Shabbat afternoon, Aug 20

(A final shot from Ein Gedi):

Well, I go to sleep after 2am, and woke back up at 3:30. Sofia was barfing and pooping and feverish again :(

Stayed up several hours with her, and then we finally passed on the couch for a few hours. So we made Friday an “easy” day. No specific plans, other than to get last-minute gifts. I went out around 9 to take two unexpected loads of laundry in (the guy said he could finish them by 12:30 but not folded. No problem.) David and meandered the area for an hour, while the boys stayed home and watched a movie with their sister, who had perked up a bit after sleeping.

After noon, we all walked up and down the shopping streets of King George, Ben Yehuda and Yafo area. Stores close at 4pm on Friday, and we wasted at least 45 minutes in a “BurgerBar” fast food place. Got my father-in-law a tallit (per his request) and managed to find my own father a “distinctively Israeli” kippah, with Jerusalem Lions on it.

Sofia did not want to eat or drink much all day, but at least her fever went away. She did go through many pair of underpants, and fortunately I had a few spare pull-ups for her, too.

Came back to rest and shower at 4. And try to find a ride to the airport. Unfortunately, the Nesher Taxi (shared van, sort of like “Knight’s Limo” back home) offices are closed on Shabbat, and I should have booked on Thursday. By the time I reached someone, the 8pm van only had room for 1 person.

Twenty minutes before Shabbat starts, there is a loud alarm, letting people know it’s almost time. I was at that moment just about to leave the house in search of an ATM. Needed money to pay for the last night in the apartment (we had not reserved it, expecting to go somewhere with the Levy clan, but they could not find anything with room for everyone), and to get to the airport tonight. Of course, I walked in the wrong direction and did NOT find an ATM, so I raced back to light candles, and then we packed up the kids and walked back out. Got cash, and then caught a cab to Eli’s parents’ house, where we had another lovely Shabbat dinner (and this time his brother and two of the boys were also there).

We finally all slept in this morning! It helped that there is far less noise on Shabbat (many fewer cars, for a start), and Sofia finally felt better. But we did miss going to shul. I had considered going to Shirat Hadasha, a minyan in the German Colony that is”Egalitarian Orthodox”, or we would have gone back to the Masorti shul from last week. But both services started at 8:30, and some people in this family did not even get out of bed until 9:45.

So we took our time, packing and cleaning up. And trying to find transportation to the airport for tonight. I tried several cab companies. Thank G-d I finally found one, who will pick us up at 8pm (flight’s at 11:30, but it takes about an hour to get there). We finally left that house at noon. And walked. And walked. And walked.

Can I just say, it is HOT today!

We headed toward the German Colony (which David had deemed “too far” to walk to shul). We walked through the German Colony (passing the shul). We walked into another neighborhood. Then back to the German Colony. All the while, drinking not enough water (we buy the large bottles and keep them in the freezer, then drink the “melt”) and arguing a lot.

The Forced March got to be a bit too much for me, so I took Micah and Sofia in a cab, and David and Sam insisted on walking back. Sam’s so funny. He won’t wear a kippah, but he won’t get into a cab on Shabbat.

Came home, made lunch with the few leftovers (my new favorite, scrambled egg in pita). Sofia settled in to watch movies, the boys played, and David and I both napped.

Sofia just actually ate something, first time in three days, so I took the chance to get on my computer. But she’s done now, and insisting on watching her movies. (Actually, she’s standing next to me, pretending to type!) The boys are being very silly - Micah just locked Sam’s wrists up with the bike chain from the front porch grate. Prior to that, Sam had been hiding himself in the cabinet.

We are looking forward to coming home. I am looking forward to clean feet (the floors in this apartment are rather dingy) and also to going to the gym. Despite all the walking (and sweating), I think I’ve gained about 15 pounds from all the yummy food!