Long Absences and Overdose of Family

Have been in England for a while, and before that was in Denmark, which all gave me a lot to write about but want to stick to the brief; three things that were great today.

1. Hearing the soldiers outside Buckingham Palace play Dancing Queen by Abba. Who says they have no irony!?

2. Being a proper girlie aunt to my nieces and straightening their hair. Hearing them say, "Don't say you're not good at this!" GHDs! I'm crap at hair, just great at spending money on good products. Actually, this counts for today as well as for the whole week; watching my many many nieces and nephews getting on with one another, and yes, as cheesy as it sounds, watching my parents gain great pleasure from it. That was good too..

3. This conversation has been waiting to happen for a really long time. The one where I try to academically, objectively debate with my brother about his chareidi lifestyle and how it fits in, or rather doesn't fit in with the rest of Israeli society. Glad to have finally broached it, even though it was annoying and I don't feel any easier about his choices. But then, they are *his* choices...