bake a cake!

Thanks for all the suggestions about curing my cold. They are all very practical - in Hong Kong. Here in the Old City, it's difficult to get the stuff you guys suggested. And the closest supermarket is 1km away uphill. I guess it's times like this that I miss Hong Kong - you get anything and everything at your doorstep; it's so convenient. Here things are not only few and far between, but you can't get chinese medicine anywhere! Obvious isn't it? So don't take things for granted, you guys living in Hong Kong!

Judy sent 2 pics of Rex and Regis - that made my day! I'll post it when I remember how to do it - Jackie & Gus?????

Did some studies yesterday. My moderator for the thesis - Fr Niccacci (who lives in the room next to mine: he complains I make too much noise with my music. Then for the next few days I kept it quiet and he got worried. Kept asking where I was the last few days, why so quiet. Hmmmm you just can't win, can you?) asked how was my research doing. I said that it's tough because there are limited books on the subject in our library and 3 of us (me, him and another doctoral candidate Stefano) are writing on the same biblical book, which means we 3 need to refer to these books and share them. Fr Niccacci exclaimed (he's very loud) that it's a miracle - it's a thousand to one chance that 3 people in the same institute are researching on the same stuff. But like it's a great help for me to know that - we still have to share books and knock on doors asking "Can I use that book you borrowed?".

Sr. Geronima asked me what type of cake I like. I said the kind that is edible of course (score 2:1). You see, Nov. 10th is my feastday "St. Leo" and it's our tradition to celebrate feastdays instead of birthdays. The sisters usually bake a cake and lunch is alot more festive (meaning one extra dish - no big deal). Anyway she asked again what type specifically - I said to put in the canaries (stick their heads in and burn their tails as candles) and that dreadful cat in between and the cake will be really special. Sr Pieta laughed - guiness book of records..take a note! aahh nothing like a joke to break the ice.

By the way I meant to inform you guys earlier to check out the website and web TV "smile of a child". It's pretty fun, and good christian formation for little kids. Though it's protestant, there's none of that polemic because the kiddie viewers are too young to understand all that. So it's simple christian upbringing with wholesome cartoons and song and dance and moral lessons like "don't tell lies" etc.... The webcast is free and runs 24 hrs. There's another Catholic channel called Familyland TV but it's only available on cable or satellite, I think. It's more family oriented.

The repair of our roof is finally finished - but moving the rubbish and equipment down 4 floors is driving us crazy! Tonnes of extra stone (like 20kg) are simply thrown around. The library roof is now cracked. Imagine repairing one roof and destroying another - I guess that keeps the guys busy with work security. And I think the rains are due today - saw the clouds this morning at 5am, really rainy type (something prophet Elijah would have seen. Remember that story? No? So check it out already!!!!!).

Tomorrow is the feast of Duns Scotus, the patron of the Studiums here in Jerusalem as well as Hong Kong. That means no classes - there'll be the annual report of the Dean to the faculty and students, as well as a couple of academic talks. Aahh but for us, it's another feast (just one extra dish, no big deal. Oh and also a cake! You can be sure Scotus will get a better cake than I). Next year will be Scotus' 700th anniversary of his death. The Dean unofficially suggested that I bring a group to visit the place of his birth (Duns in Scotland), his teaching posts (Oxford and Paris) and his death (Cologne). Any takers?