The wonders of modern technology

Day 1196 - my daughter is going to have a LASIK surgery tomorrow, in a different city two hours away from here. I want to be there with her so I'll have to wake up at 4 am to make it on time. So for the first time in I don't know how long, I'm going to bed before 10 pm. I'm all excited about such a rare event. She's a little nervous about the procedure but excited to be without glasses or contacts for the first time in so many years. I think it's amazing all these new technologies that make our life easier, that only few years ago sounded like sci-fi and now they are a common thing that you don't really sweat. Probably few hundred years ago the idea of glasses was as novel as this LASIK is today. As much as I complain sometimes that technology is too much for us, I know that there are many fields in our life where technology makes all the difference in the world. I'm going to sleep in a well insulated house, surrounded by electrical gadgets using warm water from my solar powered hot water, a microwave, a refridgirator, an oven, a washer, a cell phone, a hi-fi system... Life is comfortable and easy even for one like me who is actively trying to shy away from most of the newest inventions. And tomorrow culminates it all - an eye surgery that corrects my daughter's eye sight, where she is expecting to walk out of the clinic an hour later with no glasses and see better than she can right now. Amazing. No other words can describe that.
 
I am thankful we live in such era where all this is possible. I am thankful that I can be with my daughter tomorrow. I wouldn't want it any other way.

Networking in our backyard

Day 1195 - it's the first time we have our back to back networking meetings since we moved back to the city and I really enjoy the fact I can wake up an hour later and make it home in a few minutes instead of an hour drive. It's not even midnight yet and I can go to sleep already after an hour of drinking tea and watering our garden. I am so happy to be back here.
 
I am thankful for a very good meeting tonight. I M thankful for friendship and work under one roof. I am thankful I can go to sleep so early and wake up late and still make it to all these special activities.

Nothing at all

Day 1194 - I don't feel like writing. there are days like that, luckily, not too many. But today is such a day and I am going to be kind to myself and non-judgmental and just let this one slide. I'll write more tomorrow, for sure. It's past midnight anyway and I woke up very early today, so it's a good idea as well to go to sleep now.
I am thankful for food, bed and shelter; especially for the last two at the moment. I am thankful I can go to sleep now and wake up whole again tomorrow.

Holocaust remembrance day

Day 1193 - day of remembrance of the 6 million Jews that perished during the Holocaust. It's especially sad this year as I see my mother in law and my father, both Holocaust survivors, getting a year older and so much older physically. Realizing that in a few years there will be not even one of those survivors still alive and it will become just a history that will probably be forgotten too soon. How sad, how scary, how unbelievable...  I am glad few are still alive and I wish them all many more years with us. and first in line - my dear ones. Every year that passes, the day gets a more special meaning, more urgent need to be the ones who will carry the torch and the stories to future generations; even my grandchildren will never remember seeing any of those survivors.
 
I am thankful I still lived to be part of that sad and tragic history; thus carrying the sacred task to pass it on. I am thankful I never had to live through these horrific events myself. I am thankful for every day I still have with my loved one here.

A date with my daughter

Day 1192 - I drove to the big city today to spend the day with my daughter. When I left home it was kind of gloomy but an hour later the sky started clearing and the air warmer. After a long breakfast in a cafe on the boardwalk we decided we needed more serious beach time. So we just bathed in the sun for way too long as I found out too late. The problem with sunburn is that by the time you see the first signs it's already serious. The redness kept developing for hours later and by the evening my face was burning and the color was of a ver ripped tomato. Now I am treating myself to generous quantities of Alo Vera to try to remedy that. But it did not spoil our day. We just went to a little cafe to get away from the sun and happened to fall on one that a young singer with a guitar just started a gig there. He was so good and the place so lovely that we spend few hours there, talking and enjoying the music. It was such a wonderful day and I had so much fun speeding precious time with my daughter with all the universe just giving a helping hand to make it even better. We don't get to do it enough so I really cherish every such occasssion.

I am thankful to my daughter for such a great day. I am thankful for every monent of it, it was perfect. I am thankful to the universe for giving a helping hand. I am thankful I found an open drugstore so I could buy something to eliviate the discomfort of my sunburned face.

About getting old

Day 1191 - I went to visit my mother in law. What a sad visit. She is declining real fast and it's heartbraking. Being old can be so depressing; I only hope it's a choice one makes and that I can grow old in a very different way. But regardless she is there now and that is a fact. I was there for an hour and promised to come back soon. The clock is ticking fast and there so little still ahead of her. Such a sad and depressing thought. I feel the same about my dad even though he is in a better shape then her. Our parent's time with us is almost over. We are getting closer to the front row. It's like an assembly line - new babies are born in the family and old people are getting close to being dropped off the line.  I still remember them younger and stronger and now they are all so frail. It brings out all the compassion in me, tenderness instead of jugdment. I remember different days. I remember when my dad was the strong and all mighty one and I just a little girl, putting my little hand in hus big one. And now things have changed and my steady hand support their shaking one.
It makes the "why" and "what for" questions so relevant.  Oh god, I am so not ready for the moment of their departure.
 
I am thankful for this visit. I am thankful even though it is so difficult; I remember days when things wre really different. I am thankful for every day I still have with my lived ones, I cherish each day and I try not to criticize but to have heart full of compassion and use no judgment.

A very special treat

Day 1190 - It is a nice gesture in our networking group to give a birthday present in the form of a free testing of a service we offer. We put all the envelopes offering these treats and the birthday boy/girl pulls an envelope and get that special treatment. I drew a gift of facial treatment from one of the women in my group. Today was the day we scheduled for that. I was really looking forward to that. I didn't treat myself (my skin) to something like that in many years. It was amazing. She is a reflexologist as well and I had the best of time. An hour and a half later I walked out of her clinic as if on a cloud. Looking so much better and feeling just amazing. Even as she was doing her thing I decided I am going to start taking better care of myself and I am going to sign up for a set of treatments; I deserve it and my skin will thank me for that. I don't know why I have this habit of not pampering myself as if it's a badge of honor to wear. Thinking about it this is just the opposite, I should feel bad for neglecting my needs, for not pampering and nurturing myself. And I made a decision to start doing that more, I really can't find even one good reason why not.
 
I am thankful to my friend for the amazing treatment. I am thankful for her generous gift. I am thankful for an eye opening experience, and for new understandings as a result of that.

An evening at home

Day 1189 - sitting tonight for the first time since we moved in our living room, while music is playing in the background makes me realize once again that happiness resides in the details of life. Such a simple act brings so much joy after weeks that we had no rest. A cup of tea, a book, a ray of light; all this is now part of our daily ritual. I love this place even though its still a mess. I love our morning and evening routine here. I am so happy to be back in the city.

I am thankful we found this place. I am thankful for a very special evening.

About networking

Day 1188 - again it's very late but we had a very interesting and productive networking group meeting. Much more focused and with very good tips, i felt like we learned something, like it was worth our time; as much as we hesitated before hand wether to attend it I am glad we did.  Its not easy and we come home very late but living now in the city makes it so much easier. We had a 15 minutes ride instead of 45, a big difference indeed. We still don't see much work coming from this venue and we sure invest a lot, but networking is farming and patience is the name of the game. Sooner or later we'll saw what we carefully planting and caring for right now. It's not easy and puzzling at times but I am determined to break the code and understand the game and use it to my advantage.

I am thankful for a very productive networking night. I am thankful for the convenience of a very short ride back home. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn the ropes of networking. I am thankful that at 1 am I can finally go to sleep.

Our new house

Day 1187 - at the end of yet another long day the house looks so much better. The number if boxes is going down dramatically, the yard is beautiful and all the pictures are on the walls. Most of it thanks to my partner. I took care if the boxes and he if everything else. I have to admit, if it was left to me I'll be surrounded by boxes for a very long time. But I was not alone and we are so much better off because if that. Few more days and there will be no sign if the move. The house feels very good and we enjoy the fresh air and the very quiet location. So far we are very pleased with this house. I hope it will stay this way. I even hooked the stereo so we could listen to music at the evening. A perfect evening indeed.

I am thankful our task is almost down. I am thankful for plants we purchase and planted today. I am thankful for a very special house we were so lucky to find.

For some reason it was not published but stored as a draft. So here i am late to publish:

Day 1186 - going out on a holiday night to a cafe. Sounds so simple but after a year of living in a place that has no cafe that opens on a Friday or holiday night I know not take it for granted. Just going out at 11 pm for a coffee and a cake. Happiness is in the simple things so many times; and too often we miss it because we look for the extrodinary instead of the ordinary. Going out with my love, a fun night, how special life can be.

I am thankful for simple pleasures. I am thankful to be bach here, in the urban scene.

Day 1185 - today was a "taking care of the mess day". We worked for hours trying to make a serious dent in the mess all around us. My partner took care of the garden, weeding, pruning etc. while I worked indeed, unpacking boxes. Seven hours later, without any break, we could look on our work proudly. The yard was all clean and neat and the house with only few boxes left. We also hung pictures so it starts looking like a house and not a transient place. In the evening we celebrated it all with a proper BBQ. What a nice way to start our new life here in the city.

Simple joys

Day 1184 - Friday once again. We didn't eat healthy in a very long time. Between the very long hours, the packing, the move. And we both feel it; I nurse an almost constant heartburn, despite my medications. So it was decided that tonight we are finally going to cook again. So yesterday night we bought all the necessary ingredients and tonight, after work and beach day we came home, cleared some space on the counter and started chopping vegetables for a soup. For most people a soup is only one of several courses but for me it's a full meal. I am so happy to report we had a wonderful soup and some wind and my stomach and my heartburn are both so very quiet. How such simple things like eating home again can make one so very happy.

I am thankful for an afternoon on the beach. I am thankful for a lovely evening of cooking. I am thankful for simple things we get to enjoy. I am thankful for a very special day.

Me time

Day 1183 - nothing special happened today and I am thankful for that as well. With all the hard work of the past few weeks I almost forgot how it feels to relax. And it's not that my house is empty of boxes, on the contrary, it is as full as it was yesterday; and its not that the garden is clean of rubbish and weeds, it still is, just as it was yesterday. But I am very tired and really don't feel like unpacking. So all will have to wait for the weekend. And tonight I am just kicking back and relaxing. What a novel idea it is. But I think it should be part of the deal, finding time for myself, to relax or read a book or go to sleep in a normal time...  And this is precisely what I am doing now. So nothing special happened today but I am closing it with a wonderful act of kindness toward myself. I know I deserve that.
 
I am thankful for an uneventful day. I am thankful for a very relaxed end if the day. I am thankful the weekend is almost here and I'll have time to take care of my house.

About possessions

Day 1182 - I cannot find the will to unpack my stuff. The house is much smaller and I don't have as much storage place as I did before. So every item creates a dilemma of sort. Where to store it and now more and more I keep asking myself do I really need it or can I toss it away. Without really noticing it we become slaves of our belongings or should I say we become their belonging. I live alone or with a partner that reduced his possessions to the bare minimum so most of what we have here is mine. I have to get a bigger house to store all this mess. I am paying higher rent so my books and pictures and way too many close will have a place to rest. I think I'm starting to cut down. I seems so silly to work so hard to stow away stuff. One day I'll be gone and all these things I say painstakingly accumulated will become the burden of my kids. Just like the kids who rented this apartment to us. So maybe I can take a head start and start the process. But for now I unpacked one more box, opened another and got discouraged and I am just going to take a shower and go to sleep. I'm tired after the long drive yesterday.
 
I am thankful for the clarity I got today. I am thankful for the opportunity to change my habits a little.   I am thankful for for another box, another suitcase; for baby steps I make, regardless.

And sad moments as well

Day 1181 - a few precious hours with my parents, a few with my daughter; my day in a nutshell. We drove back home from the deep south, dreading the traffic we left early and it was a good thing. We beat the traffic and were home with no delay cut was not an easy ride though. The past year left deep scars and a big gap that I don't seem to be able to bridge at the moment. I hope time will heal the wounds but right now they are very fresh and no amount of words can do that. It makes me very sad, I never thought we can be in this position but we are. At least we talked about, it's a good place to start. I don't know what else to say right now.  

I am thankful for a wonderful holiday with my family. I am thankful for time spent with my daughter. I am thankful even for difficult moments and I know it will get better, hopefully soon.

Precious time

Day 1180 - celebrating Passover with my parents, my daughter and my sister and her family. I enjoyed it much but realizing how much things changed in the past few months. My dad is getting older much faster since the injury and my mom is getting tired very fast too. Who knows how much time we still have together, how many holidays we can still celebrate as a family. Time is running out, I got a very clear picture of that tonight. All was good and even the boring parts of the Seder were fun. And it made me so happy to see my patents back home and my dad gaining some weight. It's just the nagging thought of the precious time of how little is left we're at the back of my mind all this evening.
 
I am thankful I was able to be here tonight and celebrate it with my family. I am thankful for the opportunity to celebrate one more time with my loved ones. I am thankful for reasons to celebrate, for precious moments. I am thankful for this very special night.

Cooking for the holiday

Day 1179 - it's Passover eve tomorrow and we are going to celebrate it with my parents. My job was to make the fish (gefilte Fischer) it's called. But I just moved and I had to unpack enough to find pots and lids, spoons and knives and most of all spices to make it right. It's the middle of the night and I am cooking. But it's in my new house, it is for an evening with my daughter and my parents. I am so thankful for that, especially since two months ago I wasn't sure my dad will make it to this happy moment. So I am tire and cooking but my heart is singing, with praises to the creator for sparing him, for giving us extra time with us here.

I am thankful I can cook at my new home. I am thankful I can am going to celebrate my holiday with my parents. I am thankful I can go to sleep now, I am so very tired but the mission was accomplished.

Back in the city

Day 1178 - a very quiet neighborhood, a short strol to the local cafe. Life in the city. I am over joyed and despite all the work love every moment here. I hope the excitement will be long lived. The pile of empty boxes grows as the stacks of still packed boxes is getting smaller. I have my work carved for me but I am counting the boxes as they go out one by one and it makes me happy. I am getting a little tire of moving. Lnever thourow I can say something like that. But I do.
 
I am thankful for a very friutful day; it's not over yet but I made good progress. I am thankful I am back here, so this is not a move I would rather not make. I am thankful I can go to sleep now, as you can imagine, I am verjy tired.

Friday on the beach

Day 1177 - It's Friday and its a warm day so after work we went to the beach for two hours. It was so nice after a very long time away from the beach, a long time since I went to the beach so I sure enjoyed it. The sea, the warm sun, the breeze it was so wonderful.

I am thankful to be back here and enjoy the beach again. I am thankful for little moments that make life so special.

Unpacking

Day 1176 - unpacking. Barley sleeping. The fun of moving to a new house. But going to sleep in the middle of a city but more quiet than the place we had for the past year makes it all worth it. Sometime we have to learn things the hard way, I guess. At least I did. But for sure I can appreciate what I now have.

I am thankful to be back here. I am thankful for the little things I use to take for granted and I sure appreciate  now. I am thankful I can give some rest to my acking body after another long day in the trenches.

Moving day

Day 1175 - at 7:30 we met the moving company truck and crew at our old house. In a little over an hour they loaded all my belongings on the truck. We drove to the city , to our new apartment were they unloaded everything. And then my work started. For the next seven hours I cleaned all the cabinets and drawers. And slowly started rhe process of moving out of the boxes. I made very tired right now and my body is acking but I am so thankful to be at this point.
 
I am thankful the has finally come. I am thankful it all went so smoothly. I am thankful I can go to sleep now, I sure need this respit.

Taking care of my car

Day 1174 - I took my car to the car wash today. Someone broke my side mirror few months ago and since then I didn't wash the car, I was concerned the temporary fix won't withstand the automatic car wash treatment. But it was so dirty by now that I decided to risk it and I am very happy to report it survived it. Now I have a very clean car inside and out. I also took the car to the garage to be serviced. The long drive I take every day means I have to service it more often. So, my wallet is a little lighter but my car is in a much better condition and I can take it for the long ride to visit my parents next week for Passover. It's late again and tomorrow is my moving day, so I am going to sleep now. Good night.
 
I am thankful I found the time to give my car all this much needed TLC. I am thankful about the outcome, much more enjoyable than I thought it would. I am thankful for my last day here as a resident of this town.

Website adventures

Day 1173 - I worked on our website and deciphered some complex issues I was sure I'll need help from the people who built it for us. But I was very happy to discover how to do it myself. Now I have so much more power to do things, much more than they taught me and I am not dependent on them any more. The outcome, of course, is that at 12:15 am I was still playing and posting stuff, but it is for us and every little thing I do is there for us, to make our website better. So now I am going to sleep, finally, and I have to admit, it feels good to be able to decipher things like that, to be able to navigate and change and modify things as I please. I am so happy I have this ability to somehow just find the way to do things like that. I am so happy I can finally put it to a good use, to serve us.
 
I am thankful I was able to solve the puzzle. I am thankful for a few hours of work that were very satisfying and fruitful. I am thankful for a long day that is coming to its end, for a good day at the store, for the stillness before the storm (moving Wednesday, remember?!). I am thankful I can go to sleep right now, as always.  

I rented an apartment tonight

Day 1172 - I signed a contract on an apartment this evening and I already scheduled the move to this coming Wednesday. I feel very lucky about it. I got a surprised notice last Thursday that they want me to move my stuff by the 10th. I didn't have much time and no apartment in sight and time was running out. But the energies and forces of the plant were with me all the way. In a matter of 3 days I found a place and signed the contract and the moving company had a window just in time for my move. Such a streak of good luck is no accident, it is a plan, made for me in higher places because I trusted them; because good things happen to good people; because I have no malice in my heart and I only wish good things for everyone. I know had to align for me to find this apartment under the circumstances. Miracles had to happen; nothing of it was my doing. I just had to be there and be present so to grab it when the moment came. I refused to panic and trusted a solution will present itself; and it did.
 
I am thankful I signed a contract tonight. I am thankful for all the miracles that led me to this moment. I am thankful for all the help I got from above.

Our website is up and running

Day 1171 - I started updating our website today. It feels so good to be able to do that. Instead of sending corrections back and forth to our developers I decided to jump into the cold water and start swimming. And after the first day of work I think I did the right things. I make a change look how it looks and decide how to go about it. I sure can't do all that with them. And so it will take a while but I started the process and it is good enough to start publishing it. Of course it also means I worked this weekend but it is on something exciting as you can see by the fact that it suddenly done on me that it's 1 am. I am so happy our website is up after very long and frustrating process. From now I have only me to blame for how it looks or how current and updated it is. So now I am going to say goodnight, happy as a lark. you can check it up at  http://www.mysticstore.co.il
 
I am thankful I finally had the time to start working on our website. I am thankful for every little change I made, as slow as I am at the moment. I am thankful that it is in our hands and the long delay is over.

Friday at the mall

Day 1170 - I worked at the mall today and had our best day there. It's less than two weeks before Passover and people are getting busy shopping for presents and our stuff is right up their ally. We have unique and very beautiful presents for the holiday. This is all new to me and its so much fun!! I need the excitement, the unknown. I love the fact that each day is different, that I meet new people all the time. I love the free spirit feel of this kind of business. When I left home and planned to travel I thought of supporting myself exactly this way - selling my merchandise in bazaars or in street fairs. Maybe one day I'll actually do that. In the mean time I can still enjoy the little bits I get weekly and dream about expanding the line. In the mean time I can enjoy the fact that it brought a nice profit today.

I am thankful for the opportunity I get to work for myself, and in such a satisfying way. I am thankful for skills I develop for connection I make, for advertising our store in the most profitable way. I am thankful for a wonderful day. I am so very thankful it's Friday so I can go to sleep early after a very, very long and tiring week.

Business opportunities

Day 1169 - we are working on our first collaboration in our networking group that I hope will bring some interesting results. Trying to be different, stand out and be unique is not easy and it takes a lot of work but I hope we'll see results in the next few months. Out business is climbing but we would like to see it doing it faster of course. I love the challenge if trying to find new ways to get our name out and to promote new business; this is part of what is so special about having my own business and I love it.
 
I am thankful for the opportunities getting on our path. I am thankful for good people who want to help. I am thankful for every day miracles. I am thankful for all the good in my life. I am thankful for all the challenges as well. I am thankful for my life. Just as they are.

Another long Wednesday

Day -1168  -the evening of Wednesday is always a challenging one after a three or four hours sleep night and waking up at 5:30 am. I am falling asleep writing... Sorry I'm just too tired to write anything meaningful.
I am so very thankful to be able to go to sleep as soon as I'm done. I'm soooo tired!!!!

networking night

Day 1167 - I had a very good presentation to our networking group tonight. And I hope it will make a difference. I hope people will warm up to us. But now it's one o'clock and I have 4 hours to sleep. Too little for sure.
I am so thankful for this opportunity to present our business; Too bad I am too tired to sound enthusiastic, but I actually am.