The Sea of Galilee (March 15)

As I'd seen where the sun went down the night before, I had a pretty good idea where the sun would come up. When I woke at 5:50, I sat bolt upright in bed, flung back the blakets and started yanking on clothes. At 5:55, Brent, who is decidedly less frantic about seeing every sunrise he can and therefore a slower dresser gave me permission to go out alone. I sprinted for the exit and was greeted by this:

 Trust me, this picture does no justice. I immediately burst into tears, it was such a gift. It brought a whole new meaning to "let heaven and nature sing." I could hear their song.

 Every morning we were in Tiberias I watched these fishermen pull in their nets just as they have done since the time of Peter.

By this time, Brent had joined me. We stood and watched the fishermen and my smart-ass husband monologued: Not getting very many fish.....(stage whisper) Throw the nets on the other side!.....bet they've never heard that one before.

He can always make me laugh so hysterically that I disturb the peace.

Our hotel. I don't have much to say about it. Except that they, too, had delicious brie, cucumbers and tomatoes for breakfast. And it was considerably nicer than our hotel in Tel Aviv. And it overlooked the Sea of Galilee, which is about the size of our local reservoir. However our room did not overlook the water. We overlooked the road on the other side.  Our breakfast room overlooked the water. We enjoyed that.

And....."It's OK. This is the Middle East, not the Middle West."

March 14, All Wrapped Up.

And it was morning....

Travel weary and sleep deprived in Tel Aviv at the Med Sea.

And it was evening....

Sea of Galilee, Tiberias.

The first day.

Update your blog much?

I just realized I haven't updated my "about me" for three years. I know because my children are considerably older than it said.

All I updated was their ages. Can't say whether anything else is still true.

Meggido, Nazareth, and the Obligatory Armed Soldier (Still March 14)

Ruins.....they all begin to look alike. But these are at Meggido, where civilization was built atop conquored civilization at a strategic crossroads. It is also very high (and grew higher with each new civilization). Standing atop, you can see how many millions of troops it would take for them to gather and fill the plains of Armageddon. And how the slaughter of them all would fill a valley with blood. It was a bit eerie. And far too peaceful for it's rep.

Something like 27 layers of civilizations.

The plains of Armageddon. Can you visualize it filled with gathered troops?

Exceedingly deep water channel. And Brent's bum.

In case you were in need of an ark of the covenant for your living room...

No clue.

Can anything good come from Nazareth?

The armed soldier strolling down the road was still a novelty at this point.

 And at about this point in the day we were thinking, "Dear Lord is this what the next two weeks are going to be? Bus, bus, bus, look around for 5 minutes, bus, stand on an overlook and freeze, bus, history lesson, bus, as we watch Israel pass by though our bus windows?" 


As it turns out, our guide was rushing us through the mediocre so that would could camp in Jerusalem. Which is where I will camp soon. :)


I miss my tour friends. Someone needs to get it when I slap a table and scream, "Shut UP!"

Caesarea Maritima, the Roman Capital of Judea (March 14)

Here the Centurion Cornelius heard the Gospel preaching of Peter and later Paul made his defense before King Agrippa prior to his final journey to Rome. (Or so says the guide book.) Like Dubai of today, Caesarea Maritima was built out into the sea, and if the re-creation movie can be believed, it was something to behold. But alas, earthquakes and time and this is what is left.


The water was a lovely, stunning, blue.

The amphitheater is a re-build.

We only got 15 minutes of free time, so we didn't quite make it over there to see what we were missing.

vaults and latrines and mosaics, oh my!

You know what they say about the size of a man's foot...

Compensating for something, are we king?

Auaduct

Pretty water via aquaduct. (pun intended)

"It's a secret place."

Tombs, tombs, everywhere.

Charming....

C: Mom, there's a bad voice in my head.

M: Oh, no, what is it saying?

C: It say, "bookie."

Hmmmmm......frightening.

Love that boy.

Gooooood Morning Tel Aviv! (March 14)

Jet lag is a hard task master. After traveling all day Saturday, flying all night and through the day Sunday, we crawled off the plane to discover that we wouldn't see the light of Sunday from outside our double decker jet...even though our flight was only 12 hours. 12+7 time zones = all day. But did exhaustion stop us from consuming vast amounts of food? No. Did it stop us from walking to the Mediterranean Sea? No. Do I have photos to prove this? Um, no. But as I said, jet lag. Which in this case is jet accel. Bed by 9, up by 4:30. Brent went for a run, I did a bit of my Daniel study and then we went to the beach for the "sunrise." Which is moot considering sunrise happens over high rises and therefore is invisible. The good news is that we expected this. I know where Orion is, and it is decidedly in the west and I found him the night before sitting over the sea.

Watching Israel wake up is lovely whether or not you get a sunrise. Old men in speedos going for their frigid morning dip in the sea. Sand that has been graded so as to not be hardened sand dunes. Husbands and high hopes for the coming days.

Note puffy faces. Remember it is in the five o'clock hour and we've been traveling for two days.

Freshly tilled sand every morning

Puffy Face

I spared you the old man in a speedo.

Our illustrious hotel, the Metropolitan. With our bus in the foreground.

Typical Tel Aviv. Unfinished buildings, wall art, scary traffic....or what will be in a couple hours.

Next up: Caesarea Maritima, when my four-year-old will allow. And yes, I do intend to document pretty much most of my last two weeks, so if you are bored out of your mind, you might not want to check back in for a while. My humblest apologies.

(Non-Spiritual) Things I Learned in the Holy Lands

This is by no means an exhaustive list.

1. Toilet paper is a luxury....one I intend to partake of indefinitely. And while we're on the subject, so are toilet seats, toilets, stall doors and free bathrooms.

2. I am singularly amazed at how little Brent and I have to fight about when the biggest responsibility either of us has is to make it onto the bus by 8:30. Would you like Coke or Pepsi? Oh, whatever you want. Would you like the last drink of this latte? No, that's OK, you finish it. Wanna go for a walk on the beach? Sure.

3. I get claustrophobic. I nearly went stark raving mad one morning on the bus.

4. It is possible to be dressed very conservatively and still be "nekked" in Jerusalem. If you are at the Western Wall, you'd better darn well have your shoulders arms covered. If you are at the Dome of the Rock, cover your head. It will just go better for you.Of course, if you are a man, flip what is covered, when.

blue shawl provided by hysterical offended woman (I was mortified that I had offended so greatly)

You can't see his head covering here, but trust me, he's wearing it. And I made the shawl more manageable.

I was invisible until I flipped the scarf over my head and suddenly people are offering to take our picture.

5. Easter is represented by an ostrich. Somewhere. Not in the states? No? Did we make a mistake?

6. Armenians take their birthplace of Jesus VERY seriously.

7. It is possible to submerge yourself in EVERY body of water in Israel. Which tells you how much water is there.

8. Octopi die of boredom.

9. I had no idea that the statement "Shut Up!" Could make me laugh so hard. In close second is "No with the lafink."

I got in quite a bit of trouble for a woman of 35 years.

10. I am quite capable of eating kosher for two weeks.

11. Brie with cucumbers and tomatoes is my new favorite breakfast. Unfortunately cucumbers and tomatoes won't be in season for four more months...and brie is hard to come by around these parts.

12. I do not fancy anchovies with my brie.


13. Carp aren't good kissers.

St. Peter's fish leave something to be desired.

14. Brent and I are.

I kinda like him. Even with the headdress. (Look at those nekked arms!)

the mountains bow down

It's been a while since I've reviewed a book on here. The move. The life. The kids. And it takes me FOREVER to get through a book these days so I've hesitated to agree to review any....until now. I was just intrigued.
Alaska.
Cruise.
Need I say more?
Probably.

About The Mountains Bow Down: Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . ..

That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, The Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.

But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.

Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-perpetual ladies man Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be such a jerk after all.

And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.

Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a situation so steep and so complex that even the mountains might bow down.

Jamie sez: Let me tell you, it was a lot of fun to read a book totally out of my element. It's been a while since I've read a murder mystery (I believe this one might be deemed a "cozy"--oops, no, the cover says suspense, and I would agree with that (but I'm kind of a weenie when it comes to scary so I didn't want to overbill it)). And Raleigh is in to rocks, which I'm not, but might decide to be now.

Anyhoo, my understanding is that this is the third book in the Raleigh Harmon book series, but it was totally readable mid-series. I do, however, now want to read the first two.

(And Psssst! Guess What? You can get The Stones Cry Out  for Kindle for $2.99!)

And you know how I told you it takes me forever to get through a book these days? You guessed it, done in a weekend. It's that good. So buy some frozen pizza for your family to eat and order yourself The Mountains Bow Down.

But be prepared, there is definitely some room for another book. Don't worry, murder solved, but expect to have a few questions when you're through.

And maybe a new passion to see some neon blue stones. ;)

Hey, check this out!

Sibella’s celebrating the release of The Mountains Bow Down by giving away a Cruise prize pack worth over $500.00!

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

• A $500 gift certificate toward the cruise of their choice from Vacations To Go.
• The entire set of the Raleigh Harmon series.

To enter go here!

Then tell your friends. And enter soon - the giveaway ends on 4/1! The winner will be announced at Sibella’s Raleigh Harmon Book Club Party on FB April 5th, 2011! Don’t miss the fun – prizes, books and gab!

About the Facebook Party: Join Sibella and fans of the Raleigh Harmon series on April 5th at 5:00 pm PST (6 MST, 7 CST & 8 EST) for a Facebook Book Club Party. Sibella will be giving away some fun prizes, testing your trivia skills and hosting a book chat about the Raleigh Harmon books. Please RSVP  and if you have questions you'd like to chat about - leave them on the Event page.

And to see what other bloggers have to say about The Mountains Bow Down, go here 

.

About Sibella: Sibella Giorello grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College. After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. Find out more about Sibella and her other books at her website. www.sibellagiorello.com

So Glad I'm Not In Labor....Selfish, I Know

But Thank You Lord for my Charming who gives every day spice.And by "spice" I mean the good, the bad, and the why-would-anyone-like-this? But that's life. And it's kinda fun to have a kid who can smile for a camera and wants his picture taken every time I grab it. And, yes, he likes to pose with his favorite toys as if what's important in the photo is the props.

Lord, get me through this, the fourth year. I pray that my attitude holds and I remember how very precious this one chance to see Charming at four really is.
Even if it sometimes makes me want to run screaming for the hills.

Content

That seems to be my status quo since we moved. Content. And I'm not saying everything is easy. Not in the least. It's more like....

Hacked off at my husband....and content.
Tired of my kids fighting...and content.
Sick of the cold....and content.
Annoyed by people...and content.
Wishing there were a Target nearby...and content.
Craving Chinese food...and content.
Desperate for my house to sell...and content.
Unable to sleep well...and content. (And perpetually sleepy.)
Worried about the state of the country...and content.
With few friends (people are friend-LY, but I still spend most of my time with people who have to put up with me because we're related rather than because they genuinely desire my companionship)...and content.

I'll be driving down the street, rehearsing something in my mind, furious at something said or done to me or someone else, and realize I'm the only one on the road and I heave a breath and discover that under all that fury, I'm content.

Superboy and his X-Ray Vision

Charming: I have X-ray vision
Mom: You do?
Charming: Yep. I can see frew fings.
Mom: Really? That's cool.
Charming: Yup. It only work on some fings, though.
Mom: What things are those?
Charming: I see frew windows.


***


Charming: I using my X-Ray vision
Dad: What do you see?
Charming (holds Sonic cup up to his face): I see peach. Yep, it's peach.

Never mind he'd already had half the cup.

Only in the 'Boro, Mail Edition

My parents and I are both on rural delivery mail. Why, I'm uncertain, as we both live In Town according to most anyone who would visit our homes. Granted, we live on opposite sides of our one mile by two mile town. (They live on the eastern side of the two mile stretch, I, on the southern end of the one mile half.) Although if you were to get technical, I'd bet the town is larger than one by two if you were to walk it out. Which brings us back to why we live "in town" and yet are on the rural route. Apparently the United States Postal Service drew city lines and never shall we go beyond.

Try THAT in the Johnson County suburbs. And yes, I'm speaking to you Shawnee, Lenexa, and Olathe and your massive western expansion.

Anyhoo....my parents' mail comes between 10:30 and 11 AM most days. Mine comes sometime after 2:30, but always before 3:30. Apparently the rural route driver starts west and heads counterclockwise to deliver. Which kinda bums me out, but that's another blog. One I imagine I've written if you go far enough back in my naval gazing to find it.

So, yesterday I was sitting at my parents' table, drinking my coffee and looking out at the birds when the mailman drove up. Instead of dropping the mail in the box and driving on, he brought a package to the door. My dad met him and I overheard the following conversation:

Is that Amy or Jamie?
It's Jamie, here for coffee.
Does she want her package?

OK, first: Seven years I lived in the last house with the same postman. In seven years he couldn't figure out that neither RMS Vending, nor the compulsive gambler Steven Sanders (I'm only guessing this due to all of the online gambling mags we got for him, (if, on the random googlies Steven Sanders cares about his reputation and finds this....you should have let all those gambling sites know you moved)) were any longer residing in our house. I finally just quit writing "not at this address" and returning them and instead threw them away.

So you can imagine my humor to find that my postman recognized me, recognized my parents, recognized that though I don't have the last name my parents have....that I might want my B&N delivery five hours earlier than I would get it traditionally.

All this on top of Thursday's UPS delivery directly into my garage.

Only in the 'Boro.

Ode to Fabruary 16

For the last two days Valentines Day has been the primary conversation topic on Facebook. Who got what, photos of flowers, chocolate, cards, excited exclamations of "going to Vegas!" and "best Valentines EVER!" And then there are the single people who hate Single Awareness Day and go into a three day funk because they didn't get overpriced flowers from someone who has been reminded every day for the last six weeks to think of their special someone.

My gift from the lover of my soul.

I can't make myself really give a hoot about this Day of Love. I'd blame the boyfriend of mine for dumping me on or near Valentines day in the sixth grade, but it seems like maybe I should be over that as we are both happily married to other people. I'd blame the fact that it's my mother's birthday, but I think that's just an excuse for me to pretend it isn't a holiday that needs anything but birthday cake. I'd blame the fact that I worked at a flower shop during February once and saw with my own little eyes that they do, in fact, double the prices of arrangements the week of Valentines. I wonder if I'm just jaded about anything that puts a price on love.

On Sunday, when we'd dropped in at Alco to buy a birthday card for my mom, I decided to also grab valentines for my kiddos. Though it was her birthday, my mother always had a heart shaped box of chocolates sitting on our pillows when we woke up. (You would think this alone would make me love the holiday.) While in line there (after scoffing at the various gifts Alco offered for sale), Hubs accused me of robbing him of any valentines gifts and THAT'S why I never got anything. "You've ousted flowers, you've ousted jewelry, you've ousted chocolate...."

I don't deny it.

And of course, this conversation happened because I offered to go buy myself flowers at the grocery store. Which I did, while buying groceries, and picking up flowers for my mother and Gramps (from Charming who insisted Granny wasn't the only one in need of flowers). Which really means I didn't so much buy them for myself as swipe a few out of their bunches when we put them in the vase.

 My gift to myself, using Hub's money, which I would have skipped had I'd known.

And now the truth comes out: When we were first married, we were broke. I couldn't abide him spending money on flowers that would die in a week when we needed important things like vacuums, or groceries. I don't want him to buy a necklace in a certain shape just because the guys in jewelry design decided that three diamonds in a row symbolized past, present, and future, or whatever. I think this year it was overwhelmingly the open heart collection, but I'm not sure as we have (thank my heavenly father above) DVR.

I don't know why I'm such a crankus about Valentines Day. I guess I would just rather my husband showed up unexpectedly on a Tuesday in June with a flat of annuals for me to plant. That's what says. "I know you" to me. Or a bag of sour gummy worms. Or better yet, a frozen cappuccino from Quick Trip.

This year, after I came home from the grocery store, I discovered a bunch of flowers on my table. During our discussion at Alco, I told him he was allowed to buy me flowers now that we have two dimes to rub together....as long as he bought either the bunches at the grocery store OR a potted plant that won't die. But I'll be honest, I didn't expect him to. I expected him to thank me for buying my own flowers. Instead, I think he was a little exasperated that I did.

 The flowers from my lover. Notice their prime location next to the computer.

Later, we had my parents over for a birthday dinner and then we went to watch our middle son perform as a rapping beaver in the grade school production of The Bear Went Over the Mountain. It was so humorous, my cheeks ached all evening. He then put the squirts to bed, primarily Charming who was making me ca-razy. And disappeared downstairs to watch the shelacking of the Jayhawks while letting me go to bed early. The man knows me.

That, and he let me use my Valentines money saved to buy a new vacuum.

I think I'll keep him.

And rejoice that Valentines Day won't come around for another 363 day.

Sunsets

For all my city friends who have heard me lament the lack of sunsets. God gave me this beauty last night.

I actually gasped when I looked out the window. Stood up from dinner with food in my mouth, grabbed my camera and had five minutes alone with my sunset and its Creator.

And for Andrea, who questions whether I live close enough to call it country: this is what is on the other side of that row of houses. I know Tami wouldn't agree, but after what I've come from, I'll call it close enough.

you know you've moved to a small town when...

You get excited when the grocery store is selling a product you thought was discontinued. You buy it out (it is, after all, on sale and you loved said product) and excitedly rip into aforementioned box to discover they have, in fact, been discontinued. Telltale sign: stale and hard.

Shelf life around here is insane.

(Note: They have not replaced the product I bought out last month.)