Our Trip North

I fear being repetitive.  I've been made redundant.

Happy Birthday to Hillary and Jim. 

We had a lovely trip up north.  While we were there, one of the national forests were on fire -- but it was put out within the day.  Life is currently quiet on the Lebanese border - but it is amazing to see the money that has poured in there since 2006.  The homes are massive (without any glass in the windows).  It looks quite different from the makeshift bunkers of long ago. 

We did not go onto the Syrian border.  Simply a matter of time - though we were in Metula for lunch on Friday and had driven up to Mt. Hermon on Thursday. I lost my map and so it was difficult for me to acclimate. 

Feeding Sarah has been adventure.  If she doesn't eat all the time, she becomes a CRANK!  Only she doesn't like Snitzel and was unimpressed with the breakfast at the kibbutz.  Finding her protein is like finding peace.  So, she was been a wee bit cranky.  Everytime we saw a fresh fruit stand on the road, we stopped.  We had cheeries and grapes.  (But they weren't sufficiently clean for Sarah and in my car we had trouble finding a water source).  Ben, on the other hand, finished the box of grapes before we could find a place to clean them . . . Sarah almost ate him. 

The water hike and Misgav Am were the highlight.  The speaker at Misgav Am, a Clevelander who fought in four wars, was a cowboy and he swore a bit about the f'in Hezbelloh -- Ben thought that was great.  It was extremely educational and Ben soaked it up.  Sarah did great for the first 45 minutes and then started her blood sugar was too low and she couldn't focus.  The water hike was a success.  It was so hot - falling into the river was a treat.   The other hikes were work - little shade and too much heat.  On Thursday, I bought and we finished 10 water bottles!!!!!  Ben peed at every opportunity, Sarah and I peed once. 

If we had more time, we would have rafted.  But we'll have to save it for another day.   We drove back along the lebanon border - I didn't have a map and refused to turn on the very expensive gps.  As long as there was a barbed wire fence on my right, I knew I was fine. . . and we were. . .