A New Year reflection

Day 1441 - it's New Year's Eve. Time of personal reflection. Time to look back at the year that passed and summarize it. And what an amazing year it was. So many changes, so many new things I tried. Such a year of personal growth. I left the safety net of an employee in a job I held since I moved here and I started working in the store full time. It does not justify the move yet but I enjoy every moment I am there and I can't even see myself going back. Even if I will be forced to close its doors, I don't see myself going back to work as a pown in a giant and heartless system. So on the work front it was a very good year. True, it's still struggling, and after half a year I don't see a decent salary; but it is on the right track and getting better with every passing month. I did a lot of learning and spiritual development during the year; it's kind of a given when one owns a mystic shop, but I'm just saying, to make sure it is counted among my many blessings. I read many books and I'm also taking a numerology class that I enjoy so very much and I can't wait to start working with it. And the latest news, which I managed to squeeze in is that I bought an apartment. Paper signing and actual closing will be in three month but I finally found a place I want to call home in a price I can afford.

Intervention

Day 1440 - it's been a long week of negotiations and it looked like we are not any closer. As a matter of fact, I was getting concerned that it' going to fall apart. Our attorney said one thing their's another.

Some inconvenience

Day 1439 - a good day in the store and lovely evening outing. We went to a cozy cafe and had good coffee and good cakes and if course each other's company. The only problem is my lactose intolerance. The problem is that sometimes I'm ok for weeks and I think it's not really a problem any more and then it acts up again, like today. But I am not going to let a little inconvenience to destroy even a little a very pleasant day. So I am thankful for this day and I am thankful this unpleasant feeling is not something I experience every day.

A cold winter night fun

Day 1438 - it's getting very cold by now and so for dinner we made a huge pot of soup. I love winter nights for this wonderful experience of steaming soup and warm cozy blankets. And the winter season here is so short; you have to be very aware and enjoy it as much as possible before it makes room for our hot summers. But for the next two months it's gonna be lots of soups and lot of teas and lots of cozy moments. And by next year I hope we would enjoy also a warm house not like this year here in this very cold apartment.

Hiking

Day 1437 - there is a natural reserve less than 200 meters from our house and a nice trail that goes all the way down the mountain and to the sea. This morning was a beautiful day and we decided to go hiking. The weather was warm and sunny though most of the trail is shaded thus not dry yet and very slippery. It is so good to be outdoors for so many hours hiking in the very lush and green vegetation watching the first wild flowers bloom. And that it was nice to sit in a restaurant on the boardwalk people watching and sea watching before the long climb up the mountain back home. We don't do any workout during the week and we work very long hours so I am very thankful for every opportunity to do some hiking.

Movie night

Day 1436 - Friday is a short day here and by 4:30pm I'm always home. I decided that I am tired of another friday evening of doing nothing and searched for good movies in our area. My partner did not want to come, but I was not ready to stay home and just went by myself. I saw a wonderful movie "You're not you" dealing with the very loaded subject if a young woman inflicted with ALS and how she and her surrounding are dealing with her growing weakness and handicapped as well as with her eminent death. A very good movie, depressing and sad, but very good. You come out if it with a strong message of love and caring about another human being. I was so happy I went to see a movie tonight and did not just stayed home again; I am thankful for this movie.

Day one of transfer

Day 1435 - so yesterday we shook hands on the deal but no paper was signed. Coming from the states, where I did a lot of real estate transactions, this is very strange and unsettling for me. So I said nothing about that and since the agreement was that our lawyers will contact each other and prepare the contract I called mine early today. He did not understand my uneasiness or the fact that I don't feel like its a done deal and told me they already talked and have a game plan. That early next month we will sign the contract and if all goes well I will get the keys at the end of March, as we agreed, so I won't have to renew my contract here and I can just move there. So for now, before all the legal checks are done everything looks OK and hopefully in three month I will have my own place and a beautiful one at that. But the journey has just begun and I hope for no surprises. I am thankful I woke up this morning and the deal is still valid, with no written agreement I was a little unsure of that. I am thankful I have a trusted lawyer that takes care of my interest and lead this transaction. I am thankful to be a day closer to the closing date; I am not very patient about that..

I bought a house

Day 1434 - the truth is I knew right away I like the house we saw yesterday. I also knew I cannot pay the price they asked and not even close to it. So I hedged my excitment presuming there is not much of a chance they will accept my offer. We talked to the realtor, actually my partner did, and told her the constrains. We told her we like the house very much but cannot pay the price and we gave her the price I can go for. An hour later she called and said the owner are willing to meet us and see if we can find a mutual ground. Now, I am not good at negotiation and after a year of running the store I know my partner is really good at it and what I like best is that he is doing it in a very gentle way and makes the other side want to help and cooperate. It's an amazing talent he has and I knew its the only chance we have to get this apartment. But I was ready to walk away even though I loved it if need be. And so we met this evening and after less than half an hour we shook hands on the deal that was even better than I was hoping for. So we have only verbal agreement and I will not celebrate it until we will sign the contract. But it looks like I bought a house and an amazing one at that. I am so very happy, on so many levels. I am more thankful I can even express in words. I am so thankful to so many people along the way whom without their help I would not be here today. I feel the planet smiles at me for doing things right, for being a good and honest person, for not looking for more than I need. I am thankful beyond words to my beloved partner who helped me so gently and elegantly to get the house I would love to own and live in for many years to come.

House hunting - an update

Day 1433 - still in the house hunting business and I have to admit its tiring. I work long hours and I don't have the time for it. So I do it in spurs. I look at the ads for a few weeks, look at some houses, getting discouraged and stop looking. After a few weeks I'll start it all over again. Not very efficient, for sure. So I decided to recruit a realtor to help even though it is not as common here as it is in the states. So every so often when she has something she thinks I might like she calls me and take me to see it. There was a nice house a few weeks ago but I didn't like the location. Few days ago I saw another house I really didn't connect with and I tried to explain to her why. And she got it. The apartment we saw today was spot on. Now I have to decide if the so many stairs is a good enough reason to dismiss it and of course the way too high asking price. But at least I finally saw a place I would be happy to call home after almost five years in which I moved from one shabby place to the next. So I am thankful for my hope is up again that I might be able to find a decent house in my budget. I am thankful for the help I get, I wouldn't be able to do it on my own, alone.

It's winter for real now

Day 1432 - heavy rains in a very hilly city is a recipe for problems. I went out of the house today and ran to my car. I knew I will get wet but I forgot about the gushing water running down my street and under my car. The only way to get into the car was to step into this river and so I did because I wanted to get out of the torrential rain. So was was wet from top to bottom with no extra close for the next few hours. I sure hope not to catch some cold. But once I was in the car and driving it was very interesting to watch the water running down the streets in such a force; add to that strong winds that made the umbrellas useless and you have a real winter scene. It's good for nature, for the plants as well as for the water reserves but I sure prefer to watch it from the safety of my house or my store and not to be a very wet part of that scene. I am thankful to be home now, nice warm and dry under my blanket. I am thankful for a real winter day.

The essence of a mystic store

Day 1431 - we run a mystic shop which means that we have a clientele with some very interesting and different set of problems and issues they come to discuss with us. Very different than what you hear in a "normal" store. We are not only selling stones; we sell energies and inspiration, we sell remedies to evil eye and past reincarnations issues; we deal with spiritual guides and aura and chakras repairs. It might sound a little off to you but I love this and it makes for some very interesting encounters and very special people that walk through our door. We had one such story today, a very inspiring one and it makes me feel so good to be a good listener to this woman and her story as well as for the fact we were able to contribute some advise that will help her further along the way. In fact, when I think about it, most of the people today in one way or another needed some inspiration and even more so an advise of how to do things better, how to make small changes that count or how to something else. My numerology teacher told me once that since I have numbers that are doing well for people who need healing these people will come looking for me. And it's so nice to see it happening. It makes me feel so good and I am so thankful for that.

Route number 6

Day 1430 - a long drive back home. Every time I make this trip I am thankful for the only toll road in our country going from the north to the south. It shortens the trip by a good hour if not more and makes for a very easy drive. There is a high fee for rental cars to go on this road so I never took it until I had my own car. But in the past four years I drove it so many time and I was so thankful each and every time I did that. It's a long drive as it is so an extra hour is a big one. And the best of all, it is a high quality road thus it makes for an easy drive. I come home after the long drive not even exhausted. I am so thankful for that.

Family gathering

Day 1429 - at my parents house. My brother and his son came to visit from abroad and they are here as well. So a little family reunion, how nice and special. The fact we are here gives us an opportunity to spend some quality time together, to actually hear what's going on in each other's life plans, dreams and so forth. He lives abroad for many years and I did too so it is so nice to have such an opportunity to be back as a family to have our kids spend time together... The little things we don't think much about and take for granted but in a family like ours it's really a big deal. And I am thankful for this very special weekend to be with my patents, my daughter and with my brother and his son all under one roof.

Making progress the right way

Day 1428 - we made a decision not to advertise in the local newspaper about the store. We felt it is expensive and does not reach our audience to justify it. But the trade of is that it takes time until people hear about us and start coming. It takes time to build a name. But slowly we are getting to that point. True, we have days that too few are visiting us and too many days that the sell volume is not satisfying but then we have days when we have several new clients and this is what we are looking for. I try to use this new tool of the power if the nonconsvious to help. I go every night to sleep and wake up every morning thanking the good sells, the volume if clients and our growing income. And every day that it happens I feel more confident and more thankful. For good clients that appreciate what we offer and bring with them good energy. And today was such a day. So I am so very thankful for that. I am thankful for every client that comes in and trust us.

Frying the night away

Day 1427 - I don't like the smell of fried oil. And so I avoid frying as much as I can. We were probably the only house that never made French fries; if my kids wanted to eat some it had to be in a restaurant. The only exception is once a year on one of Hannukah days I used to make fries "latkes" which is minced potatoes seasoned and fried. And today was that day. Now I ate my share of "latkes" until next year and my house smells like fried oil. I already opened all the windows and burnt a stick of insece but I guess only time will take that smell eventually out of here. But I can say that I fulfilled one of the holiday requirement, the other is lighting a candle which I did. Thanks god we have a "deep frying holiday" only once a year. But I have to admit it was very tasty, at least that.

The first night of Hannukah

Day 1426 - another year is getting close to its end. It is mid December, the shortest days of the year and with it come the "light holidays" of the different religions. Being Jewish, it is Hannukah and today is the first of eight days of that holiday. I forgot to bring my menora to the store so I did not do it on time but its already waiting by the door so I'll take it tomorrow and light it appropriately. We light each day one more candle to symbolize that we're there is a light darkness cannot be, that every tiny little light counts in this endless battle between light and darkness, good and evil, openmindness vs. closedmindness, between living in a dreamlike state or being fully awake. I have a mystic store, you know, so I like to get a little deeper into all these esoteric things. Life is a big mystery and full of things only partially understood. So a day like today, like this holiday, shades a little light on that field. Hannukah, how different it is to live here and celebrate it among millions of our country people who are doing the same thing, where as when I lived abroad it was a holiday that looked so simple when compared to the grandour of Christmas. I like the simplicity, I like that its not all about buying presents and more about the holiday itself. I like being here and feel part of it all. Hannukah, another year is coming to its end. How blessed one can be!!

Being a storekeeper

Day 1425 - a sunny day after days of rain is always nice, even if I could not really enjoy it since I was indoors all day. It's a problem having a store, you have to be there and can't do much else. I was there today from 9 am until 9 pm. A very long day indeed. My partner had some stuff to take care of so he also visited one of our suppliers and brought back a lot of new things, thus the late hour. It's very exciting to go over all these new things and marvel at their beauty and than we have to price it and decide how to display it, and it all takes time. But at the end of this long day the store looks even better than before and everything is in the right place. And now I am very tired and tomorrow is another long day so I am going to start my nightly rituals. But it was a good day and I sure enjoyed it even if I did not walk outside in the warm and bright day that was a perfect ending to a very wet week. I am thankful for a beautiful day, I like it even if it was from afar. I am thankful for good traffic in the store today, a sunny day is always a welcoming environment for shoppers. I am thankful for all the new things we have and I hope it will resonate with our clients.

Big news

Day 1424 - in my age we celebrate a lot of things second hand that is events that happened in our kids' lives. And having three kids myself and same goes for my partner it means a lot of excitements. Like having grandchildren for example. Both of his daughters in law are pregnant and today I was informed by daughter that they are expecting too. So three new babies in a matter of half a year. Every time I hear of a new baby I think how optimistic it is. Everyone likes to complain how bad things are and yet young couples keep making the choice to bring babies into this world so I think it is much better than the news channels like to portray it. And so this is something to bare in mind we we hear all the complaints and all the bad news. Things are much better and much brighter than what they would like us to think. But saying that life is good will not bring the rating everyone is looking for; how sad. So I am not going to lament much about our little one since it is still not a public knowledge but I am so excited about that!!

A winter day

Day 1423 - a cold evening and pouring rain are a proof that we are indeed in the winter months. The warm and sunny morning that preceded that was a little misleading. So much so that I left the washed laundry hung outside while we left home, in a thin shirt and sunglasses just to come home few hours later, shivering to put all the laundry Bach in the washer for another spin to get all the extra water out of it and give it a chance to dry (sadly, I have no dryer). The winter here is funny this way, almost like an English summer, few hours here and there, a little cold, but really nothing to complain about. Love it!!

The power of the subconscious mind

Day 1422 - I was working at the mall today, like every Friday. At 1 pm I still barely sold anything. I was very unhappy about that of course. And them I decided to use one of the techniques mentioned in the book I am reading right now, "the power of your subconscious mind" by Joseph Murphy. And so I closed my eyes and thanked the planet for a very nice sum of money in which I sold today. I repeated this prayer several times. Within a few minutes four people approached my table and bought stuff short only by a few shekels from what I was suggesting! It was amazing to see this happening. To see the power of my subconscious mind when I am ready to start using it. The more I get into the book the more I am convinced that it is something worth adopting. It makes perfect sense, it goes in line with all we hear about people who healed miraculasely or help that arrived just by asking the universe. I witnessed this power on several occasions but never start using it systematically and I thing the time had come for that. I am thankful the book found its way to me; it was meant to be, I know. I am thankful for the little gifts bestowed on me by the planet or the collective subconscious as we like to call it. I am thankful for a great demonstration of the powers of this unfathomed force and for a great day at the mall because of this intervention.

Day 1421 - nothing special to write about. Just another day in the trenches and a slow day at that. What can we do

Marital problems in numerology

Day 1419 and 1420 - my Internet did not work yesterday thus I was not able to post my entry. But i will write about it today since i had a very interesting class in numerology about codes for marital issues. It was even more fascinating when we started looking at real examples from class and you see that all of them with no exceptions had several of the codes. We talked about how we can help to save them if the couple comes to see us on time and which cannot be saved. Interesting, very disturbing but also encouraging on the same time; things can be changed for the better with more awareness and with the right help. But overall like every week I am overwhelm by the power numerology has; by the intricate web that numbers weave underneath all that we see. They are the matrix on which everything is built. And we get to see a little opening in this vast unknown and great wisdom that breath life and matter into it. I am thankful for every lesson I get. I am thankful for this gift I was convinced to bestow upon myself. I am thankful for yet two more wonderful days. I am thankful for my life

A quiet evening

Day 1418 - I never lived through so many ups and downs as in this relationship. We fight and we make up and we fight again. It's not easy for sure and sometimes it's so frustrating that I just want to give up. But this is what happens when you are really emotionally involved and not skimming the surface. I read so many times about very stormy couples and could never understand it but when you have something so special, so worth preserving you are ready to fight and ready to fight for it as well. I sure have to learn how to disagree and not bring it to a world war, I sure have to learn how to live with a partner without any one of us controlling the other and trying to force my opinion. I sure have to learn how to fight fairly. But I am lucky I have a partner who loves me so much that he is ready to get more than his share of my combative nature without giving up. But at the end of a bad day or two we still find the way back to each other, a little shaken but still so much in love. I just hope we will find a way to calm things more as time goes by since sometimes I feel like a boxer in the areana, exhausted at the end if yet another round. I am thankful for a quiet and peaceful evening. I am thankful I have such a partner I love that much. I am thankful for every quiet day, for moments of sheer joy as well as moments of frustration or resentment ; this is all what gives color to life, to our life as a couple.

Day 1417 - reading yet another good book. This time about the power of subconscious.

A quiet evening at home

Day 1416 - I was home alone this evening and looking at my apartment it suddenly donned on me how little did I pay attention to it in a very long time. We are in the store for so many hours and by the time we get home I don't have the energy nor the will to look around. I have to admit it became a habit and as soon as my daughter left I thought of what to do now. But then, as soon as the realization crept in, I stopped and just looked around. It has the potential to be a very lovely place but I stopped short of bringing it to that place. And I know it's all just excuses for something deeper and more profound. And so I took the broom and gave it a good sweep and than grabbed a book and settled on the couch for a quiet evening at home, where I can enjoy the place and the book and some alone time I rarely have. I really don't need much to be at home; just the time and intent. From my numerology class I know that this year is a year of a lot of questions and doubts about my future. So this is all part of the process and I welcome it all. I am thankful for a great weekend at my patents'. I am thankful for every one of those visits and hope for many more to come. I am thankful my daughter is here tonight making more progress on her trip plans. I am thankful for an evening by myself, for some alone time and for a great use of that time.

My laundry list

Day 1415 - yet another weekend at my parents. I sure did a lit of driving this week. I am tired after a very long week that i didnt sleep enough. So here i always have some time to catch up on my sleep. And just relax and for 24 hours take time off of everything that is going on elsewhere. Its like a mini vacation, and i sure need that. I am thankful I'm here visiting my parents this weekend. Thankful I can be with my daughter and hear more of her plans for the upcoming trip. Thankful to my trusted car that did a lot of schlepping this week. Sad that my personal life is at an impass. Thankful that time has a way of solving things. That's pretty much sums it up. Now I can go to sleep.

An unexpected call

Day 1414 - we got a call today asking for one of our services, a fun evening for a group involving tarot cards, as a birthday party for someone. We keep advertising it but this is the first time we actually get an inquiry about it. Not sure yet if it will happen but we are getting ready as if it will. My partner is the one who is doing it of course, but we offered them as a bonus a short numerology analysis and I was working on it this evening. One day it will come to me with almost no effort but right now it's still new and an uncharted territory as far as my experience is concerned. So I took my time to do it right and I was thanking these people for giving me the opportunity to practice. So I am thankful for an unexpected call and hopefully some business that will follow it. And I'm thankful for this opportunity to sharpen my tools and get some practice in numerological consulting. I am also thankful for a long call this morning with my son who is slowly getting all his ducks in a row, almost ready to make the move.

Day 1412 - I drove today to Jerusalem for the circumcision ceremony of my brother's newest grandson. He was born as a tween three weeks ago and was initially too small. But now he is big enough and gaining weight so he was deemed ok. It was a long drive but I live this beach of the family and it was so good to see them all.

About savings...

Day 1411 - I keep thinking I might stop this blog. Not because I am not thankful for every day of my life but because too many times I am too tired to write. But I am still here, almost every day blogging my life away. So for the past few months we are putting the small change we get every day from buying things into a jar. You don't really feel it when you only drop in the small change but consistency is the name of the game. And after a few months of doing so we counted it today to realize we have a nice sum of money; good enough for a mini vacation that we can now take without thinking twice. How nice.

Day 1410 - my brother is very religious. I respect his chices very much but some of their costumes are very different than