Can Have it All......

The "I-can-have-my-cake-and-it-it- too-night!" The one night of the year I can stay on the computer till 1:45 and still be in bed (as regards time till tomorrow AM)by 1 PM. GRIN.(We are switching back to winter time.)  Good-night, all!

A Walk From the German Colony

   Today (theoretically yesterday, it is after midnight), I went walking with my best friend, this time in Jerusalem. We took a bus to the German colony area. There we walked around, enjoying the old buildings. There are a lot of very interesting buildings there. Some have been refurbished, many with exquisite gardens as well.

[photo: a water pump in the German colony area,]

   From there we walked back to the Mishkenot Sha'ananim area, where Montefiore's windmill stands.

[photo: old lepers hospital, located between the German colony and Mishkenot Sha'ananim]

[photo: the windmill ]

[photo: view from Jerusalem towards the desert ]

[photo: the old city walls from Mishkenot Sha'ananim]

   Then we walked all the way to the central bus station, all together getting in about 17,000 steps. As we walked back, we passed through the Mamilla Mall, and along the tourist shops on Jaffa road.  Suffice it to say that there are a lot of LOVELY things to be bought for a LOT of money!

Balance

Often we try to do "well" or be "outstanding" at something online, whether it be our blog, an online group, or a hobby we talk about. It takes a mature person to weigh the pros and cons, and to remember that being PRESENT for the real people in our lives is more important than impressing online friends. That does NOT mean that we cannot try our best for online things--- I mean, in some cases we get we get real support from online acquaintances, and the price of that support is to be an active member of the group. But we still need to be aware of how our evil inclinations (and pride) can sometimes knock us way out into left field if we are not careful.

   As an example, there is a new geo-cache in our area where they want you sign a special 'honor roll' if you find a cache that has not been found in a year. So I looked and saw that there is such a cache not too far from here. "Gee, I can find that and be on the 'honor roll'!" Then sensibility set in: "Yeah?!?? Did you take a LOOK at that cache page? You'll have to do X,Y, and Z to find that cache. It is NOT a 'park and grab' cache! It will take you several hours to do this! And for WHAT? No extra exercise here, No special scenery. Just an on-line 'honor roll'. And if you waste a morning on this, what will be with the REAL LIFE things that you have to do??"

   I have often said that the hardest choice in life is deciding what you will do today, what tomorrow--- and what, in reality, you will never get to. I mean, when I get to heaven, will anyone care there about how many geocaches I found? Or rather, if I had time for others.

[PS This does NOT mean that geocaching is a total loss of time, or should never be done. Geocaching is a great activity to do with kids. And it can help you find interesting places to do your next exercise walk at. And it can make that walk a bit more challenging and fun. I am speaking above about when we let any extra activity- or online computer groups take over our lives too much.]

19 and a Walk in Jaffa

    Today is the day that would have been Ricki's 19^th (Hebrew date) birthday. Originally I was considering going to her grave today, but since it is a Friday, yesterday I decided to go on Thursday, and then on the way home go for a walk on the  Jaffa-Tel Aviv beach promenade. 

[Image: a mosaic "19" surrounded with a heart]

(I often do this; the beach walk is a calming, thoughtful finish to visiting Ricki's grave. There is easy access to the promenade along the bus line from the graveyard.)

[Image: View from Jaffa towards Tel Aviv]

[Image: View of Jaffa from the promenade.]

Ruchie's Call

   Ruchie was a former classmate of Ricki, although since she is older that Ricki was, she finished school shortly before Ricki's death. To the best of my knowledge, her Mom never told her about Ricki's death, and she asked me not to mention it, as Ruchie would be upset, and she (the Mom) did not want to deal with that.

   During the recent holiday of Sukkot, Ruchie, apparently on vacation from work, decided to call Ricki.

   "Can I talk to Ricki?"

   "She's not here."

   "Where is she?"

  

  [Now here I didn't know what to say; I'm not going to lie.]

   "Ricki's in heaven."

  "That's nice. Ok, Bye"

   I guess that her "That's nice." is a standard answer she gives to answers she doesn't quite understand. Anyway, she didn't seem upset, so no damage was done. And I had a good smile.