Susie, thank you so much for asking and caring! And Star and Barbara too!
I am fine. We are all fine. Expecting two more grandchildren (unbelievable!)
I have a bit of a dilemma with my work, which has sort of taken me over completely, and I'm not quite sure how to cope with it. But I don't think it's a subject for here -- maybe I'll post about it and throw out a question in the Watercooler. Anyway, that's the real reason I haven't been writing, although I do read the posts more or less every day.
My difficult child has finished the military, about three months ago. He was very very lucky to have finally landed up with a commander who knew just how to "play" him, so he finished his three years and got an honorable discharge. With the work ethic that I grew up with (parents from Germany -- need I say more?) I was pretty disgusted with his "input" into the army, but as I once explained to you guys: the army here in Israel is obligatory, so they have to accommodate all sorts of boys and they do so with all sorts of jobs. Oriel was a driver, and he didn't work very hard, and he came home every night. The last four or five months he lived in a flat provided by the army for kids from problematic homes. That was pretty ironic, since our home is not the problematic thing here, it is the kid! But I was so happy he was out of the house!
Officially he has come back home, but at least half the time he sleeps over at his girlfriend's. They have been going out for almost a year. She comes here and she is a good kid with a good job. He is also holding down a job -- working in a motorcycle repair and sales shop. He says he enjoys it. That is three months now. He has bought himself a cheap old car (the girlfriend refused to get on the back of the motorbike). All in all we are managing. I still feel tense and nervous whenever he is at home, and sigh with relief when the front door closes behind him.
My health is OK. I am having six-month check-ups this week (ultra-sound of neck arteries tomorrow, specialist doctor/surgeon next week), and I hope it will all be OK.
I did stop smoking for 3 months, but am gradually getting back to it. In the meantime, our home is a smokeless zone and anyone who wants to smoke has to go outside -- including me, but they don't really realize yet!!! What a failure I am.
OK, that's a short update. Thanks for asking.
Love, Esther
