a balloontwister’s aliya saga

LAst night the balloon chug went to HAdassah Ein Kerem to Twist balloons… you shouldn’t have a need to go… BUT.. its a new complex with a brand new children’s pavilion.
We brought 13 children from the chug… filled up a minivan and a car.. and had a great time.
The Chug, ages 7 to 11. REALLY did a great job… they can only make a few balloon sculptures…but they gave the kids there a great time. Just seeing all the kids there made the patients feel better.
We stayed for an hour and made balloons for the kids in pediatrics and pediatrics surgery… Its the BEST way to start off the new year.
It was also a great way to get the kids involved in chesed.
We twisted for Orthodox, Ethiopean, israeli, a few arabs, nurses, mothers.. even an ethiopean Grandfather.
I was so involved.. I forgot to break my fast.
I had a soda an hour after the fast.. and finally ate 2 hours after the fast ended.
After the hospital, I went to a siyum at Aish Kodesh. I came late so I missed alot of speeches..but I caught some food.
Small crowd but it was nice.
This morning I went with Dovid biking.
Using mendy newman’s bike, after lowering the seat… alot.. we headed out offroad on a biking trail.
Its incredible how many places there are nearby to hike and bike.
We stopped off and ate some fresh figs and took home some almonds.
I see why people eat roasted almonds.
Fresh ones taste like marzipan.. strong taste.
I never went biking offroad before so this was a new experience for me.
I almost fell off a few times .. THe only time I hurt myself was when we went to pull off the metal cover off a well.
A small cut… but ein baya.
I havent done alot of exercizing with my shoulder hurt and working full days… so it was good to get out and sweat a little.
Mountain biking off a mountain is different than regular biking.
You bike up hills.. on rocks… down hills… THe last part was going back up to Ramat Beit Shemesh…. up being the key word.
a few kilometers up uphill road….
Its going to take me a good few weeks to get back in shape.
After I coached the kids in softball.
I’m not sure if I’m going to be a great coach like fishy.
I praised a kid in front of the team.
He ran fast around the bases.. and ran over the first baseman and the catcher.
The kids were shocked that i would single this out.. but I said.. you have to be aggressive on the bases… You have to get to get the base. If somene is in the way… well…
No good?
well, we won this week’s scrimmage so thats the main thing…
ON that note, I’m going to log off so I can rinse this almond taste out of my mouth.

Tell Eli Neiman I wish him a mazel tov…
and tell my mother in law we don’t have speel check here.
Regards and Shana tova…. and Shabbat Shalom.
U.D.