Poking my head in here for just a minute, just to assure y'all that I'm OK, apologize for skipping, sending good vibes all around, and *poof* I'm gone.

Happy birthday, Fiona!

InHereNews: lots of question marks around a ground invasion to Gaza. I'd be very much relieved if that won't happen (and if we would bloody get that ceasefire anytime soon), and yet.

Those who were in the kibbutzes bring one good point. How can they go back, if those who were responsible to the massacre are still 5 kilometers from them? (once they're able to go back. They're still displaced). I don't know how can you ever regain the trust. The fence should have stopped this. Then the army. Much of the blame falls on the government - and lots of people are livid, including myself - but that doesn't change the fact that 5 kilometers from them there are/were exceptionally cruel and sadistic people. Not sure what anyone can do or say that isn't a war crime to make the Israelis in the south to feel safe again in their homes and their communities. They deserve every ounce of safety and protection and recovery, and so are Gazans. I don't know in which universe we can have both. I wish we'll find those who can lead us to that universe and to that trust.

(meanwhile, government officials and ministers are being kicked out and screamed at in almost every public appearance in front of a crowd. Most people here know that the massacre was preventable - or far less worse - if those government officials would have done their jobs and protect the people).

Hey! Nilly sighting! Thanks for the check-in. I hope your family is staying sane during all that is going on around you.

They deserve every ounce of safety and protection and recovery, and so are Gazans. I don't know in which universe we can have both. I wish we'll find those who can lead us to that universe and to that trust.

There are people trying to make this happen, but it is a huge problem to solve. If the people with common sense and morality were in charge everything would be different.

Niki reports this morning that their new Foster lady is nice.

So I'm hopeful that this can be the stable base they need for a couple years to finish high school and get themselves launched to college.

EM is coming over this morning and we're going to wrestle with passwords and autopays with new urgency as JZ's old debit card expires at the end of the month so it all has to be changed over anyway.

Tennessee Dave, our vintage window specialist, may or may not be coming by to fix the sash. He's the Schrodinger's Cat of Contractors.

My face continues to flake off old skin at an alarming rate. It's like the worst case of dandruff but my face.

I really want to get back to my running routine but all this dermatology has thrown me off my schedule.

Bright sunny day here in SF. It keeps teasing us with hints of chilly fall but doesn't commit.

Good luck David. I hope their person is like my sister—she had a foster kid for junior and senior year of high school and summers sometimes in college. Kiddo had some issues but graduated and is still in touch.

Nilly thanks for popping in! Shir thanks for your updates, it’s really good to hear from someone who is there and how things feel. Wish anyone had some good answers on how to fix anything.

Niki reports this morning that their new Foster lady is nice.

So I'm hopeful that this can be the stable base they need for a couple years to finish high school and get themselves launched to college.

I'm so glad to hear that!

My face continues to flake off old skin at an alarming rate. It's like the worst case of dandruff but my face.

You *may* be a lizard. (I'm a medical editor; I know stuff.)

I really want to get back to my running routine

I'm consistently hitting 30 minutes on the bike these days; now my goal is to do that 5 days a week.

(oh, and people. Please remember that I'm on 4-5 hours of not so great sleep at night for almost 3 weeks now, and the days are filled with stress. Bad logic and even worse, bad grammar might occur every now and then. War-life balance).

You *may* be a lizard.

Intriguing Halloween possibilities....

Or you're getting the extreme exfoliating experience.