VACATION!!!

I'm on VACATION! Woohoo! Sooo happy right now, I can't even express it in words but will try to anyway since I can't call every one and just squeal with delite. I should probably start with last night since I didn't really sleep, I was up all night editing my two stories, then editing other people's stories, then editing and rewriting my stories again. This morning, before I finished packing up my apartment (again, took all the important documents and the laptop with me to Beit Shemesh) I reviewed my pieces and then submitted them to the Professor. Now, it's all in his hands. I get my grade around the 15th, and I hope it will make me happy.

The last class today was really nice, we workshopped four stories and did some more writing and then Nomi gave me a ride to Beit Shemesh. Now, Nomi is one of the people in my class (obviously) who I've spoken to and edited her stories but we really haven't had a chance to get to know each other. I mean, how much can you get to know someone when you basically just exchange pleasantries during the break and before class. In the car ride from school to Beit Shemesh, we really got to talking and it turns out and a full 16 years before I went to work at Dan Klores Associates, Nomi was a Junior Account Executive for Dan himself while working at Howard Rubenstein.

That is just an unbelievable coincidence. It turns out that Nomi and I have a lot more in common, minus the husband and children, and it was really enjoyable getting to know her. I'm hoping to be able to meet up with a couple of classmates who live in Jerusalem when I'm there next week, but more on that in a bit.

Nomi dropped me off here at the Novicks and then came in to meet Tova. I barely dropped my stuff onto the floor before the kids converged, which was fun and overwhelming at the same time. Tova and Noam are out at a Bar Mitzvah tonight, so I'm on babysitting duty. And, I have to say, at 30 years old I'm able to get things under control. The baby went into hysterics when Tova left and I managed to rock her to sleep and then get two of the other kids into Slumberland. The oldest waited up until Noam came home from work and then went promptly to bed after I let him play another computer game. And now, all is quiet, and It's good to know that I still got the gift for babysitting!

This will be my very first Succot keeping only one day and I'm soo excited!! I think it's going to be a little weird on Saturday night when we make Havdala knowing that I can get on the train back to my apartment and enjoy my Sunday while my family and friends back home still have to keep one more day. I'm just going to have to remember not to call anyone on Sunday, because no one in the States will answer the phone!

So, here's the schedule for the next few weeks. I'm here in Beit Shemesh until Saturday night and then I am doing one of the following:

1) Going back home to my apartment to catch up on sleep. I haven't had a decent night sleep in a really long time, so it would be great to crawl into bed at 10:00 and just sleep till Noon

2) Go back home, dropped my stuff, then take the bus to R'anana and go out to the movies with Tamara.

3) Stay in Beit Shemesh and go with the Novicks to a Simchat Beit Hashoevah concert in town

4) Head into Jerusalem to this singles event, where apparently some famous shadchan named Tova holds a huge singles event around this time each year. Don't know if any shidduchim ever result, but its been getting a lot of ink lately.

The jury is out on what I'm going to do Sat night, but it's nice to know that I have some options.

Sunday I'm looking at furniture for my apartment, going to the gym and probably doing another load of laundry. Depending on what's going on in the neighborhood, maybe I'll take in a movie.

Monday is Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel and the OU Center is also airing a movie about the last basketball game to ever take place in the settlements that were disbanded during the disengagement. I heard some really great things about the movie and I'd like to try to catch it if I can. I've been chatting with my friend Rabbi Avi and I'm hoping to coordinate with him. I need to go to Meah Shearim to pick up another Mezuzah for my apartment, so perhaps he'll want to come with me to that. I also need to see Fruma, who should be in flight RIGHT NOW!!! I can't wait to see her! At some point, I also need to coordinate with Rav Rudman, who I haven't seen in a few years at this point, and my friend Rivky. If I end up making it a day trip to Jerusalem, I'm going to try to get together with some of the Jerusalem crew from my class as well.

Tuesday I'm going to be packing, going to the gym and getting ready because Hannah comes to town and we move into the Kings hotel for the week!! I can't wait! I'm going to be picking her up at the airport, and by the time we get in to the hotel and unpack, we'll probably just have time to grab some dinner and maybe walk over to the Kotel (depending on how tired she is too).

Wednesday, we are off to Kiryat Sefer to visit Ariella. For those who don't know who Ariella is, she is Hannah's best friend from childhood (growing up in Cincinnati) and my former roommate from Michlalah. I haven't spoken to Ariella in a while, but Hannah promised we would come to see where she lives and meet her kids, so we're planning on going there for a few hours. Then, Liora lands and heads to the hotel!! We're thinking of grabbing dinner and, depending on what Liora wants to do, will probably go back to the Kotel.

Thursday in terms of plans is completely up in the air. I know Hannah and Liora both have certain things they want to see while they're here, so I'm just going to go with the flow. We all agreed that we'd like to go do the Tunnel Tours, which I still have to call about on Sunday so we can make reservations, and Hannah mentioned that we would most probably be "eating our way" through the Holy City. Well, I don't think I'm really going to be up for all that eating, but if we end up doing the amount of walking I'm hoping to do, I might just need the constant refueling. The one place I'm insisting we go to for dinner is Olives on Emek Refaim, which is a great restaurant my friends Rachel and Greg introduced me to when I was here in Israel back in 2002. There is also a fantastic candle store on Emek Refaim (or at least there used to be one) and I really hope to get a chance to pick up some candles for my apartment.

Friday, also not sure yet what we're going to do, but it's a really short day so we'll probably stick close to home. Friday night we are all eating by Fruma's parents so I have to make a mental note to pick up a bottle of wine or send flowers before Shabbat. We're not sure what we're doing yet in terms of lunch on Shabbos day, but Fruma mentioned that they dance the torah down to the Kotel, so we'll probably head over to the Old City for that.

Saturday night, not sure yet, but I'm sure we'll find something to do.

Sunday, we might end up splitting up because Liora wants to go to Amuka, I think Hannah wants to go visit some family, and I would like to do two things: visit the new Shalva in Har Nof and meet my cousins who live in Rechavia. Sunday night is our last night in Jerusalem, so we'll probably lay low and just prepare for the coming days.

Monday - Wednesday we're going to be in Ein Gedi! We're taking the bus down to the Kibbutz on Monday morning and plan on hitting the spa, the Dead Sea and the pool in the afternoon. I've never been to the Dead Sea, so it should be a lot of fun. Hannah and I will have to pick up a pair of pool shoes, unless I want to ruin one of my pairs of Jcrew flip flops (I don't). I also have to call the Malia Mills store on Columbus Avenue to see if I can even wear my tankini in the mud. If she says that it's going to get ruined, I'm going to have to buy myself another suit. I spent over $300 on the tankini and there is no way I'm risking ruining it.

Wednesday night I'll be back in my apartment and then Thursday, it's off to Jerusalem to see the folks!

OK, I have to cut the blog short because the baby woke up screaming and I need to go take care of her. Will try to blog again tomorrow!

Chag Sameach!!

Song of the day is The Mating Game by Bitter:Sweet