It is an early winter evening here in Israel. I have the woodstove burning, one cat is parked on my shoulders and another between the keyboard and my chest, so if I have typos, I can blame it on them.
This week has been very busy in the office, with new projects coming up. I may have to take on board a national monitoring program in addition to what I do now, which is rather scary. It would mean doubling my work and dealing with academics all over the country. I did it once with our own data system, but that was a decade ago. This would mean building a database of the same size with a dozen professors on my neck, which could be rather tiring. We'll see what develops. At least this is in the direction in which I would like to go for my last decade before retirement.
A steady diet of getting up at 4:30 am and coming home about 6 pm leaves me rather drained and ill by the end of the week, so I am taking things quiet and easy for a couple days. The weather is turning cold, which also makes me ache and is tiring. Ah well, this is winter, and to be expected. I remember in my drinking days, this was when relapses were likely, alchohol to relieve the fatigue and illness, and keep on going during the tough part of the year.
Hanukka and Christmas are coming, so I'm looking forward to a little light in the darkness of winter. I go from preparing the first one to celebrating the second one within a week. Jerusalem has some concerts and festivals at this time of year, and I plan to take off a day or two in order to enjoy them. No big break for us, however--no days off at all unless on vacation time. Christmas is just another working day here in Israel, and Hanukka as well, as far as our organization goes. Bah, humbug.
At least with such minimal celebration, we are spared the "post holiday depression" which kicks in during January in other countries. Instead, December and January are the time when we probably get the most work done in Israel. No big holidays, no vacations, everyone is at work in the office for a change, and it is no fun to be outdoors.
And yet we have our beautiful days as well. It's been dry, and I am enjoying clear views all the way to Jordan. While we don't have the brilliant foliage of North America, there are soft golds and reds in some of the trees and shrubs in our landscape. I enjoy the views in my drive to work each morning.
Not much else to mention. This is the "squirrel cage" season when we are just running and running on our individual treadmills over here. A conference or two break up the monotony, and I've got a symposium at the end of the month. That means day trips to Rehovot, Beersheva and northern Tel Aviv, a descent to the desert and coast to warm up a little from our dry and frigid Jerusalem winters.
shabbat shalom,
Linda
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