Trudging the weekend

So I survived Friday ... despite the awful pain. Well I'm not the only one. Jean Paul has the same pain on his right shoulder and neck as well. And I think a couple of other students. Stress and weather ... that's what we all conceded. I'm on pain-killers as I can't get to my doc. No time. It's been hectic ... even today Saturday. And don't expect tomorrow Sunday to be a rest day because it's the day when all backlog homework must be cleared. No fun. In fact I think I'm hating this academic year already. And it's only just begun.

My mood in a pic

Friday passed without incident. Things looked like it's back to normal. Only difference is the muezzin who sings at 3.55am is very loud and wakes everyone up. It's been such a slow and heavy week, I don't even have an interesting pic to upload. So here's a pic of a fork. I thought it was nice - the contrast of cold bright metal on dark severe black napkin. It was taken at Legacy's.

Been missing Rocky. He's such a quite timid dog. Not the rushy barky type. He sits quietly on your lap like forever. No nuisance. Anyway my friend (original owner) misses him even more, so I decided to give him 2 canaries to occupy his attention. Actually it's also part payment for the work he's been helping me do ... like moving six 20 kg 9 feet long bookshelves down 4 floors by hand. Like we were both almost dead by the end of the day. No wonder my shoulder and neck hurts.

And for the weather ... nights are very cold. Winter is really round the corner ... but forecast is heatwave again on Tuesday and Wednesday. Awful fluctuations. Let the new week trudge in .....

Rocky bye bye

The past few days have been abnormally stressful ... mainly due to teaching. Too many courses, poor timetabling ... I think I'll stop teaching all together. Not worth the stress. People who should be helping out only create more problems. I don't need that.

That stress is causing sleepless nights, dreadful pain in the right shoulder and an almighty headache. I don't need that. I even had to cancel my doc's appointment because of the hectic schedule. I don't like that.

bye bye Rocky

And to top it all, my friend had to give away his dog because his family and neighbours being muslims, do not accept dogs. It was a sad day. I helped him give Rocky away to another friend. It was terrible. Rocky wanted to follow me home so I had to make a quick escape when he wasn't looking. I felt terrible. My friend brought Rocky over 2 days ago so we could play with him one last time. Am just over stressed right now. Poor Rocky - hope he's happy in his new home.

And the nights have become so cold, my winter blankets are out. Unbelievable switch of the weather. Very many people are sick as a result. Could be a good thing as sick people don't go out and cause trouble. One less stress.

Drone

As if we don't have enough troubles internally .... so yesterday we had a spy drone entering Israeli airspace. The IDF (Israel Defense Force/army) shot it down. They think it's probably lebanese since the Gazans are not technologically capable of making a drone.   http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/east-side-story/the-immediate-suspect-behind-the-drone-that-penetrated-israel-hezbollah.premium-1.468566

Pic borrowed from JPost

Today life is more or less back to normal. But the streets will be tense again tomorrow as the Sukkot holidays end with the feast of Shmini Atzeret (no work allowed), and then followed by Simchat Torah (Feast of the Torah). Security will be up again and let's hope it won't end like Friday. Here's a pic of riot police firing stun grenades into the Dome of the Rock esplanade on Friday. That's just a few hundred metres from where I live. The sound and shock of the stun grenades still ring in our ears.

School has started officially and the new students are everywhere ... strutting about and feeling smug. Wait till the tests and homework begin ... then reality hits home.

Friday of tensions

Tensions rose today in the Old City. Police and military presence was on high alert ... every street corner is a regiment of police, soldiers and border police in riot gear, M16s loaded and stun grenades strapped to the shoulders. Muslims going into the Dome of the Rock mosque for Friday prayers jostled amidst the tight security. A security helicopter flew very low overhead.

Spanish tourists oblivious
to the explosion of stun
grenades fired 50 meters
away

Then after the noon day prayers, the violence began. The air rocked as volleys of stun grenades were fired in the mosque esplanade ... well over 30 in 2 minutes. The firing continued sporadically for another 20 minutes. Hundreds of muslims threw stones at Israeli soldiers and Jewish worshippers who had entered the mosque precincts ... to try and tear down the mosque and rebuild the Jewish Temple (which they try to do every year during Sukkot). Soldiers fired stun grenades in return. Attackers surged and retreated several times. Old people were trying to get out of the esplanade as quickly as possible ... the crush was terrifying. Everyone tried to get out of the Old City as soon as they could - through Lions Gate, Herod's Gate and Damascus Gate. Literally thousands jammed the city gates. Youths were running and dodging ... presumably they played a role in the stone throwing and were now trying to get away as soldiers moved in.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=286771

Tourists taking photos of the
shootings from inside the Antonia
overlooking the Temple Mount

As tensions rose, tourists continued to walk the streets in total bliss and ignorance, oblivious to the chaos around them. Taking photos, chatting, eating, drinking like nothing was happening. If the shootings reached the streets, these tourists would pay dearly for their ignorance. And their guides are totally responsible for bringing them to danger.

Now things seem to be back to normal. The streets are still quiet though. But we all know it's just the surface. Scratch it and you'll see a seething cauldron of anger and hatred beneath waiting for the next opportunity to boil over.

Feast of St. Francis

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi ... but with heavy hearts. Our communities in Syria are under fire, christians under our care are being kidnapped and the church has to pay ransom for their release. All perpetrators are from the rebel side. We received news from the friars in Syria who say they consumed all the sacred hosts in their churches for fear of desecration by the invading forces. Very sad. Landmines explode along the road, preventing people from fleeing. Snipers shoot at people in the streets. Everyone is in danger ... of being shot dead, blown up or dying of hunger.

And the situation here is not any better. Tensions in the Dome of the Rock plaza yesterday and today. Several clashes between arabs and israeli soldiers. Several arrests were made. I haven't seen my friend Mahmoud today ... I hope he isn't one of those arrested.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=286679  Arab shop-keepers have been telling me this morning not to go out tomorrow Friday because the muslims have vowed to retaliate during prayer times. It's a retaliation against the provocation of jews entering the mosque area these few days for the feast of Sukkot - they always try to symbolically destroy the golden dome mosque and rebuild the jewish Temple; also to retaliate against the vandalism done by jews on our Last Supper church; the muslims hold Jesus as a great prophet.

I wonder what St. Francis would say to all this ....

Last Supper chapel attacked!!!

Last Supper Chapel gates sprayed
with hateful anti-christian graffiti

Another disgusting act of senseless hatred - our Last Supper Chapel was vandalised by Jews. Graffiti at the door says "Jesus is a bastard. Price tag" Our most sacred site ... the place of the first eucharist, the place of the descent of the holy Spirit, the place of the priesthood, the place of the establishment of the sacrament of penance ... all desecrated by anti-christian jews. Mind you, no one will get arrested over this. It'll all be forgotten tomorrow. The people who burnt the Trappist monastery church are not yet caught. But if it were a synagogue ....

Yesterday's thunderstorm blew off many booths (tabernacles), drenched many meals and ruined the Sukkot holiday. Some rabbis think it's a sign of divine displeasure.  Well, why not? after desecrating out Last Supper Room?   http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=286253

Sukkot sunrise

Nevertheless we had a splendid sunrise this morning. It's a sign of hope for us. We may be persecuted but we only get stronger. The sun will rise for us.

I'm still awfully sick with cramps and diarrhea. Got better this morning but after a glass of water, everything came back again. Don't know how long more I can take this.

Sukkot

Sukkot decorations on sale

Sukkot is on. No work allowed today. The City is dead. Jews will be eating their meals in the wooden booths constructed everywhere throughout the week. Plastic fruit and flower decorations on sale everywhere as well ... there're put all over the booths and houses. Sukkot is the autumn harvest festival so fruit and flowers are the theme.

Last night we actually had thunder!!! A light shower as well throughout the whole night. Fantastic! There was a strong east wind as well. Good start to Sukkot!