The Family in Israel

Sorry folks that I have been away, but as you can imagine my life is meh-sho-gah. Crazy. Here is a quick update.

All of my family, save Al, arrived safely in the hours before I flew back from Europe. Thank goodness James was here to get them organized. Al's flight was canceled so he decided to postpone his visit.

So far they have taken a tour of the old city, seen Bethlehem and gone through the infamous wall and checkpoint, purchased supplies for Shabbat dinner at the shook, touched the Western Wall, strolled around the Dome of the Rock, floated in the Dead Sea, baked at Masada and today most of them have headed North for the day on a tour.

This morning, James, Mom and Dad picked up the BFV (Big Flipping Van) for the next week and we will be heading to Eliat and Petra. James managed to "parallel park the mother f*$@er" (his words) and right after that demanded a high five from my father who witnessed this act of supreme skill. I guess James is officially part of the Suburban-driving Mac-d family if he can parallel park a 9 seater van.

James' mom Judy is on cloud nine because James took her to high mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Sunday at the ungodly hour of 6:30 am. I disagree with the Islamic notion of prayer being better than sleep, so I declined to attend and enjoyed every minute of my extra two hours of sleep.

The Mac-d family has also discovered sheseks (the best of the mystery fruit) as they are in season and a couple of the neighborhood trees are laden. We were all wondering how to get some of the juicy -looking higher ones and were eying up who was the lightest member of the family. Baby Vivian would probably just start chewing on a leaf if we hoisted her up. My pregnant sister is in no position to be grabbed about the waist, so before we new it, my brother suddenly lifted my sixty year old mom into the air so she could pick a bunch of us.

As for me, I am doing well, but a little frazzled. It is great to see my family again and have taken on new roles in life. I have become the chief master of organization, solver of problems, finder of Q-tips, quartermaster, source of extra flip flops, loaner of shekels, purchaser of stamps, player of paddy cakes, finder of tour guides, writer of lists, translator of grocery store cans, and above all else, herder of cats.