Friday again

Poinsettias for sale

As if things aren't bad enough, yesterday we received news that a jewish policeman was attacked by an ultra-orthodox jew when he entered to pray in an ultra-orthodox synagogue in the Mea Shearim neighbourhood. Now it's jew against jew. So there you go ... a country that's imploding and exploding in all directions. Latest update ... 16 yr old girl peppered-sprayed at Qalandya checkpoint for wielding knofe and shouting jihadi slogans.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.630141

The newspapers are lamblasting the PM as a failure who led the country to this mess. Now that the govt. is dissolving and elections aimed on March 2015 ... it's a free for all. Even since yesterday sacked ministers are discussing alliances to oust the PM in the elections. Suddenly the "arab threat" is thrown into the back-burner.

New Madonna icon in
the Empty Tomb

Healthwise my feet are killing me. It's a little swollen but the neuroma is the real problem. I realise I must wear my orthopedic shoes all the time otherwise the pain is crippling. The asthma has improved though due to the long walks in the open air. And I actually got to sleep 4 straight hours yesterday afternoon. The nights are awful because the municipality workers repave the road under my window from 9pm to 3.30am. It's hydraulic drills, jackhammers and one enormous bulldozer with 10 workers and 4 policemen for security. The noise is unimaginable but they don't care.

Looking on the bright side, poinsettias are on sale! The Christmas ambiance is always sparked by the appearance of poinsettias in the streets. And in the Empty Tomb of the Holy Sepulchre, the Greek Orthodox have put up a new icon of the Madonna. Much lovelier than the old silver one. And unknown to many people, it's actually a window which opens and exposes the ancient Crusader stones  of the Holy Sepulchre.