Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday - July 22.  I have to say it was the strangest birthday in my 76 years  on this planet.  Of course I have no recollection of my early, formative years - who knows, there may have been a foreshadowing - speculative.

I am at the tail end of my first bout with Corona!!!!!!  How I got it is a mystery, but exactly the Saturday before my birthday I was slammed!  

I came out of quarantine the day before my birthday, and my first and only foray into the outside oven was to the recycling bin.  

To add to the strangeness of it all, I have spent my past many birthdays in the United States, in California. Israel is 10 hours ahead of California, So speaking to people was as topsy turvy as is everything these days. In other words, I did not speak to friends in the States until late in the day.  As my day was finishing, greetings came in until late into the night.   

A birthday dinner arranged by my sister was celebrated without me!  

All of this adds to my surreal experience of the present times.

Amidst all these happening, it is  uplifting to witness, once again, the wonderful, brave, resilient, humanist, indomitable, spirit of the Israeli people.

Is this going to prevail?

Day of Disruption

 In my geriatric bubble everything is carrying on as usual, EXCEPT for the looks of despair, and sadness, and resignation omnipresent in the faces of the residents, many of whom have served this country as judges, doctors, pilots, soldiers, teachers, nurses.  Of those residents who came from England, the USA, Australia, South Africa, Ireland - they came for idealistic reasons. The chose to come to a country they believed had a right to exist, and would be 'a light unto the nations.' 

This light has been extinguished by a bunch of fanatic, extremist, racist, would be dictators.

It is a sad sad day.  And the people - the wonderful people, who still love this country are out protesting in the streets, at the airport, causing disruptions that are still legal in the eyes of the soon to be gone judicial system.  

Everything has taken on a surreal quality.  All of this that is happening, can't REALLY be happening.  And the weather - hot and humid.  The weather is insane all over the world.  What have we done to our planet and its peoples?  It is time for everyone everywhere to wake up. 

Recent Sojourn

 I was on the Island of Aegina and in Athens for a few days.  Here are some photos - will write shortly.

As usual, since my last post, so much has been happening and I have been unable to write - hope these pictures will replace words.