The Beginning of My Never-Ending Vacation

I've given up on writing retroactive play-by-plays of the weeks-and-a-half that fall between my blogs.  It takes the excitement out of the experience.  For me and for you (Even if that's not true, just go with it.  You're telling me that by the time you get to reading about the fifth day that I missed, you can't hear the boredom in my tone?  I'd imagine it's pretty contagious.  And if for some reason you can't hear it, then I guess I'm a much better writer than I thought.  Spelling, on the other hand, not so much.  Before I rewrote it, two sentences ago turned out: And if for some reaosn you can't ear it, then i gues i'm a much better writer than it hoguht.  To each her own.  You stick to your strengths, I'll stick to mine.)
I'm at Daphna, Zeev, Noa and Michal's house right now.  Earlier today we returned from a lovely trip to the North with the entire Hutt/Schori/Lichtenstein family: at least twenty of them, grandparents, parents, teenagers, toddlers, newborns.  Delicious barbeque on Thursday night, a beautiful hike on Friday (so many wildflowers!  היה מדהים!  A bit difficult for the youngest kiddies, though...), and a סדנת שוקולד--chocolate workshop--this morning before pool time.  The views all around were beautiful (I feel like I say that quite often, but that's just where I am right now; every place I go in Israel has its own unique backdrop), with Mount Hermon visible from the road.  Despite the heat in our location of Ramot Naftali, the mountain's distant peak was as white as ever with the snow that most other places in Israel will never see.
My favorite part of the trip was the tiyul on Friday.  Five kilometers, a caravan of parents, kids, and cousins, some older ones with younger ones on their shoulders or backs, some walking solo, everyone making sure their walking neighbors were drinking enough water, keeping up spirits, taking pictures (okay, that last one was mostly me and Gadi).  I made friends with Gadi and Dana's eldest, Goni, a sweet six-and-a-half year old who became my walking and talking buddy for the second half of the hike.  Some members of the party were rather irked at the fact that Goni and I were speaking to each other in English--as they correctly pointed out, both of us should have been practicing our Hebrew--but I דווקא loved walking with a fellow English speaker.  Not that I don't love speaking Hebrew whenever I can; it's just nice once in a while to have an easier time of it.  Also, while I loved speaking to all the kids, it was definitely harder to make a good impression in Hebrew.  My childish humor is best conveyed--for now, at least--in my mother tongue.
I'm at Daphna's until Tuesday night, when the trains will start running again.  Vacation has officially started: two and a half of emptiest (homework-wise) weeks I think I've had since ninth grade at Akiba.  To anyone who's asked, I've been telling the absolute truth--that it's somewhat ridiculous that I've been given two and a half weeks of vacation, when it feels like I've been on some sort of vacation for the past three months.  Don't worry, I'm not complaining.  I'd much rather this little arrangement than whatever hell I'll inevitably be served next year at this time.  Let's not think about that, shall we?  I'll enjoy this prolonged "vacation" while it lasts.
Chag sameach!
Bed time :)
Ariel