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July 31, 2003
Just a quick note to say that my next entry will be my last on MomsToday. I feel that it is time for me to move on. Thanks for joining me here.
Israel: Friday, June 27, 2003
Dad and I woke up around 9:30am so that we could have breakfast before 10am. Since it was included in the price of the room, I only expected donuts, bagels with cream cheese, and some juice. Boy was I surprised when we walked into the dinning room and were greeted with smells of fresh bread, scrambled eggs, salads, all different kinds of cheeses, coffee, juice, and so many other things I can't even remember. There were 3 large buffet tables filled with food. I was shocked!!! I filled my plate to the brim with vegetables, cheese, cheese salads, eggs, and any bread I could get my hands on. I LOVE Israeli breakfasts.
Our plan was to spend the day at the beach and do fun stuff, but mom called the cell phone around 11 saying that she needed the car by 4pm that afternoon which meant that we only had an hour to goof off. (How disappointing.) It turns out that Dad had one of his brainy ideas: Since I had never been to the corral reefs in Eilat and had never been snorkeling, Dad decided that he would take me to a beach near Corral Beach. We stopped at a small kiosk near the Egyptian/Israel border and bought a snorkel mask. I was thrilled!!!! (On my class trip we had stopped at the Underwater Museum to see the beautiful, tropical fish, but we never we snorkeling.) Dad gave me a crash course and showed me where to look for the corral. At first, I was a little hesitant and the ground was very rocky and difficult to stand on in the water, but I finally got used to it. I became braver and used that to my advantage. I swam closer to the corral and realized that because my bathing suit was so brightly colored, the fish thought I was food and kept swimming closer and closer to me. (Words really can't describe the amazing fish I saw. They just don't do them justice, but I can try to describe what I saw.) There was this huge orange/yellow fish with aqua blue lips and an aqua blue stripe down its middle. It was feeding just below where I was swimming. There were clown fish, just like Finding Nemo, angelfish, Picasso fish (they look as abstract as a Picasso painting), and these amazing dark purple fish with bright yellow fins and tails. What an amazing creator we have, right? Such a colorful world we live in. I was so glad I could experience this. I told my dad to promise me that he would bring me down to Eilat the next time I come for about 3 days. I hated that I only had about an hour to do this.
The drive home was pretty uneventful. We took the short, boring way home and talked mostly politics, as usual. We actually arrived home around 4:30, which was a little later than we expected and my mom informed my dad that he needed to be at the meeting she was attending that evening. My brother told me that his friend had invited the two of us over for a Shabbat dinner. I was excited because this family is Jewish and religious from Pennsylvania. Very sweet people who love my parents and siblings. He told me that she was cooking us dinner and asked if I wanted to go. I said of course.
Before I go on, I need to back up a little bit. At the wedding, I saw some old friends of my parents, U. and T. They used to live across the hall from us in the same apartment building years ago when we lived in Israel in the 80's. Their daughter, I. was my very best friend and we played everyday together with her dog Bonzo, the dachshund. Naturally, I asked how she was doing since I had not seen her since I was 14. Her father U. informed me that she had gotten married about 1 year and a half ago and that she was now pregnant and due any day. He said that because she was high risk, that she had to stay home, and would I be willing to go see her at her apartment? I told them that I would LOVE to go see her and that I would make arrangements.
When my dad and I arrived back from Eilat, my mom told me that I. had called me earlier in the day. After talking to her on the phone and making arrangements it was decided that I could make it to her house and be back by 7:30pm. So, I asked my brother if he could take me in I.'s house to visit for about an hour before dinner at his friend's. He agreed. And I knew this would be a shock to I. as she hadn't seen my brother since he was about 10 years old. He agreed to chauffeur me once again.
It was quite a nice surprise for I. to see my brother and me. I quickly realized that her English was not as good as it used to be and I informed her that we could speak in both Hebrew and English but to be patient with me because my Hebrew was not as good as it used to be either. She served us Coke, water, watermelon, chips, and many other things. I told her she didn't have to serve us anything because we were on our way to a BIG dinner with friends. She said she couldn't help it, that she inherited it from her Polish mother. (Ha ha!) We talked and talked. I showed them pictures of my kids and they just loved that. It was such a treat for me to meet her husband. She showed me her wedding pictures, which were amazing, but NOTHING like an American wedding. It was so lovely and the pictures were so artsy. I loved them. Most were in black and white. I. showed me the baby's room, which I noticed, was completely empty and she was due any day!!! I pointed out that there was no furniture and she looked at me dumfounded. She said to me, "Didn't you know that you are never supposed to buy baby furniture until after the baby is born??? It's bad luck!" I guess I was shocked that she would be so superstitious but I didn't voice that thought. So I asked her if she even had anything picked out. She stated that she and her husband had been to the furniture store, picked out what they wanted, and gave them a check to hold until 10 days after the baby is born. They would deliver it at that time. Anyway, I. and talked for a while, catching up on each other’s lives and then took pictures together and Michael and I were on our way back home.
Since we were due at his friend’s house by 7:30 and we were already pushing 7:45, we went straight there. I was only in jeans and a t-shirt and when we walked into her house, I felt very underdressed. Thankfully, it was only her, my brother, and I having dinner together. It was a beautiful Sabbath dinner, with the lighting of the candles, prayers over the wine and bread, etc. It was great fun.
Raquel and Sic checked in with us later on that evening and it seemed that Sic’s foot was doing so much better. I was very relieved to hear it. I guess he just didn’t get enough poison in his foot to do too much damage.
Stay tuned for the entry on my LAST day in Israel!!!
~ Heather ~
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