Quality time

Day 833 - I got the boxes yesterday and had full intention to start packing today, but... I have a whole list of reasons why it didn't happened that will not change the end result - I planned to pack and I didn't. So a day went by with no action on my part, no action in that arena I did do other things today, yet the most important thing on my list did not make it to the top. I am trying to think what could I do differently and I really don't see much room for wiggle, I think my plate is a little full and I am struggling for more time. I can only feel blessed for a statement like that. I was so busy since I got home from work and all with important and meaningful things! So it might take another day but I was there for my loved ones; I spent quality time with my partner and had some very interesting discussion, I spent time with my daughter and had a very interesting discussion as well on a very different topic and last but not least I had an important phone call with a very dear friend who got laid off from work and I was trying to show him a different way to look at it; he is a dear friend and he is really down right now and I am doing it with all my love. So I can look at this evening and say I did not pack or I can look at it and know I did some good tonight and I can create a different reality and a different outcome by this simple decision. I am sure you know by now what my choice will be. 

I am thankful I had an opportunity to spend quality time with my loved ones tonight. I am thankful for present we get every day at every turn of the road. I am thankful for friendships, for love all around; in my book it's so much more important than another box!

Moving - step two

Day 832 - my daughter is the first one to move. Her contract is up tomorrow and so she packed her stuff in the past two days and tonight with the help of my boyfriend's son she move. He has an SUV and so he became the family mover. It's so nice of him to do that, especially for my daughter. And so I met them in the new house at 11 pm, we unpacked in a very short time and he drove back to his home and she came with me to mine. She'll stay here for the next few days since there's no fridge or stove in the new house yet. But we got the boxes from the moving company yesterday so we'll start packing today and schedule the move for next week. It makes me so happy she is here with me, I really missed her. I know it will end at some point since this is the way of life, but it was too early and I'm so happy she's back.

I am thankful for a move that went smoothly. I am thankful to my partner's son for all his help today; it warms my heart to see how nice they get along, it feels like family. I am thankful for a very long day but so satisfying even if it is a little short. I am thankful stage two is over.

Down time

Day 831 - A relaxed day after a very busy weekend. Work day and an evening stroll, coffee break - nothing special for the outsider but a very satisfying day for me. Something I needed and a little lull before the next big rush - the move itself. Still I put in few hours of our work in the evening, but that is something I do for us so it feels OK. It is late and I am going to sleep. I love it that I call 6 hours of sleep late; there were days when I got it down to 3 hours, so I am managing my sleep time better and I am very happy about that!
  
I am thankful for this down time; I know I will need this in the next few weeks. I am thankful for a very enjoyable evening with my partner. I am thankful for an adequate sleep time; I will do my best to keep this trend. 

House cleaning - day 2

Day 830 - Cleaning a house before moving in takes a long time, at least in our book. I am not such a clean freak but I cannot move into someone else's dirty house. So we cleaned yesterday and we drove there again today, all the three of us and cleaned for 5 more hours. It is still not done but we did a lot and by now it is in a moving- in condition. I'm sure we will do so much more when we'll get there but by now it is good enough that I will agree to put my close in the closet and my dishes in kitchen cabinets. And we cleaned all the window screens (it looked like it was the first time ever it was cleaned) so we'll also have nice and fresh air coming through them. In short, after about 30 hours of work altogether we are done. in a few days my daughter will move her stuff and in about two weeks or less we'll move too. 
  
I am thankful this stage is over; it's a necessary stage but very tiring one and I a, so thankful it's behind us now. I am thankful that in such a short time we'll be living in our new place. I am thankful to my daughter and to my partner for being such great team players so we could do all we did today. I am thankful for a very important weekend and as usual for the blessed sleep that is raising its head once again. Good night!!   

Getting ready for the move - step one

Day 829 - my daughter is moving into the new house we rented next week. So before anything we had to clean the house. I picked her up from the train station, we bought some extra cleaning stuff, we bought some food and on we drove to the house. You have to do things in the right order, eat first clean later, and we did. It was delicious hummus and a very tasty salad. Yummy! And then, we full bellies we dived in. Six hours later we realized what time it is and decided to call it a day and drove back home. Only when we got out of the car we started feeling the toll of such a hard day, all the aches and pains. I was able to stay home and relax but my daughter still had to drive an hour and a half to meet her kibbutz family for a late dinner. I was exhausted in the evening even without that drive. I guess I'm not twenty any more and don't have that kind if energy. But I am very happy, even if I'm tired that we did it. That we can now move and know it is clean. There are still things to do but it is in a moving-in condition.

I am thankful for the day; as hard as it was I would never move into a house without thoroughly cleaning it. I am thankful to my daughter for all her hard work, for the company, for a fun day of us together; I missed this and I am so thankful she decided to move back home. I am thankful for a long and healing sleep awaiting me as soon as I'm done typing. I'm thankful, as always, for another day on this earth. 

About procrastination and messages we get

Day 828 - I have the tendency to procrastinate big times. I put things off for tomorrow and the day after, and the day after and soon enough I just forget about them all together and two months later I'll wake up and realized nothing happened in the meanwhile. I was planning to write this post about something I put off for the past three month regarding the store I purchased. It was something really simple and today I finally forced myself to do that and it took me about half an hour to complete the whole thing. And to think that for three months I walk around and think that I really have to do it, instead of just go ahead, do it and forget about it! I don't have a good explanation to why I do that but it sure is something that is holding me back in so many aspects of my life and I have to get it under control. This is what I wanted to write about and then I just realized something very interesting. I asked my partner today to do a tarot card reading for me about a specific issue; and the answer I got from the cards was very straight forward - I know the answer, and I know what is right but I am asking questions and second guess myself in order not to take action, in other words - I am procrastinating!! It just done on me how appropriate is card and this answer to me in general and specifically in the subject matter; how clear is the message I got - it is time for me to stop procrastinating, take responsibility and take the right action. If I will do that I will succeed and see a lot of good in my life, but if I won't listen I will be very frustrated and it will keep haunting me. So I am taking the first step tonight, it is time to change a loosing formula with something better and make my life better for doing that. 
  
I am thankful for the message I got today in my daily life as well as in the tarot cards reading. I am thankful for having a mirror being put in front of me, so I cannot ignore the problem any longer. I am thankful I was able to understand it is a gift sent to me from above, and get the message; I think we get things when we are ready for them and today was a perfect timing for that. I am thankful since I know that by taking action I will be able to start turning the wheels of the my life's wagon once again; they got a little stuck lately. I am thankful for a very special day.  

A heart full of gratitude

Day 827 - I am sitting here thinking what should I write about tonight. My life got into some kind of a routine and it's hard to find something to write about. My day is simple - I wake up, take a shower and get ready for work; if time permits, I'll have coffee with my beloved partner before going to work;coming back from work happy to be home, spend time with him which we can do to no end. Almost half a year since we met and we never run out of things to talk about, always in deep conversations. and I love it. The constant intellectual challenge, to expand my mind. And so an evening stroll becomes an hour or two hours long discussion about serious stuff, about the way we think and view the world around us; about the important of certain things in our life and so forth. And so this is what I am thankful for tonight, that after years I lived in a spiritual dessert I have a partner who see the world eye to eye with me , who chooses the path less traveled, who challenges me on every step to grow and expand my horizon and my boundaries. 
  
I am thankful for these challenges, I hope it will encourage me to start moving in this direction once again. I am thankful for our friendship; for bonds that are getting stronger with every passing day. I am thankful, like every day for every blessed moment, for every phone call I had today with my loved ones. I am thankful for every breath I take, for a day that comes to an end with only good things I took from it; for my life, just as they are. I kneel before Him with a heat full of gratitude.

An evening with friends

Day 826 - for the past five months since I met my partner I didn't almost any of my friends. I work long hours and when I come home at the evening I want to spend time with him. I have to be more fair to myself, I was also very busy every evening trying to set the Facebook to work the way we wanted and then few more project in the same line. So, I really was very busy. But driving home today I told myself it is not OK to disconnect from everything and everyone, especially since we are moving in a few weeks and I won't be so close to everyone anymore. And so I called one of my friends and invited her and her boyfriend over. It was a very last minute thing and I didn't have anything to serve but coffee and tea but it was nice and they stayed here for a very long time. We used to meet almost every week and we kind of disconnected since we both met our partners. And it was nice to meet again and catch up, get to know her partner and for them to meet mine. I kind of let everything evaporates from my life and it's not right, balance is the name of the game and I will try to be better about that. 
  
I am thankful for a very pleasant evening with my friends. I am thankful my partner was able to get into it and not be left as an outsider. I am thankful for our coming move, for the excitement of a new beginning but it is a little sad to say goodbye again to my friends here, and I can already see it coming. I am thankful for going to bed before 1 am - OMG, not again...  

Market Day

Day 825 - Ever since my partner moved here we buy our groceries in the open market. I love the atmosphere there and the produce are always very fresh, much more than in the supermarket and on top of it the prices are less than half. So we made it a habit to go once a week or every ten days and do our shopping there. Sometimes he goes there earlier and I come from work to pick him up with all the bags and sometimes I join him and have an opportunity to enjoy the very unique experience, Where I lived abroad there was a framers' market once a week but it's not the same as this down to earth and very vibrant market. By now the sellers know us and are always ready to help - keep our bags until we are ready to leave, or give us the best produce. As we are wrapping up our lives here in this city, it makes me sad to leave this behind. Maybe once a week I'll come with my car so we can still enjoy the market, or maybe we'll have to find another one closer to our new town. Part of the ritual after coming home is to put everything into our tiny refrigerator and than eat some of the goodies, drink grapefruit juice. and today was no exception. It makes me so happy that so much good and healthy food is making its way into my plate and into my body, all things I didn't do before; all thanks to my boyfriend. So it enriches my life in one more way that I never really considered while counting my blessings...
  
I am thankful to yet another "market day" full of colors and tastes and smells. I am thankful for healthy food, healthy habits, healthy lifestyle,I am thankful to my partner for introducing me to all that after being disconnected for so many years.  

Motorcycle Grand Prix 2013

Day 824 - my partner used to ride sport motorcycles for years and he still loves the sport very much; and now it is the Grand Prix season. He was anxious to see the races but we have no TV. I searched on the internet for a long time and could not find a free live streaming of the races and so we downloaded Satellite Direct and from now on he can watch all the games on my computer. It was a very last minute thing so we were not prepared with the right stuff but in two weeks we will be there again at the race with beers and pop corn to watch as the race unfolds. Even without all that it was interesting to watch the wild performance of tier 1 sport motorcycle riders. Its hair raising, breath taking - you name it. It's hard to believe people can drive like that and come out of it unscratched. What's amazing just as much is to think he did some of these things, even if not at that level on the public roads. I am so happy I did not meet him then and were not tempted to try riding on these beasts. But I have to admit, it was so interesting to watch it. And it is late again and I am going to retire for the night; happy that the day is over, happy I am doing it before midnight and happy I found the solution for my boyfriend to watch the only thing he cares to watch on TV. The wonders of modern technology - everything at the tips of our fingers, we just have to know how to find it.    
  
I am thankful for an interesting evening, for a sport I was introduced to that I never watched before. I am thankful I could do something for my partner, something that is so easy for me, not so for him and on top of it, it made him so happy. I am thankful for another day with normal bed time. Good night!

A very rainy Sabbath

Day 823 - It was a very stormy day today, a perfect day to stay home in our PJs and eat hot soup, drink hot tea and enjoy each other's company. Did I mention sleep late as well? and this is exactly what we did, the three of us. I also watched a movie with my daughter on my computer, since I don't own a TV and we enjoyed it very much. Remember how I wrote several time in the past few weeks of how tired I am? today was the perfect remedy for that. It was a wonderful day and I am going to keep it this way and go to sleep in a normal hour, wake up tomorrow after 7 hours of sleep, to continue this trend and hopefully start a new week in the right way.

I am thankful to my daughter and my partner for a perfect weekend, relaxed and homey, just the way it should. I am thankful to mother nature for forcing us to take it easy today and just enjoy a lazy day at home. I am thankful for all this rain and even more so for having a dry and warm shelter in a day like that. I am thankful for few hours of extra sleep I got this weekend.

BBQ with the fam

Day 822 - We just came back home from an evening at my partner's son. It is the first time since we met that we spend quality time with his oldest son. We were invited as was his youngest son who also gave a ride to my daughter. So a family gathering as funny as the definition of "family" is in our case - his sons my daughter and us and of course his son's girlfriend and her sister and two big dogs and a small one. It could have been a little stressful in any other place but not with our family members; all easy going and fun. It was a very pleasant evening and I am so happy I finally got to meet this son in a more relaxed environment and get to know him a little, same for the girlfriend that seems to be "the one" for him. And it's nice to be in this gathering and feel at home; expend the definition of family to one more circle; to have yet a little bigger family. and since we are going to stay together these dear people are going to really become a family to me. and I really like it, the fact that we can mesh it all together and add so much to our overall happiness. I had a wonderful evening following a wonderful day; how lucky one can be...

I am thankful for a very pleasant evening. I am thankful for family and friendship. I am thankful for my warm bed and the bad weather forecast it means late wake up and a lazy day; just what the doctor ordered.  

Finally changing my sleeping habits?

Day 821 - I think I over did it these past two weeks. I go to sleep too late, I wake up too early, I drove over 2000 km and I just don't take time to slow down. The end result is not good. I am constantly tired, and by now it is getting to the point that I have to do something about it. So, tomorrow being Friday I am going to take my time and do as little as possible. I want t wake up late,  read a book, relax... I owe it to myself. It is not good to be in over-drive all the time, it burns the candle on both ends and in my age it's not funny any more. It's not that anyone is forcing be to do that, it's not that I cannot go to sleep earlier, it's just bad habit that I find so difficult to kick out of my life. But if I really am as caring and loving towards myself then I should do just that; bring back peace and serenity into my life, slow down. This coming week, I'll try to practice that and see how it goes.

I am thankful I brought my sleeping habits to the point of taking notice. I am thankful for an opportunity to change things around. I am thankful that at 1 am I am finally retiring for the night and since it's Thursday night I can sleep late tomorrow. I am thankful, as usual for a blessed sleep.

Tired, what's new?!

Day 820 - after the long drive yesterday and the very short night I am very tired, so tis will be a very short post. I wanted to write about a friend of mine who was laid off few days ago and about my view as to the opportunities this stressful event represent but I will do that tomorrow. Its a very serious subject and I want to do it in a coherent way.
Tonight I am just thankful I can crawl to my bed and go to sleep for 6 hours unlike the past few days.

A family gathering

Day 819 - in our country we celebrate our Independence Day the day after Memorial Day and this is what we celebrated today. It is our family's tradition to gather at my parent's home and be together for the day. Some drove there yesterday and spent the night there and the others came in today, us among them. It is a very long drive - 350 km in each direction, but never the less it was such a wonderful day and totally worth the drive. We were 30 people in a tiny house but it was so enjoyable and I loved it. For so many years I missed all the family's traditions, I missed seeing the kids growing up and finally becoming parents themselves, I missed being with my siblings and their families, missed being surrounded by my family, missed having them as part of our lives. And now that we are back here, I am trying to built the bridges again, to catch up. I will never be able to make up for the lost time, but I can make sure that going forward things will be different. I will not add up to the mistakes of the past. I will drive almost 8 hours to be 8 hours with them. It made me happy to see my daughter so happy, finally having family instead of the emotional vacuum in which we lived over there, to see her becoming a closer friend with her cousins, playing with all the little ones and bathing in the warmth and love. It was also the first time for my partner to meet most of my family and I was a little worried it will be overwhelming for him, it is a lot to take in at one time, but it went very well and they all loved him of course. It made me happy to see all that, be part of that and to know that this is one more reason I made the right decision coming back here. 
  
I am thankful for a very long but very special day. I am thankful for love and friendship, for the feeling of belonging. I am thankful for being able to be part of this great web of life, to be part of my family once again. I am thankful for coming back home after so many years away and being accepted by everyone with no hard feelings and no boundaries. I am thankful for a most wonderful day with my partner and my daughter and all my extended family. I am thankful for everything.    

We got the house

Day 818 - I was very excited about the house we found until I read the contract yesterday and it was very disappointing since the contract as it read was something I was not ready to sign; it was harsh and unfair to the renter, even aggressive I should say. We both felt the same and were sure it a lost cause. Still I called our future landlord today and told him there are few issues I'd like to discuss and to my surprise he said that no problem lets talk, and so we did and he agreed to all the changes I asked and made me comfortable not only about the contract but the people behind it because the last thing I want are unpleasant people in my life, especially as a landlord. and so after clearing all the hurdles, we met him there, closed few more holes in the contract and sigh it!!! Now we have a house in the countryside, not in the big city, an old dream of mine that is materializing in front of my very own eyes. and doing it with my boyfriend and my daughter - what else can I ask for?! 

I am thankful we got this house, it feels so good to be connected to the ground again and not live in an apartment, to be in the country and not in a big city. I am thankful we are moving as a family, really starting a new chapter together. I am thankful finding a good landlord that even with all the hurdles we could come to an agreement that will make us comfortable enough to move in. I am so thankful for all the blessings in my life.

Memorial day

Day 817 - it's the eve of our memorial day. Unlike many other countries where they commemorate fallen soldiers of forgotten wars thus there is no real connection of most of the citizens to the magnitude of the day and that which it represents, here we are still at war, 65 years after we got our independence we still have to fight for our right to live as a free nation in our country and soldiers die all the time. In wars, in border clashes, in terrorist attacks and in training. we are still a nation that lives only because it can protect itself. It is a very sad reality and with relief in sight. When I was a little girl my grandmother used to tell me that by the time I'll be old enough to go to the army there will be no army, I still have this picture burnt into my memory. Now I am 55 years old and my youngest daughter is already out of the military service and I am not that naive to think that her kids will not have to be soldiers one day. For many years I lived abroad, not willing to take part in this collective fate we have as a nation. But as time passed I realized, that like in a Greek tragedy, one cannot escape his fate, one cannot turn his back on his people and expect to live peacefully. I live here now for almost three years; I already went through the experience of one big military operation, ready for a full blown war that luckily never came. And I can say without any doubt - I am so thankful I took this step and came back to my homeland. Wars, financial difficulties, social problems, corruption... I don't care! it is all part of the life I embrace here once again. I am at peace and if anything will happen to me tomorrow I will die a happy woman, For I have found what I was missing for so many years, I have found the connection between me and the collective soul of our nation; I have found my home again. And so today, I am standing and commemorating our fallen soldiers thanking all the men of our country who fought in all these endless wars, my boyfriend included, for their courage and sacrifices. This is what brought us to this day. It breaks my heart to think of all the lives that ended before they had time to blossom; of lives that changed for ever of their families, of the wounded soldiers. I think of all of them today and I thank each and every one of them. I always tell my daughter, we all have to serve in the military and the fact we all did that give us the moral strength and the ability to stand today tall and proud when we hear our national anthem and the sirens going through every village and town. We are a free nation and we are ready to pay the ultimate price to make sure our children and grandchildren will be able to say the same.

I am thankful to be here on this day and to stand tall with tears in my eyes, proud to belong to this nation. I am thankful for every quite day, for every moment of peace, for the amazing country we all created here. I am so thankful I can include myself now in this collective We.

The simple joys in life

Day 816 - after a long and very stressful week in which we had no time, we decided to take the day for ourselves to enjoy. We woke up late, had breakfast at 1 pm and didn't leave home until after 5 pm. With our busy schedules and hectic life style it is so good to take some time to unwind. Just to enjoy being together with nothing on our plate. We did drive in the evening to the Big City, an hour away from home but the late start and the slow beginning did wonders for us. I run on very high gear and I think it is essential to stop every once in a while and just enjoy life; enjoy the simple pleasures with no stimulation from the outside. We are almost 5 months together, still very new and it is good to have some quality time like that to strengthen the bonds without driving ourselves to exhaustion due to the late hours when we finally retire. It's funny, we run to the end of the world looking for peace of mid and for happiness and it's all here, under our noses; here for the grab. We just have to take our time and really open ourselves to what is all around us; happiness beyond our ability to comprehend and grasp. Everything we look for is inside us just waiting to be noticed and excavate. And when we are ready to open up and really look for it we will find happiness where ever we are, what ever our circumstances are. The simple joys in life are free and abundant, we just have to ask and the planet will respond in kind. Happiness is here for all of us; we just have to truly believe we deserve it and make it our own. Five months ago the planet sent my way the man I was looking for; I was lucky enough to have my eyes and my heart open and saw that and I am thankful for that every single day. It doesn't mean we don't have rough patches, like everyone else, it only means we know we are a perfect match for each other and therefor we are ready to fight for it and make it work. But not today, today we just thanked our fortune for being in each other's life.
   
I am thankful for a very restful weekend. I am thankful for the little presents strewn in our way; ours just like that. I am thankful, like every day in the past five months, for finding the man that makes me so happy.      

House hunting, an update

Day 815 - there were very few houses in the past week and I was getting a little uneasy since my daughter has to move by the end of the month. With only three interesting houses this week we drove there. The first one was so run down that I would not move there even if it was free. The neighborhood was not the best as well. But the second was a whole different story. It needs some TLC, but has a great potential and the area is nicer also. We went to see the third one as well and it was cute and much less in need TLC but it had less of a character and we both preferred the second. So I talked to the landlord and hopefully we can sign a contract by the beginning of next week. As always, the opportunities present themselves when we really need them and if we don't apply black magic, but sometimes it's hard to stay calm when the time is getting short or the stress compounds. A lesson to remember. I have to learn to aim my thought and wishes, send them to the planet and trust that it will come my way. 

I am thankful for a good outing today, for a successful hunt. I am thankful the planet is taking care of me. I am thankful for a day that started so-so and ended so well.

The creation of a new painting, a pregnant woman

Day 814 - Still nursing the pains of the very late drive yesterday and the not enough sleep. But It was a very good day on the painting front. After a long break with all the holidays I was finally back in the zone for a very enjoyable painting session. It is very different than what I was painting lately - not abstract but a woman; a pregnant woman. I was thinking about this subject for a very long time but did not find the right way to approach it and today I just did and I am very happy about that. It is not done yet but good enough for an initial posting so here you go my latest addition to the growing collection. For me a pregnant woman represents so much more than just a naked woman with a big belly. It is the utmost creation; the creation of new life. It is The Big Mother, the planet, the bounty in life. It is life itself. Looking at the picture with these eyes I probably have to change her hair and add colors; some greens and reds. But even as it is right now, I like what came from under my loving brush. The funny thing is that, as usual, I have a game plan that changes in midair as I get into this alternative reality of the creative mind. I love the fact that no matter what my plans are as I work on the background they start changing, the painting start emerging from nowhere, start materializing. It didn't happened last time and I just get lost, not knowing how to continue without my muse. I have to be in the zone for that to happen, I guess. 

I am thankful for the muse that set on my shoulder tonight, it felt so good to be in the zone again. I also managed to solve a Facebook challenge that yesterday I almost gave up and decided to hire someone to do it for me, so I am very thankful for that as well. Overall a very productive evening, what else can I ask for...  

A family celebration

Day 813 - it's almost 2 am and I just came back home from a Bat Mitzva party to my niece. It was in the Deep South and started late and so only now I made it back home. It was wonderful to see everyone. I really love them all and sadly I don't get to see them enough, so I stayed late and now I am so very tired. I can't wait to go to sleep. Yet I am so very happy I drove there and saw them all.

I am thankful for a fun filled evening of family and friends. I am thankful I made it home safely. I am most thankful I can go to sleep now.

So late again

Day 812 - As time goes by I find it more difficult to hold on to my end of the deal - writing a new story every day and finding reasons to be thankful for that. The question is of course why? The easiest answer is the fact that I have someone in my life right now that is here with me all the time and so I find myself night after night still talking with him way past midnight and only then, realizing it is so late again I try to log on for a few moments and write something. True, his presence in my life took away a lot of the free time I had, but it is also true that it filled my life with so much happiness. So I don't find as much time to write but I am thankful every single for not being able to do that. I will find my balance again, I know that, and until then I will just enjoy the fact that I have this wonderful man in my life who kind of stirred up everything and made me so very happy in the process. I changed things but I didn't change, at least not that I am aware of and I am very thankful everyday for having him in my life.

I am thankful for having this wonderful man in my life. I am thankful for having so much to talk about that I go to sleep way too late every single day. I am so very thankful that I got a second chance to write the story of my life. I am thankful I can go to sleep now, its past 1am, again.

Tired

Day 811 - I'm tired from too many hours on the computer.

Holocaust memorial day

Day 810 - its the Holocaust memorial day in our country.

The renewal power of nature

Day 809 - a beautiful Saturday and we just could not stay home. So we packed our backpacks and drove to the nearest city for a half a day hike in the area that was hit by the big Carmel fire two years ago. It was sad to see all the burnt trees, a silent evidence to the fire that roared there for over a week and devoured acre upon acre of trees and sadly also the lives of 43 people. We hiked there and it was both sad and uplifting. Nature does not dwell on yesterday and what ever happened in the past stays there. It only deals with today and today was warm and sunny and full of flowers. You can see amazing flowers everywhere. And this is new to the area because under the dense canopy of trees and the acidity of the soil only few plants can grow.But now that the trees are gone the wild flowers where in full bloom. You can become very philosophical when hiking. The meaning of life and death in the cycle of life in nature; the meaning of really living in the moment; the burst of new life and renewal in the face of death and destruction, or better yet in its wake. We are both recovering from health problems and so the hike was a little more difficult than usual but so very beautiful. My partner already hiked the trail in the past but it looked very different then, and I never been to this specific trail so we both enjoyed it very much. But I came home and was so tired - the antihistamines are still taking their toll on me so I had to go for a short nap and even now I am so very tired and just ready to hit the sack again.

I am thankful for a wonderful hike today. I am thankful for having a partner who likes to hike as much as I do; with every passing week I learn to appreciate it even more. I am thankful for lessons I learned today on the trail from the ever so wise mother nature; I hope I will be able to incorporate those lessons into my life.

Allergic reaction

Day 808 - I had an allergic reaction yesterday, something too common in our family. It was strong enough that I went to the doctor and asked for something to alleviate the itching and as usual I could not keep my eyes open. I fell asleep before I could write my blog. So here I am a day later already in a little better condition, it's not so swollen but still very itchy but today I was awake enough to even drive a very short drive. But I still had to sleep several times during the day, it's a real problem to stay awake with antihistamines in my system. Most people are ok with it but not me. So I never abuse this drug, I take it only when I really cannot do without it, like yesterday. The bad thing is that I have no idea what caused the reaction so I cannot prevent it from happening again, but the good thing is that it might not be very pleasant but it is nothing compared to what my daughter went through two years ago, this is not a dangerous reaction and I will make it through. It kind of put everything in perspective for me. 
  
I am thankful for modern medicine that can turn a very unpleasant condition into a much tolerable one. I am thankful I am so much better today and I'm sure it will be even more so tomorrow. I am thankful for a wonderful day at home even if I was not at my best. 

no entry

Day 807 - no entry.

Some progress

Day 806 - It's late, again. I'm working some more on my Facebook applications. It takes me for ever but I don't give up. We see some activity in our page and today we made some progress about marketing it so who knows, maybe things will start moving soon in our direction.I better finish my tabs project I think it starts holding us back...

At the crossroads, again

Day 805 - I am getting close to the three years mark. It's hard to believe, time moves so fast. I am looking at my life as they are right now asking myself what is it that I want to do next. I am restless, I feel like I settled down too fast, didn't really do so many of my plans... I am happy with my love life but I feel like more changes are needed. and in that category I include my living situation and my work. I want to move to a quieter place, away from the big city and in a place that will enable my daughter to join us. And I want to do something about my job. I used to like it but ever since I came back from my Israel National Trail hiking I cannot find back my footing, I lost some of the interest and I think it is time for a change. But I try to be responsible, or at least this is the story I tell myself. I have to find something before I leave what I currently have, this is the conventional wisdom but is it true? Isn't it just as fine to leave all behind, take a few months if needed to figured out what I want to do next and than start it with all the enthusiasm I can master. I am at the crossroads again. I love this place but right now I am so confused. 
  
I am thankful for the confusion, although it takes an awfully long time, for when I'll come out of it I'll be ready to move and do things for the next few years, things that will work better for me. I am thankful I have the luxury of during something like that, for having the open mind and hopefully also the courage to make changes yet again in my life. I am thankful I don't sit still and I keep looking for changes, it keeps my spirit young and my mind sharp. 

A very special hiking trip

Day 804 - We asked my daughter if she'd like to take a hike with us today and she said yes. We offered to go back to Masada where we hiked last weekend. Masada is a very heroic story in the history of our nation and living abroad for so many years my daughter did not know the story nor visited the place. So it was a wonderful opening to what we hope will become a tradition. It is far away from home two and a half hours away so by the time we started our hike it was almost 9am. Pretty reasonable on any given day except the very hot day we faced. We started the steep ascent and after a few moments we knew it is going to be difficult. It is very easy to over heat in this weather and no amount of water can make up for that. We did it but it was difficult and at times we questioned our decision to continue but we did it and I have to admit the satisfaction is even greater because of the challenge we faced. But we decided it is our last hike in this area until the winter. From now on we will hike only in the north part of our country and as the summer progresses to shaded areas and to places with water. But we are going to keep our hiking tradition. We both love it and now my daughter is planning to join us more often and this.

I am thankful for a wonderful day on the trail with my daughter. I am thankful that despite the heat we made it and in not too bad of a shape. I am thankful my daughter liked it and is planning to join us for more trips. I am thankful for another day spent outdoors in our beautiful country.