Gett Divorce Blues: Thursday, March 19th!

It's best to give while your hand is still warm. -Philip Roth, novelist (b. 19 Mar 1933)  

Ronit Elkabetz

The hypnotic “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” is the story of a woman wronged by men and God, if finally, in a sense, redeemed by cinema. Under Israeli law, a woman can be divorced only if her husband presents her with a religious bill of divorce called a gett (sometimes spelled get). No gett, no divorce. The long-suffering title character desperately wants to be free of her husband, who refuses to let her go. So year after year, Viviane pleads her case before a rabbinic court, waiting for her divorce as days slip into weeks and then months, her pacific face glazed with tears and her body occasionally rocked by a laugh tinged with knowing and madness.

"American Pie: How a Neapolitan street food became the most successful immigrant of all" by Hanna Miller, American Heritage, April/May, 2006, Volume 57, Issue 2. Pizza! Pizza did not truly become pizza until the enterprising citizens of Naples embraced a long-shunned fruit imported from America -- the tomato -- and added it to the equation."

I am not sure when our next visit to Penticton will be but we will most certainly call or email to alert you. We do know a few there already from Yuma. My brother Roy & his wife, Linda, own a place in P at 1195 Killwinning St, off Government, I think. Roy inherited the house from my Aunt & Uncle who both passed at home, 40 days apart, the summer before last. Uncle Roy was 93 & Auntie Pat, 92. Uncle Roy was the last of the senior Leslie's & my Dad's middle brother. Roy & Linda live in Victoria but visit P about 3x a year. They used to come more frequently to keep an eye on R & P.
 

This summer will be crazy since we are planning to be on the island May 11 to find a place to live, in either Parksville or N Nanaimo. We are house sitting for friends, Nick & Marilyn Bush, in Parksville from May 13th to 31st but will arrive a couple fo days early to have a visit. We have known them since Sept '89, our first friends in Sh Pk. They have lived on the island for a few years now, originally in Deep Bay from Calgary but when Nick's Mom went to a nursing home in Qualicum Beach, they decided they needed to be closer. Parksville would be our first choice. We know the area well since we have owned a time share at Pacific Shores in Parksville but closer to Nanoose for about 11 years.
 

We have had a good winter here in Yuma but are already in going home mode. There is lots to do to prepare. Our plan is to leave Sun, Mar 29 and be in Sh Pk on April 5, Easter Sunday. There may be a stop in Thosuand Oaks, CA to visit an old family friend, Ken Walker, 92. These dear friends pass all too quickly! Personally, I love to take advantage of being so close. We usually visit Ken both to & from AZ. My family has known him since about 1955 when he & his first wife, Elsie, were posted to Wpg for 2 years with Hughes Air. Ken was an Aeronautical/ Electrical Engineer for Howard Hughes out of LA. He is a brilliant mind & fascinating to spend as much time as we can, not good grammar I realize. It's late! Anyway, we will see what mood Frank is in in the next week or so as to whether he wants to meander over CA way or head directly home. We are also hoping to stop in both DeWinton, 2 nights and Calgary, 1 night, to stay with old friends.
 

Good luck with the move! You are fortunate that you have so many helpers to go with. We will most likely have to rent a huge truck as we do have a storage locker full of furniture & possessions. Frank will drive the truck no doubt. I am not sure if we will fly back and then borrow a vehicle to get around until we leave again. I hate moving!! It would have been easier to sell most of our stuff and then just buy the essentials. Oh well we will survive!! Cheers, Maggie Send new full mailing address again as well as tel numbers, etc in P. m

Hi Maggie! We will be at Burns Street as of May 29th, I hope! Still have not decided about our phone number. As I think I mentioned, in an earlier missive, we will probably not have a land-line but won't know about actual phone numbers until we discuss various plans with various carriers. Will let you know when we have actual numbers.  Cora Lee already has an iPhone and Chloë gave me her old iPhone 5 but I haven't even begun to learn how to use it yet! I found an iPhone for Dummies on a give-away table in our condo hallway so I guess I'll have to do my homework, between packing boxes of books!
 

I took a look at Killwinning St on Google Maps and see it is but 3 minutes by car, or 17 on foot, so we are almost neighbours! More importantly, Government Street Liquor Store is just down Penticton Avenue from your brother! Seems as if we will have plenty of "ready-made" contacts in Penticton as other friends here, and elsewhere, have already passed along names and addresses of friend who live in city as well. Again, as I mentioned in an earlier message, close friends, Lurchesca and Grogg, live on Madroña Drive, just down Beaver Creek Wharf Road from your place at Pacific Shores. I have cycled past the turn-off many times while house sitting for them over the years.

Interestingly enough, a very close friend of Corinne's parents, Peirce Hughes, worked on the Avro Arrow in the 50's in Winnipeg. He was an aeronautical engineer as well. Wonder if he knew your friend, Ken Walker. His widow, Betty, lives in Calgary, and we have stayed with her, a number of times, over the years, en route to Falcon Lake. They owned a cabin at Falcon as well and that is connection to Durstons. With respect to moving, you certainly have your work cut out as well! Buona Fortuna in your coming endeavors, house hunting and then moving! 

Give us a shout if you will be stopping in Vancouver on way to VI. You are welcome to stay. Probably be a bit like camping out by then but we have other friends in building if you don't want to sleep on a pull-out. You can also help pack as practice for your own relocation! Seriously, do think about staying over if schedule allows. Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers Patrizzio! Pics: Saturday at Marquis Wines, bidding farewell to David, long-term employee; some public art down the Seawall from our place, east towards Olympic Village.

Patrick thanks for this. Our end of June plans should coincide, whether or not, I'll work around your sojourn to the nonagenarian's feast. I haven't been able to make contact with G and F, can you please forward my email to them, copy me so I can make plans also? Love to all.

Hi Lurch and Grogg! Are you back yet? Stefano asked me to forward his latest message as he hopes he'll be able to connect when he is in Vancouver this coming June. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Aloha, We are back-congrats on the house!! Look forward to a visit…We go to Mom’s 95th birthday from June 26 to July 5, other than that we plan to be around. Hope to connect soon! G&F

Hi Madroña Manorites! Thanks for congratulations on new place. Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Given the light rain this morning I knew that if I wished to exercise I would probably have to use the FCCC's elliptizer so just before 11:00 am I walked over to GI, stopping first at the VWF Office to let Ann that I was happy to lead the new Volunteer donation program. All the staff there were surprised to see me in sneakers, as opposed to Crocs, so I had to explain I was on my way to gym! Pretty good workout as I was shooting to break the 1000 calorie mark and quite happy to just squeak over barrier with only seconds to spare : 3.45 milos over 70 minuten for 1103 calorifics and 14,762' of climbage! 

Back home to have a very quick shower and change of clothes as Mme Coriandre agreed to drop me off at VanCity, (in my car, Dear Reader!), as she was en route to North Vancouver for another church-related meeting. At the box-office with 15 minutes to spare and Lawrence and Liora walked up behind me just as I was paying for my ticket. We greeted one another and then found our way to seats that suited everyone, and film started a few minutes later.

Another spell-binding work, although almost painful to watch as it is such "an uncompromising, heart-rending portrait of a woman's struggle to overcome an unmoving patriarchy and live a life of her own design." Ronit Elkabetz (Late Marriage; The Band's Visit), one of Israeli cinema's most acclaimed actresses has one riveted on her face in this unlikely, unexpected, powerhouse courtroom drama. 

"In Israel, there is neither civil marriage nor civil divorce; only Orthodox rabbis can legalize a union or its dissolution, which is only possible with the husband's full consent. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Viviane Amsalem has been applying for a divorce for three years but her religiously devout husband Elisha (Simon Abkarian), continually refuses. His cold intransigence, Viviane's determination to fight for her freedom, and the ambiguous role of the rabbinical judges shape a procedure where tragedy vies with absurdity and everything is brought out into the open for judgment."

What becomes abundantly clear is that there is not a shred of difference between Orthodox Judaism, Muslim Sharia Law and Christian Fundamentalism, at least with respect to patriarchy and the oppression of women. Even though, after five years Viviane is finally granted her divorce, her husband only agrees to do so if she promises that "there will be no other man after him!" Whether she will keep this promise, one must decide for oneself. For me, the cost of  freedom from this monster, who cannot fathom relinquishing control and oppression of her beyond the bounds of their legally dissolved marriage, rationalizing it as his love for her, is well worth her promise, be it situational or otherwise. I for one, hope she allows herself to find happiness, with or without another partner, as her own volition dictates, not her ex-husband's.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire (La Montagne Sainte-Victoire), c. 1904–06
oil on canvas

L/L were returning to VAG to finish viewing Cézanne and the Modern, the exhibition they left to take in Gett. We waved goodbye and I walked home over the Granville Bridge, just after 3:00 pm. Heavy rain had let up by then and stroll over bridge was quite pleasant. Back home to digitate, all alone, as Meeting Woman won't be home until around 8:00 pm. Took a look at the house inspection report we'd received on Burns Street property and made notes to discuss with both Dusty and Cora Lee. Glad we had the inspection done. Quite impressed with thoroughness and highlighted pictures. Makes sense to have visual evidence. While the deficiencies noted are not such that we would not wish not buy place, they obviously need to be addressed, some more quickly than others, obviously.   

Time to make a salad for dinner so must away. Hoping to get a good start on Season Three of The Killing this evening: "Detective Holder and new partner Carl Reddick investigate a teenage girl's death, whose murder has similarities to a previous case of Sarah Linden's; Linden is now a Transit Authority employee. Meanwhile, Ray Seward, who had been convicted in that case, is sent to death row. In the city, teenage runaways must find ways to survive, while a killer cruises the streets."


Patrick, If I can, I’ll come over and help you load your truck if you think an extra pair of hands will help. This is subject to my overseas visitors not getting in the way -the timing plans on that are not yet firm; will call you about that later.
I attached a couple more photos for interest. Hope to see you guys up in the OKV in July. cheers, Bill.

Hi Wild Bill! Thanks for the snaps, both from Marquis and VRC. Interestingly enough, a day or so ago, I had a message from Bill Dempster, former bar tender at the club, as I'm sure you will remember. He is living in Moncton and I have been in fairly regular touch over the last few years. Unfortunately, his health seems to be deteriorating. His eyesight is failing and he just informed me he is suffering from cirrhosis of the liver so is now a teetotaler. I sent along the the snap from VRC, mentioning that you had sent it to me, so trust it will bring back some pleasant memories.

Thanks as well for offer of help on moving day. Very generous but don't worry if your visitor schedule doesn't allow. We can chat closer to date, of course.

Just spoke to Mick Carter about bridge and he mentioned that he and family will be up in Naramata, (I think, but it may well be somewhere else in Okanagan.), in June, so stream of visitors is already building!  Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Wild NB Bill! Sorry to learn of your liver problems but pleased to know that you are heeding medical advice and are now a teetotaler, an inspiration to us all! Fondestos from Chloë and Cora Lee. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Shot taken when Kevin/Bev Witter were in Vancouver in 2012; Chloë and I this morning. She popped by on her way to dentist.

Re Avro Arrow, my brother, Robin, now 57, was doing some modeling at the time & trying to break into acting. He has a walk on role in the cocktail party scene of that movie so gets a small cheque, like $25.00, ever time it is shown. Dan Akroyd starred in it. Robin did have a couple of lines originally but they were edited out, lol!

I don't think we'll be going anywhere near Vancouver en route to the island. Frank hates driving into V. Anyway, our timing will be pretty tight as want to stay in AB as long as we can. The girls are already getting dibs on babysitting. We will be busy in between the Dr, Bank, Car Dealership, Storage Facility, etc etc etc. I am already thinking I will need a few glasses of wine every evening to cope!! Too bad the wine costs so much more at home.

There is a possibility that we may let our time share go, especially of we are going to move there. It will be great if the kids could use it but VI aka Vacation Internationale, does not have as many units as RCI nor the original owners, many of whom use it themselves in the summer mos. Time will tell. The amenity fee annually is close to $500 or $600, can't recall.

It looks like rain here & was spitting a bit en route home from the Dentist. My mouth is frozen on both sides & all my lower lip too. I feel like a marionette, not so attractive!! I can't even eat as all I do is dribble or drool & I am starving. Today, the Dra did the prep work done for 5 crowns on molars which I will get on Monday a.m.. They were teeth that were mainly fillings, mercury ones too from when I was a teenager, long time they should be gone. Frank had several crowns done as well. In fact I was not even planning to get any work done. Of course, I happened to mention that I had one molar that desperately needed a crown. I don't think I realized I had any mercury fillings left. The estimate at home for one crown was 1300.00 about 3 years ago. In Mx, it was 250.00. Of course we needed root canals which is 350.00 with a Specialist but 600.00/tooth is a far cry from what our bill would have been. We went to Los Algodones where the majority of Canadians go for dental, optometry & hearing work. It's about one third of the cost!! We love our dentist, Doctora Patricia, Icedo. Her Assistant is her older sister, Edith. Both young women are lovely, very efficient and professional.

Keep us posted on your move & we will do the same. Roy is not in P that often. He is a pretty good golfer but he does tend to like to talk, especially about himself!  Roy is a self employed Graphic Designer. He had hoped to become an Architect when he was at Uni but alas, that did not happen. Cheers from AZ! m
 
Hi Mouth Full of Gold Girl!! We have friends, originally from Winnipeg, (Did you know Harriet Dixon, at the time, at United College, now Hart, married to Paul Hart, a former, fairly senior bureaucrat in the provincial government? They now live near Lake Chapala in a gorgeous home. We stayed with them, (later in holiday), en route to Guayabitos the time we visited you in Yuma), and swear by Mexican health care!

Didn't even know that a movie had been made about the Avro Arrow! Curious that your brother was in it. Bit puzzled about your other brother, Roy, not being in Penticton that often. Does he go south for much of the year? Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Starting to prepare for wine-tasting in the Okanagan! 

Are you the ♫Master of the House♫?  Then come and shout it out, Thursday, March 26 at the Heartwood Community Cafe, 317 East Broadway.  The Les Miz Sing-a-Long features the keyboard pyrotechnics of Karen Lee Morlang and YOU are the star!  Showtime is 7:30 pm; come early to enjoy a cocktail and/or snack from the Heartwood's extensive food and drink menu.  Check out our FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/339768962894142/

 

Looking forward to seeing you Thursday. Doug