316

Wednesday

We were invited to a meeting with my son's homeroom teacher / the aim of which was to get acquainted / to listen and to talk / face-to-face. / It's a different type of education / one that encourages curiosity and interest based learning / a school that my son is happy to go every day / and if he is happy ... I'm happy! /

317

Tuesday

"Negative Space" / Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. / Today was my college students’ 2nd drawing lesson. / Filling the negative space around a chair / with black synthetic charcoal. /

318

Monday

I am waiting for the children / so we can have lunch together. / Stolen moments of togetherness / before they retreat to their rooms to study. / My son for the two exams he has this Wednesday (English and Civics) / and my daughter / continues her endless study marathon / for the psychometric university entrance exam in December. /

319

Sunday

Few days ago / I heard the wonderful Maïa Vidal / for the first time. / She was singing Georges Brassens's / "Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit". / As I'd spent my early childhood in France / I grew up listening to Brassens / among other chansonniers. / Listening to Vidal / I returned to listen to Brassens / on vinyl / as I did when I was a child. /

320

Saturday

Throughout my life / new circles of friends open periodically. / Since I became a mother / eighteen years ago / my children's friends' parents also became my friends. / Today we went to a recruitment party for a good friend my daughter's. / A few magic hours / along with the knowledge / that in a few days this girl begins her military service. / It seems only yesterday / that I myself was a soldier / yet in April it will be my daughter / who begins military service. /

321

Friday

I love dance parties / and I especially love parties Orly D.J.s / Orly D.J.ed my wedding party / over 20 years ago / and since / every party with her / gives me the shivers. / If I can't make one of her parties / I always feel like I've missed out. / Rona came with me to a party at Abraxas Tel Aviv. / It wasn't the greatest party / but hey / a beer with a good friend on Friday at noon / what's to complain about? /

322

Thursday

This morning I had my weekly session with my mermaid / she had asked me to bring flippers. / Marina (Jenny Seagrove) / who in the movie "Local Hero" / had webbed feet / came to mind. / It'd be one pair of shoes less to schlep. /

323

Wednesday

I loooove colors!! / I consider myself a colorful person / my friends apparently think so too. / "A colorful gift for a colorful woman, keep on filling our days and nights with color" / was written on the card / attached to the new white popup book / I received / directly from Italy. /

324

Tuesday

The college semester is progressing nicely. / Today my new students started learning the "Color Theory" / and an introduction to gouache techniques / tone value from black to white in twelve steps / with paintbrushes and reissfeders. / When I demonstrate / it looks easy / but in fact / it's quite difficult. / Layer after layer the first successful results appear. /

325

Monday

After repeated delays / tomorrow's the final deadline for journal swapping / a fascinating project I started last year with two friends. / Three journals travel back and forth between us / with a set number of double spreads / and the same assignments for the three of us to carry out / each on her own pages. /

326

Sunday

I always take friends along / for moral support / on two of my routine physicals. / Today it was the manual breast examination. / I make appointments / and remind them to show up. / For our next annual appointment / the receptionist scheduled us all under one entry / "Talia and the Girls" / as if we were a rock band. /

327

Saturday

I hardly ever watch TV / But this afternoon the rainy weather / put me a movie watching. / When it became clear / no one would be joining me / I claimed the living room / inserted "la Vie En Rose" / and made an aperitif. / I enjoyed myself very much. /

328

Friday

"TGIF" / my father used to say every Friday evening / at the family gathering / around the Shabbat table. / More often than not / relations / friends / "adopted sisters and brothers" whose parents were overseas / joined us. / Kiddush was followed by a scrumptious dinner my mother cooked. / Growing up / this weekly ritual was a must / my sisters and I / weren't allowed to go out / until the table was cleared / and the dishes washed. / I've kept up this family tradition / all the four of us / sit down to dinner / talk about our week / and share precious moments. /

329

Thursday

It is not a secret / I adore Meir Shalev / He is one of my favorite writers! / So when Orit / invited me / to come with her to the première / of the esteemed Gesher Theater's production / based on Shalev's "A Pigeon and A Boy" / I couldn't refuse. / I don't usually enjoy seeing movies or plays / after reading the book / I can't help comparing / and am often disappointed. / This time it was a real pleasure. /

330

Wednesday

My brand new winter outf(ee)it. /

331

Tuesday

"Drawing on the right side of the brain" / is a technique that works like magic. / Today was my new college students's first drawing lesson. / Line after line their first successful drawings appear. /

332

Monday
This morning I finished teaching a class I particularly like. / I've taught these students / once a week since March. / Today was our last lesson. / They presented their pattern designs / for review for the last time. / It was a joyful morning / mixed with sadness. /

333

Sunday

I am just back from one of the best concerts ever seen!!! / "B.T.A - Bonsoir Tel Aviv #2" (the second night) / Musical Festival: France – Israel / "Mediterranean vibe Night" / with Hindi Zahra (France) / and Riff Cohen (Israel) / The most wonderful way to start a new week . /

334

Saturday

Last night at the Barby club / "B.T.A - Bonsoir Tel Aviv #1". / A Music Festival: France – Israel / "ElectRock - Chic Night" / with Lilly Wood & the Prick (France) / and Umlala (Israel). /

335

Friday

This morning / a note from my sweet teenage son / telling me he'd taken down / and folded the laundry / before going to school / announced laundry day. / Machine wash / hand wash / reading instructions: Do Not Tumble Dry / Do Not Iron Beading on Trim / to which my mother always adds / "If So / Do Not Buy"! /

336

Thursday

"A woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do!" / My John Wayne impersonation. /

337

Wednesday

I can feel the weekend approaching! / Today after I finished teaching college / I went to Old Jaffa to meet an old acquaintance / at his gallery / the Farkash Gallery. / The vintage Israeli posters there / always make me feel as if I'd jumped through "The Time Tunnel". /

338

Tuesday

"I have a good friend you must meet!" / my boyfriend told me when I was seventeen / He was right! / and we've been friends ever since. / From teenagers to women / moments of happiness / sadness / up and downs... / My life without this friendship / would have been totally different. / For my birthday I received from her husband and her / an indulging birthday gift / which shows how well they know me!   /

339

Monday

After an endless wait / bus #501 home from Hertzliya / finally arrived. / For a 10 shekel ticket / I found myself sitting on the backbench of bus / with 25 years (plus) of memories /  of rides to the Big Town / guitar lessons / teahouses we hung out at in the late 70s / cuddling with my love / schlepping models and other work for college design studies… / The Azrieli Towers signal I had arrived home. /

340

Sunday

A new superhero / the Green Lantern / joined his one-legged friends / in my son's collection. / 

341

Saturday

A brief visit to my parents' in Herzliya. / My papouchka / the man and the legend / was sorting out a portfolio of his drawings / dating back over 50 years. / Family drawings / architectural drawings / and doodles. / An architect / artist / a real intellectual / someone you can talk to / and most of all / a wonderful father. / ♥  ♥  ♥ /

342

Friday

Kusinot (cousins)

For the past few years / on the first Friday of the month / my cousins and I / just the girls / meet for coffee. / At times mothers or daughters from around the world will join us / but mostly it's just the five of us / enjoying each other's company for a few hours. /

343

Thursday

One summer / when I was seven / during a holiday at my grandmother's in Casablanca she sent me to learn how to swim. / Since then I swim. / If I really had to participate in a sport – swimming would be my first choice (just because you don't sweat) / for years I have been thinking about improving my swimming / Today it happened / I found myself a personal mermaid to teach me / a former member of Israel's national swimming team / She will make me into the perfect swimmer. ☺ /

344

Wednesday

Today at college / a selection of students' work inspired by nature. /

345

Tuesday

Back to pétanque on Sderot haHaskala / our local boulevard. / The same gang / with vodka (not pastis) / and red grapefruit juice / Long live old habits / cheers! /