Storm

Tempest at
Damascus Gate

What a storm last night!! Thunder and lightening and very very strong winds. My door and windows were rattling all night. Both my heaters were on to keep the room warm. The whistling of the wind in the trees was very loud and you could see the palms bending over almost to breaking point. And the torrent cascading down the steps of the Old City .... it's unbelievable. Not seen this for some 25 years now. As everyone says, we need the rain. But the inconvenience and danger of a storm is something quite scary.

Well I went out last night to get some medicine for the pain. Was totally soaked when I got home. This morning it was back to work ... mainly to meet the British Library team so receive their report. Arrived soaking wet. Luckily I don't catch a cold easily ... I think I'm getting immunized to it. I usually get an immunization jab every Spring and Autumn. This year I didn't get a jab but I'm doing well. Half my house though is down with the cold. Anyway we wrapped this season of digitalization of the ancient manuscripts by the British Library Team and we started projecting for the next steps, hopefully in Autumn.

Emu running on the highway

Just got news that the Ramat Gan Safari fence collapsed somewhere because an emu was seen running along the highway. Let's hope the lions and other wild animals are not running loose as well. And parts of the barrier wall between Israel and Palestine have also collapsed. It's one tempest we'll remember for years to come.

Rain and cold

Rainy day

Last night it rained all night. Earlier in the day the desert storm blew in lots of sand. The sky was dreadfully overcast and yellow. I was choking and coughing on my way home. Temp. had dropped drastically and I was a little sick from the cold. I still had a fever and pain in my abdomen, so I decided to sleep very early at 7pm. That was a good decision because many others became sick due to the sudden change in weather.

This morning I had to go to work because the team from the British Library had finished their project and wanted to hand their report to me. It was raining and I trudged through the cold to get there only to find the team was not in. They'll meet me tomorrow. But it's forecast to hail tomorrow. Not looking forward to walking in the hail. Temp. continues to fall.

The municipality continues to upgrade the roads  and streets in the Old City. Some 200 million shekels are being poured into this project. It's really a good idea. Ramps are created for wheelchairs on all the staircases. Hand railings are added on all staircases as well. and the old grimy slippery paving stones are changed for new chipped stones which grip better so we don't fall in this rainy weather.  https://www.janglo.net/index.php?catid=99&fbclid=IwAR10xHUDhbD5jI5SHH7vxxbGHMj0tE8aQAU4_oObzT2nXg4PEd-BUf2E1hY&option=com_adsmanager&page=display&tid=461891

My friend Haim who took Chili home, made a short video of Chili. He was so calm I couldn't recognise him! Haim has a way with birds so I know Chili is in good hands. And Haim has many other parrots in his house so Chili will have lots of friends to play around. In fact Mr. Bird, my white ring-necked parakeet is there as well. I gave her away 3 years ago when she started laying 5 eggs ... she needed to breed and Haim's menagerie is just the right place.

Bye Bye Chili

Bye bye Chili

Today I had to say goodbye to Chili my pineapple conure parakeet. He's a feisty little guy ... now one and a half years old. Has an attitude like most pineapples .... unlike green-cheek conures who are a lot friendlier. But he was a good companion ... waddling around the floor like a vacuum cleaner with his head along the floor, sitting on my shoulder during class. He's learned to say his name and say "eat eat" when hungry. But he's all grown up now and ready to breed so I thought he'd be happier with other conures. He's a pedigree with papers so he's much sought after. But I won't trust anyone with him. I know of only one israeli friend who understands and cares for a dozen of these birds so I gave Chili to him. I'm definitely sure he's in good hands. Anyway Chili got his name form the Rock Band Red Hot Chili Peppers which my other friend Bar is a great fan of. I asked Bar to name him and he suggested Chili. Well Chili is gone now. The room is a lot quieter ... and lonelier. I'll have to learn to get used to Chili not being around anymore. Sad.

The forecast storm has arrived. Rain in the north and sandstorm here in the south. And very cold. Temp. is dropping some 10 degrees in the last hour. And very strong gusty wind. Hail is forecast for tomorrow and Thursday. I don't look forward to that. With my fever and pain, I might just decide not to go to work.

Week before Lent

Family of 3 generations walking home
after prayers at the Wailing Wall

The weather is warm today ... again over 15 degrees and very sunny. Everything looked fine until you see the heavy police presence in and around the Old City. Tensions have not ceased. Thought the muslims have claimed victory by storming and reopening the Gate of Mercy inside the Temple Mount, Israeli security seem determined to re-enter and close it again. Warnings of further escalation in violence have been sounded from both sides.

Holy Sepulcher
under renovation
for Easter

It's a week before Lent. We're preparing to burn last year's palms to make ashes for Ash Wednesday. Another cycle of liturgical celebrations climaxing on Easter Sunday. Our students are busy trying to finish their written papers before Holy Week because the liturgical services are so many and so rigorous , they will have no time to study. Every Saturday midnight for example they will need to go for the midnight service at the Holy Sepulcher. Saturday afternoons will see solemn processions around the Holy Sepulcher and Fridays will be packed with Way of the Cross. The students' timetables will be full and studies will be at a minimal. So now is the time to finish their assignments. Almost immediately after Easter is the final exams.

I am still sick with fever and pain. We'll see what the hospital says at my next appointment. Thanks for the prayers. Next operation on March 12.

Weekend over

Anemones in bloom

The weekend was very tense with a large number of police in the Old City. Stop-and-search were made at every corner. Police helicopters circle overhead as early as 6am. Our street was blocked to traffic today. Entry or exit is a space large enough for one person ... so the queue was long and slow.  There's a sudden surge of tourists this week so the closure wasn't a help.

The weather turned warm today and very sunny. It was 14 degrees at noon. Many of us took advantage of the fair weather to walk along our terrace after lunch. But by evening the rain clouds have gathered and possibly it will rain tonight. Forecaste is rain all week.  

Rose canes budding again

Anyway my fever and pain continued this weekend. Lost of appetite and becoming quite confused. I was leading vespers this evening and kept standing up to read my part ...  only to realise the psalms weren't ended yet. Everyone was giving me curious looks. Last week I kept mixing up the days of the week and got my schedule all wrong. It's becoming a burden for everyone.

Rain and hail

Muslims scattering in the hailstorm
at the Arches of Mercy

The expected violence did not take place today Friday at the Al Aqsa compound. Though thousands marched toward the Golden Gate (where muslims, jews and christians believe the Messiah will come through) and broke down the barriers that Israeli soldiers had put up to shield off the Gate form muslims. The police did not retaliate. But the real hero was Mother Nature .... when noon day prayers ended and the expected riots were to take place, it started raining harshly and eventually hail began to fall. People scattered for shelter and that was the end of the riot that was to be. From the photo, you can just see the dome of the Golden Gate/Gate of Mercy among the trees (bottom left). The arches at the centre are the Arches of Mercy.

Similar large demonstrations were organised in Hebron but everything was peaceful and the Israeli soldiers did not confront the arab demonstrators. Today the muslims there commemorate 25 yrs ago a jewish extremist shot and killed 29 muslim worshippers inside the mosque of the Tombs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives. But at the Gaza border, the demonstrations turned violent and 1 youth was shot dead.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/thousands-of-palestinians-break-into-closed-off-temple-mount-section/

Full moon

Last night in our neighbourhood, Israeli police were going house to house arresting some 60 arabs who were planning to riot today at the Al Aqsa mosque. It was a nip-in-the-bud operation which seemed successful. But the chaos, shouts and shooting of tear-gas last night to stave off arabs resisting arrest.  

Anyway the cold and rain is bitterly harsh and I've spent the hold day in my room. My fever is now 3 weeks' old and the pain was so excruciating I have not slept since midnight last night. That makes 17 hours awake in pain.

Full moon

Tsahal Square on a cold night

Tensions continue to rise as Israeli police continue to barricade the area of the Golden Gates in the Temple Mount. Muslims continue to protest and I was warned in the streets to avoid our neighbourhood this Friday because they expect riots. We've not had major riots for many years now ... I guess the pent-up frustrations all these years are now surfacing with this event. I'm just wondering if I should stay home or go to my other office 1km away and stay there. Must make up my mind soon. Should the police lock down our neighbourhood, then I might not be able to come home. Serious.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/19-palestinians-arrested-in-fresh-temple-mount-clashes/

Full moon

The weather continues to be cold and cloudy. No drizzle today though it was forecast. I didn't go to work today as I felt unwell. Still with fever and pain. I did go to buy bread though ... and I found a new type which are packed with zip-locks. Great ... because they can stay fresh for several days. It's a new type of bread ... unleaven and thin but wholemeal. It's like Lebanese bread but it's a lot thinner. Good for my diabetes and necessary diet change.  

The full moon is up but the clouds are constantly hiding it. Last night I caught a glimpse of it when the clouds cleared for a while. It looked so surreal with clouds like pieces of jigsaw floating around it. I just realised that after this full moon comes the jewish feast of Purim. But not before Ash Wednesday. This year it doesn't fall on the Lunar New Year so there'll be rigorous fasting. For us it means lentil porridge. I dislike it ... so eating it is penance.