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This picture should go a long way in explaining to Willi Beax why I found it so amusing that he called me a Dem Der Bad Motorcycle! This picture was taken on the infamous "Round The Country Trip" that was the break in run for my little brand new MZ 250. This picture was taken but a few meters from the border with Lebanon at it's western end. I have a few others from the trip at each of the border points and one just along the border with Egypt. Another close to Syria, and a few on the Golan Heights, but this was the only one I could find today. I intend to mount a search party for the others tomorrow. The other bike is an MZ 500 borrowed for the trip from the importer. MZs are East German two stroke Rotax engine bikes that were imported by the BMW dealer. It was a very quick nimble fun bike to ride and took winding up hill roads like a bat out of hell. I loved it to bits, but had to give it up after that damned katyusha knocked me off it. The only damage to the bike was a slightly bent rear peg. I miss it to this day, but as my three wheeled Harley Too is the closest I'll ever get to it again, I make do.
Now it's time to go back to Thursday and the cell phone craziness. A couple of years ago I set up a bank account for a friend who is no longer so much as mentioned in my presence. We also got her a cell phone that was supposed to be paid for from that account. It's all her money so....
I got a notice that the cell phone account hadn't been paid for 2 months and went to the local office of the cell company to sort it. Of course I forgot to take the notice and can never remember my own number so the idiot brought my account up with my ID number and informed me that all of my numbers were no longer mine. I asked him if it could have anything to do with having my name changed but he was emphatic that it was not possible. I demanded that they return my numbers to me, but he and the manager were adamant that it was not possible. In the end I agreed to take new SIM cards for my phones, came home to see what numbers they actually had and when I discovered that they were still "my" numbers raced back to the self same ijit and showed him how stupid he'd been. The fool refused to tell me who the numbers had been given to on grounds of confidentiality when they had been mine all along! And he had the ID card open in front of him the whole time. He just never bothered to look at the name. The whole thing was in fact a result of the name change. I tossed the new SIM cards on his desk and we moved on to take care of the unpaid bill. I paid it and told him to kill the number permanently forever and to put the remaining monthly charges for the phone itself on my monthly bill.
She is so going to be sorry for that. I'm going to sort it all out tomorrow at the local branch of the bank where I opened that account for her. Oops, no more account.
After finishing all that mess with the phones, I headed for the local book store to pre order my copy of the last Harry Potter book, then bought some water and a few other things at the grocery store in that mall and arrived home to hear my jeep alarm. After clicking at a few times I called the company and they said it was one of the inside sensors. By then it had stopped so we left it at that. What a wild day that was. And it was the hottest of the heat wave we just had.
We finally got this computer working correctly except for the e mail. I think I'll tackle that now and finish installing the rest of the drivers.
I've been promising/threatening Jeanie that I'd post my new remodeled left foot pretty much since I had the chop job done. In real life it's a lot more purple, and it's swollen today because I spent the day racing back and forth between home and the cell phone company.
I'm way too tired to go into detail now, but the short version is that they told me that my numbers had been given to a different customer and they refused to tell me who or even how it was done. Of course I charged home in 103 degree heat and raced back to show the guy that he's an idiot. My numbers were not only mine, they were working just fine. I'm not quite sure how I got out of that without another heart attack or stroke. The dunce couldn't tell me that the the numbers had been transferred to ME after the legal name change. Sheesh, and I asked him specifically if that could have happened. In short it was an insane hot day and I came home to the car alarm going off every few minutes. It finally shut up and I got to rest a bit.
The computer guy came and sorted the big one but I can't get the e mail configured. I'm too tired to mess with it now. I'll sort it tomorrow. I'm just thankful that I have the lap top.
And here she is. Adee Pauline Golan, resting in the safest place in the world; her daddy's arms. She might be asleep, but even with her eyes closed I can already tell that my wee little Polly is going to lead her daddy a merry dance. But that's ok, because she has a fantastic daddy, and her mamma's no slouch either. And she has a grandma with lots of good ideas for fun and games too.
Must fly and get the pictures Aron just sent printed.
You might want a map for this post. It crisscrosses the north of Israel, several times.
I just came in from a long, but wonderful day. Way back once upon a long time ago, when I lived across the street from Etty and Yaacov, we used to go to Tiberius often to visit their parents, brothers and sisters. All that kind of came to a halt when I moved up here because I didn't have a car. Well, now I do. A few weeks ago Etty told me that her family was having a celebration with all the kids grandkids and great grandkids, and asked if maybe I'd like to go, as in pick them up, and take them home afterwards. Not having seen most of the people who would be there for 17 years, I said sure. This morning I took a quick swing to town, came home to get ready to go. Striar, my refugee from the heat wanted a lift home so I took him up to Safad, swung into Amiad to get water, oil and other levels checked, and headed for Nazareth Elite. Yaron, their oldest, who is over here for his brother in law's wedding on Wednesday was just leaving so I got to see him, if only for a minute. I got there was too early but as Yaacov had left his teeth at his mother's we had to go there first. His sister Aliza called while we were on the way and when she heard we going there anyway insisted that we go to her house first. After a nice rest and visit there we all piled back into the jeep and stopped at Yaacov's mothers. Etty went in to get the teeth and his mom came out and begged us to come in. We promised to come back for a proper visit next week. Then off to the celebration which was held at an Iraqi kebab place in Etty's parents neighborhood. There were zillions of people there and a fair number remembered me from the good old days. Lots of talking and laughing, then on the way out Etty's mother came up to me, gave me a hug and kiss and a blessing for health. I almost lost it then. I'm having a hard time finding the words in English to describe how I felt. It was quite something.
The whole area was crawling with cops and border police all the way home. I haven't heard news yet but I suspect there might have been an alert for a penetration from the north. It happens a lot. I just wanted to get all this down now in case I forget parts in the morning. I'm cross eyed with pain and my feet feel like they are on fire. It's 2330 and 95 degrees out side and I've been driving since 1300. Bed time for this happy if hurty gimp.
It is now official. I AM Granny Franne to at least one grandkid. Liat had the Beach Ball by C Section and the proud pap, my baby boy called to tell me.
I had gotten dressed and gone into town to sort something at the clinic. I spark blew onto my dress and burned 3 medium sized holes in to. Not wanting to ride around town in a holy dress, I went home to change it. I no sooner got to the door than the phone started ringing.
It was Aron calling from the delivery room while they were doing the usual post birth stuff. I asked him if I could speak to her and the minute he "no", she started crying. So I said "See, she wants to talk to me!" Oh, well, maybe next time. Then he asked again how to spell my mother's name. Ever tried to spell while choking in tears of shear happiness. She will be Adi Pauline Golan and I fully intend to call her Polly. I've still got an idiotic grin on my face. What a morning! And who cares about the dress? If it hadn't caught fire I wouldn't have gotten the first phone call. And I did get to hear her cry.
This is not a complaint, just an observation. It was so got out when I came home just now that the heat actually made my skin feel on fire. And the air hurt to breathe in. It's bad out there.
Laters All! Granny Franne!
It's not enough that I killed my main computer yesterday after reformatting and installing windows, and even got on line all by myself, the wall in the kitchen grew it's own waterfall yesterday and flooded the whole kitchen. There's no one to talk to about it on Saturday so all I could do was try to figure out how much to charge for the privilege of swimming in my kitchen, or what size sea kayak to ask Alice to send. The plumber guy just left and he says it should be ok for a while. He changed the faucet and I haven't even looked at it yet. I'm hoping against hope that he put in one like my old one. I really can't deal with double tap faucets, being a gimp and all. It's not going to be pretty if I have to buy another and get Danny to change it. Things are really tight financially and Shmaryah is taking his own sweet time getting the money together. The situation at the flower shop is getting worse by the day. And I need to fill the jeep tomorrow for a Nazareth-Tiberius-Nazareth run. Etty's parents have been planning a BBQ for months and Etty and Yaacov have no other way to get there. In fact, I'm really looking forward to it even though it will be at least 150 in the shade.
I'd best get on with things or the cable guy will be here before I even get in gear. I'm not going to mop the floor. It will dry up all by itself, or not!
And worst of all Town Hall is acting up.
We are at the beginning of a week long heat wave. It was only 90 or so yesterday. Yesterday Striar went with me to doctor in a suburb of Haifa so I could find out where all the pain is coming from. I left the A/C off until I got to his place because I can actually stand the heat better than he can if there's a breeze-open car window- moving Harley. There's also the fact that Land Rover air conditioners are not kind to fuel consumption.
By some miracle I timed my pain meds just right and was still ok at our first stop which was a medical imaging center where Striar had to get some results. He's had a kidney transplant and is one of the few people I've heard of who actually has more wrong medically that I do.
We got to the clinic my sawbones uses just as he got there and he helped me climb over a bush or two to get to the wheely. Striar wasn't quite sure he'd ever seen a doctor/patient relationship quite like ours before. We were with him for a good half hour and there lots of people waiting. The doc put the pictures up on the screen and explained the whole mess to me. It's not my spine yet, but my right hip is disintegrating. He's sent me to a bone density test, then we'll figure out what to do. When we left the clinic a car was blocking mine so Striar went back in find the jerk who moved it before I turned his rice burner into a Swedish pile of Lego pieces.
We hit the road and stopped in Carmiel so Striar to photo copy some stuff, and swung by KFC. Back in Safad he wanted to see a friend who works at the local hospital who could explain his test results. I then dropped him at his house and got home at 2030, came straight to the computer to see what was new at my favorite playground-Town Hall.
This morning I was up relatively early, did some computer stuff, then headed for town. There wasn't much to do there so I was home by 1330. Striar called while I was in town to ask if I have an air conditioned to rent. Just so happens I do, so I told him that if he thought he'd be able to sleep on a recliner he's more than welcome to it, and that I'll pick up at around noon. There's just no way he can stay in his place when it's over 100 which it will be. All we have to do is figure out how to connect the TV to the cable box. No way is he climbing into my bed and watching my TV with me Weeel, I might let him sit in a chair off to the side to watch the news. But that's it. We'll get that 25" flat screen
hooked up or else. No way can I let him suffer in that heat when I have two air conditioners, a recliner, TV, and around 1500 books in that room.
I'll even let him use the lap top and make read all the cool stuff at TH. Aren't I nice? Actually I am. I'm allowing him to bring an English newspaper into my house on condition that *I* get the cross word puzzle!
He asked what he'd do if there were more katyushas. Sheesh. That room is a proper bomb shelter. It was built to withstand a direct hit, has a blast door and steel shutters for the window which is flush to the inner wall about a 3 feet in from the outer wall. The only safer place in town is under city hall.
I finally decided to take my right leg to the general practitioner at my clinic. He pounded it a few times and sent me off for X rays. That is always a major undertaking as the place my clinic uses is upstairs in a building without a lift. As I don't stairs (or windows-for those who might be wondering) I have to go through the emergency to a rival clinic that has it's own x ray on the ground floor. I take perverse pleasure in the fact that all the x rays I've had done over the years would have paid for at least two lifts.
The ER staff know about my problem and we joke about it every time I go in. The ER doctor who had to write up the x ray order for the other clinic wandered in just as they were putting the disk in an envelope ( I now suspect that he asked them to give him a heads up) He gestured me to follow him and I went speeding out and we got to the ER at the same time. He asked me what I was planning on doing with the x rays so I told him that I'm going to my sawbones today and asked why. At least I was smart enough to go to the clinic doc and got the pictures before going all the way to my sawbones. Nothing like being prepared! It seems my spine is degenerating even more and there's some serious nerve pinching going on there. The not good part is that there's not much can be done about it. The really bad part is that it hurts a lot when I'm driving the jeep. I'll have to figure if there's anything that can be done so I can keep it. It's time to get a move on. I got up at around 0300 and spent some time at my favorite Town Hall blogs, then went back to sleep to wake up late. I am having a good time over there at Town Hall.
Yesterday was almost fun. I got lots done in the morning, came home and settled in at the computer for some fun and games at Town Hall, after which I climbed into bed to call Ema Rivkah because her number in Jerusalem is in the phone next to the bed. While we were on the phone I had the local afternoon news show on the TV when all of a sudden there was an alert that katyshas had been fired at us. Us as in Kiryat Shmonah. I kept shushing her to hear if it was real time or a rerun from last summer. Sure enough, it was real time. Three katyushas landed in town, one in the industrial area near the plant whose bottled water I buy(support your local businesses), another in a neighborhood where I used to live and acquired my shattered collar bone, and almost torn off kneecaps from a katyusha in 92 by being knocked off my motorcycle by the shock wave of a katyusha that landed not far where I was. Another landed in an open area. Yet another hit a UN outpost in Lebanon. The only damage done was to a Pontiac parked too close to the water plant.
While still on the phone, calls started coming in on my other line and cell phones from my reporter pals checking to see if I had beer, and could they come over?
It just so happened that I had a 6 pack I'd been saving for Jeanie when she gets here. Guess I'll have to replace them. I played the role of Queen Gimp from my throne/bed while the media set up their laptops at the foot of my throne and on the left side. Jeanie's 6 pack was dealt with quickly, and at around 2230 after the reports were filed, the media left Gimp House.
I'd been feeling all week that we'd be getting Katyshas very soon, but said nothing so as not give anyone a chance to tell me to get my tin foil hat adjusted, so it came as no surprise to me.
Here it is 1000 and I've gotten nothing much done so far today. It might be a good idea to get dressed and take a swing through town.
I'm going to update my other blog here-the Israeli politics one, when I get home. It will take too long to do now and I posted twice yesterday. It is now time to get a move on and out of here.
I really should get my bed cleared off. There is way too much stuff piled on the other side. It's a darn good thing that I don't move once I've fallen asleep. My room is so small there's not enough space to keep the things I want near closes to hand unless they occupy that side of the bed. It wouldn't be so annoying if the cell phone charger wire would quit connecting itself to my backside,if it would at least charge MY battery so I'd get up without all the morning stiffness. But alas, it just sticks itself there and does nothing except leave yet another sore spot.
I had an e mail from Aron yesterday saying that they got their gift and that they liked it. I sent them a clock that has 11 picture frames around the clock part. I fell in love with it when I saw it and just had to get one for them and another for myself. The baby should be here any day now and I am waiting anxiously to get the phone announcing The Beach Ball's arrival!
I am desperately trying to clear up some loose financial ends, but it's going too slow. Lavana's flower shop is doing less and less business every day and a fair part of my cleanup is left overs from that store. I'm slowly becoming resigned to the idea that I can write that money off too. My only hope is the police arresting that daughter of the guy who pulled the air conditioner stunt that I have a judgment against. It's entirely possible that there will be some movement on that very soon now that I've done the cops job for them and found where she's hiding behind yet a company. Am I the only person in this country who tries to pay debts? Sometimes it sure feels like it especially when people like them manage to get away with scamming people and no one much bothers to do much about it. Between them, they owe millions but just keep on bilking people with no consequences to themselves. They should both be in prison. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be the one to shut them down and send them there for a few years. It's possible. I know a lot more about them than they think I know. Time will tell and I'll just keep after them.
Just my luck yesterday that when I got to the garage to have the alarm fixed, they were busy and couldn't do it until 1400. I'm glad I remembered that Fed Ex was coming to get the gifty for the baby between 1300 and 1600, so I called and rescheduled for today at 0900. I just might get my first coffee down, dressed, and there on time. Much as I love my Disco, getting that package out was more important to me.
Night owl that I am, I was still wide awake at 0200 and just as I was settling in to sleep, told Peg to be sure to wake me up. He did, in the very nick of time. An hour is just barely enough time to get me up and out.I'd best take the coffee to my room, bring Peg in, get dressed and go.
Yesterday started off just fine. I got Aron's baby gift and sorted Fed Ex to pick it up today, gave Shmaryah a pep talk, then went to see an old pal who just might have a lead as to where the daughter of the crook who owes me lots of money is hiding out. I'll know later today. I already have a court order for her to pay up, and an arrests warrant is out for her. As she's not a violent criminal, it's not exactly a high priority for the cops to bring her in. But if I can tell them where to find her, they'll go get her.
By the time I got home it was 100 degrees outside. I plugged Harley Too in to charge his new batteries and climbed into bed to rest. No sooner was I settled that the car alarm went off. I opened the door and clicked at the car, and got resettled. The alarm went off again, so,out I went, unplugged Harley and rode over to the car. I opened it, leaned in, put in the code, started the engine, let it run for a few minutes, turned it off, replugged Harley and yet again settled in. Repeat the process three more times, after checking all the doors, go back in and call the security company. After I called them and they told me that I'll have to the car to the local service center because they can't stop it from there, it shut up and let me rest! By then it was 102 outside and I was quite happy to let it make all the noise it wanted. It's only 72 now, so U think I'll just get dressed and take it now before it gets too hot.
I sure could use some for myself, but Harley Too's are the problem. I made the mistake of buying the present pair locally. They have been nothing trouble and the guy I bought them from is now blaming things other than the batteries for the problems. One of the will not charge, which means Harley Too is trying to run on a single battery. It doesn't work like that. I called the company guy yesterday and asked him to come up and sort it. I'll just buy new ones from him. I've never had trouble with the original batteries until they wore out. Their life expectancy is about 2 years. They don't exactly lead a pampered life with me. They get used. I charge all over town with them daily, Harley Too hauls my shopping home, and has been known to carry tables, chairs, and boards for shelves among other things. I'm pretty much stuck at home without him unless I take the jeep out. That's a pain because I can't get the wheel in and out alone and there's not always someone around to help. Of course, if I have to go out, I will, and manage the best I can.
I really should go see my ortho guy soon. My right shin has developed a new thing that has me a little concerned. It hurts-the bone itself hurts, and that's new. It hurts worse it my leg is straight, like when I'm lounging in bed watching TV, and less when sitting here, but still hurting a bit. I'll take a look at the site to see where he is today and depending on where he is, decide if it's worth struggling with the wheely to go see him.
The great gimp liquidation is crawling along at a snails pace. All of my stuff is in and as far as my part is concerned we can go finalize everything with the tax etc. folks. Shmaryah is taking his own sweet time getting his part done and it's getting annoying. If he doesn't finish it today, I'm going to check with my accountant to find if I can get it done without him.
I spent the last two days putting out small left over brush fires that were left over from the days when I thought there just might have been a chance to save something. Other than the irritation about the small stuff I'm feeling pretty good.
I even started a blog at Town Hall in order to keep my American/Israeli split personalities in their own places. It's very annoying over there. Yesterday I got it to work in my preferred font and color. It absolutely refuses to let me do it today. I even restarted the computer twice in the hope that would help. I guess I'm in pretty good shape if that's my major problem today.
While I was in town this morning, I went by the flower store but it was closed. I called Lavana several times but she didn't answer so I got fags and came home, and tried all of her phones. Nothing, and I really started to worry that something had happened to her. After trying her house several times she finally called me back. She had just woken up at 1155 because she was up all night with back pain. So, even if in pain, she's ok.
Before I went out I called the horse riding place and was given the number of the gal who does the gimp riding stuff. It's on Tuesdays and quit cheap. I'm really excited about that. I love horses and the great muscle pain I get afterwards.
I just love living next to Yad Sarah. They loan/rent gimp equipment to those who need it temporarily. There's a big sign on my door that says that this is not Yad Sarah, but no one bothers to look at it. At least twice a day some jerk opens the door, walks in and expects me to give the a wheely or sticks. For crying out loud, people there's a big sign on door and signs pointing to right place and the dolts who can't be bothered to read the signs invariably leave my screen door to slam around in the wind. Thanks to the last such jerk, I have to get up and close the screen door yet again. Quandary; do I walk or swim? Peg spilled his water again. Orna is coming a little later to do the floors and finish up a few other things, so I'm pretty much stuck in this end of the house until she does. Water on floors and I do not get along. During the winter when I had my abominable gimp snow suit on, falling was an option because of the added padding of the suit. It's so not an option in summer when the only padding is my own.
This picture should go a long way in explaining to Willi Beax why I found it so amusing that he called me a Dem Der Bad Motorcycle! This picture was taken on the infamous "Round The Country Trip" that was the break in run for my little brand new MZ 250. This picture was taken but a few meters from the border with Lebanon at it's western end. I have a few others from the trip at each of the border points and one just along the border with Egypt. Another close to Syria, and a few on the Golan Heights, but this was the only one I could find today. I intend to mount a search party for the others tomorrow. The other bike is an MZ 500 borrowed for the trip from the importer. MZs are East German two stroke Rotax engine bikes that were imported by the BMW dealer. It was a very quick nimble fun bike to ride and took winding up hill roads like a bat out of hell. I loved it to bits, but had to give it up after that damned katyusha knocked me off it. The only damage to the bike was a slightly bent rear peg. I miss it to this day, but as my three wheeled Harley Too is the closest I'll ever get to it again, I make do.
