A few reflections after one year...

A long time between posts--the job and daily life have made writing difficult! I am constantly writing in my head, but sadly all of it stays there!

A moment to remember Benazir Bhutto--a woman my own age who was a pioneer. Beautiful, meticulously educated, charming, and BRAVE. What courage it takes to live and to act. She had it, and the world is poorer for her absence.

Last week I celebrated one year here, and find myself without anything profound to say, except that I love it here, and am glad I made it through the year!

So these were just a few of my thoughts today.

I made a wonderful batch of homemade chili last week--can't get chipotles, but found some firey dried peppers and put in some liquid smoke, and the result was quite good! But it made me hungry for my enchiladas with green sauce. I have everything I need in my pantry or on my balcony, except tomatillos. So last week I began a holy quest for tomatillos, canned or fresh, I don't care. However they are apparently unavailable here, except in a tiny window at some kibbutz someplace. Finally I ordered seeds online, and once I have grown the plants, I guess I will have to preserve the fruits--I hear they freeze well. That will be one hell of a batch of enchiladas when finally I get them!

Funny what you get hungry for. They have tasteless cardboard flour "tortillas" but if you are brave you can get wonderful wheat flatbreads that look exactly the same, and taste and "feel" much better.

It's funny--the weather today was just like a sunny, clear, dry day in September. Temps low 70s, enough dry leaves down to smell and crunch. Only it's almost January!

I took my first yoga class in a year yesterday. It was great, and the teacher was similar to mine in Columbus. I hadn't realized how much I missed it--felt very emotional after. And the muscles between my ribs (the "intercostals") are SORE! Yoga taught me so much about compassion for and acceptance of myself, and I was happy to feel so good during the class--haven't lost anything!

As I always do on Friday, I walked down to the main shopping street to get my Friday International Herald/Tribune (includes an English language HaAretz, and the TV guide!) (Important because the listings change every 3 weeks--I am not exaggerating!) Past every house or apartment building I could smell cooking, savory smells full of spice and time. Maybe fish in a spicy pepper sauce, or whole chickpeas and onions in a tomato sauce, or the scent of kebabs. So much lovely food, so few mealtimes!

And the street (Weitzman) filled with people shopping, some slowly, greeting and talking with friends, some in a BIG hurry. Wonderful scents from the flower stalls and spice stores, kids running everywhere, babies in prams, gorgeous first strawberries of the season, finally some decent corn. Racks of clothes and shoes and books and bread outside the shops. And everybody talking on their cell phones, sometimes 2 at once!

So I'm off to make a pot of sweet potato soup. Shabbat shalom!