Now, you spill, please.

We hardly have anything of that sort, at all.

My father's family immigrated to Israel in the fifties, with pretty much nothing, from a place that didn't believe in bureaucracy or documentation. When my father had his "roots trip" a few years ago (when the political situation was quiet enough for him to visit the Muslim north-African country in which he was born), he found in the old synagogue they used to pray a prayer-book with listings, in his father's handwriting, of births and family events. He had to leave the book there, it was the property of the place. I've never seen a picture of that grandfather (he died when my father was very young).

My mother's family - who came from the same country, but from a more urban area, not the island of my father's family - has more pictures, some of them at my mother's albums. But we have none of the sort of souvenirs that JZ described.

Do you remember the neighborhood of the pirate store?

Oh, of course!

See, I was never lucky enough to meet juliana in face-space, but just from how she writes and looks in pictures, I can totally imagine her there. It sort of clicks and fits, like pieces of a puzzle or the next note in a familiar tune. And it's so good to read her being happy about this!

And I'm glad to read of your lovely day (though, as usual when I read Buffistas' holiday F2F reports, a bit jealous).

the day is already splendidly full of accomplishment

Yay Theo!

but would I remember?

Depends on which physical-enterpretation-that-enables-time-travel your time machine works, of course.

[Edit: and 7+1=5+3, and all odd digits all scrambled around, because only some of them took a trip through Trudy's time machine.]

I'm posting from in front of a liquor store right now AIFG.

ETA: Polgara just took a picture to commemorate the occasion.

t waving

I woke up today with a sniffly nose and sore throat. Uh oh.

I woke up today with a sniffly nose and sore throat.

This could be the first line of a blues song.

um... drink lots of fluids.

Polgara just took a picture to commemorate the occasion.

Yay! Polgara takes excellent pictures.

Kristin, I hope you feel as better as possible as soon as possible.

Hi Nilly! I've got to tell you--it's surreal how many Israelis I'm surrounded by on a daily basis now that I'm working at Milken. I've gotten used to hearing Hebrew spoken as often as English. It's rather nice. I wish you could come visit again so I could show you around.

I've gotten used to hearing Hebrew spoken as often as English.

Oh, did you start picking up any words?

Also, you're so sweet to wish for me to visit again. I have such a huge list of "next time", and getting to hang out more with you is definitely in it.

Last week my key-chain was broken. It happened in front of my friend T (who followed the USA trip by not only e-mails but also lurking on b.org). Most of the USA-souvenirs I got were bookmarks and key-chains, including to her. So her immediate response was: "OK, now you have to go again and get yourself a key-chain, as well".

I've picked up a ton of words and use them regularly. Even time periods during the day have Hebrew names (lishma, kehillah, etc.). Mostly I'm amused at how often I find myself about to tell someone not from school "Shabbat Shalom!" on Fridays

Hey Nilly - I have an extra Serenity keychain that I got from a Serenity preview - do you want it?

I've picked up a ton of words and use them regularly.

Oh, that's neat.

Mostly I'm amused at how often I find myself about to tell someone not from school "Shabbat Shalom!" on Fridays

Hee. I have to keep reminding myself this on b.org, for example, because it's my default "goodbye" on Fridays.

I always have to remind myself that I can't use Hebrew-words-in-English-letters here, unlike any other communication I have in English (for computer technical reasons) with Hebrew-speaking people.

[Edit: tommy! What a wonderful offer! Thank you! I would love it, only I'm afraid the postage fees will be ridiculously high for something so small. But it's so sweet of you to offer!]