Back again

Grateful thanks to Pascale Schrader-Litmaath, Tina Kwan, Marina Kwan and the St. Joseph's Ladies Guild for their generous help in raising funds for another very very important matter (not the Kassis family). We will remember you in our prayers here in the Holyland.

Long break from writing the blog. Was awefully sick with asthma provoked by the beta blocking BP medicine. Whole week was gasping for air, almost confined to bed all the time. Decided to stop the medicine and now got Norvasc which is not a beta blocker. After 3 days of this new medicine, the asthma has reduced considerably today but another side-effect has come up - vomitting and headache. Yesterday's headache was so severe I nearly fell several times because I couldn't balance. The cook brought up food for me in my room as I hadn't gone down for meals for 3 days. I first thought Norvasc wasn't working and the BP has gone up again (sure felt that way) but after measuring the BP for 3 days it's pretty ok I guess (higher than when taking the beta blockers) 140 / 88. So maybe its the weather. I hear there's a newspaper report that the weather (Hamsin winds) is making people sick generally throughout Israel.

And I was up to the throat with work the whole week. Imagine trying to write when you have a splitting headache - and I was chasing a dateline which was yesterday.

Well I did go out on Monday evening - was still feeling sick though. But William is going to leave Israel to study in Rome because he cannot get a visa to stay in Israel (he's Lebanese remember?). So I brought him to the chinese restaurent for dinner and we chatted for an hour. Then went home, but not before I stopped by a new supermarket in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. Now this is political - the supermarket is modern, like Welcome or Park N Shop with fresh bread/pastries and canned food etc... (they hardly exist here in my part of the world...I know you guys are so used to this you cannot imagine them not existing elsewhere.) it is so "modern" around my parts here that it's causing quite an excitement. Problem is - its runned by muslims .... right in the middle of the Christian Quarter. So while lots of Christians want to go in and see and buy the stuff (alot cheaper than the other little shops), everyone is scared what others will say. I fact I couldn't go in last week because I was in my habit and there were lots of Christians hanging near the supermarket to see who goes in and out. If I did go in, it would appear to be like an official sanction...and God knows what the consequences will be. So anyway on Monday night 9pm I went in to buy some apple-buns (which are alot cheaper than the 8th Station). The shop was really impressive - two storeys and exactly like a supermarket we have back home. Still I have to come back there only late in the night so as not to cause a scandal among the Christians.

One more news - Sr Irmina left us suddenly last week. I know that Sr Geronima has to leave in June for her final profession and new posting but Sr Irmina's leaving was very surprising. No one to replace her yet.

OK I need to rest for while now. Am still not 100% ok.