VETERANS DAY

Today is VETERANS DAY.  My dad was so handsome in his uniform.  When I was young I didn't appreciate just how dark and handsome he was.  He was stationed in Kentucky with the 101st Airborne for a time but mostly I remember him in Vietnam.  He ended up being a crew chief with the Razorbacks  (helicoptors) in Vietnam for two tours.  I wish I had listened more to his stories. 

This time next Monday, Allie and I will be making our way to Dulles International and then on to Tel Aviv and Nablus.  I can't even wrap my brain around all of it!  Two years ago, I would never have entertained the idea that we would be making this trip.  I know it will be a life changing event for me and that's saying a lot at 61 years old!  My biggest anxiety around the trip is leaving John for 10 days.  The older we get, the more challenging it is to be apart.  Ben and Ricky will be staying here at the house and commuting to work in Richmond each day.  I cringe when I think of what we will come home to on NOV 26th.....Al says the bachelor digs will smell like onions!

John continues to venture out into the cold each morning to the golf course.  We are trying to keep up with the falling leaves and haven't closed up the pool yet.  Procrastination!  We plan our evenings around whether VCU is playing basketball on TV or the latest DVD television series that we are watching together. 

Tomorrow I begin visiting houses for WORKCAMP 2014 and that's another thing I find hard to wrap my head around! 

I Will Remain Quiet Until We Return

There are two sides to the olive harvest time in Nablus.  First I'd like to share some photos of our friends spending a fun, family time in an olive orchard.  It can be compared to taking our families up to Shenandoah for apple picking fun. 

 

 

 

The ugly side of harvest time is pictured below and in the links below.  Zionist attack farmers and cut down hundreds of olive trees during this time. 

 

 

http://www.haaretz.com/news/palestinians-settlers-cut-down-200-olive-trees-near-nablus-1.175232

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920808001244

A Little Bit of West Bank Info

Allie and I LOVE Rick Steves and his travel videos.  Here are a couple of takes he did in the West Bank just recently.  This first one is of the food!  YUM!!!  Also, the picture above is of an olive grove near Nablus. 

http://youtu.be/sEkVacQpmrc


The next video is of Ramallah, the unofficial capitol of Palestine.  Note that he points out all of the water tanks on the buildings.  The Israelis limit water that comes into the West Bank, so each building has to gather as much water as they can when they get it.

http://youtu.be/Bj19Uy1Bt9g


This next video is of Hebron.  Rick Steves even does not get it that the conflict is not solely between Muslims and Jews.  The conflict is between PALESTINIANS and occupation ISRAELIs .  In Nablus, Father Ibrahim says that they all live together:  Muslims, Christians and Samaritans. 

http://youtu.be/Bj19Uy1Bt9g


Here is footage of the Palestinian refugee camp in Nablus.  It's a no brainer.  There are no Israeli refugee camps.....who is the aggressor here?!

http://youtu.be/A2aKaVN9ZcY

Here Is THE PLAN

I have been a slug this weekend.  Not sure if it's the weather or not, but I have been worthless!  I got a shot in the arm though this afternoon when I received a FB message from Ranim in Nablus!  We have a schedule of activities.....OMG....I have forgotten about the cultural part and how they LOVE to get together in Palestine and celebrate just about anything!!!  Here's what our time with them will look like:

TUES., NOV 19 - Our plane arrives in Tel Aviv.  I don't know how we'll be picked up because none of them except Sami's wife are allowed in Tel Aviv.  In any event, we will arrive about 4pm..."everybody" and their families will be waiting for us in Nablus for a big welcome and birthday celebration for the Nairouz' youngest son.  Note to self:  birthday gift!   
We have been instructed at the airport not to mention Nablus and to say we are staying at the Anglican Church guesthouse in Jerusalem.  If we say we are going to Palestine....big no-no:)

WED., NOV 20  - Allie is meeting with the local Islamic Imam and we will visit the Samaritan village.  We'll get to see the local university where some of our workcampers go to school and then we will have lunch with Lillian's family.  Allie is very excited to talk with her father who is an activist.  Then we'll go to the Old City Nablus with the them.  Afterwards we will be having dinner with Fadi and his family in their home. 

THURS, NOV 21-  We will walk around the corner to Jacob's well and then meet Sami, Ibrahim J, and Alaa for lunch.    That evening we will go to Merna's house for dinner with her family.

FRI, NOV 22 -  EVERYBODY is going to Bethlehem and Jericho.  We plan to visit with the Nassar family in Bethlehem at TENT OF NATIONS, and visit with them. 

SAT, NOV 23 - We will spend time in Nablus with Sama & Sabastia , Nidal and Ahmeed.....that evening we share dinner with Majd and her family in their home. 

SUN., NOV 24 - We attend Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Rafedia with all of them and Father Ibrahim.  Afterward we meet in the church fellowship hall and then have lunch with the Nairouz family. 

Sometime after that they will get us back over the wall and Allie and I will make our way to Jerusalem.  We will stay at St George's Episcopal Guesthouse right there in Old Jerusalem.  We will stay there until we catch our plane in Tel Aviv to fly back home the day before Thanksgiving.  It should be really interesting though because at sundown that day, is the first day of Hannakah!  It will be fun to be in Jerusalem seeing all the preparations

The picture at the top of the page is of the soap factory in Old Nablus.  They have produced the olive oil soap there for hundreds of years. 

Back On Track

Hopefully I'll be back on track now.  Catching up on all the news will be the most difficult part, but once I start writing more often I should be back in the groove.  Actually what makes me start writing again is that ALLIE & I ARE GOING TO NABLUS, WEST BANK soon!  We leave on November 18....fly into Tel Aviv.....visit Jerusalem a couple days , but spend most of the time with our Palestinian friends!  Allie is doing this in conjunction with her thesis so it is a little bit of both work and play.  If it all works out, I hope to give daily updates on this blog.  Thus...I am back blogging again!

The top photo is of John at Keith & Ruby Spain's house for their annual barbeque get together.  It was so rainy, but lots of good food and fun with friends. 

The second picture is of Ellen and Al at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Richmond this past month.  Ellen & Bing came down for the walk also.  The shirts were a special project....Keith Spain helped us tie dye the shirts...they even have a pink ribbon in the design on the back.  I printed out transfers on the computer, ironed them on and the rest is history.  BEST SHIRTS THERE!!

Another thing that has happened that made writing in the blog difficult.  Our precious dog WILL had to be put down earlier in the year.  It literally broke my heart.  We had him for 16 years and he was such a dear part of our lives.  We thank God everyday for LOUIE who was dropped in our laps just  the right time.  I can't write anymore about it.

OTHER TIDBITS:
-  Paige and Grover went to France to visit Christy and family.  Haven't heard back from the yet.
-  John and I made a road trip to ATLANTA to see Al at Columbia a couple days.  Good to get away!
-  Allie was home for mid-terms week....only have one so she took it online....she is wrestling with her thesis.
-  Love getting up the fall leaves with the John Deere :)
-  Jeffrey turns 50 years old this November

I'll continue to write catch up thoughts in the coming posts....gotta scurry!

What A Year So Far!

If I could change anything about what has happened so far this year, it would be to have my dear friend Alicia back.  My last post was her celebration of kicking cancer.  My post now.....I have just come from Blandford Cemetary where she was buried August 22nd.  Most of it is vivid and at the same time just a blurry mess.  All I know is that I miss her terribly.....I just can't write anymore about it.....
I might as well get all the "ugly" out first.  My uncle Kemp passed away suddenly and I wasn't even notified by his wife.  Needless to say, there is a permanant wall up now....
I had to take our precious 16 year old dog, Will, to be put to sleep in June.  Enough said.....
So now....I'll focus on the good....
Our WORKCAMP 2013 was so incredible that I will devote my next posting to just that.  Having the new group from Palestine with us was greater than could be imagined!
Allie & I will be taking a road trip to Atlanta on Labor Day weekend.  I will stay for a day and meeting some of her friends and professors and then fly home .  This is her last semester at Columbia Theological in Decatur.  Time has really flown by!  She is hoping to get sponsorship from the school to travel to Palestine and Israel in November for her final thesis paper.  If she does, I will tag along.  I'm working at getting a few pounds off so that I can get up and down the hills though! 
I have fought on and off with our pool water all summer....next year I will NOT neglect to buy a Nature II cartridge.  Thought I would save some money, but with all the distractions, the pool has stayed cloudy most of the summer!  YUCK!
John is thinking of flying up to Moravia if we go overseas.  We are also planning a road trip together down to Atlanta so that he can see Allie's school....he's never been :) 
The cursor is acting funny so I will end this post.....I will write again REALLY SOON!!!



Time Is Flying....

Time is flying!  Before I can catch my breath from one event the other is staring me in the face.  It's ALL good...I just don't regroup as quickly as I used to:)
This first picture is from the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure yesterday in Richmond.  Allie, Ben, Ellen & I walked in celebration with Alicia.  She stomped cancer!  It was a terrific way to start the Mother's Day weekend.  Allie had driven home 3 days ago and is home for the summer!  It is so good to see her and spend more than just a few moments together.  She will start her thesis this summer and prepare to graduate in December.  It is hard to believe...it seems that she just graduated from VCU! 

The TCW 25th Annivesary Celebration was such a wonderful day.  We had about 150 people there with balloons, facepainting, and Lynda Smith w/ LiveWire.  The highlight for me was that Glenn and Sheila Plott were able to spend time with us!  It was an absolutely precious time.

My dad's brother, Kemp Eagle passed away....Paige read it in the Newport News paper and called me.  I don't even have the words to express how I feel about all of it.  It's way too personal to write about in a blog.



John and I went over to the Spain's to see the newest additions to their goat family.  SO sweet. 

Mother's Day Allie and I spend a quiet morning in bed while John visited Tabernacle's Sunday School class.  Then we wandered down to the neighbor's house to love on their old horses a little bit....so calming...