Blooms

Bright happy nasturtiums

 It's actually 15 degrees today. Warm enough to wear only a sweater indoors. But outside a very cold wind is blowing despite the sunny sky. The plants know it's warming up so Spring flowers are opening. In fact an anemone in my flower pot has already sprouted a purple bloom. The alyssums are also prolific in this weather. So are the nasturtiums. 

However there's talk that it might snow in a few weeks time. That will surely kill the flowers. That's nature. A sudden cold snap is what tulips and narcissus need to sprout and blossom though. You win some, you lose some.

Anemone surrounded
by white alyssums

There's a very large red moon shining these few nights. Because of the clear skies, the moon appears even brighter and larger. I wonder how many actually spend time looking at the wonders of the sky instead of into other people's business.

My vomiting and diarrhea has not stopped. And I'm losing weight quickly. People are sounding the alarm and telling me to go see the doctor. I will. This week. I'm taking too many pills ... it's making me tired, brain-fog, unsteady on my feet. I'm lucky the students here are watching out for me. 

Nevertheless I continue to read, write and prepare for classes. It takes more effort than it normally would. But training to be focussed is important otherwise I'll deteriorate to dementia or Alzheimer's. I just need to plod on ahead or my health will will spiral downwards

Sick

Our tomcat shivering in the cold

 Almost another week has gone and January 2026 is quickly over. Last night was the coldest ever this year ... 4 degrees but feeling minus 4. I didn't have too much of a problem with the cold because I was having a fever for the past 2 days. That's caused by an infected tonsil. It hurts very much and I can hardly swallow or eat. But I force myself because of the number of pills I need to take daily. It ruins my stomach so I must eat something first. Usually that's a piece of brown bread soaked in coffee so I can swallow it and lessen the pain.

There was a tragedy in our Catholic housing estate in Bethpage 2 days ago. A 16 yr old boy was playing basketball with his friends when he fell and his heart stopped. He was on life-support for 24 hours but died consequently. Everyone was shocked. He appeared healthy. No signs that he had a heart problem. That got me thinking about myself the past 3 years. The fainting spells and blackouts were actually heart attacks. I could have died so many times. Climbing stairs, wheezing and short of breath, thinking it was asthma .... they were angina attacks. And the thing is ECGs don't catch it the first time. It was only the 4th time that ECG showed something irregular and that prompted Dr. Thaer to call an ambulance to bring me to the emergency ward at Hadassah. And that resulted in a triple bypass. Each time I think about the many times I could have died but regained consciousness ... I thank God.

Cosmos

Wild cosmos

The weather has been playing havoc with us. We had the worst storm in a decade or so, then it became hot and now temp. has plunged to 4 degrees. The initial storm that hit Greece and Cyprus las week,  causing massive flooding, landslides and snow arrived at our shores. Very strong winds and non-stop rains for 2 and a half days. Even the desert was flooded. Many children have never seen such a tempest in their lives. Luckily there were no major electrical outages. It would have been terrible for many who have no heating. After the storm we have several days where the temp was as high as 24 degrees. It was back to T-shirts except for the cold wind. Still there were people in T-shirts. The past 2 days the temp plummeted to 4 degrees this morning. It's thick jackets, scarves and hoodies all over again. I hear people saying there might be snow next month. It would be nice for a change. a couple of days snow. 

The hot weather last week brought out a surprise: a wild cosmos sprouted from the cracks of our terrace. It flowered. A large pink bloom. Everyone was pleasantly surprised.  It taught us that despite the tempest and the almost impossible place to grow in a crack of a wall, it still survived and bloomed. 

Reaction to my new heart medicine is creating havoc in my body. Non-stop vomiting and diarrhoea for 2 weeks now. Doc's prescription of anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medicines are not helping. I've lost 3kg in 2 weeks. Am very tired and weak. Now people are telling me I'm turning yellow. yesterday the doc said he wants more tests.

Tempest

Stormy sky this morning

The awaited tempest struck us at noontime today. It was very heavy ... you could hear the raindrops slapping the stone pavements loudly even when indoors. And there's plenty of thunder and lightening, And the wind is very strong. And this will last for another 3 days. Well our lakes and streams are full. No fear of drought this year. But for the poor people living in the lowlands and have no electricity, the flooding and cold is brutal. I remember several years back when a young couple drowned when they ere stuck in a lift on the ground floor that became flooded. A blessing for some is a curse for others.

Boiling fruit tea

The cold weather - 8 degrees now - is making most of us sick. Many of us are coughing with lots of phlegm. So every night I boil some red dates, goji, Chinese sand pear and ginger. Three of us drink it and it does clear up the phlegm completely. Thanks to Linda of Mian restaurant who gave me all these ingredients. Tonight the tea will be very useful and welcoming as the temp. will drop to 6 degrees.

I've been getting cramps in my hands and arms if I'm using them strenuously.  Last night was quite bad when I was cutting ginger for the tea. The left hand just cramped and I couldn't open it again. And my chest continues to be painful. And I'm nauseous and with bad diarrhoea for all this week. The new medicine is really reacting badly with me.

1st week

Condemnation chapel - quiet

The 1st week of 2026 has passed, and tensions seem to be everywhere ... internationally and nationally. A local protest ended in tragedy when a bus mowed down a boy protestor ... dragging him several meters along the road. It's a difficult video to watch.  A terrible way to start the new year.

The weather on the other hand is warming up a little. I think it's 11 degrees now. Very sunny but the wind is cold. Forecast is rain from tomorrow till Tuesday. Temp will drop again. It'll get chilly ... down to 5 degrees. However the sunrises these days are amazing. Streaks of red against a blue sky stretching from east to west. Very beautiful.

Colourful skies

Despite the fluctuating weather, many orthodox groups have come to celebrate their Christmas on Jan. 7. It was rather crowded but once it's Jan 8 ... the crowds disappear and our chapels become silent again.

Soon the routine of an ordinary year will unfold ... and before we know it, it'll be Christmas again and the end of another year.

Cold

Full moon

The New Year came and went. Nothing special here as the Jewish new year is in autumn ... like the muslim new year. I was asleep as there was nothing planned. The younger students stayed up till midnight. 

But temperatures have plummeted to 6 degrees at night. A very cold and strong wind is blowing. We had 3 days of heavy rain last week. The New Year was really wintry. And we needed the rain. Forecast for more rain this weekend ... with even lower temperatures. Maybe it'll snow.  It'll be nice for a change.

The full red moon is shining over us. It's the first full moon this year and is very large, It's quite beautiful especially because the skies are cloudless tonight. I wonder if anyone is brave enough to go out and photograph it in this cold. I managed a quick shot from our terrace.

I'm still adapting to the new medication. I've been vomiting and having diarrhoea all week. I think it's a reaction to the medicine. I guess I should see my doctor. what a way to start the new year. Let's hope it won't be as bad as last year.

Storm

Rainbow in the storm

A severe winter storm has been battering us for the past 3 days. It had earlier struck Greece and Cyprus, causing plenty of floods. Now it has hit us. Extremely strong winds, heavy rain and even graupel. This morning a slight dusting of snow fell as well.

I was at the grotto in Bethlehem to celebrate Mass in Chinese last Saturday. It was quite crowded despite the poor weather. Lots of Indians and Indonesians. All the altars were booked at Shepherds Field on Dec 24. But Saturday Dec 27 the grotto was crowded with pilgrims but not for Mass. Anyway I prayed for you all there. 

Sun and storm clouds

And it was very cold.  And the fog was so thick you can't even see the car in front of you. We were coming back to Jerusalem, but as the Checkpoint 300 was closed we needed to make a long detour through Beit Jallah which is high in the mountains. The fog was unbelievable. 

Today was barely 8 degrees. Right now the rains had just stopped and the sun is peeking out from the storm clouds. Don't be fooled. The temp will continue to hover between 7 - 8 degrees for the next few days.

The new medicine Jardiance is making me vomit, nauseous and dizzy every morning. I feel very sick.