Like a Good Book

Second day at home. Threw my back, yet again. Gets better, though, and I think I'll be able to go to work tomorrow.

I spent yesterday in front of the TV, obviously, watching movies and three episodes of Ptzuim Barosh. I need quiet for it, and my mom is here today, so I don't know if I'll watch any more today.

Recent updates:

I'm moving on nicely with the sewing class. We finished both the skirt and pants, and we'll be finishing the blouse next week. I need to make up my mind what I want to make for the final project, pick the figure from the Burda and copy it and get material. I want to make a jacket, and I hope I can. I'll copy a dress as well, just in case. I also really want to get a sewing machine already.

The class is ending in four weeks, and after that there will be a figure making class which I want to enroll to, but that starts in April, so I've some time.

We're looking into taking a short trip to Europe for my mom's birthday in March. We were thinking Barcelona, for 5 days, including her birthday Friday and come back just in time for the Elections. I'm really looking forward to it.

Work is hectic/hellish as usual, with ups and downs. I'm still toying with the idea of trying to find another place, but it's energy I don't have at the moment, and there are many people I'll be sad to leave behind. It's also, still, my best chance to acquire some management experience in the next few years, so deliberations.

Got a chance, as I've written to get some stuff out of my room, but it still looks a bit like a war-zone. My back situation makes it quite impossible to straighten at the moment, of course, but since I'm not the *most* organized person on this planet (cue laughter from the crowd), I don't mind terribly. I still need a few things from Ikea, which I'll grab when I'll be there next.

If anyone is interested, you can find the pictures from my trip to Vienna here.

I doubt I'll upload them to photobucket and post them here, there's just too many...

Well, thank the universe, it was not one of the ugliest, most disgusting viruses alive, like the one I cought back in March.

Even though yesterday I felt like there was fucking LEAD inside my limbs, the feeling is gone today, and besides a stuffy nose, some dryness in my throat and the hint of a headache, I'm much better. There's still soreness in my musceles, but again. it's much better today.

To celebrate, I went through my generic "List-for-Trips" I've been maintaining for the past 7 years, to make sure it's updated for Vienna.

As it turns out, it wasn't, but it is now.

...and as extra preperations, I'm listening to all my Tori Amos songs now. Hee.

I think I'm hungry.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday, so we said we'd go for a trip. My mom talked to Menahem, who's a friend who travels a lot and he gave her some places, so we headed out early in the morning (early in our definition... Say 8:30).

We went towards Jerusalem and the Jehuda mountains, where we hoped to get a glimpse of tulips in bloom. The weather was terrific. We made it first to one place and then the other (Chorashim forest and Kisalon) and there were no tulips in sight, even though the entire surrounding was green and beautiful, full of mustard plants and some primroses. My mom called Menahem again, who directed us in another direction... And there they were! Tulips! Wild tulips are much shorter than cultured tulips, but just as beautiful. In a few weeks the blooming will be gone, so we really did get the last glimpses of them before the season is over. I broke out my Diana F to shoot some of them, I have no idea how it came out (I finished the roll of film later in the day, I'll find a place to get them developed tomorrow or next week). My camera was acting up (it is almost 6 years old. I really need another one already) so some of the photos were taken with my phone.

( Tulips photos (and other nature shots) )

We finished our rounds of photos and excitment of the flowers (city dwellers that we are) and went to have brunch.

We went to a place called Derech Hagefen (Vine road) in Beit Zait (Olive House! Woo-Hoo!). The place comes highly recommended, but it wouldn't have been that in Tel Aviv. Yes, the food was good and the place is beautiful, but the service was below average and the prices high, and the food is just as good as any coffee house in Tel Aviv (lack of competition, that's what it is - you drive half an hour outside of TA and there's only one coffee place in a 30 km radius. This place would not have survived in TA).

Problems notwithstanding, we had fun and took pictures (duh), including one of me hugging a very reluctant Udi, which I'll spare you from seeing... :P

( Vine road photos )

After out meal we headed out to see the memorial for 9/11 they have set out on the way to J-M. Don't ask me who made the decision to locate it there, since it's literally in the middle of nowhere, but we made it there (saw some deer on the way! No pics of them, though. Fucking camera). It's very large, and made with white limestone (I think). The middle piece is dark metal with a piece of the twin towers behind a glass window, and overlooking the hills of J-M is a bench with the name of the casualties on dark metal.

( 9/11 memorial )

J-M isn't one of our favorite cities but Machne Yehuda market is a great market, full of goodies. If we would have had a shopping cart we could have emptied half the place... We bought Halva, olives, pastries, cheeses, garlic and other stuff I can't recall. Most of it is awesome (there are always flops with places you don't know). We had a small lunch at Azura, an Iraqi restaurant with really great food and headed out to Nachlaot neigborhood. The street are small and old, and it has its charm. Some really big cats as well...

( Machne Yehuda market and Nachlaot )

The last place we headed to was Yemin Moshe, with the big windmill and overlook at the old city.

( Yemin Moshe and the old city )

...and then we headed home through the haze, which made me caugh heavily.

( Haze! @#$%^&* )

And in the evening we met Michali and Tomer for dinner at Brasserie, which was excellent, as always. My mom was over the moon after that day...

Still at home. Closing the fifth week and will probably stay home at least a few days next week as well.

Took a trip with my parent yesterday up north to see some flowers blooming. We had a great time, saw hundreds of Primroses and Anemones (most were not red but pink and violet). We had lunch at an eastern-european restaurant (not really my thing, but my parent were thrilled and I had enough to eat, plus - BEST POPPY SEEDS STRUDEL EVER).

This morning was, well, annoying, but at least I got to the port and the Accessories Market as I wanted (and I'm going again tomorrow with Netalie, and my mom won't be there on my case).

And I'll be off to see a movie tonight (The Impossible), again on my own. I just really don't want to stay at home alone on a Friday like I normally do (well, great, movies alone is just a tiny little bit better).

...and I need a new computer.

Had a very productive day. I went out to get my hair cut (looks all 20's now, love it to bits) and on the way back I dropped off my new pants at the seamstress for hem shortening (yes, more clothes... But those are the last few! I swear, oh mighty bank account! And I won't go back to Honigman for that GORGEOUS red coat...).

When I got home I went through my room for junk and hanged the laundry, got through one of the e-courses for work and I'm in the middle of (finally) organizing the pictures from Paris (even though I think I'm going to postpone the last bits for tomorrow, it's extremely annoying combining pictures from three different camera).

...and I think I'll go have dinner. I'm meeting Abigail tomorrow for a bit of shopping (for her! For her!), Thursday morning is reserved for Danielle and Friday morning I'm meeting Muna in TA.

Busy week (had breakfast with Lilach yesterday as well). Fun!

(And the best fun is not working and getting paid fully...)

First two days in Paris went by quicky and with so much food!!!

I won't write a lot since I'm typing on my iPod and it's extremely uncomfortable, but we walked tons and saw the Notre dame and been to the Orangerie and the city is beautiful and the weather is wonderful and my dad only gets an angry fit about six times a day (that's not a lot)...

Every corner has a pattiserrie and we have a great one right below the apartment we rented. I'm gonna have quite a few photos when I get back... :)

And the TV fest continues with "Sherlock".

Fucking brilliant, that is, and has made me talk with a british accent for the past two days.

Got through the first series and contemplating on doing the first ep of the second, just to get through the cliffhanger (did I mention it's brilliant?). The best thing about british television, it sure knows how to tell a story. Plus, you know, the basic material is already fabulous, but the construction of the characters and directing... Wonderful.

In other news, my suitcase is packed and everything else is also ready. We'll be leaving first thing in the morning (our flight is at 9:20) and be gone for a week. Look forward to my return with a ton of pictures!

I haven't even had a moment to breathe this week. I spent most of the last three days running logistics and making small modifications to my models ("Small" as in, move two or three things a few mm one way or the other, but man, did it take hours to change in the drawings).

We had a guy here from Systematics yesterday, to show us the new parts' vault for Solid, and that also took a whole lot of time to get through (I was lucky AS gave me a ride to the train station - I would have missed it otherwise).

So now I have some time to myself, for the actual work I've been neglecting... It was fun, though - I didn't feel the time pass and it's already Wednesday.

My mom's birthday was yesterday, so we all went out to eat at "Brasserie" (the five of us and my grandma). The food was incredible, as always, and I really liked the fact my mom raised no objections when it came to picking the place (look, I like my fancy restaurants, and I always try to convince my mom to go to them, and it's the money that's holding her back, but really, the difference between going to eat at "Porter and Sons" and "Brasserie" is huge, and the cost isn't that much higher). During the meal I said I really wanted all of us to go to Paris in the fall, and again, nobody raised any objections - even my sister said it's good to decide now, so she can ask for time off from work. I closed the night with two wins (and a small third of looking incredible in my red dress).

So this Saturday we'll start looking into flights and dates, and I'm so excited!!!! Woot!

Day trip with the family today. It all started with me saying I want to see the migrating birds in Hachula, so we're going... :)

Got up at 5:30 to make sandwiches, and I'm all ready now to leave. I'll post pics today or tomorrow.