The Chaos Starts

The chaos starts for real today. The last three days have been completely crazy two days on the Tel setting out a grid in Area K and then hours upon hours of work putting up shades in other areas. It been hot and windy. I struggled through both days and helped where I could. Then yesterday I spent the whole day battling to update and install the necessary apps on the four area laptops. Of course, each one had a different problem and I still needed to pack up the cables and other goods for the office. Lots of stress but it's now Saturday morning and all that is left it to pack my and bwo's personal stuff and then get it all into the car somehow. The team arrives this evening so we will go off to the Kibbutz (Mishmar HaEmek) as soon as we are ready. Let the games begin.

Advance Guard Day One

Today was my first day up on the Tel. The real season starts on Saturday so it started out with Mario (Area Supervisor) and I doing some preseason surveying. That took a few hours but we got there early enough that it was not too hot and we made good progress. Around 10am we were done with our tasks and went to help the other areas with their shades. It was hot, windy and hard work. I drank 4.5 liters of water and still ended up with a blinding headache. We worked till 5pm although I did take quite a few breaks as the heat really got to me. We left the Tel and arrived home after 6 where we did some computer prep and more importantly ate some dinner. It was hard and I am already broken and aching all over, it's off to bed now and then up at 5am for another day of prep.

The Room With A View

One unexpected joy in the apartment we now live in here in Israel is the window in the shower that looks down on HaHayil Street. I just love the fact that I can be showering, enjoying the solar heated water and still spectate on the happenings as life goes on down below. It's one of those unexpected joys of life. Here is a picture.

It's Nearly Time

The timing could be better, but this has been in the works for two years. In a few hours bwo and I will be on our way to Israel for 5 weeks. 5 weeks of archaeology, heat and aching muscles, and I can't wait. Much planning has gone into this trip. Three full suitcases (mostly bwo's stuff, of course) each at capacity, stuffed to the brim. There are some regrets, we will be leaving Roxy girl with Jenny and then Kathleen and, of course, it's not the best time in squint land. I have saved my vacation for more than a year to make this happen and so it shall.

So future updates will be from kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek.

The Light in the World

So now we know that we will need to leave the UK sometime around September. So every time I walk out of the door into the fields and paths around the house and along the Thames, I feel I need to appreciate every moment left here. This place has been wonderful for bwo, Roxy and I. We will miss our little house and the lovely area. I have been taking hundreds of pictures with my phone, still most are rubbish, but below are a few that I really like.