“Ani Lo Midaberet Ivrit”

Before I write about today I must write the cutest story about Talia.  I had sent her on Friday to deliver flowers to the people we were eating at on Friday night.  It was down the block but I didn’t know where exactly.  She came back and told me that she met someone on the way and they helped her find it.  I thought nothing of it.  Then on Shabbat day Eric said that he bumped into someone that we know from camp and she said she saw a little girl walking around and looking lost.  She asked Talia, in Hebrew, who she was looking for.  Talia responded, in Hebrew, “ani lo midaberet Ivrit!”  She kind of mumbled it under her breath.  So she again asked her in Hebrew who she was looking for and again Talia responded “ani lo midaberet Ivrit.”  At that point she recognized who Talia was and she spoke to her in English and helped her find the house she was looking for.  So Talia’s 2 sentences are “I don’t speak Hebrew” and “I have to go to the bathroom.”

Anyway, today was a typical day.  Got the kids to school and Keren and I headed to Ulpan.  Eric did a lot of work around the house.  He built the closets (now I can unpack my clothes), built the BBQ, found the kitchen table (yay, finally!), cleaned up a lot of the boxes around the outside of the house and some other stuff that escapes me right now.  He also watched Keren the second half of my Ulpan class so I wasn’t distracted.

Unfortunately, when I came home and saw Talia’s closet I was very surprised.  I thought that we bought her a big closet to put all of her things in.  The one we got is a little tiny thing that has a small bar for clothes and one shelf.  She is going to outgrow it in no time.  in addition, I have no room for all of her clothes that aren’t on hangars.  Also, she has a lot of STUFF in her room.  She doesn’t throw anything out.  I usually throw a lot of her stuff out when she’s not at home and she doesn’t notice.  Unfortunately, although I did that before we left America, there is still tons and tons of STUFF.  I tried to have a civilized conversation with her where I suggested that we look through her things and see if there was anything that she could live without but she got very insulted that I would even suggest that she could live without certain lanyards, etc. and the conversation turned ugly.  So I am going to have to figure out where to put everything and Eric and I are going to have to go to Ikea and buy her a set of drawers.

The kids had a good day at school.  I was very frustrated today in Ulpan.  I couldn’t find the words to use when it was my turn to talk and I felt my face getting all red.  I was really upset.  I felt like I just wasn’t getting anywhere. 

After school (for all of us) I took Ben shopping with me.  We went to the supermarked where we bought, among other things, chicken and chopped meat.  I had gone prepared because I knew that if I translated chicken legs into Hebrew that I was going to wind up with the feet!  So I found out how to say legs and chopped meat and I did it. There were tons of different meats to choose from. Much easier when it’s all prepackaged like in America. 

Then we went to the fruit store in Modiin where I could buy fruit and veggies that I wouldn’t have to worry about saving peels or kedusha or anything.   

The rental on our car is almost up and we would like to not have to spend the money on another rental.  We need to buy a car ASAP.  So today we each went to the store to get our green form (tophes yarok).  We got our eyes checked and paid 50 shekel.  Now we have to go to a regular doctor and have them sign it and then we have to sign up for a driving lesson and then if we take it and then take the test and pass, we’ll have our licenses.  Complicated as usual!

When we got home Talia had a friend over and I quickly made some spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.  My cousin Avivit came over with her daughter Shelly and we all hung out and ate dinner.  The kids took a bath together – the 3 of them!  They had a nice time.  Unfortunately my meatballs were a little sweet b/c I used the ketchup from Israel and it’s a sweet ketchup.  I think if I am going to use it then I’ll have to add salt to whatever I make in the future.  At least the vegetable soup that I threw together at the last minute turned out yummy.

I better go do some unpacking since today was spent shopping and cooking and not unpacking.