If u want to get something done…

We up in the North are currently experiencing a whole week of rain… once again our garden has turned into a lake and the smell of mould permeates our bedroom. We have given up trying to get rid of it and are just accepting  furniture damages and possible bronchial diseases in our future. Every time we try to ask someone to take responsibility they just pass the buck, and we end up on a loop. It does make me wonder about the properties here though – the apartments seem to be made of papier mache. The area looks very smart but actually nothing  is built to last. I am told mould is a common problem and people are very reluctant to buy in Ramat Rabin due to the shoddy building. Pretty much everyone we know rents.

Israelis are so funny about rain. Nobody goes out. We have now realised that rainy days are a brilliant time to get things done – it’s hiliarious how terrified the average israeli is of a bit of water. Dahan – empty, Husband reported Misrad Hapanim – empty and Homecentre – empty. At least two ladies cried off mummy and baby group today due to rain, and everybody who came drove [who would consider walking??! with all those puddles??!], yoga class cancelled due to rain… one wonders – presumably Israel doesn’t fight wars in the rain either?

We had to go out though as we had run out of fruit, and as you can see from the picture, Roni is rather keen on fruit. The chap at the butcher told me he felt sorry for Roni because I had brought him out on such a cold day. Roni, snug and cosy in his baby sling, just smiled back at him. A random arab woman outside the fruit & veg place came up to me and started vigorously pulling his trousers legs over the expsosed one inch of skin on his calf… “I don’t want him to be cold” she explained to myself and a rather bemused Roni, as if I were her granddaughter. Good grief. I explain time and time again to these people that if the British lived with an Israeli attitude to rain, nobody would ever leave the house but they don’t seem to get it.

I suppose the tables will be turned when I decide to stay home when the sun comes out and it gets close to 40 degrees…  I actually read somewhere, I forget where [the Continuum Concept, perhaps?] that it’s good for small children to experience natural weather phenomena directly [i.e. not in a car or under the plastic of a buggy], the exposure is actually healthy for body and soul. They would probably lock me up here if I told them that one. I wonder what they would do here if it ever properly snowed?!

Lots more rain forecast tomorrow. Definitely a day for shopping but sadly Husband is using car. I imagine we will be visiting friends as I can’t imagine any of our friends will be leaving the house….!