What is going on????

 The only thing I do know for sure, is that today I was supposed to be in Edinburgh, Scotland.  My flight was cancelled by El Al, and then, exactly one day later the airways were reopened!  When I told this to an art teacher yesterday she said - "but think how lucky you are to have remained here in 40 degree heat, dust pollution making breathing difficult - not knowing what is going on, instead! "  What we do know is that we are feel that we are being visited upon by all the horrors of this planet of ours - 

A tenuous ceasefire - two now - with Iran and Lebanon.  Horrendous wars and suffering with absolutely nothing having been achieved.  I am not clear at all about what was supposed to be achieved - certainly the architects of these horrors are neither explaining, nor in fact communicating to us.  OBVIOUSLY Iran and Hizbolla have an endless supply of weapons - missiles of all sorts, that they have used very well.  The people in the north who were encouraged to return to their villages, towns, and farms have spent this entire time in shelters -  I wont and can't go on about this - that is left to the talking heads who also don't know what is going on.

The only thing I am aware of is that all the people I know feel like we are in a suspended state of something or other - our nervous systems are shattered.  We all jump at the slightest sound - no one is smiling.  Grimly I go the gym and workout.  The pool has reopened (it was shut because it is very dangerous to get out of a swimming pool and run to a safe room - so grimly people swim. We do our various activities grimly - Arabic lessons are a wild circus - shouting, interrupting, opining, knowing. Every time I go I think, I am NOT continuing, yet for some unknown reasons I find myself back in class once a week. People are trying to catch up with hairdressers, doctors appointments, shopping, - life in fact - waiting for the next round.

As I stated, I have not too much to say - in fact, I have nothing to say - just wanted to show that I am still here, and care for those who read this.

Pesach, Saturday Morning

I am safely back home after my Pesach night away.

I will now explain what safely back home means.   

Firstly I had to get 'there' safely.  ''There is my sister's home, 15 minutes away by car.  I was picked up by my sister, brother-in-law and 5 year old great niece.  Her brother is unwell and his parents and him will spend Pesach in hospital. My great niece will spend the night with her grandparents.  We made it safely to my sister's home - no alarms or sirens on the way.  They do have yoga mats in the boot should we have to get out and lie down - I brought an extra sheet.  Because of the situation, and knowing the Iranians, Hezbollah and Houthis would prepare surprises, we left early for the seder at their son's home.  His son and family had just finished building a shelter in their home - it was ready by the first week of this war.

Oh, how could I forget - Friday morning's first siren was at 8 am.  We were then in and out of the shelter at least 5 or 6 times - one loses count. It is, to put it mildly, unnerving.

We arrived safely at their son's home on a kibbutz about 20 minutes north.  The seder table was set.  My nephew's two young daughters had constructed lovely glittery pyramids which were on the table with the seder plate, hagadot, flowers. All the girls were lovely in their holiday finery. Just as we sat around the table the rattlesnake sounded.  Obviously the young ones were well trained - they knew it was a warning, and perhaps the siren wouldn't sound.  A few minutes later there was a loud boom and their mom said ' the rocket has been intercepted."  Then the siren wailed and the girls were in the safe room in less than a nanosecond.  The adults grabbed their first glass of wine and followed them. The door was slammed shut. The booms meant the rockets had been intercepted - soon we would be allowed to leave.

And so went the seder - "Why is this night different from all other nights?..........."

Again, we left early and made it back home safely.  One rattlesnake at 2 am - but no siren.  My sister is in a somewhat quieter area than I am.  I am closer to Tel Aviv.  

Yesterday they brought me home, again without incident - and for this thanks is ALWAYS given.  Last night rattlesnake at about 10.35 - siren, into shelter for quite a long time.  In the shelter a second rattlesnake, a second siren.  Eventually let out - large snails on the path back because there had been some rain.  2 am - rattlesnake, no siren.

This morning I was hanging my laundry outside when I heard the rattlesnake - then the siren.  The shelter was a little emptier as obviously some people had gone to family.  Out again.

It is 1.00 p.m. 

Chag sameach.