Day 1561 -

Day 1560 - I am back home after spending few days with my dad. It was hard for me to leave. I look at these past few days as a very special gift I got to spend some quality time with him. I hope I will have a chance to do that again.

The right decision

Day 1559 - this morning my dad woke up with a normal sugar reading, so it was the right decision. I have to admit I was anxiously waiting until he got up. It's a scary thought this "what if I was wrong.." But I did check on the Internet for the severity of a hyperglycemia and was assured it is better to be wrong in that direction then to have a hypoglycemia which can be life threatening, thus I chose to be wrong in that direction. Still it made me realize how critical the job of a medical doctor can be. One wrong decision and it might be over. But not here, not this time. We enjoyed a very lovely day, if a little too hot.

An alarm

Day 1558 - a second day here with my dad went by just fine until he measured his sugar blood level to revel a very high level. I couldn't see anything we did out of line. He ate about the same quantity and the same foods as yesterday and there was nothing that jumped out as a probable cause. I knew I had to give him an insulin shot but because of the reasons above I was very hesitant to do so. I read on the Internet about hiperglacimia and decided to wait until the morning, if it will still be too high we'll go to the nurses and ask for their help with the injection. At the end of the meal my dad suddenly realize we forgot his medicines today. He took non of it all day long. That sure explain the high reading. So he took them and I hope that by morning he'll be back to normal. I sure will put a reminder from now on so it won't happen again. I was so happy with my decision to wait and not give him insulin. It seems such a harsh step that I prefer not to use.

With my dad

Day 1557 - after more than a year since my dad got injured and never fully recovered from it, my mom needed a vacation. To be away for a few days and not be on guard and on call 24/7. Since my dad cannot be alone,her original plan was that he'll stay at my brother's for that time. Talking to my dad it became clear to me that this is not a good idea and he'll be so much more comfortable staying home. So I talked to my siblings and we built a schedule when each one of us will stay here for a few days to cover the whole period of her absence. I am the first one and so this morning I left home and arrived here at noon. For the next three days I'll stay here and maybe have a chance for a serious talk with my dad, something that never happens when my mom is around since she is doing all the talking for the both of them. And it gives me a chance, maybe for the last time to spend some quality time with him. I am thankful my siblings agreed to partake in my plan and together enable my dad to stay home. I am thankful for the opportunity to pay back to my dad for all what he did for me when I was helpless. I am thankful I live now here in this country and can do my part after so many years away.

Terrifying news

Day 1556 - we ended a very long and difficult hike, very proud of ourselves for doing it in one day. And then on our way back to the car we heard that this morning there was a big earthquake in Nepal. My daughter left Nepal three days ago, way ahead of her original plan. For some reason she felt she doesn't want to stay there and flew to Thailand. As her mom I was so happy to know she is well and safe and far away from the disaster area. Thanking these unexplained powers that made her change her plans just in time and spared her the sights even if personally unharmed. As a human being I feel for all those there and for the many lives lost and for so many more that forever changed. And it crossed my mind once again, it so much easier to be sympathetic when uninvolved. Don't we all in the secret of our heart feel for others but thank our luck it's not us or someone very dear to us. I know it sounds so callous but I am no mother Theresa and at least I am honest enough to admit to that. I am so very thankful my daughter made this critical decision and is safe in another country now. So I can also be thankful for the wonderful hike I had today.

A very early bedtime

Day 1555 - going on another hike tommorow, planning to wake up at 5 am, which means a very early bedtime tonight. So here we go, it's only 9:45 pm and I'm going to retire for the night; the last few days were very tolling on my sleeping hours reserves and if I want to have enough energy for a serious hike then I have to be responsible and just do it. So back packs are ready, trip plan, food and hiking gear and I even did my evening meditation. I am very thankful to go to sleep in such an early hour. I am thankful we are back on the trail tomorrow. Good night!!

Day 1554 - celebrating Independence Day with all our extanded family at my patents' home. A long tradition that's seems to be on its final stages.

Day 1553 - it is the eve of our Independence Day that comes at the end of our Memorial Day. Unlike most other countries, they follow each other. The idea behind is that we should never forget the heavy price of our right to exist here as a free nation.

The little pleasures in life

Day 1551 - another BBQ evening on our porch. I guess that after few more days the excitement will subside but for now we grill everything we can and enjoy everyone of our trials. So here you go a new toy brings joy and pretty much changes our evening routine and our diet for the better. It's not really the food but the whole experience of sitting on the porch on a balmy night with a glass of wine and the best of company, talking the night away. It's so pleasant and so special; a quality of life this house brought into our life that I didn't see coming. And I sure am thankful for this special bonus.

Day 1550 - 1am and our long evening is finally over. Funny how time flies when we talk.

A Saturday hike

Day 1549 - I woke up this morning with a great desire to go hiking. So even though it was after 10 am we packed light lunch and departed for a whole day hiking trip. It is a beautiful area only half an hour from our city but neither one if us hiked there before. A great opportunity on a most glorious Saturday at time of year when everything is in bloom. I missed hiking so much and I am so happy to be on the trails again!!

A relaxed evening at home

Day 1548 - yesterday I finally located a place were I can buy the missing connector for our gril. So today we drove after work to the butcher and bought few steaks and we had a real party. Sitting on our deck enjoying a wonderful evening with wine and salad and steaks. What else can we ask for. It's the first time since we moved that we had the time for a very relaxed evening and the food was great as well. With every passing day I love the house more. It's so great to be outside and see the green hill on the other side and the only sounds are of the nocturnal animals. I am so thankful to have found this house. I am thankful for a wonderful evening. I am thankful for great food and the great company of my partner. Happiness is were ones' heart is and mine is right here, so happy I sure am.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Day 1547 - it the Holocaust Memorial Day. Every year there are fewer survivors still here with us and the few left, like my father are getting more frail with every passing day. It's unsettling to think that in a few years it will become another history story that people might argue if its even true. That humans are not capable of such atrocities as those crimes against the Jewish people seventy some years ago. I live here in the Jewish country that as dangerous as it is some times, it is still a safe home for the Jewish people and the best is that we are here as a free and proud nation ready to protect our right to live. I lit a candle yesterday to commemorate the list lives of so many people of my family that I never met. Grandparents and uncles and aunts and of course all those who were never born; young lives and old; six million people of our nation perished in an unimaginable ways. I am here today as part of my nation ready to do what ever it takes to make sure something like that will never happen again. I am thankful to be here in my beloved country and to know I am back were I belong. I am so thankful to be here and be alive, to know that I brought to this world one more generation, that i and later my kids will keep this chain unbroken. To be a testimony to the strength and resilience of our people. Amen.

It's so late, again

Day 1546 - 2 am again. Too late to blog. I am not keeping the goals I set for myself. I have to get better about that. I cannot keep doing it so often. But at least I know that there is tomorrow and with it the possibility that I'll do better and for now, that's good enough for me. And now I amthankful I can go to sleep. Good night

Proof of concept

Day 1545 - last week we decided that as of this week we are going to close the store on Tuesdays at 2 pm and have the afternoon for ourselves. Time to take care of the house, go shopping or just to break the very long week. And so we were sitting for lunch in the store after a very quiet morning where not even one person came in and as we were eating the door opened and in came a good client of ours. And half an hour later he left with two bags full of merchandise and we were left with a quarter of a month sale. It is the single biggest purchase we had so far. So we decided it is a confirmation that our decision to take an afternoon off is a good one. The truth is he is a good client and loves crystals so everything he bought found a good home. Still I am still at awe that it happened. We ended the day going to a BBQ store and we bought a BBQ and furniture for our porch. Now we are ready for summer nights. I am thankful for this amazing experience today, to know that our little store had that potential, that we only have to reach the right people. I am thankful for time off we had today. I am thankful for all that we finally had time to buy today, things we sure will use for a very very long time. I am thankful for such a special day.

Trekking in the Himalayas

Day 1544 - my daughter is trekking in the Himalayas, doing the around Annapurna trail. They reached high camp yesterday and were scheduled to wake up in the very early morning for the climb to the pass. Yesterday she said that there is some light snow but it look ok. This morning when I woke up I found out she left me a message they are going back due to heavy snow. I talked to her this afternoon and she sounds pretty shaken but she is ok and this is the most important thing right now. Apparently a trek in these places us not a walk in the park and things can change in a moment notice. I am so thankful she is fine and safe below snow level. All else is secondary today v

A very cold house

Day 1543 - the storm is still going on and its very cold and for some reason I cannot make the AC in the house to work. I tried anything I could think of but to no avail. So I am freezing here. Luckily the one in the bedroom is working so I'll just call it a night and go cuddle under the warm blanket in a warmer room. I'll have to take care of it tomorrow. But I am thankful one of the rooms is warmer and it's still better than being outdoors right now, so no complains. at least not too many. I'd much prefer being in a cold house tonight than to weather the storm the winds, the cold and the rains. I am also thankful it is April so as cold as it is tonight it is still better than in the middle of the winter.

Day 1542 - finished unpacking!! bought some plants and pots for our porch. Now we are ready to start calling it done. A long process but finally it's behind us.

Getting things done

Day 1541 -I was athome today all day long unpacking 3 more boxes and now only 2 are left in my living room; so I'm almost there. I hope by tomorrow I'll be able to call it done. It takes way too long but I hardly find the time to do that and in the long run it really won't matter if it took me three weeks longer. for the rest of this surprisingly cold and stormy day I was typing my notes from my numerology classes. It gives me a chance to go over it in depth, make changes now that I understand more than when I first heard it and also commit all this to an electronic file so I won't lose it. It's all part of my decision to be more organized and to finish all my unfinished projects. and part of my goals setting process. in short, a very busy day even if it was all at home. I am thankful for a little more pleasant living room. I am thankful for a very long typing session but a three days' worth of work. I am thankful for a dry and warm shelterin this very windy and rainy day.

a very, very long night

Day 1540 - it's 4 am and I am still awake - a very long night indeed. Doing things I long delayed, reading and writing and just being alone for a few hours, much needed "alone time". and now I am finally ready to go to sleep. My head is clear, and I know better what I want to do next. A meditative night at that. I am thankful for time I needed to sort my ideas and wants. I am thankful that at 4 am I can finally call it a night.

A clean car

Day 1539 - very late again and I really don't feel very well. But I want to make a very quick entry anyway. My boyfriend took my car today to the car wash and it sure was a very needed act. For weeks I am planning to do that and never find the time. So today, while I was at our booth in the mall, he just did it. It took them more than an hour to thoroughly clean it but I have to admit it feels so much better to drive a clean car bill try to make it a habit to do it at least once a month so it will never again will be in this shameful situation. I am thankful to my boyfriend for taking the car to the car wash. I am thankful and enjoy driving again a clean car. I am thankful for my day, as always.

End of an era

Day 1538 - I went to my rental apartment this morning to do some touch ups paint and fix nail holes and this evening I met with the landlords and after a walk through I gave them back the keys and that was it. An end of an era passed so un-ceremonially that if it was not for my boyfriend I would not even stop to think about it and just let the moment pass. I no longer have to rent a place or have a landlord who tells me what to do. I no longer have to report or get permission for what I do inside my home. From now on I am the driver of that wagon, no one else. I am so thankful I got to this point. I am so thankful for not having to deal with landlords and annual moves. For the foreseeable future I live in my own place answering no one but myself.

Day 1537 - nothing special to report, just another day in the trenches. But the sky was blue, the day was warm and we had good traffic in the store.

I'm late

Day 1536 - I had an appointment this morning to the doctor for a small medical procedure. I did remember that as late as yesterday night but for some reason it did not ring a bell for me to set my alarm clock to the right time. To add insult to injury I did not even wake up in the regular time. By the time I got there I was two hours late and did not even believe they will accept me but to my surprise they did. And so it's done and I am thankful for that, I didn't want to wait another three months for a new appointment. So there are some good thing to the fact that no one here is ever on time and no one really pays to much attention to the rules; in the country I came from it wouldn't fly.

A beautiful ride back home

Day 1535 - on our way back home from my parents we took a detour to see a part of our country I heated about many times but never visited before. It was a most interesting drive and very challenging one so I was very thankful by partner drove it. My heart almost stopped beating when I was not the driver, it would've been too stressful for me to be the driver; hair raising turns and passing few centimeters from opposit direction car is sure not my forte. But to sit and enjoy the scenary sure was. It was a much longer drive but so worth it!! So it was a wonderful weekend and a beautiful drive; and I talked to my daughter and even saw her on TV sending greeting to the holiday, so everything was perfect. I am so thankful for all the love I my life, for all the happiness. I am so thankful for having the courage to take the wagon of my life and steer it in the right direction and by that invite all that now fills it and makes me happy. I am thankful for every moment, for every breath I take.

Day 1534 - Passover with loved ones. What can be better. True my daughters are not here tonight but but they are both in a good place they both chose to be in so they are content and so do I. I wish them both a happy Passover tonight.

Cooking the night away

Day 1533 - by the time we came home tonight from work it was almost 11pm and then I had to cook the traditional "gefilte fish" for the Passover dinner tomorrow. Problem was that although I took the fish out of the freezer yesterday it was still totally frozen tonight. So for an hour I thaw it over gentel steam before I could start cooking. In short, it is now 2 am and only now I am done. All is stow away in the refridgirator and I ready to call it a night. A short one but still, my mission accomplished and I am ready for another great day tomorrow. I am thankful for another very long day that is finally coming to its end. I am thankful for a short but important night sleep. I am thankful for a wonderful day at the store and at the mall, last minute gifts did wonders to our bottom line.

A connected world

Day 1532 - I talked to my daughter today after three days she was rafting on a river in Nepal. We take for granted the availability of phones and cellular reception in our industrious environment; but it sure isn't in those remote place where life still a little less hectic. So I am very thankful I can stay in touch with her almost on a daily basis and not worry about her safety and well being in the same way it was twenty years ago when it could be weeks without hearing from a loved one. Now we are all just a phone call away, no matter where you are on the globe. So I am so very happy she is having so much fun and I am so very thankful for modern technology, even when in other times I might complain about some if it.