Relaxing, Grocery Shopping, Toaster Ovens and Weather

The last couple of days have been the most peaceful we've had in a while. We've been running to the clinic daily now for almost 3 weeks, even on Shabbat when it's closed it's been open for Lex. Lex requires constant hydration for the UTI and so along with drinking several litres of water a day they are also giving her fluids through her I.V. There has been very little change regarding this infection but with the doctors help Lex has learned how to manage the pain with a cocktail of drugs. The reward for this was a 2 day vacation from the clinic this week - we have all the doctors personal cell phone numbers loaded into our phones and know that we can call them in an emergency and, they have proven to us that they will respond immediately. Last Saturday Dr. Ashkenazi demonstrated this when he drove over to our apartment, picked us up and drove us to the clinic for a full day of hydration and drugs. Since then Lex has been able to manage better on her own and so we have been home these last 2 days. What did we do with this time? Not much, we barely got dressed, Lex played on her computer, I made soup, worked on a painting, we watched TV around the clock, neither one of us had any desire to leave and simply relaxed, it was wonderful. This mini vacation started with a trip to the grocery store, the first time Lex has been able to go out in weeks and what does she want to do? Go food shopping, typical! So only intending to buy some fresh pita and turkey slices we ended up with so much food I needed to purchase 2 fabric shopping bags to lug the stuff home in. Lex wondered around that store reading whatever english labels she could find ooohing and ahhhing over the unique products available in Israel, but mostly she wanted the ingredients for some good old fashioned comfort foods like the sweet potato, squash soup I made the next day.

One of the things I've been missing is an oven, the apartment didn't come with one, so aside from not being able to make a roast I'm also unable to bake, something I love to do. I usually make very decadent cookies or squares, I can't help myself and both my girls get pretty upset with me because they can't resist eating them. Well, I complained to the manager of the building and yesterday he provided me with a very large toaster/convection oven just in time for Dani's arrival on Tuesday, now I'll be able to welcome her with a plate of decadent chocolate brownies and a real home cooked meal!

The weather is changing, winter is setting in, it's getting cooler and for the first time since we've arrived there are thunder storms, violent and loud, with strong winds. Perched up high on the 5th floor we have huge windows overlooking the corner of Diezengoff and Arlozorov, Lex and I love to sit and watch these storms roll in, the streets are lined with large beautiful trees that thrash around in the wind, we can see people running for shelter as the rains begin, if I look up over the rooftops I can barely see the buildings through the fog. The winds howl around us rain and hail batter our windows, then, suddenly the rain subsides the winds diminish sun breaks out and its' over and, everything returns to normal.