you never know what is going on just under your feet

Taking into account the activities of the past few days and that Levi would be going back to California tonight, I kept things light and low key. Perhaps oddly enough one of the best parts of the day was talking on the phone to my sister (who lives down the block from our rental home) and discovered that we both needed to go to the market. So we walked up to the mercaz (Center of town) without any children tagging along and did some normal things like buy bread and milk and food for dinner.  It was so normal. It was great. It was a good reminder of what this trip was about. Spending time in Israel with my family and extended family.  I still forgot the eggs, though...
Once I got back to the 5 crazies/ kids it was time to sunblock them all and head out to Rechovot and our reservation at the Ayalon Institute Museum on Kibbutz Hill. http://www.ilmuseums.com/museum_eng.asp?id=227 This has always been referred by me as the Underground Bullet Factory place. I have fond memories of going there with my seminary and knew it had to be on the list. FYI, you MUST make a reservation with them for a tour, and you can't go down without a tour guide. And don't worry, they speak perfect English on the phone. The lady Noga who confirmed my reservation via email was actually there in person. According to the poster on the wall the factory has only been completely restored since 2003, so what I saw way back in the 90's was only a partial experience. Israel loves those pre-experience movies (this time, no cheesy theme, just straight up history) -- even the tour guide poked fun at the movie requirement. When we got to the laundry area which was part of the cover story for the purpose of the Kibbutz, Bailey decided there wasn't enough action so she caused some of her own. Levi was nearest to the door and took her out. I tried to switch places with him, but he took her to play with the Ipad in the car and to run around with the kittens in the picnic area so I never found him. He also had the camera with him...

We learned about the ruse set up to fool the British and even keep other kibbutzniks in the dark as to the true purpose of the place. We went down the winding stairs under the ground and saw the bullet factory. Our guide showed us the original tanning booth made to keep the underground workers looking orchard farmer tan. We saw how they smuggled the bullets out in orange crates, milk containers and tankard trucks. The kibbutzniks who didn't know what was going on underground were called giraffes. So, next time some one refers to you as a giraffe, they mean that you can see far a head of you, but not what is happening right under your feet.  You know, if such a thing were to come up....

After the tour we met up with Levi and Bailey and ate lunch in the picnic area and met the cats Bailey had befriended. I had planned to keep our day in the military theme by going to Latrun Tank Museum, but Levi needed to get back to the house to finish packing and to give me a run down about which of our dozen wires goes to which device and how to work all of the technology we brought along.

The kids hung out with their cousins for most of the early evening until I had to get them back to our house and ready for bed so I could take Levi to the airport. It has been a joint Solomonth so far, but now it is a SOLOmonth in Israel. Wish me luck.