Day 1350 -

The rain

Day 1349 - only yesterday I wrote about the fall and this morning we had a very serious rain. Very early in the season, it was surprising but it was real. After half an hour the rain stopped and we were left with beautiful sunny day and very clean air. I don't really think that the rainy season is here, but it is a big sign it is coming soon. And after the very dry winter lash year. I am thankful for this early sign of winter. I am thankful for the turning of the seasons, it brings with it certain quality of stability and change. I am thankful for living through another day.

Fall is here

Day 1348 - the fall is really here by now. The nights are getting cooler and this morning I woke up to the sound of raindrops on the vegetation outside my window. Being the first rain after weeks of summer, the air is full of dust and the rain was just long enough to leave its mark on all the cars, but not strong enough to wash it away. So everything now is looking like drops of water on a dust covered surfaces. Still, it's nice to see the fall setting in and the very humid summer is over Veblen hit days like we had on our hike are not so humid so much more bearable. I love this time a year with its colors and smells; I love the weather this time a year. Some people would live to live in eternal summer; I love the spring and the fall so much more. I am thankful for the fall here, as short as it is. I am thankful I lived to see yet another fall and hope for many more to come.

New year visit

Day 1347 - a wonderful visit to my parent's house. A lovely day with them, and with my daughter, my brother, my sister and all her family and a surprise visit of my adopted brother and his wife. In short a very emotionally packed day that is very befitting the New Year that we celebrated even if a little late. everyone is doing well and it makes me happy to see all the good energy around me, to see how full and fulfilling my life are. If only my older kids could be here as well... But it was my choice to leave and I can't even think that aloud, because it's not fair. But over all I am so very happy with my choice to move back here and I am going to see them both as well as my daughter's family in a little over two weeks, so I am very happy for that already. So a good year that passed,hopes for a good one in front of us and a wonderful day to day; what else can I ask for, so the ups and downs we all experience are what make every day so very special. I am thankful for the past year. I am thankful I got to celebrate the coming of the new year with my loved ones. I am thankful for every day of my life.

Day 1346 - I am at my patents with my daughter and my brother. Celebrating the new year with them all.

Segment two of the trail

Day 1344 - we walked the second segment of the Israel Natiol Trail and the truth is that we are so tired right now, I can't even write. But it was a wonderful day. A challenging hike on a very hot day. But a very fit way to celebrate the new year. I hope this will mark a year full of such activities. We are thinking right now of doing at least one segment a month so this is a very long term plan, considering the fact the it is more than forty segments long. But I am very excited about this plan. First of all doing the entire trail is something on my Bucket List and I love hiking so for me it's alway a good plan to go hiking. True that for over a year we didn't hike but the excuses time is over and now we are just doing it. I am thankful for a wonderful hike today. I am thankful we came out with the plan to do the trail segment by segment. I am thankful for a wonderful New Year.

New year

Day 1343 - the Jewish New Year is here. Early meal for we have to wake up at 3 am. But still an important day. Looking back at the past year is interesting. It's been a very important one. I made the final transition to the store. Leaving the safety net of a permanent job to the unsure world of an independent one. Did I mentioned that I love that?

A short night

Day 1342 - it's almost 1 am and I have to wake up on five hours. Tomorrow is our New Year eve and in the Jewish tradition a holiday is celebrated the night before, means tomorrow evening. So I have to cook the traditional food for tomorrow and for Friday when I'll visit my parents. And let's not forget that I also have a store and have to be there, and I had my numerology class tonight so I could not cook today. So a lot of work. Luckily my partner already made the soup so one less thing tomorrow. In short, a short night but a full stomach and a full heart. A wonderful day to start the new year!!

Day 1341 -

Fall

Day 1340 - the fall is slowly moving in. The days are getting much shorter, and the nights much cooler. This evening it was a little chilly for me outside in my shorts and t-shirt, and I even pulled out a thin fleece blanket, just in case. As always, I am sad to see the summer leaving our part of the world, but I welcome yet another wonderful fall, my fifth one here since I moved back. I love the dryer air after the very humid summer, I love the fact we don't sweat now. I live this country so much, I am so thankful for being here.

Day 1 of the trail

Day 1339 - now it's official; we started the "Israel National Trail". It comprise of 40 some segments and we did segment 1. It is an easy 15 km hike that is almost two hours away from home. So it took us more time to drive than to walk. But it is the beginning of a very long journey. A physical journey in the material world all the way from Dan to Eilat; but it is also a spiritual journey connecting with my unconscious mind, connecting with a part of me that is not always present and walking has the ability to bring some of it to the surface. I hope that many new ideas and understandings will come to me as a result of this quest. I am thankful for the opportunity to walk the trail in its entirety. I am thankful I have a partner who loves it at least as much as u do. I am thankful for the opportunity to explore my world in such a special way. I am thankful I can go to sleep now after a very short night and a very long day.

Israel National Trail

Day 1338 - going to sleep early before a very short sleep. We are going to start our quest to walk the entire "Israel National Trail". Due to the circumstances we cannot walk it all in one attempt, so we'll have to adopt the other option and walk it in daily installments as often as we can. And tomorrow is the beginning of this endeavor; I have to admit I am very excited about that!!

Day 1337 - it's not that I'm not thankful the last few days, on the contrary, I really am; but I'm also way too tired to write. And to add to that I also ate some sour cream and now it is confirmed; I cannot tolerate it. So a difficult evening

Day 1336

Day 1335 -

Planning ahead

Day 1334 - it is a tradition in our religion, and our country to eat fish balls for New Year's Eve feast. I love that and after years I couldn't make it while I was living abroad, I am so happy I can go back to that tradition. The only problem is that I am not the only one who likes it. There is nothing that can explain how the fish shops work few days before the holiday. No one wants now a days to do the hard work of skinning the fish, deboning, and grinding it so you pay a little extra and get it as ground meat with the bones in a separate bag, because you need them for the cooking - this is the source of gelatin and it will make the soup into a delightful jelly when chilled. In short when you order your fish you are given a day and an hour when you can pick it up. But as I found out last year, even when I called ahead of time if my order is ready and came two hours later that the original time, I still had to wait in line for over an hour. So this year I finally got smarter. I called last week and got a slot for today and when I came to pick it up I was thrilled to see no one in line. I just picked up my order, paid and was gone all in less that 10 minutes. I came home, put it in the freezer and next week, a day before the holiday, I'll thow it, cook, and be done. I was so happy I finally learned how to handle the holiday rush, just to be a little more organized and plan. Same is true, by the way, for all the last minute rush to buy presents before the holidays. I really dislike the fever of the night before a holiday

About being thankful

Day 1333 - being thankful every moment is a challenge, especially when the going gets rough. This was an email I got today from a woman I read her writings for the past several jobs. We are so busy wishing for the extrodinary that we neglect to see the trifles that make life the wonder that it is. I started this blog exactly for this reason. But even then a little reminder is important. So I purged my life today of few more items that were holding painful memories that better fade and be forgotten. And i got few new pictures of my granddaughter, who is not so little any more. I am thankful for my life just as they are with all the ups and downs, with all the uncertainty and the open end. I am thankful for the sun and the blue sky; for the sea that I can enjoy almost every day. For smiles and moments of tenderness. I am thankful to be so alive.

A great hike

Day 1332 - My daughter is staying here for the weekend and since the weather is getting a little less hot and more manageable we decided to go a hike up the Carmel mountain, not far from where we live. She is planning a trip to the far east in a few months that will include high altitude trekking, it is a good idea to start conditioning for that. I am ashamed to admit but I didn't hike in a very long time. Sadly life got in the way of my hiking tradition so the climb today was a little harder than it should have, but I did it and I also got the itch to get back to that. I don't think I can commit to a weekly hike but anything will be better than what I do right now. We came back home tired but very satisfied with our trip. She talked most of the way about her plans and I was so happy for her, it is a right of passage for young people here in our country before they get serious about their life, a few months travel somewhere in the world is a great way "the Hero's quest" as Karl Young called it. I didn't do it when I was her age and I always felt I missed a great experience, so I am very happy she is planning that trip. So today was my little contribution to her first step on this important path. I am thankful for a wonderful hike. I am thankful for the wonderful company. I am thankful I got to hear my daughter's plans and be part of this exciting endeavor, even if in such a minor part. I am thankful for hours of throwing away stuff we both did later in the day. My life already feel a little less cluttered.

A fun evening

Day 1331 - an evening on the beach with my daughter followed by a feel good movie on my laptop. Not the best way to watch a movie but a very fun day never the less. And now I am tried at the end of a long week, ready for some down time and a good night sleep. Life is in the details, as always. I already picked up what I'm going to throw away tomorrow morning so my day is complete. Just the last touch ups on this blog entry and I'm ready to hit the sack. I am thankful to my daughter for coming here to visit. I am thankful for a great evening we spent together. I am thankful I can go to sleep now at the end if this very long week.

The countdown just begun

Day 1330 - so I finally booked my trip and now the count down is on. I can't wait to be there and see my children and my granddaughter. It's still more than a month away, and I have to admit I never booked a trip so early, but I am so very happy I did it. I also keep my resolution to throw away unneeded things every single day and that makes me very happy as well. It's not that you can see the difference in my apartment yet, still too cluttered and over packed with things I don't really need, but going through my things looking with a very different way at all I have us very important and very refreshing indeed. I hold myself not to throw too much on a single day, working that I won't have enough fir a full year but this is nonsense, I have enough for a few years with no real problem. I have to admit that even if it doesn't show I still get a lot of joy from things I manage to part with and I believe it will become easier as time goes by. I am thankful for a very good ticket I found and bout today. I am thankful for a house clearing idea that is still going on; or better yet, for a life clearing idea.

Planning my travel

Day 1329 - I'm trying to order tickets for my next month's travel to visit my kids but technical problems didn't clear the way yet. I see a certain price but when I try to order that ticket I can't get it. Seems to me like a classical bait and switch. Not so legal, of course, but after three days with the same scenario I'm starting to suspect its not so innocent. Still, the prices are much lower this year and I have more than a month so I'm sure ill find a good ticket, I'm just a little frustrated right now about the process. As I said at the end of the day, I'm going to see my children and granddaughter so all is good and I can't wait for this trip. It's been almost a year since I was there, too long by all standards. So I am thankful I can go and see my children every so often; I don't take it for granted and I'm so very thankful I can do that, both physically and financially. I am thankful we live in an era where transportation across the globe is something quick and obvious.

Day 1328 - we finished the formal studies in my numerology class. Now we have 5 weeks of practice. So today we had the first "client"; a woman that we had to analyze and give her our recommendations. It was challenging and very interesting, all in the same time. I am very slow in the process and unsure of myself when facing a real client but it takes practice, like every new skill we learn, and this is what we will be doing in the coming month.

Throwing away more stuff

Day 1327 - I am getting excited about this throwing away things I don't need anymore. This evening I started looking for my daily thing but decided to take out of my library six books and continued with few more things from few more closets. In this pace I will have a house down to bare bones in a very short time. The funny thing is that after he initial hesitation I am excited about the new challenge and can't wait for the next day. I don't want to over do it so after about 15 items I called it a day. I think the fact that it spreads over a long period is very important and part if the lesson. I even cleaned my email contact list today. It's contagious and thrilling. And I am so very happy that I feel this way instead of hesitation or have second thoughts about getting rid of so many things; that my attachment is under control. And I am most of all thankful for the progress I make in clearing my life and my mind of unnecessary things.

Uncluttered

Day 1326 - in almost every book about spiritual growth you can find the idea that cluttering our lives with stuff clutters our mind as well. That attachment of any kind is not good for us. In theory I know all that, but in reality I find it very difficult to let go, as you can see by the many entries I devoted to the subject. This morning I decided to start acting on that. I decided to throw or give away at least one item a day; baby steps into uncluttering my life. And I started with a bang and threw away a box full of things I really don't need and from now on at least one item away for a whole year. I think my life and my house will look much better by the end of that year!! I am thankful I finally mastered the courage to start acting in this notion I know is so very important for me.

Day 1325 - a day that started with rain and ended with a sunburn on the beach. End of summer in a nutshell.

Technology

Day 1324 - I forgot my cellphone charger in the store so my phone just died. It's such a strange feeling. And it makes me realize how dependent I am on technology. I am typing without my reading glasses so I can just hope that it comes out legible. One more point to the above argument. So reading glasses are crucial if I want to be able to read, but some other fidgets are not so and I think I have to start paying more attention to that. Maybe a day without phone. Not sure I can handle that :-( I am thankful I'm back on the air, even if its still just 12% charged. I am thankful for the interesting issue it brought to light; I hope to start doing some xhanges about that.

There are days like that also

Day 1323 - a challenging day on too many levels. I am thankful when a day like that comes to its end and I hope for another day tomorrow, hopefully a better one.

Midweek date

Day 1322 - we went out tonight for coffee and cakes, something we normally do in the middle of the week. It was so nice to sit outside, now that the fall is creeping in and the nights are cooler and less humid. And it was nice to break the routine and do something different. I love it that something so simple like sitting in a cafe can be so special if you do it with someone dear to you. And I am so thankful to have all these specials gifts. I am thankful for a wonderful date with my partner. I am thankful for my daughter's visit here tonight.

Karma in action

Day 1321 - a numerology lesson that floored me. It shed light on my life in a way I didn't expect. Suddenly it shows you how many things are out if our control, how much we are preprogrammed and each one of us is coming here with a manual that we have to follow. Sadly too many of us are not connected enough to our soul, thus to these higher plans. And so we wonder around, doing the best we can, listening too much to people around us that have different numbers and because of that different set of rules to follow. How sad. I see a real mission here to do something good for people I'll meet after I'll have more knowledge and experience. By getting the right advice in the right time they can change the course if their life for the better. I did not learn this on time to do that for me but I can do it now for others. I am thankful for an earth shuttering lesson. I am thankful for a sacred job I chose without even realizing its significance at the time.

A nostalgic evening

Day 1320 - I was reading today through some old blog entries, from our first dates, almost two years ago. It's so nice to see how it all started, nice and innocent and full of hope. I was amazed to see how much pain I still harbored then. It makes me realize how much I've changed. I am in a very different place in my life, I am looking forward with open heart and open mind; and I learned not to be afraid of anything (or at least strive for that). We work together on a mystic shop we opened; I study numerology... Who could have guessed back then, in the early days... I am thankful for every day I lived here in my homeland. I am thankful for every little step I took on my personal journey. I am thankful I have to read a blog to remember how sad and hurt I once was; that I was able to take such a big leap.