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!