Home Again, Home Again...

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We made it! Back in the land of toilet seat covers, soft kleenex and, in our case, drizzly skies. Spacious cars, wide roads and my own pace... it's good be home...

We left Jerusalem, that is, our hotel in Jerusalem on Tuesday morning. As our plane departed early, 5:30AM Wednesday, we had to be at the airport by 2:30AM, which necessited we leave Jerusalem by 1:00AM, we decided not to pay for another night at our hotel. So, by the time we boarded our plane in Tel Aviv, we'd already been up almost 24 hours. Needless to say we were pretty pooped, so the plane ride from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt to Seattle to Portland was, to be completely frank, miserable...!!!

We had a little "incident" in Frankfurt, however. Backing up a bit, one of the wonderful gifts we received in Israel at Azzuli's farm in the Negev, were the beautiful bottles of the first pressing of the first fruits of the olive groves after the schmitta(sp?) year ~ which is the seventh year of rest when farmers are to let their fields and plants rest, no harvest is taken. So this first pressing was a very precious offering and gift to give and also very precious to receive. And precious it was to us.

When we were packing, we discovered we were overweight in our large check bags ~ we're allowed 50 lbs. per checked bag, two checked bags per person ~ so we used one of our smaller carry on bags to pack our precious olive oil in, wrapped up in clothing for protection and were going to check it. That was our intention... however, during the "very intense" security inspection every traveler must go through at the Tel Aviv airport, the security guy refused to check our bag and insisted we carry it on. We thought it was strange but he insisted so we continued on our way.

When we got to Frankfurt, which, BTW, is a miserable airport to get around in, we only had about 2 hours to connect to our next plane. After negotiating the maze, we had to go through security again and this time they caught us with the bottles of oil. Since they were over the allotted 3 ozs. they told us we either had to throw them away or try to check them, but we only had 10 minutes to do so and it required going back across the airport to the check in counter, at least a 35 min. journey. Life's a balance ~ olive oil? miss our plane? ~ since we were out of time, and new airline tickets would be pricey, we had to throw the oil away. So, of course, I threw a fit and a tantrum and said things I later regretted loudly enough for all to hear. Had I gone on, Julie, Ron's sister, may have been bailing me out of a German prison instead of just collecting this tired American traveler in Portland.

I just wanted to leave the stupid German airport behind and go home. After getting myself together and getting settled on the plane I shed quite a few big tears as I repented for my extreme anger and harsh words and acknowledged how very sad I was to loose our beautiful gift.

Thirteen hours later, thankfully, Julie was waiting in Portland with a wonderful smile and warm hugs. And our dear travelling companions, Rachel and Steve Botham, shared one of their bottles of olive oil with us. We were very blessed and I contrite. Though a fruitless thought, I still wonder if those security people later enjoyed our oil... The joys and pitfalls of travelling.

We quickly got free of the airport and immediately went for a good American Red Robin hamburger then on to Julie's house where we spent Thanksgiving.

Still on Israeli time, I was awake by 4AM with a migraine headache accompainied by nasuea. I took too many meds, which didn't help the nausea. It's amazing what a little vomitting and a good cry will do for a person. I felt great and it was wonderful to see the rest of the family.

We had the usual... wonderful... tasty... delicious... yummy... scrump-dilly-OH!-tious... outstanding... superb... TURKEY dinner. Mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, deviled eggs, green salad, stuffing ~ oh YEAH BABY! it was the works!! MMMMM...

Even though, right now, salad and hummus for breakfast sounds utterly unappetizing, I can say that I truly enjoyed the food in Israel but there's nothing like good American hamburgers and turkey dinner.

We arrived at our very own home and space and garden and bed and kitchen on Friday afternoon, got the laundry done, shopped a little and rested a lot. Now we're both preparing our minds to get back to work.

Israel is an amazing Land. We will never be the same ~ nor do I want to be ~ and status quo and the same ole' same ole' no longer satisfy. I don't know what that will look like from here forward but I never want to forget what I saw and who I met. I encourage everyone to see the real Israel ~ to go where most tourists don't go. I can almost guarantee you will meet yourself again, or maybe for the first time and you will never be the same!

We want to thank everyone who wrote notes to us, thought of us and prayed for us. We're sorry we couldn't respond to each one of you, internet access and time were tight, but we read and absorbed each encouraging word. Thank you for taking this trip with us ~ it was so much better having you along...!

Until Next Time ~ Shalom from.... Sequim!!

P.S. Will try and send another blog of pics soon...

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