Wadi Nisnas

I woke this morning later than usual, mainly because the clocks had jumped forward, who is this Summertime, and why does he steal my time, I didn't ask for it, and I don't want it, I like being only an hour ahead of the UK, now I'm back to two.


So this morning was taken up with paying for the new TV as the machines last night would not pay out, and the TV shop does not like Barclays Bank, how is it that the card is marked with the visa sign, yet in Israel I have been refused on numerous occasions, if I go shopping now I have to remember to keep cash in my purse for just such occasions.


Gas for the BBQ is now purchased hoses are in place, and pretty soon we may even fire it up, woohooo burnt food and black bits in your teeth I can't wait.


Next stop the German colony Tourist Information, I need a wee runaround for the Little Princes arrival, the lovely man in the tourist info directed me to Suncars, and I taxied to the showroom, I was greeted by two nice guys one could speak my lingo, and one couldn't, it really is amazing how much you can achieve with gestures and simple words.  Anyway when I arrived my ickle car wasn't ready, so I waited, then the lingo speaker came over and said the car still wasn't back and would I mind a Chrysler which was a bit bigger but for the same cost, I think he saw the panic in my face, as he looked over my shoulder and announced 'its ok your car is back'. So I signed the papers, I was told how many kilometres I could drive, and what the immobiliser number was, thank god its a simple combination, I had visions of a complex number and being stuck in the middle of nowhere unable to start the car.  I was told if the car needs a clean all I need to do is pop back and I will get a token for the car wash, I like my car already, well apart from when I got in and obviously a giant had been in before me as I couldn't even reach the pedals.


I drove up from the German colony following all the right roads, and trying desperately to avoid all the pot holes, this car is so compact I fear it may disappear into a pot hole and never be seen again, the only bad thing about this car is it wont fold up into my handbag, I really need a transformer........


I parked at the house and then ran around tidying and getting the house ready for our guests, then I decided to take a trip to Isfiya, I needed a few bits, on my way out the gate Itzhak stopped me and we chatted and he suggested I try Wadi Nisnas as it was far closer than Isfyia, he promised to stay by the phone in case I got lost, so off I went down the mountain, towards Wadi, it took me two circles of downtown before I found it, mainly because it is tucked away between the buildings, so once I found it I had to find parking, but as the car is small I did find a spot, so I parked and walked towards Wadi, most of the stores were closed as it was quite late on but I managed to find what I needed and was helped by three lovely gents of Arabic decent, messages bought I headed back up the hill, and home.


My Beloved arrived home and set about finishing the living room, this meant hanging pictures and getting the lines straight, and making sure that said pictures were hung symetrically between lights and tables and such like, I prepared the supper for our guests Yevgeny and Dina who were arriving at 8pm, tonight we had Lemon chicken, now this is the first time I have made this dish, and having used my new grater to grate my garlic, I was confronted by a pan full of green garlic, who would know that if you grate garlic really small it goes green, thank goodness My Beloved was there as he told me this is normal, I would have thrown it out had he not been there.... so the sauce was grated garlic, white wine, oregano, Thyme and lemon juice and zest.

Dina and Yevgeny arrived and they bought with them a lovely gift for our new home, this is a Russian tradition so we now have a lovely wine rack, who would know that we would get a gift of a wine rack when we have searched and searched for a rack since arriving. Zheni and Dina are really good company and we had a wonderful evening chatting and laughing about the differences in cultures, like the fact that Zheni has vodka for blood and My Beloved cant drink cold tea, you should never try and keep up with a Russian, he will always drink you under the table and leave your house as if he has never had a drink, My Beloved wobbled off to bed and I sorted the house and made it tidy for the morning. What a lovely evening, and what great company.

Incapacitated by Ice

I woke early and followed My Beloved through to the sitting room where he was busy sorting e-mails and reports, the lovely man placed a Chocolate Truffle tea under my nose, but I have to say it wasn't until the second cup that I felt human.

I pottered around the house sorting the washing and other bits, then hit the shower, I love this shower it even has a ledge for when I'm tired and need a rest, its had work showering you know.

I left the house after watering my plants and trees, but once again I couldn't get out of the gate, I had to go back to the house unlock the door, press the intercom and then I was able to let myself out. I walked up to the bank to get cash before meeting Amy at the bus stop, I need things for the house, and am trying desperately to get a wall mirror.  We jumped on the 132 and chatted away quite happy with ourselves, until that is a young lad, who really should have been at school tapped Amy on the hand and told her she was talking loud, bloody cheeky monkey, I can't remember what I said, but I do remember that it wasn't rude, I found it quite amusing as everyone in Israel has a mobile that is normally attached to their ear and the chatter goes on and on, obviously this lad had sensitive ears, unlucky eh.

We arrived at Cinemal and strolled around the shops, the shoes in the stores are beautiful just now, the summer colours are so pretty, and the prices are so cheap. I resisted the shoes, but I did buy a nifty little item Amy mentioned, our Youngest Prince doesn't like her onions to big, and if she can go without she will, but the rest of us love them, so I bought a small, but long grater, Amy said these are great for giving the flavour of onions without the chunks, Happy Prince me thinks.

We continued around the shops until it was drink time, I decided on a Lemon Granita and Amy a Vanilla milkshake, the Granita was lovely, well until I got brain freeze, holy moly I had a pain in my right eye like I had been shot, my eyes watered and I couldn't hardly speak, I managed to finish my drink but not without a second freeze in the same eye. How can ice incapacitate you so much? 

We finished our drinks, headed to a shop where I had found a mirror, but on closer inspection it wasn't very well made so I left it in the shop, we took the bus back up the road, and said our goodbyes, Amy is off to Tel Aviv today for the weekend, and one of her first stops will be Max Brenner Chocolate by The Bald Man, both Amy and Scott love chocolate and the last time they were in Tel Aviv they didn't get to the cafe, so this weekend they intend to visit it.

I went to the supermarket after leaving Amy and decided to buy my meat for our visitors tomorrow, I pointed and ordered 6 chicken breast, I must remember that its doubles in Israel, 12 breasts later and then I ordered the beef, which once again had to be minced on the spot, it looked a little fatty but I went with it.  When I got home, without having to climb the wall this time, I thought someone had been re-arranging my furniture, teeth gritted until I looked around and found My Beloved had sneaked home and fitted all the wall lights in the living room, and he had swept up after himself, see you can train an old dog......... the lights look lovely just the dining room light to go up and thats the living area finished.

I decided to try the beef, so I unwrapped it and began picking out the fat, boredom set in very quickly, have you ever tried to pick the fat out of mince, trust me its tedious, anyway I went with the mince and threw it in the wok and fried it off, I was waiting for the grease slick to appear at the bottom of the pan, but it never happened, I think I like this meat, shame I have no idea what I asked for. So the Bolognese went in the oven to finish it off, and the aroma around the house was gorgeous. So tonight we are going to be trying the new rice pasta I bought in Herzliya, watch this space.

Today has been a funny old day weather wise, this morning it was quite chilly, then the walk to the bus stop was very hot, but late afternoon the temperature dropped again, but apparently we have 30 degree heat forecast, which will be great but a touch OTT for April.


My Beloved arrived home and the spag bol was demolished in one foul swoop, then it was time for Home Centre, a new 50 inch TV purchased mainly because the living room is so deep I  cant  read the TV then back to the apartment and an evening of Rizzoli and Isles before bed.

Three AM start for me

I woke around 3am, and just couldnt get back to sleep, Shalosh, Arba, Shesh, all the Hebrew numbers and days of the week were running through my mind, but not in any order that would make sense to a local, eventually at 5am I decided to get out of bed, when stressed the best thing to do is clean, so the house got swept all the way through, the kitchen was tidied, not that it was messy and the furniture was arranged correctly.


My Beloved eventually woke around 6am, and found me already blogging for the day.  Once he left for work I carried on sorting through the house and then showered ready for my trip to the University and Noor, I have decided to knock the Hebrew on the head until after the Little Princes leave as I have so many things to take care of before they come, I just don't have the time. Yesterday I tried to get directions to a specific shop, when I asked over the phone if the person spoke English, I was told no, then the phone went dead, I tried google but he just thinks I'm having a laugh. 


When I arrived back from the University I couldn't get in the newly electrified gate, key unlocked the snib, but the second catch refused to budge, so I had to do no more than climb the wall and walk up the walled steps into the garden, not an easy task, I had visions of falling and dying on some plant or other that was going to impale me as I fell.


When I left for the shops I spoke with Itzhak and told him the problem, I'm sure I see that man raise his eyebrows. I shopped for hose for the BBQ connections and still havent managed to find a gas tank or the connection yet, although the young guy in the shop did suggest attaching it to the house gas, I don't think that would work we are after all electric... I took my lunch at Mandarin and the lovely girls there were so nice, I haven't been in since before I was unwell and they asked where I had been and if I was ok, so friendly and welcoming, I took the Red Quinoa Tabouleh and mint tea and settled in with my lunch and read through facebook to pass the time, I eventually left and walked home, once again I could not get in the gate, so this time I went to the Penthouse and found Itzhak and Nelly there, Itzhak came down and helped me man handle the gate, which eventually gave up and let me in, this afternoon I had the laziest day, I actually sat down and watched an episode of Waking The Dead, I have managed to record some things on my Hot remote and I can almost always but sometimes not manage to get to watch them.


I rang the Manager from Japanika who had called on Saturday just as we were leaving to go out, he was told I had been unwell and offered us a meal anytime we would like, so tonight we decided we would take up that offer, I always thought I was one in a million, but apparently I'm one in ten thousand, because that is the number quoted for people to take a bad reaction to sushi, I would have preferred it to have been the people on the other tables, but I obviously had the lucky hat on that night. Anyway I booked us a table for 7.30 as was told just to ask for the Manager when we arrived.

Japanika bar seating

My Beloved was late getting back again, he is having an Energy problem, so he jumped in the shower and we walked up to Japanika, we were taken to our Table and Shauli came over and thanked us for coming, the ladies were lovely and helpful, and Shauli bought over a bottle of Wine for us, we ordered our dishes and sat and had a lovely evening, the restaurant was decidedly warm tonight, I think the settings must still be on WINTER, our dishes arrived first was Udo soup with Tempura chicken, and Tuna Tataki for My Beloved, then arrived the Edamame and The Katana combination, we were stuffed to the gunnels and couldn't finish everything, I must remember tempura might be a light batter but bloody hell its filling, so finished a lovely evening, the meal was taken care of by Shauli and we thanked the staff very much for their service and the complimentary meal, we walked home down Wedgewood which was so quiet, I think the residents are getting the hint about the cars and the road works but I dread to think where they are stacking their cars, because this road is generally wall to wall, bumpers and towbars.

ODG The Roadworks Have Moved Up the Hill

Last night I had seen all the red and white tape across the street, up and down Wedgewood, and a digger arrived at around 8.30pm what I didn't expect was to be woken at 3.30am by the digger doing what it does best, peace was shattered, probably should have put the automatic blinds down to block the noise, we live and learn.

When we eventually got up, the road had been peeled, well that's how I would describe it, the top layer of road surface was gone, and so were the workmen, so looks like it will be another noisy night tonight, but the funniest thing is that the Israeli's have completely ignored all the red fencing and fancy tape and driven around it at every opportunity, and where the digger couldn't get in because of cars, the road surface does not have straight edges, it has little loops around the back end of the cars that parked in the cordoned off places.

My Beloved has a meeting in Herzliya today so I decided to go with him, usually he is away well before my lights are on, but today he would be later and Graeme was also going, so I waited until he had been to the Port and joined the boys on a trip to the big smoke, traffic was a nightmare, and backed up all the way to Netanya, which would be about 20 km, My Beloved was lane jumping, he is a very impatient driver, Graeme and I just ignored him.

First stop Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald man, breakfast consisted of yoghurt, fruit, granola, honey and chocolate balls, it was delicious. I can't wait to bring the girls here, if you love chocolate this would be your idea of heaven, and the smells as you walk in the door make you salivate whilst your waiting.


Ok first stop the organic food shop, not because it is organic, but because it has wonderful foods, and many of them European, and today I found English Cheddar, I was so excited I nearly kissed the gentleman serving me, I got my sliver to try and said 'give me four blocks', they will go in the freezer when we get home.  I also found some great plates that are biodegradable and look bambooish, so they will go in the cupboard for when we have the BBQ up and running, I found pasta made from rice, no gluten, no wheat, so I'm going to be giving that a try.


Next stop, one shop up the garden/home shop wow very expensive but amazing things if only I could afford them, why do I have expensive taste, its just wrong!


Then I headed to all the shops in the courtyard that My Beloved's work was on, I found a lovely Butchers shop, and I think I have found what we will be having for supper, I just have to remember to go back for them, because it's a touch warm today, and I don't fancy dragging the chicken around Herzliya then cooking it, it was a chicken thigh stripped of the skin, with the large bone sticking up, and the sauce apparently was honey and onion, it looked so tasty. I then found the supermarket and found Yevgeny's Earl Grey but no English Mustard for Mark this time, well they do have a squeezee bottle and I waiting to hear back from him if this would be ok.


I have been unlucky in my quest for place mats so far, I did find some that would possibly do as a make shift but this was only for cups, nothing for dinner plates, so my search goes on.  My Trolley bag is stapped full with goodies and I waiting to hear from My Beloved so I can put them in the car and continue on my shopping trip. I took myself to one of the coffee shops and sat and caught up on Facebook and mail, then headed around more of the shops, I did find mats for coffee cups, and they were really nice so that purchased and directions asked for shops where I could maybe buy table mats I left and trekked around more of Herzliya's shops.


I came across a sign for Habitat, but what a job I had find the store, eventually I gave up, next time I'm in Herzliya my mission will be to find the store.  I found a lovely crystal shop, now I'm not talking ornaments, I'm talking chandeliers and tiling, and would you believe the young guy who served me is the son of a woman who makes table mats, she is an artist and he has given me her website, he did try to get me onto the sight from his computer, it just kept saying NO.


Just as I was about to say goodbye to this lovely young man, My Beloved called to say he would be ready for the journey home in around 5 mins, that gave me enough time to nip back to the butcher and buy the lovely chicken I had seen earlier. The journey home was much quicker, but the near miss with the motorcyclist was a touch on the scary side.


We stopped in by Home Centre to pick up the rest of our wall lights and then headed for The Carmel and home.


Supper was lush, I have always avoided chicken with bones in, one because I hate fighting with my food, and two because I don't see the point of buying chicken by weight when I won't be eating half the dish due to bones being inedible. I have to say those chicken things were lush and I would certainly buy them again.


When we arrived home the intercom had been fitted to the front gate and the phone was now on the wall at the front door, My Beloved decided to test it out from the outside, eventually I let him back in............

Monday - Must be Hebrew lessons

I woke early and made myself presentable for the world, watered the garden and left for the bus around 8.15am, off I popped on the 37 bus for the University, Noor was already waiting so we met and headed for the Library, I sat and listened and wrote and tried to take in all the information I was given, not easy when you brain says one thing, your ears hear something else and your tongue just can't get to grips with the noise your supposed to make.  I still can't make a sound like I'm spitting at someone, and I keep thinking it just aint gonna happen.  Noor bought biscuit she had made in preparation for Easter, her first trial at making them, and they tasted very good.


Hebrew lessons finished around 12.30pm and I headed for one of the University shops that just happened to sell very cheap shoes, two pairs later and I now have my summer sandals sorted, one black and one beige, but don't tell My Beloved.  Whist waiting for the bus My Beloved called, he must have known I was in a shoe shop, apparently there was a person waiting at home for me, but it was a surprise, I hopped back on the 37 and headed home, I was met at the house by Issac, a lovely lad who came bearing gifts, two sun beds for the garden, yep I was meant to get them Friday but nothing ever happens when it is supposed to in Israel, so I let Issac put them in the garden and then I headed out to meet Amy, today we are going to Hadar to the market, my first trip to the market and with good company too, what more could you ask for, we arrived at the entrance to the  market, and meandered our way through the stalls, we were met by wonderful smells, and sights on both sides, wall to wall fruit and veg, and spices and nuts and all manner of other things, including meats and fish. I bought pistachios and green beans and chicken and cauliflower, tonight we are having a concoction of all the above served with our favourite cauliflower bake, now thats what Im talking about. We headed back to the bus as I couldn't find the start of Wadi Nisnas which is another part of the market which has loads more meat and veg stalls, I think I will have to google its whereabouts as the last time I found it was by pure chance.  After a lovely afternoon Amy and I said our goodbyes and headed to our respective homes, I was busy cooking the supper, and when I turned around once again the garden was full of workmen and landlords, the workmen were once again measuring the garden for the grass, and then Nelly and Itzhak were telling me the intercom will be fitted tomorrow, great but I could have sworn it was meant to be yesterday, Nelly keeps telling me this is Israel, sometimes you have to wait a little longer than expected.


Once dinner was in the oven, I headed up the Carmel to the store, I needed eggs for my cauliflower bake and the chiller was empty as Natalie and I had devoured all the wine yesterday.  As I walked to the apartment My Beloved drove up and we came into the house together, My Beloved put up one of the bedroom bedside lights in the Little Princes room as our room by this time was too dark, and to get the lights on the wall you need daylight as electrics have to be turned off for fear of electrocution. I forgot to say when heading into the supermarket I was stopped by a young lady who asked 'would you like to donate to Passover' its for people less needy, so I bought some tuna tins and only gave her them when she gave me the cooking instructions on a tin of beans that I was wanting. You gotta love the give and take.


I threw the newly purchased beans in the supper, now these beans are like a kidney bean only brown and three times the size, but they are lovely and meaty and really added to the flavour of our supper.  Now I love cooking, but I hate the smell that is left around the house, this isn't helped at the moment because I don't have a cooker hood, which apparently is coming on Friday, and I cant wait, I keep burning scented candles because of my sensitive nose, but there is only so much Vanilla one can stand on any given day.


We spent a lovely evening trying to figure out the Hot tv remote, but we did manage to find a Sandra Bullock film, which I also managed to start from the beginning, but you can bet your life I wont be able to do it a second time.......


We now have 3 of the seven wall lights in the sitting room and the kitchen light is also up, but trying to work out which switches work which lights is a damned nightmare, so now we just flick switches for the hell of it.

Too Much time and none of it Free

Our House warming gift from Scott and Amy
cant wait to fill them with Ice Cream when the girls get here

This morning I woke expecting to meet the carpenter at 10am but I guess he had other ideas, so eventually he arrived way past 11am and I was chomping at the bit to get out of the house, he and Nelly turned up and she set him to work, around the back of the apartment so that all his dust would not mess the house hooray.  Nelly bought with her one of the Mezuzah for good luck and blessings on the house, I thought it was lovely, she was a little worried that I wouldn't like it, but I did so all was well and my house will be blessed.


When they left it was after 12 and not only had the carpenter turned up but also the men to measure the garden for grass, so sometime in the not to future I will be getting my astro grass, which thank the lord will hold down the dust in the garden.


I locked up and headed to Vulcan junction on the bus, I needed to pick up the mat we had left in the BBQ section on Saturday and collect a few other things for the house, the bus journey was arduous through Hadar which is like all the rush hours rolled into one road, the road works seem to have been going on forever.  I eventually changed buses and headed for Vulcan on the second bus.  I bought the mat and other things in Ace and then did a quick scout around another of the shops before heading back up the hill.  Natalie was arriving after 3pm for her first visit, the wine was in the chiller and when I arrived home My Beloved was already home, he had come home early to sort some more of the lights, this turned out to be a mammoth task for the main kitchen light and he eventually finished before supper and after Natalie had left.  We had passed a lovely evening chatting and Natalie has promised to come over on Tuesday and phone HOT and give them a piece of her Israeli mind because our hot is not set up properly and is not doing as it should.


Supper was a quiet affair of lentil soup, made with brown lentils chicken and onions and a jacket tattie on the side, em emmmm lush, did I mention the tatties here are heavenly.


Tomorrow is Hebrew day and having done nothing with my books since before I was ill I know it will be torture.........

Happy Anniversary to Us

So again on the weekend we woke early, I rolled over slipped my hand under the bed and felt around until I found what I wanted, well apart from dust bunnies. My Beloved's Anniversary present, first anniversary is paper apparently, although My Beloved has since told me that they have updated this and now its a watch, hell I like the traditional route, so his present was a cardboard box, well its almost paper and it contained a lovely bottle of wine from the Golan Heights.  We showered and got ourselves ready lots to do today, first stop The Garden Centre at Isfiya, the drive up the mountain was beautiful and everyone was out in their summer gear, picnics were laid out and people were making them selves ready for the lovely day ahead.  The Garden Centre was full of all the things necessary to make my garden beautiful, shame we only have a pugget because we could have filled it twice over, we found herbs, some of which were labeled in English, the rest we just rubbed a little and sniffed our fingers, the flowers were beautiful and the boot of the car was filled. We will still have to make more trips as although the garden isn't big, we have a lost of space to fill.


We delivered the plants to the garden, then headed over to Ace for My Beloved's boy toys, drill bits required.  These hardware stores remind me of supermarkets, you go in for milk and come out with a shit load of food you didn't think you needed, well we came out of Ace with bedding for the Little Princes, coat hooks for their doors, and we almost came out with a mat for the patio doors, but unfortunately we left it next to the BBQ's and forgot to pick it up again.

We had lunch at Greg's sitting in the sunshine, then I spotted a lovely kitchen shop called Fondue, I found lots of lovely things to delight me in the kitchen, I also found a lovely girl who helped me with the spices, and infusions that were laid out on display, I bought a salad mix that apparently you throw in with your leaves and things, I also bought a apple cider infusion and a tropical fruit infusion, these things are so lovely to look at but the smell, wow it it mighty fine, and all you do is add them to hot water, now in many restaurants I have seen things like apple cider drinks on menu's, I now know how they make them, but what was always funny was you also got apple cider with alcohol, I thought that odd as cider is alcohol, but what I think it means is the infusion gets alcohol added to it.


We left with our bags of goodies and headed back to the apartment, My Beloved began the task of fitting our lovely new lights and I began to dig up the garden and plant my lovely flowers. We were both very pleased with our endeavours, the garden looked all pretty and the wall lights on one side of the living room are up and working, and all this without My Beloved electrocuting himself hooray......


My phone rang whilst I was getting ready and it was Sharbel checking on my health, how lovely, I really miss him, but we said we would pop round on our way out, The Crowne is now our local, well one of the many. We readied ourselves and walked around to the Crowne and I had a lovely hug from Sharbel, My Beloved ordered a taxi and we took a drink at the bar with the guys who were there, Grant, Callum, Pete, Jim, Wilco and Darren who all work with My Beloved and then our taxi arrived to take us to our destination, which was a surprise.


We arrived at Port 24, one of the best restaurants in Haifa, and were led to our table by our waiter, we ordered Katzrin, from the Yarden winery in the Golan Heights, it is only produced in very good years and in limited quantities, and it has a long cellaring window. It is a lovely tasting and smelling wine, I enjoying sniffing it as much as I like to drink it.


We were given the cork from the bottle, this is now in my draw marked 1st, we then chose our dishes.


For myself I chose:-


Lamb Fillet, sirlion and liver on chesnut puree, pine nut cream and rosemary sauce 
My Beloved chose:-
Red Drum Fish and Salmon Cerviche, guacamole, poached egg, Lobster salad and beet coffee cream


Both dishes were amazing, mine was out of this world and unfortunately I was too busy eating it to remember to take a photo because the presentation was lush, My Beloved's dish was also a beautiful masterpiece and a tower of all his ingredients, that really was a shame to destroy.


Next up was the mains and wow, once again our choices were tantalising on the tongue, a delight to behold and I am so glad My Beloved surprised me with an evening at Port 24, because the surroundings the staff and obviously the company were the best of the best.


Mine
Bacon-wrapped Port Fillet with zucchini stuffed with Beef Fillet and Pistachios.
My Beloved's
Beef Fillet and goose Liver terrine, roast vegetables, potato cream and Bordeaulaise sauce


I cannot even express how good our dishes were, suffice to say I loved every mouthful, the taste explosions on my tongue delighted every fibre of my body, and I savoured every morsel.

We finished our meal with an expresso and a dessert to die for, the waitress came over and was chatting, she is from Sweden and lives not far from us, we had a lovely chat about the local gym and of all things Christmas, which apparently is lovely here, because although the population is mostly Jewish, there is a huge Christian population too, so maybe my Christmas won't be dull after all.

Deliveries and Workmen

I woke early and started around the house, the washing done, I once again tried to get the washing line up but without managing again, I waited for the delivery man to arrive whilst having a lovely conversation with Dina over the phone, just about 20 mins into the conversation and a gentleman arrived at the gate, but not the one I was expecting, it was the carpenter and Itzhak, I now have a three door cupboard covering the utility area which contains the washer and dryer and all the other things you hide away in a utility area.

It was after 12 before they were finished, but on the promise they will be back on Sunday to finish off the outer edges, and Itzhak has even enlisted the guy to help me hang my pictures on the walls, delighted, especially as the walls are all concrete. My Beloved asked if he hung wall lights??? chancer. I left the apartment toot sweet as the shops were only open till 2pm and I needed food and bits and pieces before they closed.  The supermarket was a little manic, as was the wine store, my favourite store in Haifa by the way, wall to ceiling wine and alcohol, shapes, sizes, colours they have drink of every description, so I purchased a few bottles for the fridge and headed to the other stores I needed, first stop the florist.  My Beloved has it in his head he needs a Yucca so I asked the lovely man so order me two, he mentioned that they are generally on sale around Christmas time and I'd missed that but he would do his best if I gave him a week.  Next stop card shop, dang too late 2pm had been and gone and so had the shopkeeper, never mind I would have to make do with a make shift card for My Beloved.

I dragged my trolley back to the apartment although I will be glad when our second door is built cos dragging that thing up the steps was a chore and a half, although had I removed the wine it probably would have been easier. Oh yeah I forgot Itzhak informed me the intercom system for the door is getting sorted on Monday, hooray but personally I would really like the other front door finished lol just kidding its lovely walking through the garden, just not up the stairs with a trolley full of wine.

I spent the after noon emptying more boxes and actually throwing a few things out the 20 million bottles of perfume are now housed, and the jewellery is hung as it was in Turriff, back of the door on my coat hook.  Next on the agenda supper, I decided to do my usual and bastardise some chicken with the goodies I had bought shallots, glass noodles, chestnuts and coriander, ewwww the smell around the house was lush, I put the lovely dish in the oven, the big old faithful blue pot Lesley had bought us was used, now this is the never ending pot, I still have not filled it for a meal yet, its huge, reminds me of Mary Poppins handbag.

My Beloved was seriously late tonight, trouble at MILL so I had plenty of time to potter around and get organised, Lou Lou called for a bit of facetime and we chatted away until My Beloved walked up the garden path.  Supper was lush, for something I threw together is was pretty damned tasty. We spent a lovely evening around the house, organising the things we are going to do tomorrow and just enjoying the house and our surroundings.

Why So Serious

I woke early with My Beloved and set about sorting out clothes and hanging space, and washing and all such chores Housewives have to do, I then made the fatal mistake of calling Hot to once again sync my TV in the bedroom, 40 minutes later and my frustration point was almost bubbling over into full blown hysteria, I then tried to hang the washing on my fancy gadget thing out the back, another fail, I couldn't get the thing to drop into place on both ends, one end would drop into place and the other would pop out. Next I tried to take the end off the hose from the water pipe, it was on so tight I couldn't get it unscrewed. another fail. One fail to many and that was me bubbling like a baby, obviously not as well as I think I am.


I decided to take myself and my trolley up the road and get some lunch, I settled on Giraffe and their nurturing Chicken soup, which as mentioned before is enough for two very hungry people, well unless your name is Darren apparently. The young lady warned me it was large, and I said 'its ok I will take the rest home'. So my soup hit the spot, with its floating chicken wontons and vegetables, so I decided to go buy the new hose I was needing regardless of the fact that I couldn't get the end off our tap, luckily for me the new one comes with an adaptor for both sizes of taps, so I bought my new hose which was then too big for my new trolley bag, so I rested it on the trolley and walked it home, along with furniture pads for the tables and chairs as the sound of the furniture scraping is ear splitting on tiles.


The afternoon was spent sorting the hose, which miraculously came of the wall with ease, the trees and flowers got a sprinkle and then it was time to start preparing a list for food shopping, I never did get that list finished Itzhak turned up with a spare set of keys for the front gate and the front door, which did I mention I locked myself out of the other day, I did this with the key in my hand!! luckily for me the moving man managed to get it open for me and I was able to get back in the house phew. I now leave the patio door open until I leave the house completely........


My Beloved arrived at the gate, I would like to say house but Itzhak had locked the gate on his way out and My Beloved was on the wrong side, so I let him in.  He showered and we took ourselves off to the Home Centre (B&Q) food shopping and lighting and tape to stop the leak on the tap to the hose due to the tap being crossed threaded, we found all the lights for the house except the bedroom ceiling ones in all rooms then we were so late we left the food shopping and headed home, I had also purchased a set of steps as the kitchen cupboards are built for someone without my restrictions.


We took our supper in The Bear Bar and I had Fillet Migon and My Beloved the Classic Shrimp, I'm still having trouble with the garlic just now, and My Beloved's had been bathed in it, but both of our dishes were lovely and although I was not the best of company we had a pleasant evening.

Walking Like An Old Woman

I woke this morning around the time my Beloved left for Herziliya again, got up for a drink of water, looked at the bed and jumped right back in, I'm sorry but did I mention I have been sick, I had no need to get up early, and no energy to really do it anyway, next minute it was 10 am and I really did need to get my self up and showered. I ate the eggs My Beloved had left for me, and washed them down with anti cramp and antibiotics, all I needed was Anti Sally to put in an appearance and it would have been a full house.


Once I was up and on the go, I wasn't much faster than I had been the night before on my walk back from the Crowne Plaza, but I put on some clothes and headed up the street for supplies, Amy was coming so I made sure I had everything in the house that a guest could possibly want, including some rather nifty biscuits from the beautiful bakery shop up the road.


I then went to Chocolate and purchased three new items of ... things, all silver and purely decorative, but they are lush, two large vase type... things, not that you could hold flowers in them, they are full of holes, and one large bowl type thing for the coffee table. And would you believe the lovely ladies in the shop gave me a free box of Belgian Chocolates, and asked me to let them know how my purchases looked.


Back to the house to wait for the garden furniture and finish my soup from Giraffe that I had last night.  The movers arrived just after one to bring the garden table and chairs and the BBQ minus its plumbing, very strange why would you buy a BBQ with out the hose and connections necessary to make it work!!! The other funny thing Why is that the movers bring my new furniture and put it together? I can't wait to find out what the delivery men of Israel do!!


Amy arrived just as the furniture was ready for testing, and we spent a lovely afternoon in the sun chatting, over glasses of water, this is what I'm reduced to, 5 days, 5 whole long days and no alcohol, I cant wait for these antibiotics to be finished, they are boring.


Amy is of to Aqaba, Jordan tomorrow for the weekend, sounds like fun, and I will hear all about it when she returns. When Amy had to leave I pottered around and did what was necessary to call myself a Housewife, then once again headed up the street for something tasty to go with the Jacket Tatties I had planned for supper, now Natalie informed me I must try things before I purchase, so when I arrived at the supper market I set about testing the salad bar, but not quite as whole heartedly as the old lady behind me, who I swear lifted the tongs and almost bent her head into the tray to sniff the things on her tongs, if your lifting tongs why do you need to bend into the bowl? I made my purchases and walked up the street, with my new Trolley bag, yes I'm a bag lady, I've said it so it must be true, when I asked the gentleman what colours of trolley bags he had, he said black and white like a tiger, emmmm funniest tiger I have ever seen. But when you have to travel up and down these roads you will understand the need for it, ask My Beloved he has one too......

I trundled my purchases home in my new bag, and set up the supper, My Beloved was very late in leaving Herzliya and was really lucky I had waited because I was hank, and having been off food for a while was finding it a touch difficult to hold off the urge of eating everything I had prepared.  When he arrived back I threw the supper at the table pushed in his chair and devoured my dinner, who would have thought something so simple could be so all consuming, we could have had a fire and I wasn't moving.

We popped out just after eight picked up Natalie and took her home, but not before we picked up our new hanging rail that Natalie's Mum had got for us from one of the store suppliers, once we were back we set it up and began hanging clothes on it, what a god send, we can now have our long clothes i.e. skirts, shirts, dresses and jackets, hanging up in one place. I just need to figure out how or who I am going to have to bribe to make be a cover for it, 

Antibiotics

Have you ever noticed how many types of Antibiotics there are? There are red ones, and yellow ones, and yellow and red ones, and liquids, there are some you take three times a day, some four and, some two, and don't ever take those once a day beggars they are evil and will ruin your teeth. There are some you take with food, some you take before food and some you never take with food. Well my lovely antibiotics are white and no instruction was given apart from twice a day, this said I knew they were gonna be strong, so half an hour after the first tablet the nausea started, I may have been suffering food poisoning, which really is unfair, My Beloved shared the same meal and he is fit and dandy, anyway I had no nausea that is until I started the tablets to make me better, this lead me to believe these tablets need to be fed when you take them, now thats not easy when you can not eat because you have spasms and the lurgy. So the only thing I can do is wait until the lurgy subsides and I fed the antibiotics what they need when I need to take them.

It took an age to get myself showered and dressed who would have thought a little bug could be so demanding of your energy levels, an hour later I was almost presentable, only almost. I managed to potter around the house and tidy a few things into cupboards, we have now been in the apartment since Saturday and I have spent most of that time in my bed, not a great start.

The Sofa and chairs arrived yesterday and I have them arranged until the other furniture arrives and I can really play house again. The Doctor advised plain soup or tatties, so I baked a tattie in my new oven, have you ever used and brand new oven, ewwww it stinks, which is not good when you already feel squiffy,

My Beloved's garlic sauce he had with his pizza last night got binned, every time I opened the fridge the smell hit my nose and the nausea started, so oot it went, the fridge was one thing, but the bedroom through the night from My Beloved's garlic overload was killing me, I lost count of the amount of times I poked him in the ribs and told him to roll over, euk. I had to fumigate the whole apartment this morning, due mainly to garlic, and I love the garlic, just not when I'm sick.

My table, coffee table, and TV unit arrived, two lovely, very efficient and thankfully English speaking gentlemen worked double quick to build them then show me how the extending table works, and then hang the TV unit on the wall, eeee it's lush, I was advised no sitting on the TV unit, doh...... so when they left I tidied the dust from the drilling into the walls and the sawdust that came off the table as it was turned over, they manoeuvred my lovely furniture into place, the place is certainly coming together nicely, tomorrow the garden furniture arrives, and after the heat of today I cant wait.

Dina called and asked how I was feeling, I left messages for Amy as I haven't been able to see her, and then a managed a quick catch up with Natalie. My Beloved is in Herzliya today, all day meetings with the big wigs, and the Big Chief is over from Cyprus so that will be another bottle of whisky for our collection.

I thought I did quite well to display them in my lush favourite jug

Yesterday I had two neighbours at my door, first was Ruthie and she bought be a beautiful bunch on flowers for a welcoming gift, and was very distressed when she realised she had taken me from my bed, next was Ury and his we dog Pluto, Ury is a pharmacist and offered help in the medication line, he said he would return with something and he did, but the Doctor said I needed antibiotics as the Food Poisoning was quite severe, so Ury's help was much appreciated as was the Lovely plant he had bought for us, again a welcoming gift from himself and Mrs Ury.

My Beloved arrived and having spent the previous 30 mins with nausea, I decided to change company, nausea needing booting out for food, so we took ourselves up the road for some lovely soup from Giraffe, it was the only place I could think of that would give me the kind of soup I needed, broth - not the Scottish kind, the other type that has floating bits and lots of juice that I could sip on. Oh it was lush, and it was just what the doctor ordered.

We popped around to the Crowne Plaza to see Natalie, and deliver a few gifts to the different departments as a thank you for looking after us, when we walked back up the road to the apartment, I said 'this is so slow' My Beloved replied 'this is a romantic walk' my reply was 'this is torture.

Normal Service will return tomorrow

In the words of Isobel D and Gloria G

At First I was afraid,

I'd been putrified,

Kept thinking I could never live

with all this sushi on the inside

But I spent oh so many nights

Thinking how it did me wrong,

and I grew strong

and I am really getting on

And so I'm back

 from tortured hell,

The Doc walked in and what she found

was a sad look upon my face

I should have changed in to a grin

I should have made her think twice,

If I'd known she'd try the hospital

I would have tried the fried rice

xxxx

Thanks for all the kind wishes peeps 

Poorly

NORMAL SERVICE WILL RESUME SHORTYLY, on a lighter note I have lost weight and my abdominals can't remember the last time they did this much work

NO BLOG NO WELL

NORMAL SERVICE WILL RESUME IN DUE COURSE

Sick and Tired

I woke this morning and felt like Tyson had been beating me about the body, I had to drag myself out of bed, and shuffle around the room until the circulation hit the necessary spots, this took quite a while, Natalie called she is taking me food shopping today, so I popped up to the lounge and finished my blog, not easy when you feel like death. I went back to the room and doped myself up with anti everything, anti-pain, anti-muscle, anti feeling and headed back to meet Natalie.

We headed up to the supermarket, and so the lessons begin, Tomato Puree found and then the serious stuff, we did the vegetables and avoided the bread, I was shown the organic area, and then came the meat, there was an incredible display of meats and chicken, I would like to say amazing, but the things next to the chicken livers resembles intestines and eugh they looked rank, I asked for my chicken, next it was beef, how clever the beef I ordered was then minced in front of me, this is the usual way in most but not all supermarkets. So I watched my beef being put through the mincer, then it was cheese, I tasted a few cheeses until I found what I wanted and placed my order, I was shown, the cheese's in the fridges, there are choices here, and the choice is what % of fat you want, I then asked about the lovely Hummus which can be plain or infused with other things, when I asked about low fat Natalie told me Hummus is only fully loaded, fully loaded it is then.

Next on my list was Matzo crackers, these are the kosher crackers that I have spoken about with Amit the guard when we had a discussion about my bread problems, so I know own a large box and we will see if I can eat them. I found Nutella for the youngest Prince and a sauce/paste that you can add to dishes or use in things, aparently its very hot, think that will go nicely with the Chicken Korai I have planned for My Beloved when he gets home, we finished our shopping and not before Natalie gave me a discount card form which we have to fill in together as its all in Hebrew.

I took myself to the book store and purchased an Israeli cook book, so now Im ready to try cooking Israeli style. I walked back to the apartment with my purchases, my arms dragging the floor due to the weight in the bags. I put the shopping away and unfortunately had really started to flag again, the joints now felt like I was carrying some one else on everyone of them, and I had forgotten to take pain killers with me, so I slowly put together My Beloved's supper the smell around the house was lush, but I will be happier when the kitchen vent is fitted and then it won't stink the whole house out....

My Beloved arrived to collect me and I really had taken a turn for the worse, so he said 'home lady' and drove me back to the hotel, where he drew me a bath, plied me with a toddy and painkillers and looked after me whilst I snoozed for the rest of the night. My poor baby had to put up with me sweating out what ever was wrong with me, I woke half way through the night and thought I had peed the bed until I realised it was just the upper half of my body, phew.............

Enough with the Hot already

So today I woke and breakfasted on Melon in the restaurant, then I hit the lounge for my blog before I headed up the road to find myself a phone point with two points on it. Natalie sent me in the right direction and I found my phone extension, that bought I walked to the apartment and set about sorting the Internet and the phone line.

I managed to get the phone working and having had help once again from Natalie I also had phones that were now in English, I had a quick call with Dina and we chatted about shops and sorting stuff out for the house. Celia had also called in the morning and offered help if I was needing, so I have lots of helpers but what I really need is cupboard space, our four door wardrobe at the apartment is already full on the hanging rails and I am not actually sure how we are going to manage once we have all our clothes from the hotel, I think we will have to order a wardrobe of sorts, shelving we have in abundance but hanging space nope.

I called Hot and was on hold for 40 mins whilst I got pushed from pillar to post because no none spoke English, I then called My Beloved and he organised for David to sort Hot for us, this lead to a conference call between myself, David and the Hot lady, I was told to plug the computer in via the Ethernet lead and this was done, the lady reset the Hot line and all was good, well once I had shouted STOP SPEAKING down the phone, as David was having another call and I couldn't hear a damned thing. So the Internet was up and running the Wifi was sorted, I just needed now to sort the TV in the bedroom, another 40 minutes hanging on the phone, and in the end I gave up, living without a volume button is not a bad thing because at least I can control it through the other remote.

I once again washed the floors and sorted the washing, then it was time to google and try and find a manual for my new all singing all dancing oven, easier said than done, Itzhak popped in and he managed to find the Hebrew website for Electra and gave me a number to call, unfortunately it would have to be tomorrow as the office was closed by the time I got through.

My Beloved arrived and we finished off and headed for the hotel, tonight My Beloved needs a hair cut so we headed off to Roberts and he was shaved to within an inch of his life, then it was Japanika for supper, we sat at the bar for supper and just asked the bar manager to surprise us, and he did with two beautiful dishes, we can't remember what they were but they tasted mighty fine.  We left Japanika and my neck had began to get very sore, probably the bar stools, I slept very badly and woke myself on numerous occasions with my own groaning, my body felt like someone had sent a two tonne lorry through the bed, and I felt nauseous, I had to put on my dressing gown and shuffle through the hotel to the business lounge for water, I drank 3 glasses of water, and two bottles and still moaned all through the night, no a good end to the day.

My Ears are Bleeding

The Taxi Driver

I woke from a very heavy sleep, tired and weary, Hebrew lessons start again today, and considering I haven't been able to get much homework done it is going to be interesting. I was nearly peeled off the ceiling as I exited the lift, Natalie had seen me coming and decided to jump out on me, after I screamed she gave me a little hug, but revenge will be sweet.

I made a fatal mistake this morning, there is a taxi driver who hangs around the hotel and considering I was running a little behind I jumped in and gave instructions, shop, bank, and university please, the streets were quite busy and the man said 70 shekels I said no, but he was having none of it. And so it began, I have never spent such a torturous taxi ride in my whole life, now I tend to go quiet when people are irritating me, but yesterday I had to put my fist in my mouth and bite down hard to stop myself telling the guy to shut the hell up, moan, jesus how can a person moan to much, if you don't like business men, or you don't like the Carmel for driving - get out of Haifa........I got out of the cab and was a bundle of nerves, Noor was waiting for me, and I told her my tale and we had a little giggle about it, before lessons started.

We once again found ourselves a spot in the library and settled in for more Hebrew, this language has to have a formula but as yet I haven't found it, normal rules don't apply and trying to put together sentences when the equivalent letters in English are not even closely connected in sound is a touch tricky, and all I seem to be able to retain is how to order wine, which is never a bad thing, but not really a great trick first thing in the morning. We took a coffee break in the gardens at the University and sat looking out over the mountains to the right and the sea to the left, it was sunny at the time but a little chilly. Second half of the letter was equally as bamboozaling, and now I have even more homework.

Whilst we were sitting I must have missed a dozen calls and numerous text messages, I then found I had no credit left, so first thing I had to do when the lesson finished was call Orange, then wait for them to call me back, I took a call from Betili the furniture will now be arriving Sunday, and My Beloved told me we have to be out of the hotel on Sunday as Passover is coming and the hotel is now chockablock and will be that way for the foreseeable future. So furniture or not we are moving into our apartment on Sunday.

I bused back to the hotel and met up with Amy for lunch, I was running late but Amy was cool with it, my stress levels were getting to such a degree that when I met Amy I said 'I need wine', but not in Hebrew. So we headed for Giraffe and had a real girly lunch, we both vented over a glass of wine and food. Sometimes its good to vent.  We headed back to the hotel and unfortunately I missed a facetime with Buba Mumma, Mumma Hud and M'lainey grrrr, no Wifi means no facetime, I didn't get to see the babies so just another little irritation to add to my never ending list.

Amy and I sat in the lounge and chatted until the boys arrived back, then I had a quick Lou Lou chat and headed for the Home centre again, multiplugs purchased and once again we headed up the hill, the trouble with bringing electrical equipment from the UK is the plugs, they are all UK plugs and now we have to change all our leads to Israeli lead. We tried the phone in the apartment, but we need to now get a multi phone plug before we can get it working, so guess that is another trip to the home centre.

We opened a bottle of wine and pottered around the apartment until it was time for bed, then we headed home to Crowne Plaza.

Today has been a very frustrating day, and I'm hoping tomorrow will be a little more relaxed.

Going Gaga

Today I woke early again, said goodbye to My Beloved and then hit the shower, no breakfast today, just water and my blog. Natalie was in today, and another gentleman guest who has not been around for a while, we struck up a conversation about the bombings that have been occurring down Gaza way, they are hoping that a ceasefire will be imminent, but is seems that Gaza has its own way of doing things.

After my blog was finished I went back to the room, packed one of the big suitcases with clothes I haven’t been wearing and another layer of clothes that need washing, I packed up the computer and headed to the apartment to await the arrival of The Hot man, now I’m talking cable not good looking, although bless when he turned up he was quite cute, but man did his feet stink, he also didn’t speak a word of English, so once again I utilized my lovely landlord for the translation. Thank the lord for Itzhak.  I also called David to check we were getting the package we had asked for, and all is sorted. Well almost, the cable for the Internet and the phone line are proving to be a bit of a nuisance, getting them through the walls has become one of today’s challenges.

Number two Hot man turned up, fresh feet, but not as pretty, and they set about pushing and pulling the cable through a length of wall which can only be about 4 feet, but that 4 feet may as well be 20 ft. as they struggled and struggled to pull the wires through.

The washing was loaded and hung outside in the sun, the weather is beautiful today, and sitting outside with my coffee I could feel my skin sucking up the rays. But what I really looking forward to is having a chair to sit in, there is only so long in a day when you can stand up and I’m getting weary now. Just received a call from Betili the furniture is definitely coming on Friday whoo hooooo, we be able to move out of the hotel on the weekend and live in our new home in Haifa, very exciting.

So now I have cable TV, and apparently the phone line will be active tomorrow, I think this will include the Wi-Fi, which I couldn’t get logged into, I then did the usual, no sooner had the Hot man left I interfered with the settings on the cable, ARGGGG I then had no cable, well I did but it was stuck on one channel with the programme guide across the page, none of the buttons worked and don’t ask me how but I managed to do it to both TVs, I called David and he called Hot and eventually Hot called me, but I was out for food at the time, I hadn’t eaten since the previous night and my head was minced so I had to get to a coffee shop to replenish my body. On the way to Mandarin a young lassie stopped me, she really was in a bad way, all teary eyed, and could she borrow my phone, she must have been about 15 and was meant to be meeting someone who had not turned up, so I lent her my phone and she called her Mummy, Mummy didn’t answer, so she asked if she could use it again, just as she had gotten through her Mummy arrived and all was well, but the poor thing was just beside herself. This is the second time I have had an incident with a lassie wanting to use the phone, the first was the soldier, how funny in the UK I would never have handed my phone over, well not unless I knew the person, but how could you leave a lassie stranded.  My lunch was thrown down my neck at double quick time, and I managed a quick call home to Buba Mumma before the line went down, and then back to the apartment to meet My Beloved.

Now My Beloved and technology do not go hand in hand as I have said before, but he walked in took the remote from my hand and reset the cable, everyone home should have an engineer that’s what I say, ‘How did you do that?’ I asked ‘well you press this and this’, I think My Beloved swapped roles yesterday because I still have no idea what he did, mainly because I wasn’t listening……..I was still in the red mist.

We headed for the home centre, Itzhak had given me his account number for the home centre which entitled me to discount, what a lovely man, so we strolled around Home centre or B&Q as we like to call it, and filled our basket with things for the house, we now have a lovely parasol/canopy thing for the garden, well I think we do, but it looks more like a cardboard box just now, so I’m hoping when we put it together it will look like it is supposed to. We bought laundry baskets and mats for stepping out of the shower, a yard broom because the garden needs sweeping, the trouble with winter is the leaves, I seem to remember having an issue with leaves at Slackadale in the winter, we bought mats for stepping out of the shower and another door mat for the patio doors.  We then hit the supermarket and even My Beloved couldn’t manage to do his usual tour of every aisle. By the time we got to the wine, which by the way was 3 for 100 shekels I had lost the will to live, but when we hit the checkout I wanted to crawl into my trolley and sleep, I have never been in a supermarket in Israel where the queue moves slower than a snails pace, and as for the delivery aisle which I think can be any aisle, and takes forever and a day, the lovey ladies walk away from their tills and wander up to the kiosk, then they pack everything in crates, then they have a wander around again, torture, I say torture. 

My Beloved turned around to me and said right lets show them how to pack, and we were a blur of moving arms, stuffing those goodies into bags at a speed that would have been faster than a speeding bullet, we left the supermarket and headed home for the unpacking phase of the evening, but at least now we had loads of coffee capsules to sustain us and we drank as we filled our cupboards. I’m sure the shopping wouldn’t have taken so long had I been able to ready all the packages, because no every package has an English translation, and even when you put it into Google you get the weirdest translation back, I tried it with butter, I only thought it was butter because it was in shiny gold packaging and had a cow on the front, but what Google gave me was nothing even close to butter, so I bought Lurpak at least it was in English.

We ate in Barbarrossa, and My Beloved told me ‘your in a restaurant, take your arm on the table’ but the trouble was that arm was holding up my head, and it was sooooo so heavy, we ate and chatted although that was even difficult as my jaw was becoming like glue, so we headed back to the hotel and our bed.

 ps if this blogs makes no sense, its because I am too tired to proof read SORRY x