Birds, Kids, Freezer, Fuel

I loved the birds in California.  The hummingbirds in our backyard, the different species of Jays that, thanks to the diligent efforts of Mrs. Gilford, all of my kindergarten graduates could identify.  Here, I had been a tiny bit disappointed not to see many birds other than sparrows, pigeons and ravens or crows.  So yesterday, as I was getting back to my car after a banking errand, I was excited to spot this fellow in a tree!  I took many pictures and most of them turned out looking like fuzzy tree branches.  I am including the best of mine and a nice crisp picture from the web of what we figured out was a Eurasian Jay.  Shout out to my SIL Shimona and BIL Joey for helping identify it!

I also saw what I later identified as a Palestine Sunbird on our porch.  Apparently the males are quite colorful but what I saw looked more like this lady.  So, there's hope yet :)

In an effort to protect the children's privacy I am not sharing what each of them say about their adjustment to living here, but I will say that I have been impressed with the level of flexibility, understanding and self reflection that some have demonstrated.  It really does feel like two steps forward and one step back, but that is expected.   Hopefully by this time next year each one can say with honesty that they are pretty happy and are satisfied with their friend-making progress if not with their social situation altogether.

Aharon Akiva has settled on a first choice for high school for next year and his parents concur that it would be a good choice for him, from what we have gathered, so we hope that he will be accepted and happy there.

Yesterday I bought a medium sized storage freezer that lives in the Mamad/den.  There was quite the sordid saga of an extra fridge that I bought from the local equivalent of Craigslist that was advertised as "like new" and most decidedly was not.  I went to great lengths to resolve that situation and was very irritated by it but yesterday someone finally came and took the old monstrosity away and we have achieved resolution on the freezer question.  I don't expect this is interesting to anyone but me and possibly other people who have bought used appliances that were not as advertised, but you can know that I am personally pleased that it's all over, I have a clear view out my kitchen window again (the big old fridge was on our front porch blocking part of my view out the kitchen window) and most importantly, it's GONE.   Thank you for listening (reading?).

I am now trying to find white gas and nobody seems to have it.  One person even told me (somewhat irately) that there is no such thing in Israel and why am I making people crazy, but other people told us what it's called and where to find it.  Except that those places I have called so far don't have it.  It's for our camping stove, so we can cook in case we lose power in the storm, so I hope we find it somewhere :)

I look forward to sharing snow pictures!

Show and Snow

The girls and I just got back from a performance titled "Count the Stars."  A musical by a local all-women's theater group called "Raise Your Spirits," which dramatized the  life of Avraham and Sarah in a musical.  Tiferet and Shoshana both had friends in the show and they added three extra shows because it was so popular (good for me because the date tonight was better for us...).  It was very well done and a little over half way through, Shoshana leaned over to me and whispered, "Is this a musical?"  I whispered back, "Yes" and she said, "Oh, that explains all the songs..."

The audience was also all women and girls, some of whom had beautiful voices and they also included many humorous bits, so it was really fun.  The only part I got really emotional was in the Lech Lecha scene, thinking mostly about how the kids had left everything they had known (almost), friends, school, familiarity, comfort, etc. and gone to "the land that I will show you," kind of like Avraham.   (Someone held up a sign with the little Waze icon, wearing a head dress :) Thankfully the play ended with the weaning of Yitzchak so they didn't have to deal with some of the more difficult bits that follow!   After it was over everyone sang HaTikvah and Ani Maamin and it was moving for me.  The show had laid out the foundations of why we're here and then I look around the audience and see the descendants that Avraham and Sarah hoped for.  And then of course I wondered what it would have been like for Avraham's other children to be in the audience.

Snow is predicted for Wednesday and Thursday and most people seem a combination of excited and nervous.  Chatter on the Facebook and email groups about where to buy propane, kerosene, coats and boots and plastic sleds.  Strategizing about how to get home if it starts while family is at work or school.  Contingency plans for meetings, etc.  The idea of having a quiet vacation day with the beauty of snow sounds really appealing to everyone!  Last year Neve Daniel (about 1000 meters over sea level, higher even than Jerusalem) got a major snow storm and was effectively shut down for almost a week.  * Addendum:  I got the shopping done yesterday but was in line for over half an hour.  The place was packed.  They had not yet run out of food, so I have plenty of milk, eggs, bread, etc, but I was so relieved to get home...

I let the kids (and myself) sleep late since we got back late from the play but now I need to get everyone to school and go to the supermarket to stock up for the storm :)