Blog/August 2010/Aug 20th

August 20th (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!

Very busy this week. "Vacation", preparing for the imminent departure of our children, wrestling with trees and building materials. Both Esther and I took two days off this week, so we could be with our girls before they flew the coop.

The plan was ... ok, there was no real plan. But we thought we could maybe go see the newly refurbished "Israel Museum", and we thought we might go on a mini-trip in "the Gush". It turns out that the same two days we took off were among the hottest days so far this year (actually, today is the hottest). But we bravely ventured forth, to see what new and exciting vistas await at the newly refurbished "Israel Museum". Guess what: everybody in Israel was there. All 7+ million Israelis were at the museum, trying to park. After several attempts to find somewhere -- anywhere -- to park, we gave up and went to the "Malcha Mall" instead. We actually had intended to go there after the museum... and I guess we did go there after the museum. There we picked up some tools, and Sarah got a planner for her upcoming year of sherut.

Daniela is returning to Stern this coming Monday, hopefully for the last time (she will be missed by more than just her family!). Sarah has a two-day orientation session in Tel Aviv Tuesday and Wednesday; so we'll have a preview of the "empty-nest" this week. I'm a little concerned the Electric Company will be alarmed by the sudden drop in usage and send out an investigator. But while we will miss them, we know that they need to get on with "real life". So בהצלחה to them both!

My lovely better-half, as you know, is originally from Argentina. Land of the Meat, land of manly grills. She has been after me for some time to get rid of the ehem under-powered grill we have been using, and to build a Real Manly Grill™, Argentine style. Such a grill is called a parilla down there, and is essentially a brickwork barbeque pit. There are two main features which distinguish such a grill: first, the grill rack is of adjustable height, allowing one to control the heat applied. Second, there is an area reserved for starting up new coals -- because Argentines grill for a long time, and so need to replenish the coals while the food is on.

Such a Real Manly Grill™ requires a concrete foundation (to support the brickwork without collapsing), and of course it also requires bricks and some metal as well. We found a local hardware store worthy of the name not far from us (in Mishor Adummim, just down the road from Rami Levy). There I was able to order the cement and bricks, and get a custom rack made. All for one-sixth the cost of buying a ready-made grill (they do sell them here). We'll update you as the work progresses...

But even before the concrete foundation can be poured, the area must be prepared. So my better half and I spent a significant part of our "vacation" clearing away brush, pruning trees and removing concrete pavers. All in the extreme heat of a Holy Land August sharav. We still have to dig out the area a bit so there is enough room for the concrete, but at least we've made a creditable start.

I promised last week to give you more information on how (and why) to abandon Windows. My daughters complained at my taking up so much space doing so. This week, therefore, there is just this link to part II: Installing Ubuntu. If you missed last week's episode, it's here: part I: testing the waters.

Odd and ends:

• The hullabaloo over Harvard divesting from Israel turned out to be no more than Harvard's money managers making a good financial decision.
• Starbucks famously failed here in Israel. This may explain why.
• The Prius of plumbing. Not to be found in Maale Adummim, I think. Not yet.
• Want to know why people are afraid of dentists?
• Lucky us! We really don't have to worry about zombies!
• The Iranian Bomb Song
• Iranian dissidents say, Hey, Ayatollah! Leave those kids alone!
• Why it's good to live in Israel, part I
• Why it's good to live in Israel, part II

It's just the nucular family again, for the last time in a while I think. On the menu: cod in agristada sauce, chicken-in-a-pot, rice, green salad, Moroccan carrot salad, eggplant, tortilla de acelga, tortilla de papas, two kinds of home-made ice-creams and various salatim.

Until next week,
Shabbat shalom !

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