing, but I had the last laugh. I was nice and toasty warm. So I look like the abominable snow gimp. So what? Getting into it was a bit of a giggle too. I almost had to take a nap aferwards. Getting into a snow suit alone with one semi paralyzed leg and one not quite working arm is harder than putting a non cooperating kid in one. I almost forgot that the bad leg has to go in first and had to start all over again and snow suits in my size are bulky! Luckily the legs are wide enough that it can be done with shoes on. I had my purple counterfeit Crocs on and just left them on even though I really wanted my LL Bean shoes. I'll be putting those on first today. I finally got a pedicure so I can wear them. The corn or blister or whatever that keeps returning on the big toe hurts in any shoe and if I don't have a pedicure regularly, I'm in trouble until after the operation. I'm still waiting for a date, and I want to enjoy those shoes as much as possible until the operation because it will be a few weeks afterwards until I'll be able to wear anything on that foot.

I'm feeling a bit like a very bad mother. I haven't spoken to Aron since the day before the funeral. It's really hard to get the time right with a 7 hour difference. He sounded good if very sad when we spoke. Terry and I had a good cry together on the phone. It's just so sad. He was only 58. I miss him so much. It was always nice knowing he was just a phone call away. Of course the last few calls were infuriating because they were about our daughter who managed to really piss him off. Aron says they were on the way to patching things up but never quite got to it. He also said that he's going to have a long talk with her about me and tell her in no uncertain terms that if she doesn't want the same thing to happen with me she'll have to suck it up and do something about it. He also said that it's clear that she can't do it by phone. She has to get in her car and come here. I'm only an hour and a half from her house, and the phone just won't do it. Just have to wait and see.

One of the regional door guy's installers reports that he and Motty went and got all of the Friday papers and wasted 2 hours going through them page by page looking for our reply to his ad from the week before. There wasn't one because we decided that best thing was to keep him in suspense as to where it will come from. He wasted two hours looking for something that wasn't there, and now he's really sweating. I just love stuff like that and we are calling it Bat Chenning someone. That's what I'm still doing to Bat Chen. It drives people crazy when you ignore them rather than go down to their level to fight with them. I highly recommend it. Great strategy.

CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE

I finally got to talk with Terry and Aron last night. Aron is amazing. He sure did grow up good. He sent me to this link.
www.brackettfuneralhome.com.
There's an lovely tribute to Izchak's life there. I can't seem to stop crying. Aron sent this to me.

How are you doing???

I am holding up barley, I fell I have this BIG empty space in my heart and that there is nothing that can make it heal.

We will put Dad to final rest in Maine on Friday most likely.

I did what you told me to do I was there and I whispered in to is hear how much I love him and that all my life he was the one I was looking up to,

Then I did the Shma Israel to him and then he left the body

No pain, the night before we were with him he looked at me and smiled he kissed me and I held his hand very firm, and did not stop telling him that I love him with all my heart.

when he left his body he did not suffer and he was very relaxed

love Aron

His English is a bit shaky but, I corrected a couple of his mistakes for him. The video won't be up much longer and I'm having trouble figuring out how to save it. I'll figure it out tomorrow.
I have this huge scream in my gut trying to get out. This shouldn't have happened, not to him. I can't write any more now. The funeral will be today at 1800 my time and I don't expect to be coherent then, or even very much today.
Thanks to Fingers, Val, Jags, Jeanie, and Susie.
The world is a sadder place now. He was a nice guy and made the world a better place for those of us who knew him.