criplomats

Artichoke flowers

I’m fascinated with these artichoke flowers that John bought for me – they are a gorgeous bright shade of blue, about the size of sunflowers. According to a blogger in California, the artichokes that you eat are just the immature buds of these flowers. John also got me a pretty orange begonia in a white pot for the patio table, and rosemary and basil plants.

We found these treasures as we were walking up Ben Yehuda Street last night, on our way to a farewell happy hour for our neighbors Melissa and Amos. Earlier in the week, I went “shopping” at their apartment – a Foreign Service ritual. When you are packing up, you call your friends to come take the food you have left in your cupboards –  I happened to be on the receiving end this time. It’s fun!

John and I have been taking early evening walks on the beach this week. The weather has been really nice, with a good breeze coming off the ocean – lots of kites out today. We’ve giggled this week as a guy has flown past our apartment at eye level in a power paraglider- it’s like he is para-gliding with a small parachute, but he has a power pack on his back to zoom him around. Click to see a photo that I found on the internet. It looks fun!

I’ve really been enjoying reading books by Jodi Picoult – I finished one this week, My Sister’s Keeper. I’ve also enjoyed Perfect Match, House Rules and Nineteen Minutes. I felt like I hit the jackpot when I found another one of hers in the Embassy lending library the other day – can’t wait to start it. Is anyone else a fan of hers?

Also, John and I have really been enjoying Mad Men, a television series about the advertising business in the 1960s. Everyone kept telling us that we would love it, and we do. We get so excited when our NetFlix order arrives in the mail!

Speaking of mail, we also really appreciate the care packages that Cousin David has been sending us! Alison tapes TV shows for him on DVD, and he has started sending them on to us – yeah! We get a pretty good selection of television shows on the Armed Forces Network, but it’s great to have something on DVD when there’s nothing on that we want to watch. Thanks, David!

John and Syllie on the beach

I’ve really spent the week trying to get over jet lag – I’ve alternated between getting no sleep and sleeping so soundly that I don’t wake up until mid-morning!

We were happy to have a day off on Tuesday to celebrate Israeli Independence Day. Our neighbors Diane and Bill had a great cookout on their balcony overlooking the ocean – I think everyone in Tel Aviv was down on the beach. Throughout the morning, fighter jets flew in formation and performed acrobatics overhead, and there were a million boats on the water. The party was great fun – I really enjoyed sitting in the sun and drinking a glass of wine as we visited with folks from other parts of the Embassy.

We had another treat on Thursday when our friend Sylbeth popped into town for the night. She is posted in Japan and has been travelling around for her R&R. We had a nice dinner at Whitehall, then sat in the sand at a beach bar for a nightcap. Syllie is a lot of fun, and it was wonderful to see an old friend from DC.

Friday after work, I went with a few folks from the Consular section to a cafe overlooking the beach to have a little Friday happy hour, which was a great way to start the weekend.

Israeli Independence Day

My Kentucky buddies, Stephanie and Becky

Home again, home again! I arrived back in Tel Aviv yesterday afternoon and am so glad to see John and Flavia! It’s especially nice to be able to celebrate my birthday with them!

Last Sunday morning at o’dark thirty, I left Hot Springs and drove through rain to catch my 7 AM flight to Lexington, Kentucky. I spent the week in Williamsburg at a conference at the Kentucky Consular Center. The conference was great and the hospitality that KCC extended to us was just incredible. It was so fun to meet folks from other posts and to meet the people at KCC who help us via email and telephone.

The week was a whirlwind of meetings and going to lunch and dinner with the group. It was especially fun to see my A-100 classmate Robert who was in from Lima. A group of us went to Cumberland Falls State Park to see the beautiful waterfall there, followed by dinner at the lodge, where we were entertained by goldfinches and a resident raccoon. We also had a great time celebrating Cinco de Mayo together at a local Mexican restaurant.

Click to see all of our photos from Arkansas and from the conference.

Mom and Tiger

My conference buddies, Wendy and Robert

Four-wheeling with Kay

I had my first experience four-wheeling yesterday afternoon with Kay – Mom and I went to Aunt Gusta’s for supper, and Kay took me out for a spin. It was fun!

This was a good, relaxing week. The only down side was that John left on Wednesday to return to Tel Aviv. He made it home fine, and reports that Flavia was glad to see him! We really appreciate our neighbor Diane for taking such good care of her while we were away.

Also on a down note, my in-laws Pete and Ginger decided not to make the trip to Israel this week, but hopefully will make it later on while we are there.

I pretty much ate my way across central Arkansas this week, visiting with friends. Last Monday, I met Leslie for lunch. It was fun to get caught up with her – we never run out of things to talk about!

Tuesday, John went out to Russ’s house, while Mom and I met Cousin Sue at the hospital for lunch. That night, we picked up Alison and headed to KJ’s for another wonderful meal.

John had an early flight out on Wednesday, so I took him to the airport in Little Rock and was back in Hot Springs by 6:30 AM (ouch). I spent the day shopping and then visited with Aunt Bonnie.

Lynn and Beverly, friends from my Nuvell days, met me for lunch in Benton on Thursday. Lynn looks younger every time I have seen him since his retirement! Beverly brought me a lovely pair of earrings from her shop Jambs, in Sheridan – thanks, Beverly!

Friday morning, I met Karen, a friend from college days, at Java Primo (Josh’s coffee shop). We yakked for two hours, then I went to meet Todd and Margaret for lunch at Rolando’s. Todd and I have been friends since high school and were at Hendrix together, too – good to see him, and hard to believe his two boys are about to graduate from college!

Click to see all of our photos from Arkansas.

With Todd and Margaret

With Lynn and Beverly

With Leslie at Juanita's

My golf girlfriends

Our R&R in Arkansas continues, as does the stormy weather! I think it has rained or stormed every day that we have been home, although I have to admit, I enjoy it.

John spent two days last week with his good friend Russ from college, who conveniently lives up the road in Mount Ida. I dropped him off in the morning, then picked him up in the evening (not unlike doggie day care) – I was treated to an excellent dinner with Russ and his wife Cathie on Thursday when I went to get John. They have a lovely place in the woods, with a complete menagerie of dogs, cats and birds, so I was in heaven. They have an especially cute puppy, Penny, who, as a stray, literally laid down in front of Cathie’s car – so Cathie, of course, brought her home. John would love to bring her home with us!

While John was visiting with Russ, Mom and I had lunch and did some shopping on Tuesday. On Thursday, I had a nice visit with my cousins at lunch at Bohemia. It was great to catch up with Kay, Ann, Julie and Melinda. It was also a treat to see Kay pull up in the Volvo – good times!

Friday morning we had an appointment in Little Rock, and made a surprise appearance at our friend John’s office for a quick tour of his offices after our appointment. Afterward, we headed to Conway for lunch at the Hendrix cafeteria with Ann and Pamela. The campus is beautiful – all of the azaleas and other flowers were blooming. I also got to say hi to one of my favorite professors ever, Mr. Kerr.

From there we headed on to Mountain Home to see John’s parents Pete and Ginger. They took us to PJ’s for an excellent steak dinner on the banks of the White River.  The food was really incredible and the setting is gorgeous.

We spent the night in Mountain Home, then came back through Little Rock. After a glass of wine at By the Glass (with a quick visit with Brian), we met Doug, Deb and Daniel at Sr. Tequila in Maumelle. I got to visit with them for a bit, then Bee and Kathy picked me up to go to a very festive party with my golf girlfriends at Camille’s house. Those girls sure know how to mobilize and throw a party! They are all such sweethearts and it was fabulous to see them all: Camille, Kathy, Bee, Peggy, Liz, Carol, Kelley, Pamela (in town from northern Arkansas), Rookie, Julia, Deb, Tiffany, Candy, Frazier and Karen. John joined us later in the evening, and after much talking, laughing and dancing, we made our way back to Hot Springs.

I found one of the best masseuses ever and enjoyed an outstanding massage this morning – her name is Ilona Peterka and I highly recommend her! It was really one of the best massages I have ever had, and is in a very pastoral setting – I saw a beautiful scissor-tail fly catcher in her yard.

Click here for all the photos of our R & R.

On a sad note, we learned last Monday that John’s good friend Carla from college suffered a brain aneurysm while at our friend Chip’s house last Sunday afternoon. Within hours, she had passed away. It’s incredibly sad – she was at both of the reunion parties last weekend, and John had a wonderful time visiting with her. She was definitely in her element, surrounded by friends and laughing – she will be missed.

John with his friend Carla

With Marilyn and Julia

With Ann and Pam

With Mary

With Mr. Kerr at Hendrix