Drizzle

New Shoes!!

A week has passed so quickly since my last blog. Can't believe it. I've been very busy meeting a dateline on a paper and there were lots of classes as well ... 5 days a week. Hardly any time for personal work. I did buy a new pair of walking shoes ... thanks to a sponsor. The ground is very slippery with dew every morning, and everyone struggles to walk up or down the road linking Damascus Gate to New Gate. Lots of people have fallen. I did ... 3 times last week. So my new shoes with good grip should lessen the risk. It's never 100% risk-less because the trees are losing their leaves and clumps of wet leaves on the slippery stone pavement just makes walking a lot harder. I still have to hold on to the railings while walking.

Full moon

This morning it started drizzling. Forecasts is for rain but here up in the mountains, it'll only drizzle. And it's cold ... 11 degrees every night. Hoodies and thick jackets are worn outdoors. And good slip-resistant shoes. The cold weather sets the tone for Christmas. Shops have already started selling Christmas decorations and gifts. But with the ongoing war, out celebration this year will be low-key. Everyone is asking if we'll be allowed to enter Bethlehem this year for midnight Mass or at least the Vigil Mass in Shepherds' Field. We're waiting for some instructions from the police. 

Meantime the full moon was out 2 days ago ... amazingly large. As the sky gets dark by 5pm, going home means I get to see the moon. It's a lovely sight ... but it reflects the loneliness that we all feel during this tragic time. T

Sunday conference

Eli holding up a scroll

My deteriorating breathing problem is becoming critical as I'm getting blackouts ... and I finally found out why. One of my medicines for my lungs ran out but I didn't realise it. I usually take it first thing in the morning in the dark so I cannot see how many dosages there are left. Turns it had been zero for some time. So I'm off to the pharmacy today to get a new one. It's expensive, US$100 for one.

Despite my situation, I managed to organise another Sunday morning conference with the local religious. I had Eli the scribe come back to demonstrate how a scroll is written. It was a fun and informative morning that ended with Mass. It's a pity that many religious stay here for decades and still know nothing about the locals and their traditions. And the locals don't know us too. I organise such talks so that both sides can encounter each other, learn more about each other and dialogue.

Conference

It also happened to be my feast day - St. Leo the Great - so 2 groups of nuns baked 2 cakes for me ... both with apples. My favorite kind of cake. Everyone had a piece during the break, and Eli then continued with his talk. Let's hope this builds mutual understanding and avoid the tragedies that we're facing now.

Noodles

 Last post I said I should be going to my medical appointment ... but with my memory ... it was scheduled 3 days ago and I forgot. Now I'll have to request another appointment and wait for a month or so. 

Wonton soup noodles

A friend - a visiting researcher from Italy who once studied at my school - came to visit me today. He's a medical doctor who's now researching on tumours. He said my lapses of memory and other reactions are the result of the prednisone that I'm still taking once every 3 days. I wish I could stop taking it but my breathing is in bad shape. Anyway we had a few hours of catching up, had a chinese meal at Mandarin's where I have not been for a long time. I asked for wonton soup noodles which is not on the menu, and Ah Ling the owner obliged. It was good to eat a bowl of hot noodles again.

I'm just feeling generally unwell with this strange illness, and people are asking me to rest and stop work. Maybe I should. And retire altogether.

Needs

Food packs

My cough is not over ... after 2 months. I might just have to start a course of antibiotics. But maybe I should see my doctor first. I think I'm scheduled for my bi-monthly consultation next week. I sprained my upper back yesterday because my backpack was too heavy. There's a dull pain on my back and right side. I can't lift my right arm. And I'm getting headaches and nausea all day. I don't know how careful I must be nowadays to avoid getting injured. It's not something you think about when you're young.

That means also buying a new pair of shoes. The change of weather means wet ground caused by dew. It's very slippery and I slipped twice already on my way to work as I'm wearing only a pair of loafers. It's scary especially when I have to carry heavy bags. The filipino community gave me a new pair when they saw my walking shoes had holes in them. However I gave both pairs away to needy persons. So now I'll have to get a new pair. Looking for sponsors.

Feeding displaced and
injured people

Our friars in Lebanon are providing food packs, hot meals and medicine to thousands of displaced people during this war. Our own friars in the south are displaced. Both churches and friaries are damaged and abandoned. The 65 families that we care for have moved up north with our friars, sheltering in our other friaries. Please do something meaningful this Christmas and share your blessings with our unfortunate catholics in our care. As M. Teresa said "Do something beautiful for God"

All Souls

Fr. Joel helping me

I went to the cemetery this morning to clean and bless the tombs of friends.  The place is on the southern slopes of the City, with lots of stairs that I find difficult to climb. Just walking there 1km away tires mw. I can't bend to clean the tombs, though I brought a bottle of water and a brush with me.

Luckily Fr. Joel one of or PhD students offered to join me, like he did last year. He washed the tomb of our Chinese friend buried there and I laid out flowers. Then we went through the cemetery blessing the tombs of Armenian catholics. I used an umbrella to help me walk and climb the steep stairs and I was very tired after 2 hours. 

Schindler's tomb

Oscar Schindler's tomb is still there with many memorial stones placed by Jews. Some are descendants of the Jews he saved. I blessed the tomb and sprinkled holy water on it.

On the way home we stopped at the Anglican coffee shop to rest. I'm not sure if next year I'll be able to do this again. My legs are all jelly and my back hurts a lot. And I'm nauseous from the strain. We'll see about next year ....

Rexy

Rexy trimmed

My cold doesn't seem to be going away. I'm getting fainting spells each time I cough ... just like the onset of angina that I've experienced many times before. The whole body wobbles, the head is spinning and like a deep sleep I close my eyes and blackout. It's very calming though. There's total silence. Everything around doesn't exist. I wonder if death is like this.

Anyway everyone is worried about me going out alone because I might blackout and hurt myself or I might lose my memory and get lost. Everyone tells me to call back when I reach my destination so they'll be assured. I'm lucky to have people who care for me.

After my disclaimer last Sunday, viewership dropped  from 1800 to 40 ... which is normal. 

Doberman on walk

There's an article about our friars and nuns in Galilee who've decided to stay in their churches and with their local communities while missiles from Lebanon continue to rain down on them. It's a nice read about the daily heroism and commitment to their mission.  https://www.custodia.org/en/news/galilee-the-fraternity-that-defeats-fear/

Rexy the Pomeranian came for an afternoon last Saturday. It's always good to have him around ... he just wants to play till he's tired. High energy. Some mornings on my way to work I meet a doberman on his morning walk. He's about 3-4 years old. Docked tail and cropped ears ... not what many people nowadays agree ... but here we're decades behind the animal rights scene. I miss my dogs Rex and Regis. It's almost 15 years since they died.

Cold

Sunrise colours

Friday night was the coldest on record for October in 33 years ... down to about 12 degrees. I had to wear a pullover and had my duvet tightly wrapped around me. Last night too was chilly but not as cold. We're just hoping it'll rain as we need water very much in a very dry year. Daytime is a nice 26 degrees and very sunny, and there's a cool breeze that require people to wear a light jacket or hoodie.

There were 1791 viewers yesterday and 1400+ the day before. Scary. There're no political intentions in my blog. I simply record a chronicle of happenings here for people who used to live here, or those interested in what's happening in a normal day here; a chronicle of my journey - footsteps. It's a way to keep in contact. Disclaimer.

Early morning tram

Back to chronicling. The sunrise colours in the sky are incredible. Hues of purple, pink and yellow. Evenings are less spectacular. These signal the change of the seasons. And like every change, virus abound. I'm still down with oral blisters and sores, a runny nose, fever, sore throat ... and I've met many people with the same illness. There's nothing much we can do. Just ride it out.

My memory is not getting better. The sisters of Ivrea gave me a big bag of assorted cheese which I ate some for breakfast yesterday. But this morning I cannot find it. Vanished ... at least from my memory.