Safe and Sound
Just to let you know that our 8.55 flight to Tel Aviv tomorrow was cancelled this afternoon and we have now rebooked for the same time next week.
It's been a week of lots of ups and downs and lots of TV news watching to see whether we would be leaving the country tomorrow. So having said that I would be joining the on-line course on Tuesday from Israel, it now transpires that Pete will be in transit from Croatia to France on Tuesday in a minibus, so there will be no session at all this week ! As I have said before, travelling is not my thing so having felt lots of trepidation as the week progressed and the travel date got nearer, I've got to go through the whole thing again during the coming week. We are so looking forward to staying with our friends (luckily, we haven't had to forfeit hotel charges) who used to live opposite us when we first got married, so if the second volcano doesn't erupt and the weather changes, we'll be with them next Monday, just a week later than planned.
This all goes to show how fragile our lives are, and that there are so many things over which we have no control at all. There are so many stories to tell of people's experiences and how plans that we have made can be shot to pieces in a moment. Scenes at the airports have been shocking - people having to sleep for days at airports and not knowing whether to stay or or leave the airport during the first few days of the cancellations, and especially bad for families with babies and toddlers to keep happy. And running out of money at the end of holidays, and then having to find a way of paying for accommodation, not being able to get back to work, etc. etc.
We have rescheduled our flights and are lucky enough to be comfortable and at home for the coming week, but there is no way of knowing whether things will have got back to normal by Monday week so we may then have to cancel our trip anyway.
Food has become a secondary issue this week, I've had lots of other things on my mind. My eye problems have finally subsided - it's taken about five or six weeks, three doctors' appointments, two hospital appointments, four different eye drops, one eye cream and lots of discomfort. And my back pain seems to have settled down - I was in extremis this time last week but, hopefully, I'm on the mend again.
Dark chocolate has played a part in my comfort zone this week - small pieces but too many of them to be good for me. We had more or less emptied the fridge in expectation of going away, so colourful food shopping will be on the cards for tomorrow. Have you noticed how depleted the shelves are in the supermarkets - all the fruit and vegetables that come by air are missing - great news for our English suppliers.
That's it for now. I haven't managed to read the blogs over the last few days - will be catching up tomorrow. Cases will stay half packed for the moment - it's all very surreal.
Thanks everyone for your comments after my last blog.
Dolly
It has helped to put things in perspective for me and I have to thank you for reminding me about the bigger picture...
I am sorry about the trip and all the problems you (as many others are) experiencing. However, you sound so upbeat and have taken it in you stride as well as thinking of the others worse off than you. One image has stayed with me of a Mum at an airport with 4 very young children saying they hadn't had a holiday for 4 years and they were so upset and disappointed. That poor woman looked worn out and I guess she won't have got away as this was right at the start of the flight stoppages.
I'm glad you're recovering from your health problems - I'm sure the dark chocolate has helped!
Take care
Luv Elaine xxxx