Spring is on

Jaffa Gate closed

 The weather is warming up. Last night was 6 degrees is about 10 degrees. But it doesn't fell like that indoors ... which is still freezing. Outdoors with the sun shining, it feels very much warmer. And that's a pity because though the lockdown officially ends today, the govt is meeting now to decide if to extend it again. So we have a 24 hr window to go out. The police have already withdrawn from the City gates and street corners. Still the City looks terribly deserted. Hardly a soul in the streets. I've never seen the City like this before ... not even during the wars and Intifadas. 

Being such a fine morning, early this morning I quickly planted many rose cuttings into pots. I had trimmed them last week and they should root during this warm Spring weather. Last week was the jewish Arbor Day or Tu BeShvat which heralds the coming of Spring. Everyone is praying that with it, a new and better year will unfold and no one has to suffer anymore.

Another view of Jaffa Gate

Infection rates are falling but serious cases requiring hospitalisation is rising. The hospitals are stretched and for this the govt. wants to extend the lockdown. Vaccinations have reached well over half the population. Statistically, the pandemic should be on the way out, but realistically, the new strain is too powerful and the lockdown-breakers are still gathering thus causing the spread to continue. The govt has no political will to stamp it out because elections are due in 2 months' time.

Another stabbing attack south of Jerusalem. There was another 2 days back. It seems to be getting regular ... one a week. Hope it's not a sign of what Summer will be.

Cold weekend

Hoar frost on the roof

 Much as I didn't want to, yesterday  had to go back to the other library because requests for books are overwhelming. And there were payments to the bookbinders to be made. Good thing was I was alone in the library. No user allowed in the library. All requests are met at the door.

The temp. has plummeted since yesterday afternoon. Today it'll hover at 3 degrees and we're expecting rain. The elusive snow is forecast but probably it's only for the north. A strong wind is buffeting from the west, the Mediterranean Sea which carries water ... so rain should come. Hoar frost forms over the metal roof of our elevators as well as outdoor tables and chairs. Last night my 2 small heaters were not even enough. It is that cold. I'll not venture out today. It's also Friday and the police will be extra strict as many muslims will try to enter the Old City to go to the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Empty Municipality Square

Virus infections are falling. That's good news. But the new strains of the virus are spreading rapidly: the british, the south african and now the californian. We'll have to see how the vaccines react to these new strains.

The lockdown is due to end on Saturday night and the govt is bickering whether to extend it. Once again a corona plan is dangling ... no one knows where we're heading. 

Allegra feast day

Sunrise on Mt. of Olives

 Something fishy is happening to my blog. It has 126 views today. Normally it's 40+. It's being tracked I guess. Like my phone which many times now people cannot get through me as someone else answers it ... and the telltale signs it's being used by someone else are all there: short battery life, sudden heating, slow access to Internet. It's all very scary.

It was an early day today. I had to get everything done by 7am as I needed to go to the Covid Testing Center up on the Mt of Olives. The sun was just rising. It's a drive-in facility so the line gets very long and the street being very narrow so busses cannot pass due to the queue of cars. We were the 3rd car in the queue but while waiting, 2 cars cut the queue. Drivers behind us were furious and started honking their cars. Finally a jewish lady got out of her car and flagged a police car to report the queue-breakers. The police came and warned the 2 drivers who quickly moved off. My test was very quick, though my nostril hurt quite abit.

My turn for Covid test

Once home I had to oversee the municipality inspector who came to check on our elevators. Then it was study time. The weather is still cold and I had to wear socks to keep my feet warm. Today I've been feeling dizzy again and confused. Since I woke up at 3am I couldn't remember what day it is. It was only towards 7am that I slowly became conscious of what day it was.

It's Blessed Allegra's feast day. I didn't concelebrate the community Mass so I didn't now what they did. I'm keeping isolation till I get my results in 2 days time.

Meantime I'm waiting for the forecast rain for tomorrow or Friday. It'll be this winter's last bash.

Almond tree

White almond tree in flower

 The Covid Drive-in testing site was closed today. My drive up to Mt. Scopus was not all wasted though ... the view of the Old City below was magnificent and the sky was clear. Clalit the insurance company said the testing site would open tomorrow morning.

Yesterday I went out to the New City to buy some food for Buddy and JJ ... they were running out of stock during this lockdown. On the way back I passed by the cemetery to look at the almond trees. They were blooming and are quite amazing. All the trees are pink blossoms but there is one special tree that is white. It's a wonderful sight when it's in full bloom so I went through the cemetery and found it at its peak ... totally covered with white blossoms and strongly scented. I love it. It's like magic ... a firework of white flowers in the middle of the cemetery, with all the other trees still bare and the ground is brown with no grass growing. Almonds blossom 2 weeks before Spring begins. And that should exactly be Chinese New Year. 

Filming crew at work

Meantime along the streets of the New City, people are out and about ... not as many but still not as deserted as inside the Old City. There was a camera crew doing a news report at Municipality Square. And most people were out mostly to catch the sun and enjoy the warmth outdoors ... because indoors is freezing.

Bad news about Covid 19 ... a new strain from California was been detected here in Israel ... and chances of a local strain could also mutate. I must be so very careful now. 

Busy morning

JJ sunbathing

 What a busy day ... and my feet are killing me! After days in self-isolation, I had to go back to work (unofficially) in the Custody library ... and when I arrived at 9.30am, there was already a queue of students and professors at the door ... even though the library is officially closed. Besides retrieving books for the students and receiving borrowed books (they must be quarantined for 3 days), I also had to receive and check 24 boxes of ancient books transferred from Emmaus; and searching for hours of an article which I could not find. That was 7 full ours of work, on my feet ... hence the pain. 

The weather is once again sunny and pleasant outdoors but indoors it's freezing. My nose was running because of going out and coming in. Terribly uncomfortable when you have to wear a mask. Birds have been sunbathing ... like JJ at my window. It's a great sight to see. But I was told by the weekend, heavy rains and even snow is expected. It will be JJ's first snow if it does.

Violence continued in the ultra-orthodox cities .... burning buses, attacking arab drivers and police ... and the police and govt cannot keep them under control. It looks like it will not be solved because the powerful rabbis are behind it.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-use-stun-grenades-to-clear-haredi-mob-who-torched-bus-at-lockdown-protest/?fbclid=IwAR2c-dRY6-IpHYVMGLwlTmr0PXXLFJ2VA_rIYfV1RT86kw_tArBcBKjbNuE

Musrara market ... empty

Meantime infection rates lowered to 8000 but more are dying ... presumably due to the new mutant strain of covid. Still hope is mixed with fear ... and the second half of 2021 is forecast to be an upturn. Only bad news is the defense ministry is warning that an israeli mutant strain of the virus is a possibility and the country has to be prepared for it.

New week

Empty streets today

 Riots broke out in 3 major cities ... ultra-orthodox jews battling police who came to close their schools for breaching lockdown rules. One police had to fire in the air while tear gas were used. Stones were thrown and dumpers burned to block roads. It was mayhem. That is the price for having allowed them to flout the rules in the first 2 lockdowns. Emboldened, they feel privileged now and attack law enforcers with impunity. No one, not the govt nor the police nor the courts dare to defy the rabbis. Which is a terrible pity because infection rates are falling and the vaccination seems to be working. The danger now is allowing the new strain to spread and so the lockdown is necessary. In fact just now, we learned that the airport will be closed for a week.

Inside Damascus Gate

I went out this morning to bring some encyclicals to the MC sisters. It's a short walk near Damascus Gate inside the Old City. The streets were empty. Only 2 vegetable and fruit shops were opened. People are afraid ... the new strain is aggressive and could be deadly. No one knows. Caution is the word. The greeting "bye" is now replaced by "stay safe".

On the way home, I went to the bakery at Musrara and then took the long route home. Lack of exercise has made my legs weak and walking 1km is quite an ordeal now. Pathetic. Anyway I feel better than last week but I'll still go for a covid test tomorrow.

The weather is frigidly cold still though the sun was shining and the thermometer read 12 degrees, it felt like zero degrees indoors. A new week has begun and soon this cold will give way to hot summer. But we're all hoping for one final rainstorm before it does. We need the rain,

Last week of January

Dewdrops on the table

 Still freezing cold today. Highest temp at daytime was 7 degrees. Large dewdrops have accumulated over our terrace table. The wind is back blowing chills though not as forceful as the last few days. And the weekend is upon us. I would have finished my weekly homework if not for a request to correct an article. It was ghastly ... first I had to understand what it was all about, deciphering the italianised english ... then rewriting entire paragraphs to make it coherent. It took me 5 hours to complete 15 pages. By 12pm I was mentally and physically exhausted. I just couldn't get around writing my own 2 pages of homework after that.

Fresh veggies

One good thing about this cold ... the vegetables are growing very well. A walk through the streets of East Jerusalem will testify to the luscious winter crop. Tomorrow I should be out of my self-isolation and though it's still lockdown, I can go out to buy medicine and food. 14 days of isolation has depleted my food stock. I might also buy some of the vegetables. A bit of fresh food is better than all the canned and dehydrated food I've been eating for the past 2 weeks.

Instead I cleaned the room and the birdcage and prepared the laundry which I usually do on Sundays. `then I had a long chat with the family. One of my nieces was married and I was up at 3am to watch the live stream. It was very lovely and exciting. We talked about who will be married next and about the next generation. We're growing old. A fact that time cannot reverse. January will end this week ... see how time flies?

There was an earthquake several days ago near Cyprus. Shocks were felt here in Israel. A constant reminder that we're overdue for a massive one. The last one was in 1927 and it destroyed many churches and even more houses. Every 70-80 years Israel suffers a deadly quake and newspapers are constantly telling us to be ready for the next one.