Annunciation Day

Pear blossoms in the orchard

Spring flowers are blooming everywhere. It's a lovely sight. Down in the Judean hill country, pear trees are blossoming like crazy. Bees and butterflies are very busy in the orchard. I'm spending several days away from the City, trying to recuperate from the asthma/pneumonia of last week. I'm still under medication and the side effects are not good: alot of nausea, diarrhea and giddiness. Moving to the Judean hill country is a good break ... lots of fresh air and sunshine. But believe me, work does not leave me alone. Still lots of emails and phone calls and messages chasing me for information, work and other stuff. Leave me alone!!!! I find it wearily tiresome that the very people who tell me to go take a break are the same ones who are calling and messaging. I'm tired and weakened by the heavy medication.

Yesterday local news carried the headlines that a China company has taken over the management of the Haifa seaport ... Israel's major center of sea trade. Last week's news was that China's investment into China has tripled or quadrupled. I guess this will help Israel's faltering economy. Prices of daily goods have shot up so high it is impossible to live normally anymore. Let's see if the new coalition govt. can solve this problem.

Sushi dinner at Tokyo Express

And yesterday was Annunciation Day. There were big celebrations in Nazareth. I had a small celebration with the nuns who live around my house ... we celebrated Mass on Mt. Calvary. There were the Sisters of Mother Teresa, the Pious Disciples of the Lord from the 3rd Station of the Cross, the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist from Beit Safafa (near Bethlehem) and our polish Faustina sisters. It was nice to get together. In the evening I decided to go for a sushi dinner. Have been craving for sushi since last week but didn't have the money for it. There's been such a rise of appeals for help as the effects of the last war, the two snow storms and the dreadful economic situation are taking its toll on everyone - jew and arab alike. I'm doing what I can to help, but always with the help of these sisters who double-check each request and even making home visits to verify. Shamefully I had to borrow 100 shekels for the meal.