BAD NIGHTS LEAD TO BAD DAYS

I had a really bad night recently that left me feeling really bad the next day. For once it wasn't exactly pain related. I just couldn't get comfotable and even though I was very tired from all the moving Dem Der Mainiac in, just couldn't drop off to sleep. Last night was a little better because I managed to stay awake until around midnight.
Lavana is really starting to piss me off, and there's not a thing I can do to make her start paying me back. I had a word with the landlord but there's not a thing he can do to help. He asked me a while back what I thought he should do do about letting her stay there and I was very vague about it. I told him yesterday that I've since changed my mind about it and that he should be very careful with her as she is most likely not going to pay him on time and that there's already a major problem with city taxes. The landlord is a sweet old guy who doesn't deserve what she's going to do to him. She just does it to everyone who tries to help her. She and her husband just don't care who they trample on as long as they keep going a little longer. They are consumate liars and con artists. At least I'm out of it now and in spite of Shmaryah's vague threats have no intention of shutting up about it. He's convinced that he's the injured party but I did catch him in more than one lie and have the proof of sevreral more so he would be well advised to stay quietly in his corner.
Rather than whining about things I can't do anything about, maybe I shouls start tackling things I can do something about, like finding the results of my last doppler test.

MISSION COMPLETED

Dem Der Maniac is now out of that flat in Safad and all moved in here. Yesterday was rough. He finally found someone to take out and store his remaining furniture, but the lock issue was never resolved. The landlord's parents came storming in and started shouting right way which rattled the guy who was trying to change the lock back to the original one. They had absolutely no legal right to do that even as their son's representative. They were there for just enough time to raise everypne's blood pressure and make a scene. They left before the cops got there, even though they claimed that they had already called the cops. The cops were called but not by them. They were actually in violation of several laws by being there and making threats. We expected them to come back before he left for the last time, but luckily for them, they didn't reappear while I was there.
They even demanded that he give them my name and address. I told him not to even think about giving it to them. The only reason they could have wanted it would be to harrass me. They so don't want to go there. In the end, he didn't give it to them.
So, that's over and he's out and safe from them. Now, it's just a matter of finding him a place of his own. Being officially homeless will help. In fact, he fully intends to stay with friends in Safad several nights a week, but Gimp House will be the main base of operations.
The whole town was in a panic yesterday. Everyone was talking about an article in one of the papers that recommended refreshing gas mask kits, getting in nylon sheets and scud tape for sealed rooms, just in case. I still haven't found out which paper that was in, and it really doesn't matter because all those things are nothing more than a way to give the population something to do in order to keep panic at a minimum. It worked when scuds were flying into the country in 1991, and will probably work again. I just think it was really stupid to have a notice in one of the papers, but, nothing on the news. The only place I found any mention of it was in the local online forum and it was just a short query by a poster. Not that I'm actively looking for anything about it.
Some one forgot to post this before going out. I'm pretty sure that's a sign of something, but I really don't want to know what of exactly. After 3 months of procrastinating I finally got my mobile phone bills sorted! The company that confused itself and tried to convince me that my numbers with them had been given to some else, when they had not, and sold me two new SIM cards for the phones, was still charging me for the cards which I had returned the very same day while proving to him that my old numbers (the ones they said we'ren't mine any more were indeed alive and well in my phones, gave me a refund. We also declared Bat Chen's phone lost/stolen so that all I have to pay on that mistake is the cost of the phone.
At the other company I discovered that instead of each minute at 45 agorot (=less than 1 cent) I get 100 minutes for 49 shekels per month and over 100 minutes pay 45 agorot. That's quite all right. With Dem Der Maniac living in, the number of calls I make will go way down. It was a bit of shock to find out that I talked enough last month to run over by 10 minutes! Now all that's left is to get Shmaryah's incoming only only phone off my account. It's a damn good thing that he didn't bother to check if he had a line or not for outgoing because I almost forgot to tell them to roll over the outgoing block on that line. I must not forget next time around. At least now I've gotten all the parasites off my bank account and credit cards. That will certain make things easier.

LEGAL ISSUES

My lawyer just left and it looks like things just might start moving again on the air conditioner case. Arrest warrents here are only valid for three months, then they have to be renewed. I find it mindboggling that the cops can't find one lousy excuse for a woman in that time. Hell, I found her but only a few days before the warrent ran out. And it only took me two days! It really is too bad that it ran out because I actually saw her in my clinic with her mother the other day. If only it had still been valid.........but we'll have a new one on Sunday, so with just a little luck we'll get her arrested on either Sunday or Monday. I would so like to be there when they get her. Our laws concerning debtors might be medevally draconic, but they eventually work. After they arrest her she doesn't get out of jail before paying a hefty part of what she owes and comes to an agreement with the court for paying the remainder. This time she's going down. It's too bad that her father who is the real culprit in this story is protected because he has so many debts that the only way to hurt him is to prove that uses his protected status to keep from paying. I just might have a way around that, but the first priority is to get her to pay something.
I'm sitting here looking at my floor and thinking that I really should wash it, but it's way too hot even with the a/c on. It's 95 degrees right now and I was out all morning, including a quick jaunt to Safad to help Dem Der Mainiac with something. What I really should do is make something to eat and rest for a bit. I should also fill up some water bottles to freeze. Yup, sounds like a plan. The floor isn't going anywhere.

INTERMITTANT MEMORY LOSS

There were at least four things I wanted to write about here, but I can't remember even one of them. I did remember that I wanted to write a note to myself about them, but my trusty notepad was not close to hand. Maybe something will come to me while I type.
Today has been a stay in day because there wasn't really anything to go out for. Not that that usually stops me, but I got a really late start and even before my sip of coffee I was asked to move my cat so they could paint the space 'cripple blue'. I was wondering when they'd get around to it as they've done most of the other cripple spaces in town. Now no one can use "I didn't notice" as an excuse. My idiot neighbor from across the way said that now they'll give us parking tickets if we don't park inside the lines. Yeah, he's almost funny.
Yesterday I manuevered one of the wheelies into the kitchen and today I did the dishes. It only took an hour, but the sink is now empty. I think that maybe I'll tackle the floor tomorrow from the other wheely.
I got some fantastic pictures of the baby from my son today. She is the cutest baby I've ever seen, and I've only seen her in pictures. I'm getting itchy to travel again. It's only been a little over a year since my last trip but the USA and UK are calling. Maybe a miracle will happen and one of the jerks who owes me money will pay up. Just one and I'm all set. It would be even nicer if the Boynton Beach Bitch would pop her clogs, hopefully before her new boyfriend can get his hands on everything. I do not trust that bitch as far as I can walk.

Why ME? WHY ME ALL THE TIME?

I just love quoting Eric Von Zipper. He is my hero. I'm not quite sure where to start the litany of stupid things I've done over the past week, so I'll start with the dirty glasses. On my way home from Safad one night I was having trouble seeing the road. That can often be blamed on the Israeli driver's penchant for using high beams when they are not needed. It took a couple of seconds to realize that wasn't it. Everything looked blurry and dirty. I took off my glasses and there was the road! Luckily my license doesn't require me to wear glasses. The ones I wear to drive are more sunglasses than anything else and have never bothered me at night before. When I finally got them into the house and saw the lenses, I was amazed that I seen the car to get into it, never mind the road. Those were the filthiest pair of glasses I've ever seen.
Last night it was up to Safad for the big showdown with Gem Der Mainiac's landlord. His Hebrew is ok but he has trouble understanding religious school Hebrew which is spoken very fast. I had two kids who spoke it until I slowed them down, so I have no trouble with it. We were expecting a tirade and a show of semi hysteria. I'm pretty good in those situations. So there I was sitting in a corner in my wheely when the landlord came in. The wind going out of his sails was visible. He was ready for a fight but obviously didn't want a witness. I didn't have to say much and in the end he left the electric on. Dem Der Maniac was gleeful that things ended so quietly. It seems that he told a few of his neighbors that I am not a gimp anyone wants to tangle with! I'm just glad that it ended in a whimper, not a boom. It was also obvious that he was surprised that I could follow his religious school Hebrew effortlessly. Dem Der kept asking him to slow down, but I usually had an answer out before it really registered!
I was home before the news started but skipped it and watched some of the stuff on the TIVO. I'm gettting pretty good at breaking my news addiction.
This morning I opened my credit card statemements and found a few more automatic payments to cancel. One of them was for the cash register at Lavana's, and the electric bill which has already been removed from my card, but she owes me for both. The other was Orna's cable TV. We made a deal about that but she's still pissed off that I dared ask her to help up at Dem Der's and didn't come in so much as once this past week. So, I called the cable company and told them to take it off my card and they wanted to ask her if she had another way to pay it. I hope she does, but if she can't live up to her end of the deal, it's her problem. Just getting rid of those saves me almost 1.000 a month.

Then, I decided to go grocery shopping. I didn't really have time last week because of all the 'to do' in Safad. I picked up everything I need and went through the check out without stealing anything for once, only to discover that my check book wasn't in my bag. I'd forgotten to put it back after getting the credit cards out. So, back home to get the check book, then, back to the store to write a check and home again to bring all the stuff inside. That was a nightmare of pain, but it's all in, and put away now. For my next trick, I will wash the dishes (thanks ever so much, Orna), then settle in for some TV, reading, and maybe a kip.

GETTING THERE

Right! Dem Der Maniac's phone is safely installed in his room. It was working just just fine when Installer Guy left, as was mine. When I went in to put it on follow me to his mobile there was no line, and there was also none on my phone next to the computer, so we called and they sent fix it guy to sort it. There's still something wrong with mine, and I think it's the phone itself. The one next to my bed is fine. All that means is that I'll have to find another phone for next to the computer. I like the phone because it has a headset that lets me have both hands free. I like that for two reasons. The first is that it's really hard for me to hold the receiver to my ear and the second is that I can continue typing while on the phone. I'll figure it out next week sometime.
I rained last night and poor New Harley Too got all wet because his shack is full of Dem Der Mainiac's stuff.
I'm going to have to deal with washing the floor later today. It's gone past a state that even I can stand. I am so not looking forward to that. I'm not even thinking about doing it without the wheely, and trying to figure out exactly how to do it from the wheely has been occupying my mind for the last 24 hours. It will be interesting to say the least.
It's Friday and a short day. All I have to do in town is pick up the local papers, come home and start cleaning up the disaster area that is Gimp House. Once that is done, I'll be able to catch up on my other two blogs.

ALMOST FINISHED

I might just have outdone myself yet again. Yesterday I raided my bank account, closed the deal with my mover guy and headed for Safad. I got there at around noon and the cleaning/packing gal and Dem Der Mainiac hadn't gotten much done by the time I arrived. By 1630 we had 6 or so tons of junk thrown out and everything that was coming down boxed and ready. The landlords father came over and made a few vague threats, but he was way off base and is not exactly anything to worry about. We ran into a major snag with Moving Guy. He couldn't get the cabinet tht was supposed to come out, so we took the fridge instead. He had a head start on me but I cught up with him less than half way down the drunken snake road and blasted by him at the turn onto the new 'super highway'. Of course when I got home there was an idiot in my space. By the time she vacated it, after insulting me, Moving Guy was here. Everything fit in the storage shed, and he was gone before the news came on at 2000. Not a bad days work for a cripple in a wheely! Left to his own devices it would have take Dem Der Mainiac at least another week to get ready. I'll be heading up there soon to supervise the clean up and last few details, after a quick run into town for fags. The stuff that's left can come down in the car, then we'll be all set, and able to concentrate on getting him a housing authority place.
Once that's done I'll be able to get back to what passes for normal with me! My e mail is piling up and I'm only answering personal mails for the time being. With a little luck I'll get it cleaned up tonight.

GETTING A FIRMER GRIP

Things are actually starting to fall in place for Dem Der Maniac's move. I got the truck sorted and finally got my brain in gear on the help issue. Now, all that's left is to do the packing, throwing away and cleaning. Having seen exactly what's in the place I now have a gtip on what needs to be done and how long it should take. In my pregimp days I could have had it ALL done in less than 3 hours. Seeing as how I can't do it, I'm allowing a very generous 6 hours for a regular person with me cracking the whip! Dem Der Mainiac being of the masculine persuasion can not be trusted to supervise. There's also the fact that I've moved 20 or so times and have much experience. So, I'll spend most of tomorrow in Safad.

I just wrestled my laundry line stand thingy into position on the ramp and will hang the stuff that has now gone through the washer twice shortly. I just put the wet stuff on the house wheely, sit on New Harley Too and hang it. I can actually handle that myself. I'm a little afraid to open the machine because I fear the stuff could well be ruined. That will not go over well. I only stopped here for a few minutes to rest and post this. This do half something, rest, then do the other half is getting old. It might slow things down, but, in the end I get things done!

AND THE GIMP GOES ON

I guess I can add another knife to the collection in my back. Help me out here. I'm not 100% sure that I'm wrong on this. Dem Der Bad Mainiac(thanks Boe) which is Striar's new nickname desperately needs help getting his stuff ready for the big move and I asked Orna to go up to Safad with me to help. She took umbrage and refused point blank while pointing out that she's ok with helping me when she can but that it's too much to expect her to help him too. I hope someone will remind me of that the next time her inlaws need help.
We had a deal that she would keep on top things at Gimp House and she was supposed to hang the wash out last Tuesday after the dryer deal fell through. She didn't and a few things including a summer blanket and a favorite sheet sat in washer since Tuesday. I noticed a musty smell in the kitchen yesterday and thought it was just the trash she hadn't taken out. The same smell hit me smack in the nose when I came in from Safad last night, but only this morning did I realize that it was the stuff still in the washer. I'm running it through the washer again in the hopes the stuff isn't ruined beyond hope. There's also the matter of the paint job her husband was supposed to finish before Aron came over in March but is still only part done, and the lights he hasn't put up yet. I just never expected that from her. He didn't ask her to donate the time. I did, and she would have been well paid. Right. I still have a few ideas for finding willing hearts and hands. It was just disconcerting to be told that I went too far expecting her to do something for someone other than me. I have a feeling that it might have something to do with the welfare mentality so many Israelis who have lived on SS for generations. They expect to helped but think that they don't have to do anything in return except for the specific person who did them a good turn or more. I think I'll leave that theory to the social science reasearchers.
On the bright side, I've found a work around for my email troubles. Stuff I send from the servers web mail seems to getting to it's destination so I'm using that for now. One day I'll get the issue solved so mails will get through from my preffered mail client. I can live with the work around for now. That should be my biggest problem.
Another good thing was that there was no car in the way of my space when I got home last night and I slipped the Focus in perfectly the first time. It's so rare that I don't have to maneuver back and forth that it is indeed noteworthy! But then, I always was good at parking!

THE END OF AN ERA

I have had it, I tell you, had it. Today my server and I will sort the outgoing e mail issues or I WILL change servers. Even my yahoo mails get lost. This is just too much. I get mails just fine, but the ones I send seem to just shoot off into cyberspace never to be seen again. We started to do it yesterday but the phone call self disconnected in the middle and I had to go out. Today is the day. I'm waiting for someone to answer the phone on their end as I type. I will not give up today.
Granted, it's no big deal to answer list posts via the list, but, it's supposed work through regular e mail too and using the servers web mail.

WELL, THAT'S THAT

Striars rotten mean landlord had decided that hard ball is his game of preference. The bitchy neighbor downstairs who also rents from the same jerk and is arrears, (totally irrelevant)informed the landlord that Striar is looking for a housing authority flat. She got that from the mayor's secretary who had no business telling her that and is now in imminent danger of losing her job. The landlord told the downstairs people to turn off Striars electricity because the meter and fuse box are in their flat. So, Striar now has a cable strung from a different neighbor's house for lights, etc. He was nervous about leaving the flat to go with me for my doppler thingy, so I went alone. Now that I've had the shot it wasn't too bad. The last time we went to get the shot, Striar somehow got the little axel whatsit out of the wheel, and put in backwards. It took me a while to figure out why the wheel wasn't going on right. He got it all backasswards and the hoop was on the inside instead of on the outside! That's easy enough to fix. I also learned that I can sit on the edge of the boot to put the wheely together and take it apart. That is a very handy thing to know.
Having had so many of those doppler test things, I've gotten pretty good at figuring them out while they're being done. The artery I'm concerned about is getting worse but it's not quite critical yet. I'll wait for the report, then go see a vascular guy.
Tomorrow I'm dragging as many as I can of Orna's family up to Safad to get Striar organized. I stopped by his place on my way home but didn't go in because my leg was hurting a little. Well, duuhhnn. I did stairs yesterday (only 5) and drove to Haifa, and used the leg to get into and out of the clinic, so I really didn't want to mess with those 5 stairs again. It should be ok tomorrow. I'll rest it tonight. In fact, I'll start right now and go read the papers!

HEADS UP

Our favorite gimp is going to busy in the extreme for the next few days, so, don't worry if I don't post here for a few days. I will have my trusty notebook close to hand so I'll be able to jot down reminders of anything of interest that happens like how I stabbed myself last night, among other intrigueing incidents of gimpness!

I JUST HAD TO OPEN MY BIG MOUTH

There are indeed certain specific laws governing the way the universe runs. The one I can never quite obey is the one that says when something is working correctly, shut up!
After they changed the old worn out modem everything was going just fine until I mentioned that to someone somewhere. Barely 24 hours passsed before the troubles started. Yesterday I got up, did my usual morning stumble getting Peg out, my coffee made and self situated at the computer only to find that it was off line. After doing the whole unplug, replug, restart routine with no results I called the cable people. It came back while we were talking but she insisted on sending a tech guy who came and checked everything out. According to him, it was working just fine. Until this morning. I just went through the whole performance again, with a twist. The gal I was talking to told me at one point to unplug the computer. I looked at the 'socket strip' I can't get to and told her. "I can't" It's too low and in a tight space. Then I saw the plug in the main socket and unplugged that, and in so doing also disconnected the phone modem. She called me back on the other phone and again on the hands free phone after I plugged the whole thing back in. After a few more modem/router unplugs and a restart, I was back on line. I wonder what will happen tomorrow morning. I really don't need the agro pre coffee.

I think I have a handle on the Great Move Striar Into Gimp House project. I'll know in a couple of hours if we have a truck for Saturday night or not. I'm pretty sure we do, but it's not quite a done deal yet. At least I have the Saturday insurance thing done, so I'll be able to go up with Orna and get things moving.
I'd best get a move on now. I have so much to do and a whole lot more to write about here, but can do later.

SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T THINK

Poor old Striar. It's not like he doesn't have enough problems as things are, now he'll most likely be moving with me.
Back when he was having all those problems with his landlady and was on the verge of being evicted, an old girl friend helped him rent an apartment there was no way he could continue paying rent on himself. Yes, it was very nice of her to help him, but, she really should have paid for a whole year up front. As it is she's left him to his own devices. Ok, she doesn't OWE him anything, but if you are going to help someone, do it right. He is so far behind in his rent that he really has to get out. Things took an ugly turn yesterday with the landlord threatening to go and physically throw him out. Never mind that it's illegal to do that, illegal never stopped anyone in this country.
So, it's Gimp Girl to the rescue! There is no earthly reason for him not to move into the back room. If we do that he should be able to save a little money and pay off some of his smaller debts while waiting for the apartment he will eventually get from the Housing Authority.
The plan now is to a scarper by Sunday. I'm going to try and round up someone with a pick up and big muscles to help do the physical move. I have a few ideas there. Today all I have to do is get my flu jab, stop in at my insurance guy, and the butcher (today is fresh meat day), talk to a few people, including my son's father in law. He just might be able to get Harley Too put back together well enough for Striar use for a while. The guy has magic hands.
Having Striar here would be good for me too. I don't intend to turn him a slave, but there are so many things I can't do that he can that it will be a big help.
And what the hell are friends for? We are both getting a good laugh from the whole thing. Considering what went on between us just a few short years ago, here I am offering to save him rather than looking for ways to make his life even more miserable!
There are so few Mainers here that it's like he's family!

NOW THERE'S GOOD NEWS!

I'm sitting here all goosebumpy with tears of sheer joy running down my face. Yaacov just called and the tumor in his head has shrunk some more and it's just the best news I've had in ages. And best of all, he called himself to tell me. I'll call Etty later.
Of course he's not out of the woods yet, but after over a year of battling an inoperable malignant tumor in his brain, he's still with us. Thank you, Lord.

SEE? THERE REALLY IS ONE!

See? Not one, but two purple chandeliers! I wasn't dreaming! I went and got the small wall one today and will have it put up as soon as I find a place for it on the wall!
Never mind what the guy in the shop said about it. I never did claim to be anything even close to rational about purple!
Hells Bells. It's 93 F right now, but humid. The good thing is that New Harley Two creates a breeze while moving so I don't feel the heat so much!
I am thirsy and sleepy from the TV issues last night, and almost hungry. I think I'll go change and scrounge a snack. Maybe Pepp will show up again before I crash.

IT REALLY IS TOO MUCH

While out looking for new reading lights I found a huge chandelier with purple chrystals. That's all fine and well except that I have no where to put it! Gimp House is so small it's a joke. They also had a small wall fixture that I fully intend to pick up this week. Never mind that there really is no place for that either!
Then, just to add insult to injury, I went to my beloved Aga site and found that not only do they make a purple(heather) Aga cooker, they make a fridge in the same color. Like I could find a place for either in here. The only thing finding those things does is give me an excuse to try and figure the 'where to put them' question out. Then there's that French Provincial grand piano at Kibbutz Cfar Blum that I want too............For crying out loud there's not even room in here for a toy piano never mind a real one. But the 'mental' exercise is kind of fun, and the few people who know what I'm talking about enjoy the insanity of it all.
I managed to find a drier that meets all my requirements-not German, not assembled in Turkey and a reasonable price. Then, the company the appliance store uses to approve checks turned mine down thanks to my own stupidity in not sorting all the Lavana stuff sooner. It's going to get ugly. They've known me at the store for years and if they won't just accept the checks, I'll cancel the drier.It is entirely beside the point that I do have the cash to buy the drier. Then things are going to get very ugly at Lavana's. Enough already. I got very little sleep last night because the TV froze at 0230 and I had to play with it for half an hour before I got it back.
Right. Lots to do today. Better get going.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

Thank G-d. The holidays are over at last. They seem to go on forever here. Kids are in and out of school. There's no one to talk to in any government office for almost a whole month, and you can start to get a feeling for what infinity might be like.
I did at least get to catch up on most of the stuff on the TIVO, but how much TV can you watch before going nuts? I did get a lot of things caught up on the computer, and that's good. And I got very lucky that my orthodoc was working. Now I can concentrate on closing all my files with tax people and settle into a daily routine. One thing I must do today is look for a new dryer. Mine shorts the electrickery every time I use it and it's getting tiring. It goes like this: Put clothes in dryer. Turn dryer on. Go out. Do errands and stuff. Come in to no lights, Call a neighbor(to find out if it's just here or the whole hood). Move the fridge, Open the door. Struggle to open the steel doors on the electrickery box. Flip the circuit breaker. Struggle to close the steel door. Close the door. Move the fridge. Reset the clocks. Restart the computer. Glare at the dryer. It really is quite annoying as one of the few things I can do myself is laundry, but I need a dryer. Hanging wash out to dry is way beyond me.
I was watching one of my 'house shows' on TV yesterday and the show was all about a working mom who just didn't have time to keep the house neat and clean. They were all going on about how hard it was for her. I don't buy it. I brought up two kids, worked full time, and the house was always clean. Maybe not pharmacy spotless, but neat and clean. So, of course they had a team in to clean and redecorate. Ok, so my kids had to help around the house too and I wasn't a gimp back then, but really. It never took that much time to keep things looking good. The time is there if you want to to do it. If *I* could, anyone can. Granted I did have a bit of a thing about clean floors. I could and did go barefoot alot in the house and the smallest bit of grit could drive me wild. I found my own method for controling that and it worked just fine. Now it doesn't matter because I can't walk without shoes and no one can get a floor to my gritless standard. And it's just not that important any more. I was just amazed at how much slack they were cutting that woman.
It is frustrating to not be able to do all the things I once could, but, that's just they way the cookie crumbled! I can still do lots of things, and for that I am very thankful. I just find some of the stuff that goes on in other people's life curious is all.

SO FAR TODAY HAS BEEN BETTER THAN MOST

It's about time. I woke up early for me after a good sleep. Funny about how that no more pain thing helps and felt a 'hand' drag me to the computer. After getting coffee #1 made, I found my long lost pal Peppermint lurking on IM and for the first time in what seemed like forever we finally had a great chat. Jeanie popped up too, from work. I plan to get back over here while she's at home and on a proper computer, not her cell phone. I got two blog posts up. Pepp will probably kill me over the TH one, but I did tell I meant to do something like that! Of course I hit her at her own blog as well. When I do a job, I do it.
I think I just might take a shower, then maybe have a little kip. I want to be up late tonight and that's a good way to be sure I am. Tomorrow all I have to do is make a quick run into town for the local papers, get fuel for the car, and finish up a few tasks here. I'm almost all caught up and still feeling deleriously happy that the pain is gone. Pain really does very strong negative affects on people. I just never realized how bad until it went away.
My shower beckons.

FUN AND GAMES AT THE FLOWER SHOP

The only thing I had to do in town today was wait for the cable phone line to come and disconnect it. Lavana made the mistake of saying that she had no intention of the paying up the arrears on that line because she didn't want it to start with. Then there was the fact that she never utilized it to it's full extent. I paid it then called the cable phone people and told them to disconnect that line. They finally got back to me and said they'd do it today between 1100 and 1300. I was there waiting, but, the idiot techie called that phone in the store and talked to Lavana not me. She told him not to come because she wants to keep the line. I went ballistic and made her call them back and let me talk to them. After making the first idiot understand that I did not want to disconnect my internet and cable, just one phone line, I got put onto a normal person who actually understood what I was talking about. While this phone marathon was going on Lavana and I had a few exchanges on the subject. After that I had no trouble telling the cable gal that I want it disconnected because she owes me money on that line. In the end we agreed that the guy would come on Monday between 1100 and 1300 and will call MY cell phone not the one in the store. She's also not charging me for this month, which is nice.
All I want is out of the mess that is that family.
Joe Striar has been so supportive about all this and keeps telling me to do what I know I should do. That's such a help. Right now, this very minute I'm listening to him. then, I'm off for a little rest. The pain might have gone but sitting on New Harley Too isn't all that comfortable, so a rest is in order.

BEST DAY SINCE I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN

Yesterday was the best day I've had since.....I have no idea. The funny (odd funny, not ha ha funny) was that all kinds of little aches reappeared. They were obviously masked by the major pain in my right leg. They are worthy of mention in passing only. Not one of them is anything to worry about. I just forgotten they were there t all. I left the house a little before 0900, got what I needed from the clinic, this month's meds, the bank sorted, had a word with Lavana, went to the big harware store to get the combination lock opened, bought a CD rack I've had my eye on for ages and 2 purple elephants. While bringing that load home the lock fell off New Harley Too and I figured I'd find it on the way back to the grcery store, or that someone would just take it. I didn't find it on the way to the store, but did find on the way home. Strangely enough I went right past it on the way. I also managed to not steal anything from the store this time. After putting the groceries away, I went to the other grocery store to pick up a few things the other one doesn't carry. I was home with everything finished by 1530 and a very happy right leg!
I managed to not fall asleep after all that and got a full 6 1/2 hours of sleep without waking up until morning. That another thing that hasn't happened in the longest time.
Today is a short day as yet another holiday starts tonight. Now that I can sit here for a nice long time I plan to catch up on the computer stuff I let slip because it hurt too much to sit here for too long. How cool is that? I'm deleriously happy. It really is almost too good to put into words. Why didn't I think of getting shot before now? Oh, right. Pain makes you not think.
The lesson here is; once the damage is done, get the pain sorted, if the damage can't be fixed. I don't intend to forget that lesson again!

I'M NOT SURE I BELIEVE IT

Thanks to having had a fairly long kip in the afternoon it was very very late before I fell asleep. I woke up early too, but feeling quite rested for a change. I was careful in the extreme taking those first morning steps because I wasn't 100% convinced that the shot worked. But it did! Ok, so there's still a twinge or two, but they are negligible compared to what was. I suspect that people will start calling me dopy thanks to the 'village idiot' grin I can't quite get rid of.
I still have to be careful because even though the pain is mostly gone, there's major damage there and the new trick will be to keep it from getting worse. As long as I can stagger around the house like I have until now, without using the wheely I'll be more than pleased. Now I feel good enough to get moving on the vascular thing.
Please, please, tell me there's no law against feeling this happy.

JOE STIAR

Striar is having a really hard time of it lately. We've already established that I have a talent for helping people and living to regret it. He's in the same boat. It's gotten to the point where we are just about the only ones left to help each other.
I said some really horrid things about him before I figured that out. I take some comfort in having said anything everything that appears any place else to his face.
Now that he's turned into one the guys with a white hat, I'm going to try to find some to help him with the latest nightmare he faces. I have an idea or two or three. I just hope it works out.

PAIN? WHAT PAIN?

As usual, I got up this morning and my first two steps were accompanied by the usual excruciating pain. I got to the clinic in good time and after fighting off three Russian b*tches,(we'll talk about socialized medicine another time) was second into a substitute doctor, who had to make three phone calls to find out what he had to write on the presciption. *I* of course am not a reliable source. In the end I rode out triumphantly and got the stuff at the pharmacy downstairs. Striar, bless his cotton socks, was waiting for me at a bus stop on the way. I duly picked him up, and we got to the clinic near Haifa in good time. There was an old Peugeot clunker in the only wheely space parked so crookedly that he blocked the space next to it as well. No cripple card either. So I just parked next to a 10 year old rice burner. Striar had to bring the wheely parts over to me so I could put it together. The Russian (what else?) owner of the rice burner came over and started going on about a mark on his car that he accused me of causing on his car. I reached over and wiped it off with a wet finger and said that if he wanted a big red mark on his body, I'd be most happy to oblige. A 10 year old rice burner and he acts like it's a Rolls Royce.
Right, in we go, and all the nice people waiting there started the usual blathering about who's next. The doc comes out and asks for my card and the shot stuff. I gave them to him and he came out again and said the nurse would call me into her room. There was a bit of confusion for a minute. He thought the problem was my foot. The word in Hebrew for foot and leg are the same if you don't use a qualifing term. But we has been speaking English and I said leg. Once that confusion was settled, he found a spot on on my right upper thigh and shot me. He is good. Before the needle was out the pain was gone. He rubbed the spot a bit, but forgot to suggest that I walk a few steps to let the stuff spread around. Right. Back in the car, and by the time we were half way home, the pain was back with a vengeance. I was making all kinds of plans for a new course of action. As we had to go up to Safad anyway, Striar asked if we could go by his post office box. It hurts any way so 5 extra minutes won't matter.
As it takes a couple of minutes of standing and bending to get the wheely unchained from the post, the stuff must have moved around. By the time I got in the house the pain was rapidly dissipating. And now it's all gone except for a very little bit of soreness at the site of the jab.
Oh my G-d. The joy of no pain is amazing. I've done a fair bit of joyful crying in gratitude for the gone but not forgotten pain. I also feel incredible stupid for not realizing that the pain I felt driving was from not not moving around enough beforehand. Next time I'll know. The new pain free me was tested in bed too and I had a nap. Gee, I wonder why I fell asleep so easily. Constant bad pain sort of means that even when you sleep, it's not proper rest. The body has to work so hard to continue functioning through the hurt that getting enough rest to make up for it is impossible. So, early to bed tonight for the gimp.
I can't wait for tomorrow. NO PAIN. Thank you G-d and Doc. I am well and truly blessed.