Fresh Brewed Vanilla Bean Coffee with Frothy Cinnamon Hazelnut-Coconut Milk ...

Why is it that on a regular weekday my eyes pop open and up I am, feeding the birds, looking at the JPost, before even making my delicious freshly-ground fresh-brewed vanilla bean coffee (Aah that aroma) with cinnamon stick frothy Hazelnut-Coconut milk (very healthy) and feel just fine? But on a tzom (Jewish day of fasting) immediately upon awaking, before lifting my head, that awful feeling greets me? Just can't figure that out. 

Well today, I went for a routine annual blood test, awoke fine, sipped a little water, and prepared for the day. Then I remembered that today was really special. 

On went the computer and I tuned in to the amazing Nefesh b'Nefesh video of the 49th plane full of exhausted (I remember that feeling) new olim with tons of children, some bouncing around while others drowsily leaning on anyone or the floor. The introductions were lively, the music invigorating (surely kept everyone half awake, together with all the clapping of hands skillfully orchestrated to wake the sleeping). 

But more then that the music brought back those aliya feelings of excitement and butterflies inside that accompanied every thought and preparation the week of my flight. B"H 

The funny part is I had to push off my flight a couple days because enroute to me was my iPad! How could I go without my iPad. Too expensive to buy in Israel. However, I'm sorry that I didn't bring an iPhone with also. Oh, well, gam zu letova. My friends joked about the flight change. Back to the Olim. 

I just love watching the olim and seeing so many disparate individuals, all Jews coming to begin their life-changing fulfilling Great pictures of the children.


That video filled me with joy so I was able to go for the blood test without worries of fainting on the street. Took a monit (Israeli taxi) anyway.

On the way, all of a sudden his 'smart phone' beeped and he read a message. At Binyan Klal (right near Maccabi) there was a shooting, a man and woman were shot. Oh, great. That's where I'm headed.

Traffic was a bit stalled on Betzalel so I suggested going down the street (where the fish restaurant used to be, on the corner, where they're doing renovations) just before Eliash. It took us straight to Agripas. I walked from there, looking around for policemen.

Maccabi has the routine down so smoothly, I was in and out for the blood test. Back on Agripas around the corner toward the #19 bus and there they were. Policemen, an ambulance, people grilling the mishtara for information; the entrance on Eliach to Binyan Klal has some business going on at the entrance, but most of the action was over by then. Oh, well.

My bus came soon and of course the lady in front of me grilled the bus driver about the incident. I made my way around her to find a seat, as the driver turned up the radio so everyone on the bus could hear the news report. 

When we neared my neighborhood, at one intersection, there was a car not moving. The driver was getting annoyed because 'she' couldn't move around the car without entering the oncoming lane. Well, the car started moving and the driver waved at the bus driver, she opened the door and the car driver started asking for directions. "Yashar, yashar v'smolah."

B"H I was back at Abarbanel St and a furry welcome.

There in the entrance, in the grass to the right side, was "Mommycat and her seven (7) little darling kittens" greeting me, with 'meow, meow'. I took that for 'please give us food'. So upstairs I went, to the cabinet, and opened a can of sardines. I mashed them into a dish and down I went to feed our little friends. She is a youngish mother, and so happy to have those seven little darlings. Her stomach had eight (8) little nipples. 

This was the first time I ever saw so many kittens from one litter. The color of each kitten reflected one of the colors of the mother cat, she was multi-orange-white-grey and dark grey, but mostly white-orange. Her nose was still pink, that's how I could tell she was a young new mommycat. My husband was actually the first to feed them and so mommycat was very very appreciative of him and truly showed her affection by rubbing and meowing.