Thai food consolation

Thai food for 3 days

It's the weekend ... and I'm glad horrible yesterday is over. 20 hours of non-stop work without breakfast, lunch or dinner. I came home with doors locked - I told the janitor to leave it open because I didn't have the keys. It was awful. I just went straight to sleep.  Dies horribilis. This morning I woke up with a headache and sore feet and back. But at least yesterday was over. Today I'll just spend the day in bed. I need the rest.

The new corona commission is ready to relax all lockdown measures and impose a red/orange scheme which only locks down areas with clusters. If in 2 weeks the numbers don't fall, then there might be a national lockdown. Drastic but with 1600+ new infections yesterday, there seems to be no improvement.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/government-okays-scrapping-weekend-closures-amid-warnings-of-new-restrictions/

Beirut's disaster is still haunting Israel ... of what could happen at the northern port of Haifa where chemicals are stored. Lebanon's terrorist leaders have threatened to target it but local experts say it's unlikely to happen. In the south, Hamas sent fire-gallons that set several pieces of land on fire. Israel of course responded with bombardment. Well the tension is palpable throughout the country. I could sense this when passing by Damascus Gate last night on my way home .... it was very quiet and only a few people were around.

Quiet Damascus Gate at night

A small consolation for yesterday's disaster ... a friend from Tel Aviv brought my favourite food from Thai House the day before. Quite a lot actually. I could ration it for 3 days ... and that's what I'm having today for lunch. There was char way teow, tom yam with rice and pla takai (deep fried sea bass with tangy sauce). And of course my best consolation is Buddy and JJ who will spend today with me. I'll enjoy their company till they fall asleep.

Stressed

Child cooling off in Palm Plaza
fountain

What an absolutely horrendous day I'm having. Started off with a worker doing everything that she wasn't paid to do and not doing those she's paid to do. An hour later I got a phone call from the university secretary complaining that the worker is drinking coffee in the students' kitchen instead of working ... something that she's been caught doing several hours a day everyday. Then I was suddenly told I have to get cash to pay several workers because the entire custodial government will be on holiday tomorrow and I won't be able to get their salaries till 10 days later. Much as I didn't want to go 1km uphill in the heat, I rushed there. Managed to get their salaries and prepared to pay them, only to find I forget to bring my keys with me. Was locked out of my office for 4 hours till another worker from home came and brought it to me. Then I had to print out passports and documents for sisters whom I'm helping to come and take over a hospital in Bethlehem because the present congregation of nuns will be leaving their post at the end of the year. Then there was class but a phone call from a protestant church group said they were coming later in the evening to bring food rations for the poor .... except I must be at the MC convent for confessions and adoration at that time. Had to tell the doorman to keep it in his office and I'll have to come and get it at 7pm after confessions because tomorrow everything here closes. The doorman will not be working for 10 days and his office will be locked. Then I had to beg other workers to lend me a trolley because I will not manage to carry all 20 cartons of food rations by myself from the doorman's office to the library for storage. What a nightmare. I will be working 20 hours flat today with no moment of rest. I wouldn't have been so bad if my ankled weren't swollen and the heat of the day.

Infections yesterday were 1600+ and the new pandemic commission is coming up with a new plan to reopen all weekend lockdowns but only impose selective lockdowns on areas with clusters of infections. Hope it works.

Well my 2 minute break is up and I've to get back to work. Please God tomorrow will be less stressful. The Transfiguration has got me overworking .... trying to see the divine side of this day.

Beirut blast

Our damaged church

Yesterday's chemical explosion in Beirut shocked us all. Careless negligence ... leaving tonnes of fertilizer for decades in a highly populated area. Our port in Haifa also stores tonnes of chemicals, and yesterday's explosion was a wakeup call. I hope the authorities do something about it. But what was the most shocking for us was the destruction of our monastery and church in Beirut. Roofs collapsed, glass shattered ... it was a miracle no one was hurt.I think the monastery is 1 km across the bay where the port is. Now it's recovering bodies and injured. It'll be a horrific task .... and not at all easy because of the corona pandemic and the economic crash and the political instability of Lebanon. There's simply no words. I'd go there right now to help .... but it'll only be a burden of finding lodging and food for another person in an already devastated area. We can only pray.

Yesterday the PM openly acknowledged that Israel has one of the highest rates of infection. However there were no followup actions or solutions. A top health expert warned that schools and economy can't reopen in the near future at the rate the virus is spreading. But of course, he'll be ignored. A newspaper in Ireland published an article on what not to do ... learning a lesson from Israel. Definitely not the headlines to be envious about.   https://www.ynetnews.com/article/BkuFHf411v?fbclid=IwAR1_hgbpCbnGqmN-U6LHAETtqXouektZa3jSDLNYy-AR9SU57KxaeVoN8QE

Olives on a branch

And Israel is allowing 17,000 foreign students to enter the country for the new school year. By "foreign student" is meant jewish students from outside Israel. Experts have warned it will import a new wave of infections ... but the ultra-orthodox ministers have bulldozed the opposition down. However for an upcoming jewish memorial of a famous rabbi in Ukraine when many ultra-orthodox jews go to pray, it's reported that the govt is stopping this pilgrimage from going ahead .... as returning devotees could import the virus. Well the ultra-orthodox will not take this lightly and will fight tooth and claw.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-said-preparing-to-block-rosh-hashanah-travel-to-ukraine-pilgrimage-site/

Though the heatwave is gone and the nights are very cool with a strong breeze, daytime is still very hot with temp as high as 30 degrees. I've tried going to work in the late evenings and found it easier to climb the hill in cool weather. My ankle is still swollen and I try as much as possible to stay home. I've still to accomplish my summer plans of reading and other stuff.

Charity

Empty alley in the Old City

With my ankle still swollen, I decided not to go to work at the other library which is 1km uphill. But I still had to go to the Sisters of Ivrea convent at 5.30am for Mass and then immediately came home to throw away the garbage, open the university library and disinfect it, then go downstairs to open the gate for my librarians to arrive.

When everyone was at work and the daily routine was in place, I went to M. Teresa's convent to deliver some food and gave the benediction at the end of their eucharistic adoration. Visited the sick sister as well. Then on my way home I met a jewish security friend whom I haven't seen since the lockdown 5 months ago. He was on duty but we managed to chat for a bit. Meanwhile a voice called out to me ... an elderly muslim neighbour with very bad parkinson disease was going to the nearby clinic to see the doctor. He called me again so I walked over to him and helped him to the clinic. Once he registered with the receptionist and sat down safely, I went home. I must say this morning's acts of charity far exceeded my normal quota.

Rockefeller Park & crusader well

New infections number 1700+ in the last 24 hours. We're never sure what the govt is thinking of doing. We just wear masks, keep distances and wash hands frequently. It's all we can do. Going out is not much of a choice as we need food and medicine and do other essential work. We just need to be prudent and careful.  

And talking about going out, it's been the first time in 5 months since I went to the Ivrea convent of Mass. As usual I need to pass by the Rockefeller Park with it's ancient crusader well. It was good to get some fresh air among the olive trees. A cool breeze was blowing and the smell of the wet grass was wonderful. It feels like summer holiday time.

Full moon

3.30am moon

The moon will be completely full tonight. But even last night it was already so bright you could see all around in its light. I was out on the terrace to catch some cool breeze at 3am when I saw the moon over the Old City. Yes the nights are so hot it's impossible to sleep. it's between 28 to 30 degrees. But what makes it worse is all houses are built with stones. These stones absorb the heat during the day and releases the heat during the night .... so indoors is like a furnace. During the day the sun beats down mercilessly ... but fortunately there's a slight cool breeze blowing. It's enough to stay under a shade to feel a couple of degrees cooler.

The virus infection has plateaued these a couple of days but it's too early to rejoice. The govt is still warning that night-time and weekend curfews might be enforced in order to reduce the contagion. Actually it sounds more like a move to stop the nightly demonstrations against the PM. At least that's what the protestors will claim.    https://www.timesofisrael.com/ministers-mull-nightly-curfews-local-lockdowns-to-stem-covid-19-spread/?fbclid=IwAR0OOVi-ExlO9RQYpt5tfQMpu2EJia4RVvTHiE3RVywaxX37pWdGipVC0co

Meantime when infection were 2000+ a day last week, we now learn that the govt only managed to put up 19 new hospitals beds. No wonder hospitals are collapsing and nursing staff are at wits ends. It's really sad. The country has the money to provide the best health system but it's tangled with military tensions in the north and south (Gaza had fired missiles into Israel and Lebanon had fighters entering Israeli space to plant bombs), and politically infighting. The people suffer in the end.    https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-added-just-19-hospital-beds-during-outbreak-mks-hear-as-wards-fill-up/?fbclid=IwAR1sXCKkGiGOT61b2RLrw8HVCIk95AmqQC-hp1FYM5FXkJUnn22Xlgizgf8

Tiramisu birthday cake

Yesterday one of our seminarians in Jaffa celebrated his birthday. Though he invited me over for lunch at the community, it was obvious I wasn't going. Jaffa-Tel Aviv is the 2nd epicentre for coronavirus. So today I bought a small tiramisu and ate it on his behalf! The pandemic has certainly changed our way of life .... distance birthday celebration! It's making us grow fatter as we can't share the birthday cake! We have to eat it all!  

Moonlight

Moonlight through my window

According to newspaper reports, last night saw the largest crowd yet to protest against the PM. There were 60,000 or so protestors throughout the country including 10,000+ around the roads surrounding the PM's house in Jerusalem. Police presence was massive as well. But thank goodness there were no violence. The rightwing opposers of the demonstration did not attack, and the police did not spray water cannons. On the whole it was relatively peaceful ... but the numbers speak for itself. Cities throughout the country held their own protests, many along bridges and overhead highways. As some observers have said ... it's not sure if this momentum will keep up.

5am this morning

While protests were raging in the New City, I was in bed watching the moon from my window. It's not quite full but it's so bright. A cool breeze was blowing all night which brought relief from the very hot afternoons. In fact it's so hot this morning I couldn't walk beyond the convent of M. Teresa' convent after Mass. I had planned to go to the New City to buy some vegetables but I couldn't go any further .... and I wasn't even outside the City walls.  I just walked home and drank lots of water. I then found out my left foot was swollen when I took my shoe off. And there was a very acute pain on the foot. Looks like I'll have to stay in my room.  

Sunday's are a lot more exhausting than weekdays. I have to wakeup at 3am to water the plants, then throw out the garbage before 4.30am; eat my breakfast at 5am and then clean my room, feed the birds and go to the armenian church for Mass. It's 40 mins of cleaning the church before Mass begins. This morning we had Annie read the 2nd reading in armenian. She was very good ... that's because she's a teacher at the armenian school.

I need to rest my left foot ... it hurts very much. And it's still swollen.

Heatwave

Tired old man

It's the 2nd day of Eid al Adha and the streets remain eerily quiet. It's nothing quite like it. Police presence is definitely heightened. During midmorning a couple of food shops open and some people hurriedly buy their fruit and veggies and bread and rush home.

The weekend lockdown of shops, malls and places of entertainment is still in place ... but many shops and restaurants refuse to comply. And the police are not enforcing the closure. Newspapers are suggesting tat this weekend lockdown is a ploy by the ultra-orthodox parties to enforce observance of the Sabbath (no work to be done) instead of purely medical reasons. Like I've said before, these small political parties are very powerful as they carry the swing of any coalition govt. What they want, they get.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-stores-set-to-open-doors-in-defiance-of-weekend-shutdown-regulations/?fbclid=IwAR17D7WgLDnoYlKIdPApALdFr6h0OPmQjlQgQAyTt7Z3rrKuwIy1Vs1sLOU

This morning I had to rush off to the office to write a draft of a contract and then pass it to the lawyers for changes. I really did it in a hurry as I didn't want to stay out for too long. It's strange but with this pandemic, mentalities and lifestyles have changed ... and I prefer to stay inside my room where I feel safe. On my way home I saw an old man sitting at a doorway. It must have been tiring for him to climb all the stairs. he had a walking stick. And the heatwave is not kind to elderly people. I've not seen him before ... he's probably a pilgrim from another part of the country ... came here for the feast of Adha at the Al Aqsa Mosque which contains the spot where Abraham tried to sacrifice Ishmael/Isaac. Anyway I pitied the old man. He was hunched over. I know how it feels ... I myself must stop twice along the road on my way to work, to rest and breathe. Wearing  mask with asthma and under this heatwave is definitely not easy.  

Pigeons bathing in the fountain

I came home at lunchtime but fell asleep immediately. Totally exhausted. I didn't do much studying today ... just slowly cleaned the room and played with Buddy and JJ. They have been chatting a lot ... and I don't understand them. But it doesn't matter .... just mumble back a few words and they're happy and continue talking their chirps and words like "eat', "sleep" and "Bud-Bud". They're lucky to be staying with me indoors in this heatwave. This morning I saw lots of pigeons and crows cooling down in the fountain at Palm Plaza ... then sunbathing in the pavement.