#143 - Dog Walkers

...and every now and then you see something absolutely delightful!

#142 Back to the beach!

 Back to the beach today, free of sirens, rockets and anxiety. My brain totally shut down and I felt my body relax.

I forgot how much being at the beach is an escape. It is how I got through the first awful semester in Abu Dhabi (the beach and crying every night). Sadiyaat Beach was 75 AED ($20) for a chair under an umbrella and worth every penny. The best bargain in Tel Aviv I've found is the beach chair - 12 NIS (4 USD) and 6 NIS for an umbrella- that's only 2 USD!

#141 Anxiety-free outing!

 Today was the first day I have driven in two weeks and it felt great to leave the 'hood, free of anxiety (although every siren-type sound sends a shock through my body)! Six of us met up North to do a hike. It was a full-day-extravaganza: 1.5 hour drive both ways and we were on the trail for about 4 hours total.

I am discovering that the spring here looks and feels a lot fall in some parts of the United States. The  highs are near 80°F, it is slightly cool at night, lots of things are blooming beautiful colors and leaves are falling off of other trees after also changing colors. 

The smell of the forest alone was worth the drive! Here's where we were: 

 

Let's go!

Yoad, Olivia's husband who came prepared with Turkish Coffee

Coffee break!

Finished!

#141 The friends that get us through

 I've gotten lax about my gratitudes each day a few months ago. I was taking Hebrew, working in person full time and doing a lot of Zooming with friends. However, giving up the blog helped chip away at an attitude of gratitude where I am constantly looking for what I will write about today.

Nothing like a ceasefire after some bomb being intercepted over one's head to spark some gratitude!

Friday morning was amazingly free! So a few of us went out to dinner at Cafe Dizengoff where I got to have my favorite burger (so far) in Tel Aviv and my favorite dessert, a personal size vegan pecan pie.

I didn't take pictures at dinner, but here are a couple of pictures from the last week. These lovely ladies (and some others!) helped me get through this year.

A little gathering on my balcony on Wednesday.

On the roof Monday, awaiting more rockets (which didn't come)