"back" to reality

Hello hello,

Well I am actually trying to update this at least once a week, so we will see what I can come up with.

It’s been an interesting week.

So as some of you know I have a horrible back. Really evil and bad. So since being back I have been put on these super duper heavy back drugs. Now, since being on them I started to get really really itchy – bad itch. So after 2 doctors they decided that I may be allergic to them, so they took me off of them and I am currently on a “drug holiday.” So that being said, the itching has stopped, but the pain is back with a avengence. So until this stuff is out of my system I am back drug free, which we all know sucks a lot. Super sucks actually. So that being said, I was in bed all week with back pain AND itchyness. Hopefully next week I will be back to get onto something that will work and make me less in pain. Fun stuff!

So really I didn’t do that much this week.

However, last Sunday, Rebecca and I went on a mini-holiday. We went to the dead sea for the day, which was great. We floated in the sea, swam in the pool, jumped in the mud, soaked in the sulfer pools and just had a good time. It was nice – the highlight of the week.

This weekend I am going to Tel Aviv (hopefully) with Gogie to spend with my friend Dave that is intown. Should be nice. Hopefully while there I will get to see my cousin and his girlfriend, so that’s nice. Also should be nice to sit on the beach as well. Yay sitting on the beach. Get this pale girl some color.

Oh, one funny thing. So I actually walked over to a friends house (half hunched over, naturally) and while I was there another friend of ours was there with her friend and kid. The little boy is 3, but will be turning 4 over the weekend. So I asked him if he would be turning 4 on Shabbat. He said to me: “No,” but then I said (knowing when his birthday is) ‘but your birthday is on Shabbat” he responds “No it’s not. My birthday is on Shabbes.” I told him that I don’t speak Ashkenaz. He didn’t get it, but I laughed (on the inside….)


Have a Shabbat shalom people.

Nikki

Rachel: not sure what dinner is, I think we are just gonna buy pre-mades.

Yup; it's a post.

I have been really bad at keeping this thing updated. I thought that when I moved back to Jerusalem I would have lots of time to just sit and write, however, I was totally wrong.

My days are currently consumed with ulpan (intensive Hebrew learning) and writing some educational materials. Now, these educational materials are apart of my new plan for next year at work. The way I see it, if I can succefully create fun and non-intimidating classes about the torah readings every week, I might be able to engage new students at the university that have been distant from any Jewish text learning. So we will see what happens, I hope to have at least 6 weeks completed prior to the semester beginning. 2 down, so really 4 more to go, I am sure I can get further than that, but we will see what happens….

On to other things…

I am in the midst of setting up my room (still) and unpacking (still.) I put a lot of stuff in boxes, bins and bags prior to heading to Toronto for work. It’s amazing what I am finding, it’s funny, because I forgot about a lot of the stuff. I am also getting rid of stuff – trashing it, donating it, giving it away – I need to just stop being such a pack-rat. I’m getting better… slowly…. I have a few things that I need to get for my room still, but I will get there.

It’s really nice being back in the apartment. Gogie and I have dinner together most nights and watch random movies. We have had a few good ones, the ones that suck, I end up just going to sleep. : )


We had a heat wave a few weeks ago. It was killer. It was soooo hot in Jerusalem and it is NEVER hot in Jerusalem like this. Even at night it was really really hot. But thank goodness that has passed….

I am still working with a group that is here. I have a few more sessions to work with them on, it takes FOREVER to get out to Rechovot, but hey you gotta do what you gotta do. I feel like it takes me longer to get there and back then it does for me to teach, it’s funny. I see one of my students every day still as her and I are at the same place for the summer (the conservative yeshiva)

Hmmm… last night we went to see Transformers. Since it was published that there was going to a movie a group of us planned to go and see it together and finally we did. It was a good movie, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. After we went to the beach for a bar-b-q. We were in Herziliyah (where the city planner should be shot for making such small roads for a big city) so it was nice to go to the beach. The movie theatre was pretty decent for Israel – it reminded me a lot of Yorkdale (a big mall in Toronto.) We had a good time. There must have been 15 min of commercials first. No, not the movie commercials, but actual product commercials. At first it was great, then painful – ah Israel.

Well, this weekend I am staying in Mod’din for Shabbat. It’s been a long time since I have spent a Shabbat here, so it should be nice to spend time with everyone (even though there are a few random coming….) Alas, it will be good. Some how I got out of cooking (maybe because I only decided to come yesterday?) so that’s a bit strange.

This week I am planning to go to the Dead Sea on Sunday with Rebecca, so that should be a good time. Also, I think I will brave Misrad H’Panim (the interior ministry) and go and get my Israeli Passport (finally) it’s a scary place and one needs a lot of patience, willingness to fight and an ipod to service, fortunately, I think I got all of those under control- hopefully. However, being Israeli and having patience is not one of those things that goes hand in hand. Once I get that one, I am really going to need to get my Irish one. Then things will be a lot easier when I go anywhere in the EU- No waiting!

I am here for another 5 weeks. Which sadly I am sure will go by quick, then again, I am certain that being back in Toronto will also go by quick.

I would also like to take a moment to remember Pixel- the family cat that sadly joined the other kitties at the big scratching post in the sky. He was a good cat and will always be remembered as the animal that would attack your toes while you slept, try and hit your head when you went downstairs, bit you if you stopped petting him and would smack you as you walked by him without giving him enough attention. Here’s to you, attack cat.


Hmm… I can’t really think of anything else right now. But that’s all folks.

I will try to write another one next week… really… I promise.


Sabbath Peace be –unto you.

Nikki

Rachel: no clue what dinner will be, not cooking it.