"Ich Bin Ein Berliner"

Who knew that Germany was the source of so many great quotes? This one, of course, is not from a movie or a TV show; everyone recognizes this as the famous quote from this well-known American.

Of course, what many people don't know is the second part of the quote: "...und ich bin ein dropped my cell phone in a cup of wasser. It happens. "

That was today's excitement. In my zeal to clean off the kitchen table/dining room table/mail room/home office/multimedia center, I picked up my cell phone and somehow fumbled it, and it subsequently fell into the quarter-inch of water that was in my cup. It was still working (well, kind of), so I didn't do anything at first, but an hour later it was flickering and turning on and off and acting very strangely. So either it had been possessed by the dreaded Loch Phone Demon and would need a prompt exorcism, or the water was rapidly shredding the poor innards of my phone. Since no priests were readily availble, I dashed over the Orange store to see what they could do.

"Don't laugh," I warned the nice Orange lady (in Hebrew). "My phone fell in water. It's still working, aval...."
"Aval...." she said, sympathetically.
The bottom line was that they would try to fix it; I am going back in a day or two to either pick up my renovated phone or pay NIS 200 for a new one. (Donny - by the way, I may have to buy a new cell phone. Isthatokaygreatbye!) In the meantime, she asked if I would like a temporary replacement phone until Tuesday. How much, I ask warily? FREE!!!!!

Well, hell yeah, I said! I was already panicking about being "off the grid" for a whole day or two, especially since Donny is unreachable in Berlin, and you know that the one time I'm without a cell phone is when the kids' schools are going to need to get in touch with me to tell me that Ariella's been kicked out because she rallied the other students to strike until more hopscotch courses are painted, or that Yaakov has run away to join the circus. (He would LOVE to ride around in one of those teeny cars.)

Anyway, it was awesome to get my FREE replacement cell phone - it's the same number plus has all my contacts. Isn't technology wonderful?

Speaking of technology, Donny's sole dispatch today has been: "I had a really great kosher lunch. Things are turning around for the Jews in Deutschland." So you see his conference is going really well.

PS Huge Mazel Tov to Loyal Reader "Rivki" on her engagement! The entire staff of aliyahbyaccident, along with all the cousins and friends, wish you a massive congrats!!!