Alive at the Dead Sea!! About true love, and Ichi-lov.

From happy-go-lucky tourist to patient- *snap*- just like that. Weird. I'm at the hospital now, ready for my surgery in the morning. "Ready".... as I'll ever be, anyway.

But wow, I had such an AWESOME two days at the Dead Sea!!!! Thank you to my awesome husband!!!!

Robert at the reception desk

At the "Hod Hamidbar" (the "splendor of the desert") Hotel

Not only was there a 5-star hotel involved, but Robert kept holding out on me that there is another surprise. He didn't say there was another surprise, but he kept sort of trying to rush me along the evening yesterday, and I knew something was up. He didn't quite say what it was, though. While I was leisurely finishing my dinner at the hotel, he playfully suggested that "it may be worth it to recite the prayer after meals now", implying, so we can blow this joint and get to the surprise place. I did.

We got there, and there was the Masada mountain lit up in the background! It was lit up with different colors, quite a beautiful sight. I hadn't seen mount Masada in many years. We parked, and were carted over to where a very quaint pedestrian mall is situated, styled in the style of old French cafes. There were cute coffee places to sit and get a bite, a few bars set up in the middle area. Very quaint!

quaint pedestrian mall entrance

After we walked around a bit at the pedestrian mall, there was announcement of a concert about to begin. It said only that the concert was about to begin. I asked Robert what concert it is, and he told me it was some choir. OK, whatever, a concert is a concert, I was game!

I sat down in the amphitheater, with a beautiful stage and Masada lit up in the background. The announcer came over the speaker and told of the upcoming concert: Israel Philharmonic orchestra in an all-Beethoven concert, Beethoven symphonies #1 and #9. OMG!!!!!! I squealed, mouth gaping open, and started to cry!!! I hadn't been at a symphony concert in so long, this was the most awesome thing that he could have planned. Robert took a picture of my shocked look. (We'll have to upload his camera to the computer soon).

The orchestra stage with Masada in the background

The happy duo at the stage with Masada in the background

The concert was really refreshing. There were some awesome parts, but honestly the conductor wasn't my cup-o-tea. A crazy thing happened at the end. Beethoven's 9th is quite long, and yes, does have a choir near the end, Robert didn't make that up (and vocal soloists). About five minutes before the end, at the most exciting part of the entire symphony, the fireworks that were obviously planned to go off after the piece ended, fired off early! They started booming and sparkling away, before the final 5 minutes of the piece. The conductor decided to stop the piece there! He just stopped, turned around for people to clap, and that was that. I was incredulous! Beethoven's 9th without the glory of the ending is such a let down!! Kind of comical, in a weird way. No matter what, though, I loved the whole evening, I later learned that a coupon was sent out over the website "Groupon" which had the deal for the hotel at the Dead Sea for one night *together with* tickets for two to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra!! At Masada! It was just too perfect for passing up. I am so glad he didn't. :)

(Did I mention that jewelry was involved, also? Not in the coupon, but on the side, a little box popped out of my husband's pocket. :) It was so romantic!)

It was a wonderful, magical, beautiful evening. It couldn't have been more perfect. Well, if they had actually finished Beethoven's 9th.... that would have been completely perfect. But there *were* fireworks! ;)

Next day we had a leisurely breakfast, then a dip in the Dead Sea.

that's me, the body floating in the middle of the picture... I love how that feels!!
Nothing like the Dead Sea. It's such an unusual feeling. Ya gotta come try it,

Well, after the dip in the Sea. it was time to pack up and go back to Be'er Sheva. It was going to be a long day. Stopping at home, switching my overnight bag from a tourist's bag to a patients bag, then heading on to Tel Aviv on the train, to turn myself in, to the orthopedic ward in Ichilov.

And, here I lay ever since.

Tomorrow is surgery.
I can't imagine going in with a more positive energy than I have right now. This is the most positive I have ever felt before going in for a surgery. Like my electrician said when I asked him how his newly-operated-on shoulder is, he said "fine! This is how it goes: you have something wrong, you fix it, it gets better. Doesn't hurt anymore." OK, I can buy into that. Let's go with that.

So, that's a wrap. I gotta go to sleep. My roommate is about 150 year old bitty little French woman who sounds like she has no teeth when she talks. She is here because she fell, poor grandma!! I wanna go chat with her, but my French isn't that good. And she sleeps a lot.

Surgery is around 10:30am Tuesday. Remember, we are 7 hours ahead of the US.

My name for your prayers, healing energy and positive thoughts is: Sarah Rachel bat Tova.

Next time I write, (or Robert writes), it'll be after surgery. I can't wait for it to be over!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While you are praying for me, please throw in prayers for the three boys who were kidnapped three days ago here. They are 16, 16 and 19 years old, kidnapped by Palestinians- Hamas. My heart has been breaking, and I am so scared for them. I haven't stopped thinking of them for one minute since it happened. Please pray for their speedy and *safe* return. Their parents need them.

Gil'ad Michael ben BatGalim, Ya'akov Naftali ben Rachel, and Eyal ben Iris T'shura.

May Hashem bring them home miraculously unharmed and speedily!! 

Amen.