at home with ann

TO MY DEAREST RACHEL ON HER

ENGAGEMENT TO THE LOVELY DANIEL

There’s never a dull moment in this house!   I got back from Israel late Sunday night and found my house missed me; it’s strange  how things go wrong even when no one’s there.   I took a lovely hot power shower when all of a sudden it kinda phuttered and puttered and stuttered to a fine rain then a mere drizzle… hmmm.   Still the next morning I began the obligatory after holiday pile of laundry hoping there wasn’t gonna be a problem with the water.  There wasn’t.   That wasn’t the problem… it was quite the reverse.  It took me ages before the penny dropped that it wasn’t drying after an hour, then another fifteen minutes… then another half-an-hour.   Doh… the drum wasn’t turning so at work today I made a quick call to a local electrical shop wanting his opening hours.  We were not compatible.   I realised I couldn’t get there this week, so asked him what dryers he had.  He reeled off a list of makes, I said what do you recommend?  This was at 1.00 and by 6.00 he delivered it, unseen by me and took away the old one.   I assume a dryer is a dryer is a dryer…

Still Israel was absolutely wonderful.   Never believe long range weather forecasts; they were right about the temperature, it was cold, not like here because the sun shone; the first drops of rain were those on the windscreen of the taxi taking us back to the airport.  It was exactly the same last year.   

I am a biased booba I know, but my grandbabies are simply the best.   They were an absolute delight and we had such fun.   I will post pics, but I think pride of place today has to go to Rachel and Daniel. 

At last he proposed.  

We guessed it was imminent, since dearest daughter hasn’t stopped babbling about weddings in ages and keeps asking her father to be prepared!  She thought the proposal would be this weekend and I thought it may have been in the New Year.   It seems timing is everything and Daniel very thoughtfully chose it on the rare occasion that all four parents are in the country at the same time, since Rachel’s daddy always flies out to Florida on Christmas Day and I’m usually in Israel for Chanukah.

I was talking to her at 9.30 tonight whilst she was in a taxi service going home from work.   She was stressed; she hadn’t finished her work and was choking back the tears knowing she wouldn’t sleep tonight seeing numbers and spreadsheets and clients in her sleep and worrying.  She’s in banking… say no more!  An hour later she calls me sounding like a different person.  

He had cooked dinner, strewn rose petals, lit candles… aaaaah bless him!  I guess now she won’t be sleeping tonight for a much happier reason.

This weekend it will be meet the family.  I spoke to Daniel’s mother for the first time tonight… she sounds lovely.   I kinda broached the subject of where the wedding will be, i.e. London or Israel.   She said since their other two children got married here, Israel would be nice.   I laughed.  I said since my other two children got married in Israel, London would be nice.    

Wherever it is, may their future be blessed with love joy and happiness for always and for ever.