26 Nov 2006 11:44 PM

Thanksgiving 2006

Since Arthur had to travel to North Dakota early Sunday morning, we started our Thanksgiving weekend on Wednesday. We drove down to Monterey, which is a beautiful city on the coast of California ( http://www.monterey.com/ ) and home to Cannery Row, which was immortalized by John Steinbeck in his 1945 novel, Cannery Row ( http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html ).  

We started out at the Monterey Bay Aquarium ( http://www.mbayaq.org/ ), home to sea otters, sharks, penguins, and of course, many different types of fish. We learned about what types of fish we should and shouldn't buy due to harmful fishing practices and got to measure ourselves to see how tall we are in relation to whales. As you can see from the pictures, Maor and I are arguing about whose taller! I think I still have a few months of chesed before she surpasses me! Maor got to touch a batray ( http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/default.asp?hOri=0&inhab=146&hab=3 ) which she says is mushy.

After the aquarium we went back to the hotel for an early night since we had to get up early on Thursday to goâ?¦ whale watching!

Yes, those of you who know me must think I'm insane, it was actually my idea to go on a whale watching cruise! What was I thinking?!

While still on the pier we saw some sea otters and we then boarded the Princess Monterey for our adventure ( http://www.montereywhalewatching.com/ ). We passed a rock which was home to many sea otters and then headed out further in search of whales and dolphins. Maor's seasickness kicked in first and she wasn't interested in the first set of whales we spotted, a baby and its mother. I tried to get a picture but trying to focus just made me feel more nauseous. By the time everyone else was watching a second set of whales, the three of us were throwing up over the side of the boat. We were all very thankful to be back on solid dry land.

Our next stop was the Point Pinos lighthouse (http://www.pgmuseum.org/Lighthouse.htm ) which is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast . Lighthouses are no longer used for navigation today, GPS is, and the US government is not interested in up keeping these lighthouses which are no longer used so is handing over responsibility for them to others, such as the National Park Service or local municipalities.  

We next made a quick stop at the Monarch Grove Butterfly sanctuary ( http://www.pgmuseum.org/Monarchs.htm ) where you can see thousands of Monarch butterflies who come to shelter in the pines and eucalyptus trees of Pacific Grove for the winter.

After a picnic lunch we drove along the coast a bit and took some pictures of the beautiful beach in Pacific Grove before heading home.  

Friday was basically spent cooking for Shabbat with a few ventures out for shopping. The Friday after Thanksgiving in America is known as black Friday, and it is the day that Christmas season officially begins. Stores have special deals and open as early as 5:00 a.m.! I have forgotten what this season is like in America , everything is x-mas, and every store we went into had Christmas music playing. I said to Maor that I think I'll kill myself if I have to listen to this for the next month! It definitely reminds you why you made Aliyah and makes you miss home!  

Shabbat was quiet and Saturday night we went bowling with a family from the community. Then we went to their house and played Rummikub (the adults) while the kids watched TV or played.

Sunday morning Arthur left for cold North Dakota which is Northeast of California and directly below Canada ( http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_map/usa.gif ).

Maor spent the morning talking to friends in Israel and we then headed out to the Children's DiscoveryMuseum ( http://www.cdm.org/index.asp?f=1 ) even though Maor said she hates museums (yes, I made her go). Although geared more to younger kids there was still what to see and do and under duress she admitted that it was not so bad. We then went to the Harvest Festival which is an arts and crafts fair ( http://www.harvestfestival.com/visitors/index.aspx ) and even though I said we were just looking and not buying anything, I bought Maor a necklace of her name which the craftsman makes on the spot from wire with pliers and a very cool hair wrap (pictures of both are posted).

Thus concludes our Thanksgiving weekend. Maor goes back to school tomorrow and back to the daily grind.

Signing off for now,

Chasida (Fern)

Thoughts for the day (Hard to choose just one):

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." [Psalm 92:1]

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