Blog/June 2018/Jun 15th

June 15th

Our last couple days with Daniela, Jeremy, and the twins were pleasant and calm. Well, as calm as the twins would allow. On Monday we packed, said our farewells, and went back to the airport. Even with Mom in a wheelchair, the TSA took its sweet time checking out her purses. Apparently, candy bars could double as explosives. Or something.

Travelling hasn’t been fun for several decades.

On the other hand, when we landed in Israel, the airport authorities took Mom and several other “slower moving people” in a special shuttle, processed them through passport control and Customs very quickly, and helped us the whole way. It was the most pleasant part of our return trip, to my surprise and delight.

My car was in the spot I remember having left it (no surprise, but some delight), though the gnarly weather had left a thick coat of dust on it.

We arrived home late afternoon on Tuesday, having left Monday evening. Neither of us slept much on the 10.5 hour flight; so we were exhausted by the time we got back. But I was determined to defeat “jet-lag” by staying up until my normal bed-time. Half-comatose, I went to bed around 10 at night…

…and awoke at midnight, and remained awake until after 3. I was useless the following day and so was Mom.

But we both managed to recover our sea-legs (or is it time-zone-legs?) by the next day, and attempted to get back into our normal schedules and activities. Did some shopping so there would be food in the house. I had almost forgotten what vegetables were supposed to taste like.

In the meantime:

• The British Prince William is going to visit Israel. He should stay home.
• No worries: the American FDR wasn’t such a great guy, either.
• Why aren’t more American Jews attracted to the GOP?
• And Israel is attempting to limit the use of cash. I guess the former PM Olmert ruined it for everyone!

We’re supposed to have a very hot shabbat (35C/95F in Jerusalem, even hotter here), followed by cool(er) days for the next week. Let’s hope the A/C doesn’t give up!

Mom and I are alone this shabbat, resuming our pre-trip roles. Our menu should be:
homemade rye bread (supplemented with store-bought rolls), chicken with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and capers, oven-fried eggplant, baked yams, braised leeks, roasted vegetables w/ olive oil & salt, various salatim, tuna salad, and cake (from our freezer).

Until next time,
shabbat shalom!

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