Shalom m'haAretz

I spent Shabbat with my cousins, their husbands and kids, aunt and uncle, and grandparents. Now, explanations: my cousin moved to Israel this summer with her husband and kids because her husband's in Gruss. Her sister (along with husband and kids) and parents came to visit these past few weeks. Our grandparents are in their 60's and the only time they had been on a plane was a few years ago when they went to Arizona to visit my great-uncle who wasn't well. We've been begging and begging for years for them to go to Israel, but "we never did and we're fine, we don't have to" was the general response. This time, my uncle (and other relatives too, I think) purchased tickets for them as a surprise anniversary gift and lo and behold they actually came. It's unbelievable how much they seem to be enjoying themselves. :)

We took a walk Shabbat afternoon (without the grandparents) around Bayit v'Gan (the long way to the park so that we could see my cousin's husband's old house). It was my first walk in Israel so far since lugging 90 pounds of luggage down and then up a million flights of stairs. The 90 pounds, by the way, is not an exaggeration. One bag was 51 and the other 40. And I still love Bayit v'Gan since my last stay here.

So anyway, it's 7am and I've been up since 5. So while you're all partying your tushes off in chutz l'aretz, I'm here in the holyland writting an update about nothing, talking to Sara, and pretty much just being happy to be here. Oh yeah, and looking forward to my 68* (F) weather today!