Thursday was spent dealing with a lot of minutea realtive to the house. While we continued laying out furniture and other items in the home (using newpapers and imagination) we also had to determine placement of bookcases, cabinets and other items...some small and some not so small. We also met with a man who will install screens and security bars in our place (NOT CHEAP!!). A VERY detailed walk-through of the place discussing security needs and comfort needs proved to be VERY educational and helpful! In addition, he is somewhat of an expert in the area of healthful eating (something I VERY much am "into") so we were able to glean pointers from him on that, as well. I don't know why, but it still thrills me that when I deal with someone like him or other people in trades that i am dealing with a fellow Jew who is also my neighbor. What a comfortable feeling...
We had one small humorous incident last evening...after visiting my in-laws in Neve Yaakov, we took a bus back to Ramat Eshkol to catch a bus back to Maale Adumim. We stood for 45 minutes until we saw our bus turn down the street JUSt before our's. After this happened TWICE, someone pointed out a sign to us (which was small enough that it might have well been in Braille) that the bus route for the evening changes after 9pm...Thank you very much....ok, a small frustration in the grand scheme!
This morning, Yom Yerushalayim, tefilla was extremely nice! In the middle of Chazarat haShatz, everyone sang V'lirooshalayim Ircha..." It was quite moving to see 100 people singing this in unison and LOOKING at the area of Midbar Yehuda and KNOWING I would be IN Yerushalayim in a couple of hours. It all comes together.
While being here has been an exhausting trip (with a few more days to go), it has been a welcome break from the packing up the house in Chicago. However, I have a sneaking feeling that when we return, we will NOT find that the rest of the house packed itself. oh, well...!
Now, it is off to J'lem for a restful Shabbat, before we being our last few days in Israel as non-Israelis!! Then, back to the "real world" and all that comes with it for the final prep in Chicago.
Shabbat Shalom from the City of Peace on the day that the City was Re-unified,
44 days....tick...tick...tick...
