St Joseph's feast

St Joseph's feast today. There was a solemn Mass at the Church of St Joseph in Nazareth. Many people went there to participate. It's a great feeling to know here in this land, St Joseph grew up and became the foster father of Jesus. And of course it was Josephine's feastday - she's a volunteer here with us - and Jan and I went out to buy fried rice and roast chicken to celebrate. And we had "Tapuzina" orange juice and some cakes as dessert. The girls bought lilies to give us guys as a reminder of St Joseph's feast (St Joseph is always pictured holding a lily).

Got a message from Fr Vincenzo who wrote to say he went to buy chocolate to treat some of your adoptees in Musky (Cairo).

The canaries have begun laying eggs. But monster mum (remember her from last year?) threw her eggs out of the nest one day after laying them. I'll have to get rid of her.

Meantime there was some violence in East Jerusalem today. http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=171335  And militants in Gaza continue to fire rockets into Israel - yesterday one Thai worker was killed by rocket shrapnel.  http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1157625.html Israel fired back ... we could hear fighter jets flying overhead several times yesterday.

And it was on-and-off raining the whole day yesterday, and dreadfully cold today. Makes my spondylosis feel worse, and my knees and ankle hurt alot. Jan said I felt better today because I actually ate lunch - I threw up twice the day before. And on the way home I told him and Josephine that I did pretty good today, having managed to keep my food down. Spoke too soon. When I reached the 7th Station of the Cross, I threw up. What a way to remember the 7th Station - "Jesus falls a second time" and I threw up there.

And my earthquake survival pack is now ready. I hope I don't have to use it. The Missionaries of Charity have asked me to prepare a simple pack for them too.