Pentecost

Last Supper Room
on Pentecost Day

Last Sunday was Pentecost. Our traditional Vespers sung at the Last Supper Room was disrupted by protesting Jews who pray downstairs in "David's Tomb." The newspapers report that huge groups of jews also disrupted an evangelical prayer gathering near the Wailing Wall on Pentecost. These evangelicals are traditional allies of the jews, because they're pro-Zionist christians ... but now they wake up to reality ... the jews don't like them. Police had to push the protesters back.

Despite tiredness and swollen feet, I went to the Last Supper Room and celebrated Mass for you there. Our community there kindly arranged for me to celebrate Mass before the church was open to the public. It was a privilege.

The nursing nun who first rightly diagnosed my "asthma" problem as heart disease came to see me last week. Seeing my swollen feet and hands for 5 months, she said it's no longer a heart problem but my kidneys. Maybe the medications are too heavy and affected my kidneys. I hope to see another doctor soon.

Allergy

Jacaranda trees in bloom

Tensions have again raised as Israel soldiers raided palestinian towns. More deaths and injuries. It's so sad when one actually gets used to this senseless violence. I saw israeli fighter jets zooming overhead with missiles (from Gaza?) flying behind them. 3 times!!!

Today is the jewish Pentecost. Thousands of Jews went to the Wailing Wall to pray. Then as they return home, I saw some provoking arabs and taunting them. Police stood by and watched. It's so disgusting.

This week has been a disaster health-wise. Sunday I had food poisoning ... possibly salmonella poisoning from egg. 3 days I was down with stomach cramps and diarrhea. Just when I was healing, the MC nuns cooked pansit and I ate it .... but it had gone sour. So I had another bout of diarrhea. Then this morning, someone gave me something to eat saying it's a new product ... very nice. So I ate it and immediately I had an allergic reaction. Itching hands, swollen eyes, swollen tongue and throat, wheezing. I had to use my EpiPen and rest for a while. I'm not feeling good.

Sandstorm

Hamsin sandstorm

Tensions continue to breach the peace in the City. The Jerusalem Day march saw scuffles and clashes between triumphant Israelis and oppressed arabs. There was nothing major but the constant small clashes are very unsettling. The day following Jerusalem Day was more violent, with more clashes in front of our house ... and a knife pulled by 3 jewish youths at one of our Fathers. Today police are still at every corner, stopping and searching arab youths randomly. It's not a happy place here ... it's not a happy summer.

Yesterday we were hit by a major hamsin sandstorm. The sky was dark and the sun was barely visible. Sand was everywhere ... up the nose and in the ears and eyes and mouth. Bad time to go out.

My hands and feet continue to be swollen. I had a high fever during the weekend. Not sure why. I'm not seeing the doctors anymore ... it's the usual "take your medicines and see what happens next week." And they keep adding medicines over medicines. Each day I'm taking 11 pills at different hours of the day. It's such a stress tryin to remember when to eat what.

Silence

my petunias

The ceasefire is finally observed. But not after 36 arabs dead including children, and one israeli. Too much damage and deaths. No one believes this  quiet will last because tomorrow is Nakba Day and Thursday is Jerusalem Day. Everyone thinks the violence will restart soon. It's a sad reality when people have so little hope. It's a tense silence.

The day temp is quite hot ... 30 degrees or so. But luckily there's always a cool breeze blowing. The nights are chilly and you need to wear a jacket. This nice weather of course are unhelpful for those who want to cause trouble in the streets. When it's very cold, raining or very hot, nobody bothers to go out even if to cause trouble. The weather is an important factor in predicting violence and wars in this region.

My summer flowers are loving the weather though. The petunias and geraniums are flowering wildly. I just need to water them every 2 days to keep them hydrated. And that goes for me too. Having to take 11 types of medicine everyday, I need to be hydrated. My hands and feet are still swollen. And today I lost my memory when out to buy a wireless mouse. Came out of the shop and couldn't recognise where I was. Luckily a student was with me and he reminded where we were. I sat for a while and tried to orientate myself. It's scary. If I were alone I would have been lost.

More violence

Coronation shortbread

Yesterday saw more deaths and casualties in Gaza. The ceasefire did not work. And Israel suffered its first death with 5 injured. A missile hit the suburb of Rehovot near Tel Aviv. It's getting worse ... and Monday's Nakba Day and Thursday's Jerusalem Day only add fuel to the fire. Today 800 missiles were fired into Israel from Gaza, and one landed south of Jerusalem. That's very close. Sirens were wailing all through South Israel.

Shortbread for a king

A small happy note ... a student priest here in my house received a gift from England commemorating the coronation of the new king ... a tin of scottish shortbread. He decided to give the whole thing to me. How nice! We did share it though over a cup of ginger tea. But because the sugar content is high, I've to be cautious with it. 

Dark

Empty dark Palm Plaza

300 missiles were fired into Israel from Gaza yesterday. Sirens were blaring throughout the south and coastal cities. Tel Aviv was targeted and Ben Gurion airport had flights delayed but not cancelled. A govt advisory was sent out in all media warning tourists about the war-like situation and what to do when the sirens go off. Police presence was stepped up in and around the Old City, and streets were quickly empty by sunset/ No one wanted trouble. A lot of concern by everyone living here. Fortunately today there was a ceasefire ... at least we thought, then we learned Israel bombed and killed an extremist leader in Gaza, the 3rd in as many days ... so the missile attacks may resume tonight. Next week is of course Jerusalem Day, a very provocative day for jewish extremists to attack and vandalize our property without fear of prosecution. Probably Gaza will up the violence in response.

I'm feeling emotionally better today. I guess all that medication and swollen hands and feet have gotten me very down. I need to rest more and eat better ... instead of leftovers. Well now let's see if it's doable.

Circle of life

Walking home

The whole country is bracing for war with Gaza as Israel struck the enclave killing 2 leaders. People in the streets are asking if there will be a war ... But as I see it, there's been very weak responses from Gaza in the past 5 years to such strikes, so I doubt anything will come out of it. It's all posturing.

I'm recovering from yesterday's angina attack. I'm much slower than before today. But still so much work to do. I had to apply for 6 visas, then buy 2 insurances, then 3 air tickets .... The superior where I work said it's time to put me in our infirmary. I guess so. I feel very overwhelmed by work. I can't multitask like when I was younger. 

I've been wondering what death will be like. I'm preparing my documents, books and all other stuff for that event. I look around all the familiar scenes - the trees, sounds, cars, buildings, shops, food, smells ... all will be gone. It's like I've never existed.

Rose bud dessert

I guess my deteriorating health is quite apparent to everyone. Today Linda from Mian restaurant made some nice dessert - snow fungus, ginko nuts, ginger with dried lychees and rose buds; slow boiled without sugar. Wonderful for this hot afternoon. Yesterday Ah Ling from Mandarin restaurant gave me fried rice. It's like everyone is giving me my last meal. I'm grateful to them. 

And I was told of the coming weddings of 3 good israeli friends Baruch, Aviram and Naor. Finally they're getting married! The circle of life is complete. As I look at them laughing and telling me their good news, I thought how I was once their age 40 years ago ... but there's no going back. It's their world now.

Rain?

Rain clouds today

The weather has gone cloudy with high humidity ... as if it will rain but never did. It's chilly yet warm. Many people are coughing, in fact one of our workers has bronchitis.

This afternoon I've been suffering from sharp chest pains. It's terrible. The secretary wanted to call the ambulance but I didn't want it. I'm trying to rest but the pain is sharp and my breathing is difficult. I'll try to lie down and rest more.

Weekend

Briyani & chicken
curry

It's so nice of our Indian friars who tried to alleviate my misery of pain and swollen hands and feet. I've been quite down because of my movement difficulties. But one who just came back from his home visit in India brought back food cooked by his sister. And another staying in St. Saviour's went to buy me samosa from the new Indian Hindu restaurant. And the lay people in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have cooked briyani and curry for me for 2 days now. They are very nice and kind people. I'm so thankful for them.

I've had a couple of fevers yesterday. Not sure why. The weather is strange ... chilly at night but hot in the afternoons. Lots of people are sick. Maybe I'm just overworked. I feel very tired. Anyway it's the weekend so I'll try to rest a little despite a very pressing work I must complete in the next few days in organizing a conference.

Gangland violence continued yesterday. More killed in separate cities. And Israeli soldiers continue to raid arab villages and towns. No idea about the casualties. Well the coronation in England has taken over the headlines so we've little local news online .... also it's Sabbath today so news agencies are not working.

Fox!

Fox in the park!!!

The strange wintery weather of last week has given way to regular summer heat this weekend. This morning I decided to do some gardening ... which technically I did but really I got help from the students. I can't carry sacks of earth or climb up and down the stairs so they had to do most of the work. Some of the students just needed to do some physical work, sweat it out instead of studying in the library all week. They liked it. And I got my job done in 2 hours. Nice morning sun at 9am. Good vitamin D.

In one of my morning walks to the Ivrea convent for Mass last week, I spotted a wild fox scavenging in Rockefeller Park. With my present health situation, I must stop 3 or 4 times in the 1km to rest; catch my breath and rest my swollen legs. Then I saw this rather huge animal sniffing around the olive trees and garbage cans. It started to run back into the neighbouring wasteland belonging to the Rockefeller museum. It was a nice surprise ... wildlife in the city.

Gangland violence continued the past few days. In fact several fatal attacks yesterday in different cities. The local mafias fight each other, and innocent bystanders get killed. Then there were the rockets fired into Israel from Gaza ... over 100. And Israel's retaliation by bombing military posts in gaza. Then Israel bombed the syrian airport in Aleppo. The brain just boggles and how quick things develope around here. Everything is linked to everything.

Early walk

5.25am Herod's Gate

Another gangland attack yesterday and there was a horrific domestic violence where a mother and 2 babies were killed. Gaza fired 3 rockets into Israel. An arab hunger-striking prisoner has died in Israeli prison and the arab extremists are warning of retaliations. The internal violence is not less dreadful than the interracial, inter-religious violence.

This week it's my turn to go to the Ivrea Convent for Mass. Mass begins at 6am because the nuns open their kindergarten at 6.30am when parents drop off their children on their way to work. I remember many years ago that I could make this 1km journey in 7 minutes. All our younger students still make it in this time. Now it takes me 30 minutes. Thank goodness it's mainly a flat walk with little climbing. The initial climbing going out to Herod's Gate is the most difficult that it takes me 15 mins or so with many stops along the way. It' not steep but nevertheless it's very tiring and painful. I leave my house at 5.25am so I can get to the convent by 5.55am. The good thing is at that time there are few people in the streets, the air is fresh and I can walk slowly with no need to rush. It's tiring and painful as my feet are already very swollen, but they say slow walking is important to get rid of the excess water retention.