From Nimi's perspective

Thought I'd update you on what I've been doing  as my story  isn't reflected in Richard's blog.

Despite my intention to sleep in and relax I've  been up by 6:30 a.m.. every morning except one. The sun is up and the cacophony of sound around the apartment begins then. There are birds squacking, cats meowing, kids running and squealing, the front door slamming, babies crying. I can hear cars roaring and TVs blaring. Everyone lives with windows wide open. We're on the first floor right near the front entrance to the building. Every one's noises are shared by everyone else. So being up anyway I meditated. On the first morning I went shopping. $9.00 for a box of Post Great Grains cereal. $5 for a jar of pasta sauce. (converted from shekels of course.) Money really does disappear like water here.
The good thing is that everything I need is just a couple of blocks away. That's one thing about Jerusalem, everyone walks to get groceries with their bubbie cart or shleps home bags which they carry

I brought some work with me to do, so some mornings I did that until Richard came back and as there were fewer patients than usual he came back earlier than usual every day. Two mornings I went to a ladies' gym that's close by and worked out. The most exciting thing that happened to me was that I found a diamond ring in a toilet stall in the Dan Panorama hotel. Although it was tempting to keep it and use it to pay for our trip, I decided to do the right thing and turn it in. I left a note on  a paper towel telling the person if she came back that 'the thing you lost is at the main desk.' I hope it gets reunited with it's owner.

There are some sort of biting insects in Jerusalem and we have no screens on the windows so Dad and I have been well bitten.  It's been very hot and surprisingly humid in Jerusalem

We've spent evenings with Peter and Susan except for one night when they were busy. That night I made spaghetti at the apartment, somewhat of a juggling feat given that it has only one pot. It was yummy and we had it for lunch the next day too. We used to go out with the Dans and some other dentists 40 years ago. It's nice to become reacquainted. I've enjoyed them both.

We were hoping to drop our bike boxes and bikes at Beit Halochem in Jerusalem but the guy who was supposed to help us was useless and the logistics proved impractical so we ended up calling the guy who took us to Jerusalem and he picked us up and took us to Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv and then to our hotel. We went for a long walk today in search of a place to buy Gluten Free challah. It doesn't look good for bringing some home. It seems the challah is back ordered in Tel Aviv and the store near the hotel isn't open after Shabbat ends, so even if they had the bread I'd have to buy it before 3 on Friday then hope it stays good till I get it home Sunday.

Tomorrow we may spend some time on the beach or rent some Bixi bikes to ride along the boardwalk. Then we go with the group by bus up north and begin the ride Sunday.