Snow maybe?

The weather has been alternating between sunshine and rain - rain mostly in the evenings and nights. Weather forecast is snow on Tuesday. So the group that's coming on Wednesday will be in for a nice surprise. Snow is now very rare in Israel.

I was told that the bees around the world are dying. Even here in Israel, the apiary of Fr Dobromir in EinKerem (birthplace of John the Baptist) is wiped out; and last week the sisters in Bethlehem said their bees have all died as well. Fr Bissoli who has an apiary in the Garden of Gethsemani has lost several hives. It's been taking place for a year now. Lots of suggestions as to why they die - genetically engineered plants that contain genes to kill insects; too much electronic waves from cell phone systems etc. Whatever it is, we can see the results. Honey is getting expensive now. Bee-keepers are now changing to other work.

I've been so engrossed with analysing the text of Wis. 11 that I've had little time for anything else. Just can't stop - I finish one word and then I say to myself that I'll finish the next word before I drink a glass of water/take a rest/clean the room etc.... but one word leads to the next and before you know it, the room is dark and cold, and it's time for dinner. Yesterday I was so exhausted by 6pm I couldn't continue anymore. My eyesight has worsened. I'm using the huge magnifying glass that Agnes gave me to read from the books now. And the heavy eyelids are not helping as they droop over the eyes and block my view. I realised it's not so much the room getting darker but that the eyelids are drooping after 5 hours of reading. Gotta get that fixed.

OK so it's Sunday - I didn't go to the Holy Sepulchre this morning as it was raining and cold and I want to start work on my thesis as soon as possible; so I said Mass at the Flagellaiton at 6.30am. Surprise - the usual lot of students who usually wake up late for Sundays (Community Mass is at 8am) all showed up. That's because the exams are on and they want to study. SO early morning Mass was quite a nice group. I've decided to clean up my room first after Mass because otherwise if I start on my analysis, I'll never get anything else done. And the dust is collecting! Everyday a thick layer of dust covers everything here in Jerusalem. it's aweful.

Now time to work!