I'm Back

With an entire block full of these flowers blooming across the street from my Tel Aviv apartment, who wouldn't be thrilled to be back in the Holy Land? I for one am really looking forward to a vacation from my vacation. I certainly could use a little wedding break. Unfortunately, I'm delusion to think I'm actually going to be getting a break. But hey, one can dream, right?

A lot has gone on since last I've posted and there is too much to add to the blog so I'm just going to provide some highlights:

1) Had my very first gown fitting at Kleinfeld's on the 12th. It was pretty surreal to be wearing what will in a few months be my wedding gown. The manufacturer sent a muslin in white satin so it actually looked like the gown. My Mom asked me to give a little squeal at the next fitting so that the seamstress and my contact at Kleinfeld's gets just how happy and excited I am about the wedding. What can I say? I'm just not that girl. I'm happy though, really happy, just not squealing and jumping up and down happy. I don't express my emotions like that. Oh well, I'll try to fake it next time.

2) Somehow managed to take off from JFK during the Nor'easter. Granted, we sat on the tarmac for over 2 1/2 hours, which was torture to the already cramped and long 10 hour flight. But, Buggy picked me up at the airport, so knowing that the pain would be over in 12 hours kept me going.

3) A yeshiva bocher overzealous to grab his suitcase off of the conveyer belt caused a domino effect of seminary girls that ended with me practically on the bottom of the heap. I pulled a muscle trying to keep myself upright when the sem girls piled up on top of me. And then, to make matters worse, he didn't even apologized. Just stared at the ripple effect he caused with his oversized luggage. I guess that's what you get from this year's crop of Oreo cookies. Where's the mensch under that hat people??

4) Buggy and I were kvatar's at his (and soon to be mine) nephew's bris on Monday night. Armed with a bottle of Visine, I managed to keep myself awake and not drop the baby when I passed him along to Buggy. Thank g-d I caught a second wind, cause I was fading really fast between the drive from the airport to Jerusalem.

5) The writer's conference in Jerusalem was extremely disappointing. There are just too numerous reasons why, but I will discribe Wednesday morning's session. I raced from the Dr.'s office (oh yeah, I'm run down and sick so Buggy got me an appointment with his Dr. at the Wolfson medical center who perscribe lots of rest and fluids. I'll get back on my feet in no time folks!) to Beit Avichai (GORGEOUS building across the street from the Sheraton Hotel on King George) for the Noon conference. I made it in time and when I walked into the room, Professor Kramer was just about to begin the panel. Unfortunately, there was not an inch of space! I leaned against the front, praying that the wall would hold me up in the weakened condition, but more and more people kept pouring in! Soon, I couldn't even move my feet a milimeter as people (elderly, younger, middle aged, you name it) had copped a squat around my feet. Since I wasn't feeling well, I decided to make the executive decision to walk out and miss the panel. I heard that I missed a good one, but I just couldn't imagine spending an hour and a half in that situation. Hopefully I'll be able to catch next year's conference and attend like a lady.

So, those are the highlights leading up to this morning. I woke up at a fairly decent hour and got to work on the story that I have due on Tuesday. I have to say, I was having fun writing this morning! It was really just great to put my thoughts down and shape this story. I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome in a few days. Hopefully, I'll be able to comfortably meet my deadline.

I had to mail a thank you card to one of Buggy's parents friends and so I walked to the post office near Nordau. It is such a beautiful day here in Tel Aviv. Not an ounce of humidity in the air but plenty of sunshine and a cool, Spring breeze. I am enjoying this now cause I know what's to come - and it's coming soon. I'm not looking forward to the heat and humidity of Tel Aviv. Anyway, while at the post office I priced out cost to mail RSVP cards from Israel back to the States for Mom's wedding budget. Hopefully, it is reasonable amount based on the number of invitations we're sending out.

After the post office, I walked down Arlozorov to Supersol to do a major food shopping. I had nothing in my fridge when I got back from New York, so I needed to pick up food for myself and for me and Buggy this Shabbos. Since I had a lot of items, I asked for delivery, and only took the perishables home with me. When the delivery man came up, I had him offload all of the items in the hallway between my apartment and Itai's. Then, when he was done, he asked me for the delivery fee. Now, I was prepared to give him a bit of a tip, but when I turned back to get my purse, he told me I owed him 17 shekel for the delivery. Now peeps, I'm no dummy. I know that I already paid that amount at the supermarket, so I looked back at him and said that I had already paid. He insisted that I hadn't, and so I turned back to my purse to get the receipt. As I was turning back, he bent down and pocketed one of the spice jars I had bought. Now, I have no idea why he wanted to steal my spice jar (I think it was black pepper) but he was trying to steal 17 shekel too so I decided to let it go and get this man out of my apartment quickly. I showed him the fee that I had already paid and then handed him 4 shekel, which apparently insulted him because he left in a huff. Whatever, he can count the 20 shekel bottle of pepper into his tip.

Now I know I'm back in Israel, I'm back to the land where people try to take advantage of the American. That just put me in a foul mood.

But then, Jeff called and asked if we could do a big pot luck Friday night dinner.....in my apartment of course. Now, I had to cook anyway because Buggy was coming, so I said why not? We invited about 8 people, including Buggy and I, and have farmed out tasks to everyone. I'm in charge of making the kugels and rice, Jeff is making the meatballs and chicken, Gayle is bring the salad, Lana is bring the Challah and possibly the drinks and dessert is still left up in the air. I'm not baking since Buggy and I are on serious wedding lent and we don't need the cake in the house, but I did pick up some mango sorbet and was planning on getting fruit anyway. So, I am always the backup for dessert if need be. I'm actually looking forward to having Shabbat dinner in the apartment, it will be fun seeing everyone again.

OK, I'm off to finish cooking! Song of the day is Story by Brandi Carlisle, a great tune that I believe has been added to some sort of Grey's Anatomy montoge on YouTube. Check it out, it's a great tune!

Till tomorrow!