One of those days--

It wasn't a "bad day," just a varied one.

Started regular, with my couple of hours on the computer, while drinking water, coffee and waiting to "eliminate yesterday's food." I once read that you shouldn't eat new food until you got rid of the old stuff. I wouldn't dare claim to be the healthiest specimen for my age, but I have no doubt that the situation would be worse if I didn't follow this routine. It also gives me a couple of hours every morning by the computer, which I can't complain about.

Then dovened (that's prayed the morning prayer) and spoke to my walking partner, who declined. So I didn't walk. Sue me!

I did some, not enough, of my Shabbat cooking and "cooked" some more on the computer. That means I have extra work for today. I also cooked my husband's dinner, since I knew that I wouldn't be home in time.

Then off to work, and some how I didn't take some important papers, which I still have to find... One good lesson and one bad one.

Took a ride to the "tachanat delek," that's a gas station-bus stop on the way to Jerusalem. I had to wait there over an hour for my ride to Kever Rachel, Rachel's Tomb, for my monthly, when it fits my schedule, visit. To pass the time, I crocheted son #1's reggae hat and ate lunch, which I had prepared at home.

Finally got on the bus, but there was a massive traffic jam at the entrance to Jerusalem. We wasted over half an hour. Last week I got stuck over 40 minutes at the same place. That's the security check for Jerusalem from the north. Jews and Arabs all wait together. There's no separation, no apartheid here, though there's another road ONLY FOR ARABS. They can have easier access.

Then on our way, we made it to the road near Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) but couldn't find the soldier escorts. Eventually we did. In the meantime, lots of people just piled into our bus to get to Kever Rachel. It's so ridiculous. We have to be sardined into bullet-proof buses, while Arabs and Christian tourists and left-wing Israelis and Jews can just wander freely. We don't endanger anyone. Why should we be imprisoned? They just added another 10-15 meters of cement barriers to the entrance of Kever Rachel. It's very depressing. It was really packed in the Women's Section when we arrived. Not pleasant. I managed to get myself into a far corner in the front. I always need to be near a wall, less disturbances. Forty-five minutes later, I was already waiting to leave, when a soldier entered and said: "Mateh Binyamin!" That's us, the Benjamin Council bus. So I ran back to tell my friends, and everybody hurried out. So did a lot of "hitch-hikers," who seemed to think that it was a free service. Some men even had the gall to tell our kids to get up for them, but I reminded them that it wasn't their bus, and they hadn't paid for the seats.

The trip back was pleasant, especially once the "extras" got off. But it had been a long day since I had any water to drink or gotten to a toilet.

Finally home and rushed to get ready for a surprise 40th for a friend. I was late, but they were waiting for me to take pictures. So my dinner was a "real cream" cake and other nosherei. It was nice being with a bunch of friends, a typical Shiloh gathering from all over the world. From Holland, Hong Kong, Mexico, U.S., Israel, Catalonia, and more. Shiloh's a real example of the "ingathering of the exiles." We spoke a combination of English and Hebrew between ourselves.

Once I got home I began gorging on the vegetables and bulgar I had made for my husband. There was some left-over. It's just not good to eat so late at night. So now, I still feel uncomfortably full.

Enough! The first load of laundry is waiting for me, and it's time for stage two of my morning routine. Besides the usual, I have a student coming in an hour, and the dovening is longer, since it's Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the New Month.

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom, though you may be hearing from me again before the day is over.