Willow Tree

Tanks!!!!

Guess where I was today? Here!
This family outing a direct result of a special program put on for the benefit of soldiers in the tanks division and their families. We got to see where my dear son is camping out under the stars (really, very pleasant camp grounds) and then went proceeded to take a six-kilometer hike. We went up a hill, and then we went down a longer, way longer hill, and all I kept thinking was: yep, we got to reverse that when we start back don't we? Climbed a mountain following a trail of flags set by my son and his troop planted flags, one of which cost a fellow soldier part of his finger (OUCH!!! The boys had a quick memorial service at the spot), sat and rested for a bit on top of the mountain with my army son and my soon to be army son (dh and the two girls went to the museum quite early) and then went back down the mountain. Going down was harder than going up; I fell. I now have two large bruises on my calf and an inch long scrape. Together everyone, awwwwwwww, poor baby!!! (Note to self; get self a pair of good hiking shoes. Sandals just don't cut it.) All along the trail, in addition to the finger chomping flags, were little touristy attractions; on Israel, on tanks, on migrating birds.
Cool huh?

After finally having dragged my old carcass up that long and leg aching hill, and then down the shorter hill (soldier son and almost soldier son having long since deserted me. Once again AWWWWWWWWWWW, we all met up and went to see the tank museum featuring a fifteen minute movie all about tanks and the soldiers who operate them, a bit of a memorial to past soldiers. A great movie, even if I couldn't understand it--the film had everything in it; including elephants. (Elephants, tanks, get it?)

Dh had to go home. We stayed for a bit then accompanied soldier son back to his camp area, the Monkey complaining she needed to make. The bathroom near the camp however had a line of soldiers. Rachel Ann thought it better to head back the way we came and see if the restaurant had a restroom. (It did, natch). All the way back the Monkey kept complaining; her legs hurt, she was hot and she had to go to the bathroom. At the top of her lungs. The Artist was also not feeling well, as she let me know in a "life is over voice.". Neither received much sympathy from mom. Evil mom.

We then headed home; G-d favoring us with the quick arrival of our first bus on this two bus trip (miracle of miracles, but two short bus rides!). On the second leg of the journey moms lap turned out to be too small for the heads of two children, one of whom has the tendency to get car sick (the Artist) the other who has the tendency to want what her sister has (the Monkey). The Artist of course managed to actually lie quietly. The Monkey was true to her name, hence the smallness of moms lap.

We came home and had Kosher l'pesach pancakes for an early dinner, and now I'm chasing the two little ones, rather unsuccessfully (cause I'm talking to you) off to bed.

My hands were less achy all day. Perhaps because the myriad of uses to which I put them to normally; dishes, typing, writing, cleaning toilets, just didn't come up as I was marching along for two hours (Yes, it took me about 2hrs to do 6 kilometers, that include about 20 minutes of waiting time up on the mountain. We were actually waiting for one of the other soldier's father. I could have gone on, easily. Shut up, I'm sticking to that version of truth.)

Anyway, the kiddos really do need sleep now. Actually mom needs them to be sleeping, so off I go...hope everyone had a wonderful day.

Posted by Rachel Ann at April 27, 2005 07:39 PM