Rex R.I.P.

Rex  2000 - 2014

Rex, aka Mr. Dog died this morning. He was my best and most loyal friend. I remember bringing him home as an 8 week old puppy ... chubby and clumsy bulldog who fell into the dustbin when the shop owner left him on a table to get his certificate. Rex seldom barked and was very intelligent. He was trained by a police sergeant and obeyed hand signals from a long distance, like when I'm 3 storeys up and he down in the garden. Just one hand signal and he obeyed. He never touched his food until I gave the command to eat. But being so intelligent, he can be quite stubborn and try to get round me when he wanted things his way. He was always very clean and did his business at the farthest corner of the garden without me teaching. Rex was a very strong dog but in the last few months he grew thin and weak from cancer. A brave, obedient, loyal friend.

My best friend

Another cold Sunday

Beautiful clear sky at 5am before
the rains returned

It's very cold ... 7 degrees at the lowest in the night and 14 degrees during the day. There was a constant drizzle throughout the day and showers in the night. But at about 5am we had a break from the rain clouds and had some clear skies. But only for half an hour. Then the clouds and rain returned.

And yesterday was again another day without violence. The rain and cold is a marvelous peace keeper.

Yesterday I had to go to the supermarket to buy broccoli for the canaries and Yossi's petshop for birdseed. It was a miserable walk as the sky was grey and gloomy, and the drizzle would not let up. The roads are dreadfully slippery and I was scared of falling. The City was unusually quiet ... few people in the streets, cafes were empty, even the park hadn't its usual dogs playing with their owners. I think in such a weather, the best thing to do is sleep.

Grey skies, drizzle and empty parks

Workload is as normal - hectic and nonstop. Been working late into the night as well so I actually missed twice Ah Ling's invitation to have medicinal soup at Mandarin's. I should make time for that as it does me alot of good. The asthma has been very bad under this weather but I've got over the cold. Other people around are still down the cold. Mother Teresa's sisters have asked me to buy flu and cold medicine as they and their patients are also sick with the cold. That's alot of medicine for the 3 communities in Nablus, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I bought US$1000 worth of medicines but still have more to buy. Will do so this afternoon if it doesn't rain.

Rain

The City walls built over virgin rock
after a night of rain

Today has been pretty uneventful as like yesterday. Police presence was reduced and no sign of tension. And there were no incidents outside of Jerusalem too. That's probably because of the rain and very cold winds. Today's highest temp. was 12 degrees. It's keeping everyone indoors. And that's a blessing ... I always say rain is the best deterrent for violence and terrorism. It's God using nature to put people under control.

Well the weather was good for the plants. But not for the birds. The wild sparrows and doves are cold, wet and have no food. We leave a few pieces of bread under the lemon tree for them, and I leave some grain for the canaries and finches on the ground too. Mr. Bird stays in my room during the night, and the canaries have been transferred to a smaller cage and kept inside the school. Only the finches are left in the large cage out in the courtyard because they have nests and eggs and I can't transfer them. But they're cosy ... each couple snuggle inside their thatched nest lined with jut and cotton wool, so its quite warm.

A Trappist monk seen at
Musrara open market.
What's he doing outside his
monastery 35 km away?

So far this week I've been working 18 hours a day ... a total of 7 days, sleeping a maximum of 3 and a half hours each night. I am utterly exhausted. Preached a retreat this morning. Have 2 more to go. Major changes in the library system that I have to direct and in fact create. Had to organize an impromptu exhibition yesterday morning for a group of visiting Israelis. So much going on ... I'm losing control of reality. Am very very confused and tired. The mind is lost and the body is breaking down. But people's demands can be very cruel and selfish ... perhaps I should just be like a sparrow and fly away ... cold, wet, hungry but happy to be free.

Quiet Friday

car-by-car stop and search

Today Friday saw a strange calm in Jerusalem's Old City. There was heavy military presence but there was no riot or trouble at all. Instead rioting and skirmishes took place outside of Jerusalem in the Territories like Kalandya, Hebron, Ras al Amud. So life went on as usual until just a few minutes ago when stun grenades were fired outside our house. I could hear the sporadic explosions all the way down to the Austrian Hospice and Damascus Gate area. Also inside the Al Aqsa compound. But now everything is silent again. I guess it's too cold for riots. Meantime I saw in East Jerusalem a draconian car-by-car stop and search roadblock. The traffic was held up and tensions were rising.

And it is cold. 8 - 12 degrees each night with rain and strong winds. I was wrapped in a t-shirt under a pullover over a thick hoodie with scarf and woolen beanie ... and that was just 7pm. I've been working 18 hours a day for the past 5 days. Sleeping only 3 and a half hours. Am totally exhausted. And to make things worse, municipality workers are repaving our road ... from 9pm to 3am. Jackhammers, pneumatic drills and bulldozers directly under my window. It's a nightmare for everyone here trying to get some decent sleep.

Mini-friar on the road

On a funny note, while I was on my way out to go to work yesterday, a cute little "friar" was coming up the road. Couldn't resist taking a pic. His mum and granma were bringing him to see the doctor round the corner. Here little children at their baptism (usually 2 - 3 yrs old) wear franciscan habits ... as a token of their consecration to St. Anthony of Padua and asking for his protection.

Meantime my asthma and feet are not getting better. Probably the cold. I must wear my orthopedic shoes which relieves the pain almost immediately. Which reminds me ... I missed my appointment with my podiatrist by a week now. Oooopppss.

Synagogue murders

Clear blue skies after 2 days of rain

We woke up to the news of utter horror and even till now everyone is reeling from the shock - 2 arab muslims attacked a synagogue during morning service and killed 4 jews including the rabbi while injuring scores of others. It is unbelievable that such attacks could take place in a holy place. But it had a precedent: 2 decades ago a jew Baruch Goldstein entered the mosque in Hebron (The Tomb of the Patriarchs) and killed 29 muslims and wounded a hundred others. That sparked massive riots and several years of violence. This time the synagogue murder will definitely see revenge attacks by jews, the collective punishment of arabs by Israel and the rise of distrust and hatred between the 2 communities. These "lone wolf" attacks has been the mark of the violence this year ... unorganised, uncoordinated and not ordered by any group or organisation, just random acts of violence by individuals. And this makes it more dangerous and difficult to contain.

Ironically the weather was brilliant with lots of sun, cool crisp air and soft winds. Hundreds of tourists are returning after the lull due to the Gaza War. However if this present violence continues, we'll expect  many cancellations and Christmas will be very quiet. 

Sisters collect your donations

And talking about Christmas, the Sisters of Mother Teresa came over to collect donations as they prepare gift packs to poor families for Christmas. This usually include daily necessities such as rice, sugar, salt, oil and perhaps medicines and clothes. Today sisters from the 3 communities of Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nablus received clothes and medicines donated by Singaporean catholics via Faith Tours, and a sum of US$1730 for each community from donations by Hong Kong and Singaporean pilgrims. Thanks to everyone's generosity that will help our poor christians get by this cold winter and badly affected by the Gaza War and the present repercussions of the violence. Anyway it's still not too late for more donations if you wish to share some charity with the christians of the Holyland.

More rain

Debris at the former
US consulate

Shocking news last night, hours after the arab youth stabbed a jewish man outside Damascus Gate. News flooded in that an arab bus driver was found hanged inside his bus. Arabs immediately called it a lynching while Israeli police denied any foul play. No matter what, each side believes in its own version. Riots in the southern villages of Jerusalem where the man came from. The Old City though remained mainly untouched.

The rains continued last night, stopped in the  morning for a couple of hours then came back more heavily. It was good and we need it. However the rest of the country was not prepared and so flooding has caused damage in several areas. The former American Consulate had tree branches snapped off and this morning a crew had to clear the road from its debris and cut back the ancient cypresses.

The new pathway in front
of the Ecce Homo convent

And the rains have not stopped the Municipality crew from re-paving parts of the Via Dolorosa. The old stones worn smooth by time because dreadfully slippery in the rain. The Municipality is paving one side of the road with rough limestone slabs for tourists to walk safely. It starts at the Austrian Hospice and last night they reached the entrance of Ecce Homo convent. Tonight they'll do the section between the Ecce Homo and the Condemnation Chapel. The rain is not making the work any easier but the nightly work that lasts 4 hours is pretty fast by Middle-East standards. Now the road looks weird ... one half with new stone slabs, the other with ancient stones. But then everything else in the Holyland is a hodge-podge of new and old, ancient and modern. Nothing here surprises me anymore.

Winter is here ... it's official

Rain ... at the plaza in front
of Mandarin Restaurant

Last night it rained non-stop with thunder and lightening as well. I actually wasn't aware of it as I slept quite well. It was an arab friend who called me at 3am to tell me about the storm and to go out and have a look. It was freezing cold ... 8 degrees I think ... and from my window I could see the lightening and rain. It stopped by dawn but after 2 hours the rains and lightening returned. Central Israel was flooded, cars were washed off roads and 2 persons were struck by lightening in Palestine. The newspapers have declared officially that winter is upon us.

I had to say Mass at the Armenian basilica (4th Station of the Cross) while the storm raged. Not bad as I'm able to sing some parts of it in armenian. After that I had to rush off to the City center to do an errand. Came home not very wet as I had the long plastic raincoat on. Thanks to whoever bought it for me from Hong Kong. It was very unique and everyone was looking at it and some asked where they could buy it. I should some over and do a brisk trade!!!

Just an hour ago, my Israeli security friends told me there was a stabbing near Damascus Gate in Prophets' Street. The assailant was seen running towards Damascus gate, perhaps into the Old City. I think there's going to be a massive manhunt and our Quarter will be closed off again. And yesterday there was a massive brawl in northern Israel between Druze and Muslims. 41 people were injured when a hand grenade was thrown. Turned out to be a squabble between Druze and muslim students from a school that spilled from Facebook to the village.

Hot cinnamon buns straight
from the oven

Anyway despite the cold and rain, I got to meet some of my old friends from the security at the Tunnel exit. We chatted out in the streets under the rain and cold wind, drank Sprite and laughed alot. It's the only way to keep sane in this tense situation when the manhunt was going on around us. And it was nice that Khalil our cook made cinnamon buns this afternoon. Something hot in this cold cold weather.

Another weekend

Antipasto at home on
my feastday

Friday passed very peacefully here in Jerusalem except for a 5 min demonstration that quickly ended when police fired 3 stun grenades. It took place at Damascus Gate. Everyone was surprised how peaceful the whole day was. The lesson learnt was: don't restrict entry to the mosque ... when everyone could enter the mosque to pray, there was no demonstration and rioting.

But everywhere else in Israel seems to be on fire. Large scale demonstrations in Cana, and also in Palestinian towns like Umm el Fahm and Hebron. Qalandya which is one of the usual hotbeds saw clashes with police at the checkpoint. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Palestinian-activists-breech-separation-barrier-protesting-Israel-381826 

I didn't go to work yesterday because I was waiting for an interview with the rector of the university. We all have to have this interview once in 3 yrs. It's the usual giving a report kind of stuff.

My students and their surprise party

Several days ago was the feast of St. Leo the Great, the pope who stopped the huns from attacking Europe ... among many other achievements which made him great. Back home the cooks prepared a very nice lunch to celebrate, with special antipasto followed by lasagna, chicken and an apple crumble. It was great but of course I didn't eat any of it ... except for a small piece of crumble. My IBS will just ruin everything .... And anyway I had to rush off from lunch to school. Am teaching english to the seminarians. They stopped class after the first half hour and surprised me with a small celebration. It was very nice of them. It made me very happy.

Quiet Friday

The antiquities and heritage bazaar
is less crowded than usual.

Jerusalem remains calm these past 2 days. Police presence are markedly lower and people just continue with their daily lives. Today Friday, Israel decided to lift all age restriction for entry into the City and the Al Aqsa mosque. This is due to the pressure by America and Jordan in yesterday's talks in Amman.

But in the villages outside, squirmishes still occur. The village north-west of Jerusalem called Issawiya saw the entire village out protesting because Israel closed off all roads into and out of the village. It was part of the collective punishment promised by the mayor of Jerusalem. Tourism and local businesses have suffered as a result of the road closures, security checks and violence. No one is at all happy. Everyone loses.

The armenian arch
facing Mt. Zion

Blockades and checkpoints also affect my work as I have to cross between East and West Jerusalem. Though usually they allow foreigners free access, I've been stopped twice from entering the east by soldiers. The worst case scenario is I have to find a place to sleep if I can't go home by night.

Meantime my feet are no longer swollen but it still hurts. It's not just the neuroma on the right foot but now the left foot also is painful when I walk. Don't know why. I need to return to the podiatrist next week. Anyway despite all the bad news, something good must be at the end of this tunnel. That's how Jerusalem is ... a place of despair and hope.

IBS

Fruit and veggie market
outside Herod's Gate

The past 2 days have seen atrocious violence around the country - both in Israel as well as Palestine; but strangely there was no violence in Jerusalem. The whole "silent war" had a very strange development. It all started and centered only in Jerusalem. The rest of the arab community in Israel and Palestine were not interested. Then from last week the violence began to spread to Israeli towns and cities, as well as Palestinian. Jerusalem itself became silent ... with only sporadic minor incidents in the surrounding villages. The fact that the street markets continued to function only prove the fact that people want peace ... as the fruit and veggies market in and outside Herod's Gate testifies. Herod's Gate is usually the hotbed of scuffles and riots. But not for the past 2 days.

Today jews burned a mosque. You can be sure there'll a revenge attack tomorrow ... or even tonight. But it's all outside Jerusalem. The newspapers are all saying the PM has lost control of the situation.

Winter time is sufgoniot
time!

Yesterday I was back in hospital for a checkup. It's been a horrid 2 days as I've been sleeping only 4 hours each day. It was work on Monday and yesterday was lining up in hospital and getting tested. Then there was work at night as well with visiting groups. So the 2 days began at 3am and ended 11pm. I just wish I can drop everything and retire. Enough is enough. Proposed diagnosis of my diarrhea problem is IBS (Irregular Bowel Syndrome) probably caused by the trauma of the operation 4 years ago. It's severe. No cure except a change in lifestyle and food. No stress. Different pace of life. All that recommendation is of course fairy-tale, dreamland ... in real life I can't do any of those things. Just look back at the past 2 days' timetable!!!

While still in hospital I had a call from school telling me to come back immediately because no one was working in the library. I was 70 kms away ... and had to grab a taxi costing US$150 to rush back to school and work in the library. See the stress? Anyway I managed to grab some sufgoniot from a great pastry shop. It was great to eat this treat once a year ... though docs forbid me from eating it because of my diabetes and IBS. Who cares? If I don't die from diabetes, the stress will kill me anyway.

Sunday

Thanks to Yvonne, Katherine, Caveros, Mavien and everyone else for the gifts from the last group and this week's visit. Cookies, cakes, char siew, won ton mee, caps, scarves ... everything appreciated especially now that Christmas is near.

The joint Dies Academicus yesterday

Apparently yesterday night there were riots in several places in Israel and Palestine over the killing of the Cana man. The surrounding villages of Jerusalem such as Ras el Amud, Silwan and Wadi Joz had skirmishes. It seems also in the Muslim Quarter but I didn't hear anything close by. Stun grenades could be heard exploding but far away in those villages. Either that or I really slept well and was unaware of everything. News reports say riots continued throughout the north today. Let's hope tonight things calm down.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.625480

Yesterday the feast of John Duns Scotus, our school and the dominican Ecole Biblique held a joint Dies Academicus ... an opening key speech to begin the academic year. It's rare franciscans and dominicans co-operate like this ... so even the Nuncio wanted a say in this event, praising this rare act of collaboration.

The canaries and finches

Healthwise my feet still hurt. But its more manageable now. Haven't had much of an appetite as I'm so busy working sometimes 18 hours a day. And what's strange is the nose bleed. I haven't had that since the operation 5 months ago. But last night it began bleeding till now. Perhaps its the temp. drop and dry weather. The remaining canaries which did not escape seem to like this weather except the nights which drop to 10 degrees. The finches have 2 or 3 babies in their nest. And all the bulbs are sprouting. So something good is happening.

Cold night

The monster moon between
the Old City walls and a
New City building

Today has been relatively quiet as well. At least in Jerusalem. In Cana (water-turned-to-wine miracle) though there were riots because police shot dead a youth under questionable circumstances. This may just be the spark that lights the violence (till now limited to Jerusalem) to the rest of the country.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.625297

Worse is there's a govt. minister who called for on the spot killing of suspected terrorists ... no trial. ust shoot them dead on the spot. This seems to be what happened to the arab youth in Cana. This will certainly inflame more fear and anger among the arabs.  http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.625128

I did get a good night's sleep last night as there were no fights or scuffles. But it was very cold ... I think it went down to 11 degrees at 4am. I'll need to get my 2nd heater out.

Mr.Bird eats an almond

Yesterday morning wasn't good ... I was changing the water for the canaries when the catch on the cage door broke and several canaries flew away. They'll die out in the cold as they don't know how to find food. Mr. Bird on the other hand is enjoying his abundant food. In winter I feed the birds extra types of food to get them fatted to resist the cold - like corn and more varied seeds. Mr Bird gets walnuts and almonds as well as corn. And he gets to sleep in my room with the heater ... so he's got nothing to complain. And with no stun grenades or fireworks fired last night, I'm sure Mr. Bird and the canaries and finches slept well too.

Quiet Friday

Double security blockade at the
Palm Plaza and another further on at
the stairs of Damascus Gate today

Today Friday was super tense. The police closed off the Muslim Quarter at 4am. They were expecting big trouble. Last night there were fire fights in the surrounding villages of Ras el Amud, Silwan, Wadi Joz and the Mt. of Olives. We could hear stun grenades being fired all through the night. So this morning's clamp down was draconian. Damascus Gate had double security blockades!!! When entering Damascus Gate from New Gate/Notre Dame, you're stopped by the first blockade at the Palm Plaza ... a blockade so long it stretched from the Central Bus Station down to the City Walls. If you succeeded in passing through this block, then there was a more stringent blockade at the top of the stairs leading down to Damascus Gate. The entire stretch of East Jerusalem was closed off. All the alleys and streets in the Muslim Quarter were also blocked by police and soldiers. With all these plus the massive military presence in the streets, there were no violence or rioting in the Old City. But clashes took place outside of it - in the surrounding villages and in the Territories especially in Ramallah, Kalandia, Bethlehem, Hebron. Even right now there are sporadic explosions from the Wadi Joz (Kidron Valley) and Ras el Amud area. But at least here in the Old City there is calm ... and I can get a quiet night's sleep.

Pickling olives at home

The govt. is getting panicky over the rising tension and violence and the PM has finally called for calm and promised to keep the status quo - meaning jews are not allowed to pray in the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. The Chief Rabbi himself took the rare step of publicly calling the stop of jews entering the compound as it is against jewish halachic law = the Temple once stood there and since no one today knows where the Holy of Holies was built 2000 years ago, there would be the danger of someone walking over its foundations thus defiling God's holiest sanctuary. In fact the Chief Rabbi publicly repeated the halachic prohibition that any jew who enters the mosque area is punishable by death. This has always been the majority halachic view upheld by a vast majority of rabbis. But the modern zionist rabbis reject this view and continue to instigate jews to enter the mosque and pray.

Anyway my feet were very swollen today; and walking was a torture. Every step was like walking on needles. Hope this goes away by tomorrow after a good night's sleep.

Shops in strike

Full moon over the City

What a day and night yesterday was ... outbreaks of violence in various pockets of neighbourhoods ... stun grenades and tear gas being fired. At 10pm I heard more shots at the Herod's gate area. It's tense in our neighbourhood but strangely if you walk 200 meters up the road to the 6th Station of the Cross and above, life is as normal. People go about practically not knowing what's happening down the road. Tourists continue to flock around the Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters as usual ... totally untouched and oblivious to the happenings in the Muslim Quarter. But that's how Israel is ... a strange land of extremes. The last news I heard last night was an arab van running over 3 soldiers killing them in the Gush Etzion settlement near Bethlehem. News reports immediately called it a terrorist attack. This morning the driver and companion surrendered to the police and now the police are cautioning that the whole incident might just be a simple traffic accident after all and no a terrorist attack.

Shops go on strike and the
streets are empty

Nevertheless here in the Muslim Quarter and East Jerusalem, all arab shops have closed as a protest to the continuing siege by jewish rightist extremists on the Al Aqsa mosque and the Israeli police closing of the compound to all muslims. The whole scenery of empty streets and shuttered shops look exactly like the 1st and 2nd Intifada. In fact even Israeli politicians are calling it that now ... the 3rd Intifada ... but the press is unwilling to use that term. Anyway the strike is eerily familiar ... with only bedouin women hawking vegetables and fruit by the street corners.

There's a wonderful full moon over the City these 2 nights though. Enjoyed watching it while chatting with the security guys these past 2 evenings. Missed those guys as much as they missed me. My work schedule has been so tight I had no time to see them for the past 2 weeks. A couple of them have already quit the job ... and they have been one of the first friends I made from that team. It was good to meet the rest of the guys anyway and we had a good laugh as usual.

Violent morning

Grey cold and gloomy today

Tensions escalade this morning as muslim rioters throw stones, molotovs and shot fireworks at police accompanying rightist jews into the Al Aqsa esplanade. Lots of stun grenades. The esplanade was then closed off to all muslims who then demonstrate in our street. The muezzin has been calling out on the PA system for muslims to defend the mosque. Jewish rightists then stormed the mosque ... all chaos. Then half an hour ago, we have news than one maybe two car attacks on jews in the streets. Possible 2 policement were ran over in one case while others were injured in the other ... could have been the same driver and car in 2 incidents. Anyway the driver was shot dead by police.

Unfortunately it did not rain today ... only a slight drizzle. The rain would have discouraged any violent attacks as the roads are too slippery for running. It's still very cold though ... 12 degrees rising to 16.

Well it's back to classes again now. The neuroma is still hurting me very much. And the weather and violence is helping.

Strange weather

A water spout off Tel Aviv coast
yesterday

Today is cold! The temperature has been dropping the past 2 days and it rained endlessly as well. This morning the rain stopped but day temp. was only 15 degrees. Last night fell below 12 degrees. My hot-air fan is out and kept on the whole night. And Mr. Bird is sleeping in my room during the night. Yesterday there was even a hailstorm in the north. And in Tel Aviv a water spout lashed through the coast. If this keeps up, we'll probably have a white Christmas ... which will be a nice change. It'll be terribly inconvenient but it'll be nice.

Minor clashes continue to occur in the neighbouring villages and inside the Al Aqsa esplanade, Stun grenades were heard during the night and early morning. But in the Old City no problems so far. Israel today changed a law which now allows the jailing of stone-throwers for up to 20 years. That's very severe. The Gaza checkpoints have been closed again. Newspaper predictions are that a new war will soon start if the Gazans have no access to food, medicine and housing in the cold winter. It's collective punishment by Israel again. Newspapers these few days have been playing up on the "chickenshit" verbal slap by a frustrated American statesman at the Israeli PM's hard and inflexible stance especially after new settlement houses were approved to be built inside arab Palestine. The name has been splashed in every paper and repeated for the past few days. It's becoming quite a joke now.

My first sahlab this winter

Anyway the cold is making my neuroma worse. It's painful even when I'm not walking. And the sudden cold has triggered asthma attacks. Dreadful sleepless nights. If there's anything good about the cold, it's that cafes and street stalls are selling sahlab. It's the hot starchy drink made from an orchid root with rose syrup and cinnamon. It should have grounded nuts but I'm allergic to them so order it without the nuts. Had my first sahlab this winter at Cafe Hillel. Simply love it.

Rain and cold

Abundant figs on the
sycamore tree

It rained till about midnight last night, and it restarted raining this morning till now in the early evening. 12 degrees and very cold. And 4 finches have already died from the cold. But we need the rain ... the drought needs to be broken. The sudden cold spell has shocked the bulbs into sprouting ... there's even a ranunculus in flower - in november?! It normally flowers in February!!! Down side is the fruit on the trees spoil quickly if they're not harvested in time. Peaches and such are all rotting from the cold. But I noticed the sycamore figs have an explosion of fruit due to the cold shock.

Like everything else here in Israel, the violence from yesterday just wafted away into a memory and no one can remember or even talk about it. It's a very weird psycho thing when people just pretend that nothing happened a day earlier. But that's the way it is here ... I guess it's a way to cope with the tension and senseless injustice otherwise life is simply to difficult to bear. And that is very sad. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.623794  Something to read and understand the present situation in Jerusalem.

My new orthopedic shoes

And talking about senseless ... the night before a friend - a shop owner down the road died of a massive heart attack. I saw him in the morning and we exchanged good mornings and how-do-you-dos. Later at midnight another friend called to say he died. Apparently there was a quarrel between him and his brothers over money or the shop ... and in the midst, he suffered a heart attack and died. He was buried immediately the day after (yesterday) but I was told his 2 others brothers were fighting in the cemetery ... nothing apparently was resolved.

I got new insoles and orthopedic shoes at last. But the podiatrist had only a few models of shoes available ... and actually for my foot condition, I don't have much of a choice. So it was a pair of luminous green sports shoes tailored for my hallux and neuroma problems. Laughable but I actually went home 70 km in those shoes. It doesn't hurt so much to walk now. In fact it hurts when I'm not wearing them ... the neuroma is dreadful.