Reluctant as I've been to write any more about our lives in Israel as they have been affected by the war, You -- the readers -- have forced my hand. You did it by pumping out so many encouraging emails.
Reluctant as I've been to write any more about our lives in Israel as they have been affected by the war, You -- the readers -- have forced my hand.
You did it by pumping out so many encouraging emails. Even my fast fingers on the MacBook Pro have been unable to keep up with them. Nevertheless, I have tried and hope you understand how grateful my family and I are for your continued support.,
Since staying healthy is a prime objective, my first wake-up moves include a series of leg stretches while gazing out the window.
To inspire movement, I pick out assorted songs to either sing or hum, depending on my mood.
Usually, it's a rah-rah tune like "Keep Your Sunny Side Up," or "Buckle Down Winsocki." While singing or humming, my eyes invariably are fixed on a pine tree and its myriad needles.
Sometimes they move with the wind, and other times, they remain still. Either way, they remind me to be grateful that I'm still around to hum and warble a tune. It's also a good time to appreciate that the Lord has granted me one more day to enjoy life on our tiny acreage.
Family, health, music, and merriment -- when circumstances allow -- are priorities. My younger son, Simon, shares with me the war events as they pour out of the TV set, and last night, we had an extra attraction.
My daughter-in-law, Lilach, delivered an hour's worth of assorted Israeli songs, closing with "Yerushalayim." It stirred me beyond words. Lilach has a magnificent voice, and this morning I told her that I'd love an hour of similar tunes any time the spirit moves her.
As for my spirit, it's always moved by hockey and last night's scores. Although I root for the Devils -- did a big chunk of my career televising Devs for MSG Networks -- and they lost in a Shootout, I was glad for Arizona. All my life -- dating back to the 1944 St. Louis Browns -- I've cheered for underdogs, and why not the club with the 5,000-seat arena?
During my a.m. shower, I'm working on the angle of my next Hockey News story. Strange as it may seem, at age 91, I'm still trying to perfect my writing style, and that starts with a catchy lead. Then I 'bang' away like I once did on my old Underwood typewriter.
But I digress. There's a war on, and not a minute goes by when we're not thinking about the challenges now and ahead.
Because of wartime restrictions, we're usually limited to staying in the house or, at best, in its immediate vicinity, As a result, Simon and I haven't taken our regular stroll, but today's weather has been so magnificent, Simon said, "Let's do it," and we did; this time with a corps of canines, five out of six to be exact.
We did a quarter mile up a slight hill as the dogs gamboled in and out of the forest. It was an easy exercise and a welcome break without a word spoken about the war. Mind you, it doesn't mean we weren't thinking about it.
How could we not, as the quiet was broken by the piercing sound of F-15s in the air?
That also explains why I put on my tefillin this morning and will pray tonight as well, with many hopeful thoughts in between.
Suddenly I found myself wondering how Simon Holmstrom fits on the Isles big line alongside Bo Horvat and Mat Barzal. A rather silly thought, I know, but also vital for me in this terrible situation.
It also is important to me because it's important to my favorite team -- and it also takes my mind off this lousy war!