New Page-----New Day

My nice next door neighbor put her condo on the market. The people above her are not good neighbors. They are the same ones whose bikes fell against my car and made a ding in the fender. When the realtor came to give her an estimate on her unit, I asked him to do the same on mine. I was pleased with what he told me. I also told him that if he found two units next to each other, I will move with my neighbor. He thinks I am joking. 

I've been successful with selling two apartments in Chicago. It didn't hurt that the market was on the upswing and that both places were on the National Registry. Both apartments had a history, and who wouldn't want to live where you could tell the story. On the other hand, it took two years to sell our cottage . It only had a history of great family times. Who ever bought it had to make their own history. I hope it is a good one.

It's never too late to choose your neighbors wisely. And check that there is sound proofing between your ceiling and their flooring. That makes for really good neighbors .

I have another reason to want to live in Israel. It is closer to Morocco than Florida is to Morocco. Maybe it was because that is the first place that I traveled to without a companion, but I loved it at first sight. I was thinking about this as I walked Cricket yesterday. 

When I came back from that trip, I remember saying that if I were 30 years younger, I would move there. There is something about the light that just makes everything so vivid. The food is wonderful, the people are pleasant. I'm glad that I stilll have such strong feelings about the place. 

I looked at a map and from Israel , you can get just about any place that I want to visit. That's special. This is just one more argument for moving to Israel. As if I need a reason !

Some people day dream. I travel dream. It's never too late to do that.I have to buy a lottery ticket.

As you know, I live in a condo. We do not have a garage, but rather a 4 car carport. The family next to my car has two teen age children. They have three bikes which they store in a rack next to their car. Yesterday the bikes toppled over and dinged my car. A neighbor took a picture of the damage and gave me the photos. I was ready to take them on if they said that it wasn't their doing.

I have never taken care of anything like this before and I was upset about how to approach the bike owners. This was the man of the houses area. 15 years ago, I would have stayed in the house while he went to confront the bike owners.

While I was walking Cricket, I saw the bike owners Dad. I just said "We have to talk". He said "Just tell me how much and I will pay you". Wow, that was easy.

We were both so civilized. Is it always this easy? I was ready for a confrontation. I do think that it was my unthreatening approach that made it easy. I will try this in other ares of my life, like when I take on being a CoPresident of our Congregation.Calm,unaccusatory, firm. This is an approach that seems to work. I'm glad I discovered it, when I needed to use it.

It's never too late to win with a little honey,honey.

I just finished reading my Nefesh B Nefesh updates. I am seeing request to let strangers swap mini vans. You come to the states for a visit and you can use someones van and in turn , when they go to Israel ,they can use your van. I don't know about that. Israelis are notorious for their driving skills. Not my mini, please. 

Everyone asks for a mini van. That is a trigger for me to think that the Israeli family is pretty large. I've been there and done that as far as Cheerios  being smashed in the back seat. No thank you,please.

We happened to go to Disney World during Passover one year. The Orthodox families were very much in evidence. The kids are off school at that time and their vacation was coming to Disney World . You only knew they were Jewish by their somber clothing , that there were so many kids in one family group and the fact that at meal time, Momma pulled out motzahs and lunch things and they ate sitting on benches. If you have ever watched a family group like this , you see well behaved kids, the older taking care of the younger. It works for them.They just act like kids, only quieter. Now that I think about it, maybe they don't want to be noticed.

How did I get from mini vans to analysing Hasidic families.? Anyway, I am not swapping my car.

It's never too late to just keep reading the NBN emails and getting accustomed to the thought process of Israeli's.

I like day light savings time. But I forgot how dark it is at 6 AM. Did it use to be this dark? There are a few things about the change of time that I am still getting used to.It's difficult for me to fix dinner, when the sun is so high in the sky.

I can remember how ,when we lived in the mid west, it just never looked this bright when the time change happened. Maybe all of that dirty snow was just a distraction from the brillant sun. I know that it was great for our kids who were coming home from Hebrew school. Depending on their grade, they went to Hebrew on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. (They also took 4 years in High School, thanks to the Evanston Board of Education).

When we now eat dinner at 7PM the sun shines so brightly in our eyes that we have to close our verticle blinds. It's either that or eat in our bedroom, which we do when we watch Sixty Minutes on Sunday night.

I still like the change in the time. I wish that it was all year. Cricket, on the other hand,isn't ready for it. I notice that we are going on our morning walks at what is now 8:30 . I have things to do and that makes me feel as if I am already late. But it is still dark now. And Cricket is fast asleep in her bed. 

It's never too late to just drink my coffee and watch for the sun rise. No complaints from me,

It will soon be Purim. When I was a kid, all of the Synagogues joined together to have one massive   pagent. Of course I participated. My parents had to have a costume made and it was a big deal. I even think that it was held in Municipal  Hall, where the Shrine Circus was held. This was big time. I never knew too much about the holiday, except I got to wear a costume,make noise when Haman's name was mentioned and eat Hamentasshen.

Then as an adult, I am learning that Purim is the time to give gifts and food baskets. Not Chanukah. I am also learning that in Israel, Purim is a national holiday. People take vacations, people give gifts, people make a big deal out of it. 

 I would love to see how it is celebrated in Israel.I understand that it is like Mardi Gras in New Orleans. People in the street, street food, drinking and noise. Maybe it is like Mardi Gras was when I was a kid. Now Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one big  obscene druken brawl and I would be afraid to be on the street at night.

I think I will put being in Israel on Purim on my bucket list. It's never too late to keep adding to my list . Next year in Jerusalem sounds good.

The internet with email is the greatest invention since the telephone. Already this morning, I have read and answered emails from all over the place. Telephones are fine, but I like to be able to just spill my head onto a screen and just wait for the reply. One Grandson was in Uganda on business. One is busy in Boston. A friend sent me a message written in Hebrew (I don't have a clue what it says. What is she thinking ?) A daughter in the mid west sent me a family history. I can answer everyone and keep close via this wonderful invention.The phone is fine, but what time is it in Uganda and how do you connect with a 20 something year old when he has a busy life.That's why I love email. I also really like answering machines. Ding a ling, listen to the message, leave your message and hang up. Easy peasy. What I don't like is messages that say call me back. I just get their machine when I do. Why not just leave a message. That's the point.

Anyway, those out there in this busy world, just send me a email.  luchitelle@yahoo.com. It's never too late to communicate this way. It's politically correct.

Did you know that I get coffee in bed , every morning. What a luxury and I appreciate it. Nothing tastes better than the first cup of coffee, made by someone else. The someone else should be a significant person in your life .That only makes it better.

I think about not sending to Chicago for our coffee. But I am too loyal to my purveyor. We know each other by first names and I only have to say " grind it,charge it and mail it".  

The only other place that I am on such personal terms with is Amazon. Com. I'm such a good customer that I don't pay shipping charges. I should tell that to my coffee supplier. 

It's never too late to sip that first cup every morning and try not to let Cricket know that I am up until I have finished it. It starts my day off  in the most delightful way.

I haven't spent any time talking to the friend of a friend, but she is doing something pretty unique. She rents her home to snow birds for 3 months and uses that time to visit long time friends. A roaming free spirit. The income is good and the bonus is that she gets to spend time with old friends. And she doesn't have to get a job. I like that .I think about renting our condo for the season. I even have a short list of people who are interested .But that is only a thought right now. But it is good to know that it is doable.

That might be a little harder to do with a husband and a dog. I have a strong feeling that only our kids would welcome us .But ,realistically, who wants to spend the winter in Chicago or Colorado or New York. After watching the weather reports, I don't think so.

Oh well, it's only a thought. It's good to have a plan. It's never too late to think ahead. If plan A doesn't work, maybe plan B will. So far , I only have plan C, which is to not do anything.

I've only been up a few minutes and I am already frustrated. Several months ago I bought a keyboard for this ipad. No one mentioned to electronically deprived me that I had to charge it. So it stopped working. I understand that. I went and bought a charger. Plugged it in, let it sit for 24 hours and... It still doesn't work. 

I don't know why I get so annoyed when something that should work ,doesn't. I can handle dissappointments, snubs, sickness and bad news, but things that don't work , and should, really get to me.

I should be more forgiving of things that have no hearts. I was going to say " things that have no brains" , but I realize that these electronics only have brains. I'm the one with the heart.

I'll figure out this keyboard problem, even if it means another trip to Best Buy. It's a good thing that I like going there.

It's never too late to just pack up my receipt and the keyboard and hope that I get that cute young salesman , who the last time I was at Best Buy ,called me " darlin'". I can handle that.

I will be glad when this week is over. It's been too busy. I'm retired. My week isn't supposed to be this full. I saw one play, three movies, went out to dinner twice,and lunch twice. And, today is only Thursday.

I am really so lucky, though. I don't sit alone on the shelf. Living here in the warmth and sunshine of south west Florida encourages this. No one needs to sit home because it is too cold to go out or that your car is stuck in the alley in the snow that wasn't plowed. I remember those days and I am so happy that they are just a memory.

I had lunch yesterday with a snow bird friend in a very popular beach resturant. It was packed. I struck up a conversation with a man who was waiting for a table, like we were. He is from Boston. He liked it so much here, that he just bought a condo. He didn't want to leave. Not being as lucky as we are, he had to go back to work. ( I confess that I am glad that he is still contributing to the social security pot.)

I think we should start being careful about encouraging visitors to our Paradise. too many of " them " are seeing what a wonderful life style we have and are joining us.

It's never too late to keep remembering that once we were strangers in Paradise and now it's our turn to put out the welcome mat. Gotta run.

I bought , several months ago, a  keyboard for my iPad. That allowed me to type on a board that was larger than this one that is on the face of my iPad. Anyway, I wanted it because it looked cool. well , it stopped working. I tried everything that I could push,tap, smack and whine about, but it still didn't work. I had to go back to this keyboard on the iPad. 

I called my computer guy, and he suggested that I charge it. I've had this electronic device for about 3 months. No one told me that I have to charge it. Where is the cord to do the charging. Where do you even plug it in.?

A trip to Best Buy answered all of the questions. I loved the young man who helped me. When I explained my problem and my ignorance, he just said " well darlin',you did what" ? I haven't been called darling in a long time. So much better than " sweetie". After a few more " darlin's" he gave me a tutorial on my keyboard and I left with a charger. No one told me that I needed to charge this thing. I didn't know that it had To be recharged. There are several  tiny switches that I never noticed . The keyboard didn't come with instructions. I guess everyone but me knows what to do.Never mind. it's charging away and I have one more cord to plug into my outlets. That's another problem. I am running out of available outlets.

It's never too late to add to my supply of cords. I only ask that someone make one cord fits all for my electronics. Maybe some one has and this " darlin'" hadn't heard about it yet. Maybe it's a conspiracy to get me to go to Best Buy more often. i did enjoy my trip.

My mother did not tell stories of the old country. The ones she did tell, were fabricated. At least that is what I think. She would tell of the wonderful life she had in Russia. She spoke of being asked to go to the Russian School of Ballet, of the intellectual discussions that she had with her like minded friends.  This from a jewish girl who lived in a shtetle in a russian village and who came to America at the age of 14.

I think of this now when I read the news about Kiev in the Ukraine. Are any of the people there related to me ? She left behind older siblings who already had families. I know of one surviving sister who now lives in Israel. And I am not sure that she is still alive. My mother lost or decided not to have contact with anyone left in Russia. I have no idea why, but since was not a happy woman, she had her own reasons , and she did not share it with me.

Too bad. I feel like I have no history. I think she was of the generation that didn't talk about personal things, at least to the children. 

Not me. I blab everything. it's healthier that way and the family knows just where you stand.

It's never too late to stand for love, peace ,truth and charity. Sounds good , I'll buy into this.

When I lived in the mid west and the calendar said March, I would start whining about when would it stop being winter and start getting warmer. When it did get warmer, the kids would start whining about going outdoors barefoot. MY rule was that it had to be 75 degrees. Do kids play outside bare footed any more.? With this horrific winter that everyone except us here in Florida are having, it'll be a long time before summer and before kids could go bare foot.

I am inviting everyone that I know to come and visit us.When they do make plans,we still hold our breath because we don' t know if their plane will leave as planned. I've learned how to go on the internet and check schedules. I've added that to my skill set.

Right now, we are in a quiet period for guests. But I'm ready for more. There are so many visitors to our area that we residents have a tendency to complain about traffic, waits, crowds,and not being able to get a grooming appointment for Cricket. But that's all good for all of us and it only last a few months. 

It's never too late to stop the complaining, leave for lunch a little early and remember that we are part of the problem. if we hadn't asked our northern brethern to visit us here in paradise,they never would have thought of coming to the west coast of Florida. Eat your heart out Miami.

I 'm still reading the nefesh B'Nefesh daily entries and this month seems to be devoted to bringing your pet to israel and banking. Both interesting subjects to me. I am beginning to understand that banks don't like consumers. They are not friendly toward depositors or withdrawers. They scare me already and I take comfort in knowing that I have a mensh of a bank here in the US.

 The pet issue is popular now , too. It sounds like everyone is in favor of bringing your pet and ElAl is good to them. I think that this is the only subject that I have read , where everyone is in agreement .Bring your pet , it's good for your comfort level and the pets seem to thrive in Israel. Pets are allowed every where. One family brought their dog and pet pig. ? I just want to bring a small dog and a husband.

I will have to get a smarter phone, though. They had an emergency practice and your cell phone was suposed to tell you that. I'd be out of luck with my stupid phone. Did you know that israel no longer dispenses gas masks. ? I thought that you would want to know this. They concluded that with a nuclear threat, gas masks won't help. How very comforting to a gal who lives in a country where a war has never been fought in. it's never too Late to keep reading the NBN site. Some make you laugh and some show the seriousness of living in a country under stress. I still want to give it a try. 

I read an interesting book yesterday. It was the story of the interviews that led to the making of the movie,"The Butler". The book was very short. The reporter is an acclaimed writer for the Washington Post. He has written several books and won prestigious awards. I read the short book and then finished the book by reading the last pages ,where the author wrote more personnally  about growing up with a parallel life to the Butler. Because books are color blind and there was no picture of the author up until I read this posting, I had no clue that he was black. 

I also don't know why I was surprised. I just heard the voice of a good reporter and good writer. that's the way books are supposed to be. 

I don't like to see a colorful book jacket that tries to get into your mind, even before you read the contents. Another thing that annoys me is when the publisher says on the jacket of the book " a novel".I know that. I knew it wasn't a cook book. Give me some credit, mr.publisher.

This little book was writen with such gentleness and respect. I didn't yet see the movie, so I can't comment on it, but Mr.Eugene Allan would be pleased with Wil Haygood's portrayal of "The  Butler".

It's never too late to appreciate that even though I am a product of the South, I am not a product of my up bringing.