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.