Baptism of Our Lord

Gloomy gray sunless skies today

Today most of the local Church made a pilgrimage to the Jordan River to celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. I didn't go. It was too cold and sunless and a had a lot of work to do. I guess it was a little warmer down in Jericho ... and perhaps a little sunnier. Anyway it must have been a good break for the seminarians to leave Jerusalem for a change in environment during this tense exam week.

Had a nice chat with the Jewish security guys this evening. Haven't done that for a long time. In fact I didn't know some of them as there were several who are new recruits during the past 2 months when I didn't get a chance to chat with them. But some of the old gang were still around: like Shvuli, Strausberg, Itamar, Rotem, Avichai my best friend and King Kong (can never remember his name but he's the tallest largest guy of the lot) while I made new friends like Menachem and some others whose names I still have to remember. It was very gloomy and cold so chatting up by the street was a nice way to get warm. Those guys have very different political views regarding the Peace Talks and things got animated (to put it nicely). Anyway the guys were very nice when Menachem said I needn't express any personal opinions as the war was not mine but theirs.

Anyway I dread this week ... just a tonne of work waiting for me. I hope it doesn't drag on through Chinese New Year. I want to spend it work-free and worry-free.