ADJUSTMENT

B"H


Sunday, August 17th

4:15 am. I am still awake as the Muslim call to prayer breaks the pre-dawn stillness. The air is fresh & sweet.
Cats scream at each other on my mirpeset.
At five to six I feel so tired that I'm nauseous. It's light enough now that I can sleep confident that the sounds have retired for the day.
I was heading back that way myself when I realised that I was way too excited to sleep after talking with this shining soul called Joel. I called one of my Israeli girlfriends & we chatted - I told her my good news & she was like, "Lo...", she was so cute! Anyway, she's very happy for me & we'll get together sometime this week after her sister gives birth (!).
I was in the shower when my girlfriend from Vancouver called & we met at Café Hillel for a qafeh barad. YUM! Off walking & talking about our men on our way to Ben Yehudah. I'd totally forgotten what Israeli men are like - they don't just look with their eyes. They don't even simply turn their heads. They watch you with their whole body spun open, arms & legs apart, as if to receive your whole being. Talk about Moroccan testosterone :)
We were at Feldheim on Qeren HaYesod or George HaMelekh or somewhere when I took out my laptop to check if I could detect any wireless AirPorts. I sat on a chair while my friend bought a Gila Manolson book . The woman working there, a tall Teymoniyah (Yemenite) with beautiful, simple clothes & fabric over her hair, said to me in pidgin English, "They used to say 'Man's best friend is dog', but now? It's Macintosh." We laughed together. I'm definitely going back there - also because they have a Metsudah Kuzari I'm lusting after...
We wandered the shops, I checked a klaf for my friend & she kept insisting that we drink water...I need that discipline to come from outside of myself :)
Checked our e-mail in the Russian Compound.
Checked out some frummie clothing stores on Yafo, then walked down past Arta just to make sure it was still there & also browsed some pottery collectives on our way to the Rova. Bookstores galore there! Moriah has moved to this prominent place by the top of the steps leading to the Kotel (on the Dung Gate side) & is HUGE! Pomerantz has taken over the old spot, altho' it's still at the top of Ben Yehudah as well. The Bird of Paradise is long gone (it was on it's way out when I was last here), but there are plenty more old & new things to (re)discover for me here. I'm going to have to spend some quality time in the Rova & *soon*.
There are many things I've noticed about being here that I've yet to properly process.
Joel calls me at home. I go to bed covered in smiles from head to foot.