Read: shabbat shalom 17.11.06

Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:32:48 -0800 (PST)

From: "Linda Whittaker";olsvig2000@yahoo.com;

Subject: shabbat shalom 17.11.06

To: "Linda Olsvig-Whittaker";olsvig2000@yahoo.com;,
"Linda Olsvig-Whittaker" Linda.Whittaker@npa.org.il

Linda Whittaker <olsvig2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi everyone,

First day of a weeklong vacation while my sister visits me here in Israel. Hard to adjust to not getting up at 4:30 am to get to the office. I think I can get used to it, though

It's been a nice week. I got out to a field trip to see vermatid reefs up by Habonim (ancient Dor, as in the "witch of En Dor" that Saul visited before battle). It's an ancient Phoenician port, with many iselets around it. You can see the ruins of the ancient port here:

Phoenecian ports like Dor were very small, but are scattered all around the eastern and southern Mediterranean, approximately one day's sail apart. The Phoenicians went great distances but did not like to spend the night at sea, so they built little fortified ports to spend the night, and then moved on in the morning. Dor was one of these little ports, and has some very interesting archeoogy. Our group was clambering around the causeway and on the islet there at the bottom right, looking at vermatid reef terraces for a conservation workshop. It was fun although I am so unsteady on my feet (due to bad knees and a wobbly left foot) that I was teetering dangerously much of the time, quite sure I would end in the sea. However, it was so interesting that I teetered along looking silly but having a great time.

We have gotten some rain in the last weeks and Galilee is softly green, with growing annuals everywhere. It is a nice time to be there, the smells are young and tender, like spring in temperate continental regions (like the American midwest, for example). With good weather, it will be a pleasure to be up at the Sea of Galilee next week.

I managed to get my desk clear for my time away from the office, and am relaxed now. Not much more to do but clean the house, ready the guest room and go to the spa this weekend. Might as well do it right, a massage and the jacuzzi will put me in great shape for the coming week.

It's seldom I don't have my weekly rant, but this week was nice. Work went well, kitties are in good order, a fun trip to the sea with archeology and natural history, and a chance to relax. It happens so seldom......

shabbat shalom

Linda