I See the Sea

Last year I wanted to take Butterfly to the sea. Okay, at the beginning of the season we went a couple of times with my mother and sister and kids, but I wanted to go solo with her and more than just once or twice. Unfortunately we then had a polio scare (more an exaggerated scare) in which kids were given to the mouth drops of live vaccine. Since my daughter is not vaccinated, I preferred staying away from places she might get it. So the sea became a big no-no.

Then this year, our homeschooling group decided that since it is too hot in the summer to meet at place X during the morning-early afternoon, that we shall shift to a late afternoon beach gathering. Yay, I thought! We shall have lots of sea this year!  Well. hmmm... so far none! I mean there was a first gathering which I couldn't attend but then... again, a big no-no.

Because it is a big open place with no where I know to run to in case of rockets. Because this is our reality now. I have to add that I am not saying this side is right or wrong or that this side is suffering more or suffering less. I feel sorry for the civilians on the other side who are also having a terrible time. I really feel sorry for them. I debated whether to put a picture of a house (in my neighbourhood!) that got a direct hit from a rocket, but think I won't because I really do not want to turn this post into a political one. I just want to write about us, about life for me and my daughter.

We live in the centre of Israel, in a small town not far from the airport. We are not used to sirens here. The south of Israel, yes, unfortunately they are used to it, but not here in the centre. Well, about two weeks ago we had our first one. I was at home alone and my sister was out with the kids  (mine and hers) at the playground. Since they were out in the open, they saw how it was intercepted, mainly seeing a little cloud. My sister gave some kind of explanation, my daughter understood there is something that might scratch her face, and well, I thought that was a crazy thing but that's it. 

Well, I think it has been two weeks. Butterfly knows that when she hears the siren we must immediately go the the reinforced security room, close door and window and wait (while playing a game!). We should wait ten minutes (that's the official guidelines), but we wait till we hear the booms, usually two, wait  maybe another minute or two and then go out and carry on with what we were doing before.

And Butterfly asks so many questions - what if we are in the street? What do we do? Where do we go? She asks about the little cloud [she associates the booms with the little cloud she saw at the playground], what can it do, etc. And how do you explain this to a little girl? To a little girl who doesn't really know good and bad, a girl who has no witches in her world. How do you tell her about wars and about fighting and how these rockets intend to do a little bit more than just scratch her face?? I try and stay calm, to be almost indifferent (oh, yes that is a siren. yes, let's go to the security room. can you close the door while I close the window?), but I know she knows it is more than that.

And then this morning I woke up hoping she doesn't wake up so I can sleep a bit more. I went to the toilet, came back and snuggled carefully next to her, when the siren went. We both immediately jumped and went to the security room. Here is the place to add that we live in a wooden house and that I live in a unit on the second floor in my mother's house. The security room is in my mother's house, so we quickly have to go to her house, unlock the door (mother is currently on vacation abroad) and go to the security room. Luckily we have a minute and a half (in the south, they only have 15 seconds), so we managed to do that. And then we hear a boom. This time just one single one, and it was loud, very loud! Apparently it was somewhere in my neighbourhood, and more so, it was a rocket that managed to escape the Iron Dome and land on a house, destroying it. I can tell you, that is scary.

Tonight I think I will sleep on the sofa at my mum's. Not comfortable but if they are targeting the airport and again send us a rocket... Anyway, hope next year we'll manage to have fun at the sea!