Rainbow

This morning we woke up to the welcome sound of rain. It continued to fall most of the day, a good kind of rain, gentle and steady, the kind that soaks in and does some good. Late in the afternoon the sky cleared a little. "Look a rainbow !" Don exclaimed. We both went out onto the balcony and this what we saw.

The gold dome in this picture is the Temple Mount (the Moslems call it Haram Esh Sharif). This is where the Moslems pray, it is also a holy place to the Jews because this is where The Temple stood. Much of the conflict here is over who gets control of this holy place.

Last Wednesday evening at my drawing class, I started an oil painting. My drawing teacher is going to instruct me in how to use oils. I told Don that for Christmas I wanted a table box easel and he said go ahead and get one, so I did. Merry Christmas to me!

Shalom...............Bernice

Trip to the Post Office

A notice was in our mail box telling us that we have a package. (Packages aren't delivered to your home, the post office notifies you, and then you must go pick it up) "Oh, good !! The book I ordered from B&N has arrived, I'll walk down and pick it up!!" Don said that if I was going to the post office anyway, I might as well pay a bill too. (Utility bills are paid at the post office, you may not mail them in.) I walked the distance, a little over a mile, to the post office, it had just opened for it's afternoon hours and there was already a line. I joined the line and waited with the others.

Across the room I saw a large round bottom covered with a very nice tan knit skirt and two legs extending from the skirt to the floor. No upper body, no head??? Now I see, the upper body and head are in a large cardboard box. A women was up to her arm pits digging around in the box, pulling things out and dropping them on the floor. Beside her a well dressed elderly man was standing, he was nervously fumbling with a lighter and a pack of cigarettes, but not smoking. His expression said, I wish I wasn't here. After making a little pile of clothes on the floor, the woman struggled to pick up the box, carried it over to the counter and hefted it up onto the scales. The man made no move to help her. After checking the scales, she slid the box off of the scales and counter, lugged it back and set it on the floor again. And again she was leaning into the box, seemingly pulling things from the bottom of the box and adding them to the pile she had started on the floor, and again she lugged the box to the scales, and again she pulled the box off of the scales and lugged it back.

By the time I had reached the front of the line, and conducted my business, she had gone through this processes at least five times. When I left the post office, the pile of clothes on the floor was half as high as the box and she was still digging around in the box. Who knows, she may still be trying to get it right!!!

Shalom..............Bernice

Jewelery

You've been asking to see the silver work I have done so far, so here they are:

Crochet chain necklace of fine silver with sterling hand made clasps: Necklace Necklace with silver tone glass beads Necklace with Garnet chips Necklace with Turquoise chips, Lapis chips, and a green stone (I don't remember the name). This one will be longer, I'm not finished.

Necklace and 5 pair of earrings made from Turquoise and silver. I did not make the fine chain on this one. Necklace and earrings made with Coral and sterling silver

Bobble made from a Coral ball and sterling silver Sterling bobble, I started this in the US and finished it here Lapis Lazuli ball with sterling silver Necklace of fine silver Byzantine bracelet, sterling silver Necklace, (unfinished) chain mall, made with sterling silver Earrings made with Hematite and with shell buttons, sterling silver

Two sterling silver rings, I don't know what the green stone is.

Thanksgiving

Don had found a package of 3 turkey legs and I was going to fix them for Thanksgiving but the school librarian invited us, and a few others, over for Thanksgiving dinner. Even though I was a little buzzed on pills, I had a great time. The turkey legs will be our "left overs".

Pills?? Why am I taking pills?? This cold wasn't going away and so Monday I went to the doctor. He told me that I have Bronchitis, a sinus infection, and a raw hamburger throat. No wonder I wasn't feeling well, now I have a good excuse for laying around. I left his office with a hand full of prescriptions to fill and trotted straight off to the pharmacy. The doctor said that I would not be contagious by Thursday and it was OK to go out for dinner. I missed the drawing class but will be just fine tomorrow for the silver class.

This is reading week and there are no classes at JUC. Don has been hogging the computer doing papers, but I beat him to the computer this morning and I'm not getting up off this chair until I'm done. He was pacing around for a while but finely decided to study Hebrew until the computer is free.

I heard this on CNN.........really I did!! "Gore wants to put off the ballot count for 9 months so the pregnant chads have time to give berth" We all know that CNN is completely accurate in its reporting, so it must be true. How about this election? It's all over the news here and people keep asking what we think about it. I told Don to give me a sleeping pill and then wake me up when we know who our new president will be. I'm getting tired of this.

Shalom..............Bernice

Bad Boys

Yesterday evening was our scheduled time to do patrol. For those who may not know, we are volunteers with the Jerusalem Police. Our duties consist of patrolling the neighborhood with an armed member of the police for a few hours once a month, also wearing police vests, carrying a police mobile phone, and carrying a flash light. The police man/men are armed and speak English. We get briefed each time we go so that we know who or what to look for. So far our patrol has been walking the neighborhood and one time we walked the mall (If I had known that we were going to the mall, I would have taken money!!). Last night I was tired and was not looking forward to walking in the chilly night air for two hours, but since I'm a good sport, I went anyway. I was delightfully surprised to find that we would be riding in a police car. Off we went, Don in the front seat with one officer, me in the back seat with the other one, and the blue light flashing (police cars here always have their blue lights flashing). Fun.........I feel so important............bad guys look out. I was going to sing "Bad boys, bad boys, what ya goona do when they come for you? Bad boys!", but decided that wasn't a good idea. We covered a lot of areas that we don't when we are walking. All was quiet..........no bad guys............not much on the police radio............the word must have gotten out about us being on patrol............we scared them off. Oh, I forgot to tell you, there is a seat belt law here but as police officers we didn't have to wear them, we may have to jump out of the car and chase some one.

Santa Clause came. Don bought some new bells and whistles for his digital camera. I think he was feeling guilty about the cost because he announced that this would be his Christmas present.

I don't know what we will be doing for Thanksgiving, it's not a holiday here but the school is calling it Reading Week, no classes. I have not seen turkeys in the store, there may be ground turkey but I'm not sure, can't read the labels. Maybe we will go out for dinner, how are you spending Thanksgiving?

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Shalom.............Bernice

It's early in the morning and Don is still asleep, I have the computer all to my self. Several of Don's classes were rescheduled for this week because many of the students were gone on field studies. Don had the computer tied up doing papers, I thought , until I caught him playing solitaire on the computer. Cheater!!!! I was being so nice letting him have the computer for his "important" stuff and here he was playing solitaire!!! Oh well, he has been working hard and deserves a break.

Last week Don came down with a cold. He felt bad enough to miss a day of school and took a week to get completely over it. My generous husband shared his cold with me and this week I had his bug. Your head becomes a rock, your nose becomes a faucet, your throat becomes hamburger, and your chest is in a straight jacket. Bummer!! Don is over it and all that is left for me is a deep sexy voice, I can live with that.

We (Darla did all the work, I just assisted) found homes for all 6 puppies and for Lady, their mother. It's nice to know that they aren't homeless any more (they lived in the park). "Brown Dog", their father, is still homeless. He is a sweet dog and very hansom.........would you like to have him? I think he misses Lady and the pups. I know he misses Darla, she has gone to the US for 6 weeks.

I went to the drawing class on Wednesday evening and loved it. What is so nice is it is just a block or two away and I can walk. I had done almost nothing in the way of drawing since leaving the US and it was nice to get back to it. Maybe I can get some instruction in oil painting there too. The silver class is wonderful, I'm as happy as a clam to have found it. It is so great to have access to a torch for soldering and the use of other power tools. I have finished some pieces that I had started here but couldn't finish properly with out a torch. I'll take some pictures and send them.

It's been quiet around the city, that is good, I hope it stays that way. If this conflict settles down, maybe we will be able to wonder around the Old and New City the way we did when we first came. I miss it.

No comment about the election. I'll just forward an attachment that I have gotten from several people, It's kind of cute.

More later.............

Shalom................Bernice

Election Day

It's Thursday and Don is at school all day, this means that I have the computer to my self. Between Don needing the computer for his school work and my back making a fuss when I sit too long, I haven't been on the computer for a while. I haven't found a way to lay on the couch, with pillows under my knees, and use the computer, or use the computer while taking walks. Technology needs to catch up with my requirements.!! The things that I can do are make silver chain and read, TV isn't that great.

The election returns have been a real roller costar ride and I guess it isn't over yet. I imagine that we will hear discussions on this election for years to come and all the school children will be having lessons on the electoral collage. There is a lot of discussion about the election in Israel since many of the people came from The States and because Lumberman was on the ticket. The Israelis want to know that the President of the US is their friend. One of the ladies at the silver class asked me who I voted for. While I was trying to decide how to answer, one of the other ladies said that it's a secret ballet, I was let off the hook. I don't want to get in a discussion of politics or to offend anyone with the way I voted.

People here ask questions that in the US would be considered personal and privet, things like "How much do you make?" and "How much is your rent?". It's not considered rude to ask these kinds of questions, but I'm still a little surprised when they do.

My friend Norit's husband teaches a drawing class on Wednesday evenings and I am planning to attend. She lives next-door to the Silver Lady so all I have to do is walk around the corner.

The weather has warmed up a little but not too much. The sky is clear and sunny, but the temperature is not high, I love it like this. Morning, afternoon, and evening are all beautiful from our balcony. This is a beautiful city, I think we have one of the best views in the city and I will miss it when it's time to go home.

Don is planning to spend 5 or 6 weeks at Tel Bernah this summer. That is not my idea of fun and I don't want to spend that much time in this apartment by my self either. My plan is to fly to The States and visit family and friends. This will happen in June.

More later...............

Shalom.............Bernice

Car Bomb

My back had been complaining, so I had settled my self on the couch with three pillows under my knees. Don is at school all day today. Irene, Don's sister, has sent me some books, I'll just lay around and read........rest my complaining back. Around 3 pm I heard what sounded like an explosion, it was not close. I'm comfortable here, don't want to get up, probably someone clearing bedrock for construction.

"Bernice !, Bernice !"

I went out on the balcony, Darla, my neighbor was hanging out of her window and pointing toward town. A column of dark smoke was rising from somewhere in the center of town. We were discussing where in the city it would be, and what it might be while her son Paul, a news photographer, rounded up his equipment. I went in and turned the TV to CNN News and the volume up so it could be heard from the balcony. Sirens started screaming. Paul was jogging up the street toward town, we could see his back crossed with straps and cameras hanging from those straps. Behind Paul, Ozzy, Darla's husband and a retired police officer, was running too, he has training for emergencies and maybe he could be of help. CNN begin to broadcast the explosion and between CNN and Ozzy on a cell phone we begin to learn what had happened.

The car bomb exploded on a side street near Mahaneh Yehuda market. Mahaneh Yehuda market is the Shook where I like to shop for my produce. I have not been there, or near there, since the trouble started because it is always busy and crowded and we have been told to stay away from crowded areas. If the person or persons with the bomb had gotten to the Shook the tragedy would have been much worse, fortunately they didn't get that far and the bomb went off on a side street that was relatively quiet.

The school called shortly after the explosion, they were checking the whereabouts of all the students. Don then called to tell me that he would be late because there was going to be a meeting for all students at 5 pm. At the meeting the school told the students not to get excited, this kind of thing has happened before, and reminded them of the places to avoid and to avoid crowds.

Lady and her pups have a home. A friend of Paul's has taken them to his home, he wants Lady, and one of the pups have been spoken for. Darla and I are glad that they have a real home now.

More later............

Shalom................Bernice

Back!

WE'RE BACK, WE CAN AGAIN SEND AND RECEIVE EMAIL.

Last Saturday afternoon we lost the ability to send or receive email, that is why you haven't heard from us in a while. It seems that the conflict has moved into cyberspace and our provider got sabotaged. I just about went crazy not being able to send or receive for almost a week, email is my life line and I really missed it. Now I will be playing catch up, answering all the mail that came in. I tried to get the word out and hope you weren't worried about us.

The weather has cooled off a great deal and we have been having rain. I find that with the weather cooler, I walk rather than take the bus when I can, it's so nice out.

Last Sunday (here Sunday is like Monday in the US) my friend Nurit and I went to the silver class. This class is more like an open studio, we all make what ever we want, and the teacher helps us when we need it, I like it this way. There are 4 students and the teacher, but not much room to move around, the studio is small. In spite of the small amount of space, the studio is well equipped, I NOW HAVE THE USE OF A TORCH !!! I'm so excited !! The ladies and teacher are all very nice, they don't speak much English, and I don't speak much Hebrew, but we somehow make ourselves understood. When I use one of the few words I know, they all congratulate me and let me know I'm doing fine. This studio is just around the corner a little over a block away, I'm looking forward very much to next Sunday's class.

More later............

Shalom..............Bernice

No emails

(The following are two e-mails from my cousins Dave and Mark, sons of Don and Bernice)

Don called this morning. They are can not send or receive any E-Mail at this time. He told me he even tried another service but that did not work. He also said they are OK.

Dave

---

(from Mark)

Thanks for the information.  I received the following message from the FBI which may explain the problem they are having with E-mail.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The following is for your information. 
Thanks,
Bill Shore

Subject: NIPC Assessment 00-057


National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC)  Information System
Assessment (NIPC 00-057) Middle East E-mail Flooding and Denial of
Service (DoS) Attacks.

This assessment is intended to advise recipients concerning an increased
level of cyber activity against Web sites related to Israel and
pro-Palestinian organizations.  Due to the credible threat of terrorist
acts in the Middle East region, and the conduct of these web attacks,
recipients should exercise increased vigilance to the possibility that
U.S. government and private sector Web sites may become potential
targets.  The methods observed in the conduct of these attacks are
transitory in nature, and do not pose a threat of lasting damage to Web
sites.

The recent unrest in the Middle East appears to have been responsible
for an increase in cyber attack activity between sympathizers on both
sides of the tensions.  Known targets have included Web sites operated
by the Israeli government and military as well as Web sites operated by
pro-Palestinian organizations including Hizballah and Hamas.

Numerous Web sites have been found on the Internet that contain messages
advocating cyber attack activity against both Israeli and
pro-Palestinian Web sites, and in some instances include interfaces for
launching automated e-mail flood, ping flood or other DoS attacks.

Methods of attack against Israeli Web sites include automated e-mail
floods and  high volumes of coordinated requests for Web services by
pro-Palestinian sympathizers.  Media sources have reported that Web
pages operated by Israel?s Foreign Ministry, the Israel Defense Force,
the Prime Minister?s Office, and the Treasury have been targeted for DoS
attacks, and some indications are that other unpublicized sites in the
..il domain have experienced similar attacks since hostilities
intensified.  Some of the documented e-mail flood attacks have
reportedly involved users of U.S. free Web-based e-mail providers Yahoo!
and Hotmail.

While there are currently no indications that any specific U.S. Web
sites have been or will be targeted as a result of this activity, the
NIPC recommends that recipients of this assessment remain vigilant to
the possibility that there could be some spill-over activity and that
U.S. sites could become targeted.  In recent days, the overall threat
condition for U.S. military forces in the Middle East has increased due
to new, credible threats of terrorist acts in the region.  Similarly,
NIPC views the current conditions as creating the possibility for
related cyber attack activity against U.S. sites.

Information systems security professionals should be prepared to take
recommended preventative measures including, but not limited to the
following: Be prepared to take appropriate steps to limit ping flooding
at border routers.  Be prepared to block source e-mail addresses in the
event of e-mail flooding.  Ensure appropriate patches are installed to
operating systems to limit vulnerability to other DoS attack methods.

Please report any illegal or malicious activities to your local FBI
office or the NIPC, and to your military or civilian computer incident
response group, as appropriate.  Incidents may be reported online at
www.nipc.gov/incident/cirr.htm.

Later that day...

Don has had a lot of class assignments to do and has had the computer tied up, that is why you haven't heard from us in a while. Yesterday I thought that I would have the computer to my self while he was in class but, he took it with him. Today he didn't, so here I am with a whole afternoon, just me and the computer.

It's turned cold and rainy. We had to turn off the solar energy and turn on the power in order to have hot water. A couple of cold showers made us realize this.

My neighbor, Nurit, is taking me with her on Sunday to a studio where I will have access to a torch. The women with the studio lives about a block from us and is an artist who works with silver. I am so excited to have a well equipped studio to work in.

What is happening here is so sad. Each morning, after reading emails, I turn on the news to see what has happened through the night. It is safe where we are and we don't think that we will have to, but still it seems like a good idea to consider our options if we had to leave. I told Don that since we don't have a place to go, we could spend 3 or 4 days with each of the 70+ people on our friends and family list, that would take care of the better part of a year.............just kidding, we wouldn't do that to you. Travel seems like a good option.

I know that many of you are praying for us and for the situation over here, thank you. Take care, we love you all..............

Shalom.................Bernice

Pups

There were two homeless dogs hanging around the apartments, both of them very sweet. My neighbor, Darla, started feeding them, and someone else was leaving them food too. One of them disappeared, we hadn't seen her for three days when Darla discovered her in the park across the street. She (the dog) had given berth to six puppies. Lady, (we now call the dog Lady) had dug a lair into a hill in the park, in front of and over the lair are bushes, Lady and her pups are well hidden. Every evening and morning, when there are not likely to be children in the park, we take her food and water. We decided it best not to make the children in the park aware of her, we don't want her or her puppies hurt. It's going to get cold, Lady and her pups need a safe warm place to stay, there is a place to take stray animals, but it is in one of the Palestine areas and we can't go there. I am going to take a picture of her and the puppies, a pet shop near by is going to put it up with a note that this family needs a home, We are hoping that someone will come forward and take them.

It has been several days since I wrote that last paragraph and a lot has happened in that time. ( I didn't get back to this letter sooner because Don has been on the computer doing school work the last few days) A teenage boy who lives on the other side of the park has been feeding the dogs too. He is going to take Lady as soon as she can be separated from the puppies. A pet shop has said that they will put a picture of the puppies up in their shop, and we (mostly Darla) have been asking around to find homes for them.

Lady and her puppies in their lair. I crawled up through the bushes to get this picture and when I got out I was covered with sticks leaves and dirt. Lady didn't mind the flash, she's very sweet.

This is Brown Dog, the father, (we think) he also needs a home.........we're working on it.

Shalom...................Bernice

Security

We are saddened by what is happening in this country. I know you must be concerned about us. JUC, (Jerusalem University Collage) is updating us daily on security. If you would like to read the school updates, go to JUC.edu. We will follow the instructions given to us by the school and the consulate.

Shalom...............Bernice

Pictures

The facilities at Tel Bernah, this is the girl's restroom, the boy's is on the other side of the tel and looks much the same.

Me, surviving a very hot day on the tell.

Don checking a part of the city wall that was exposed.

Don checking a part of the city wall that was exposed.

#1 and #2 are the reasons I will not be accompanying Don to the tel next week.

Shalom..............Bernice

Bomb

Something was happening on the street below us. I went out on the balcony and saw police men, and soldiers. There was a police car blocking each end of our street and in front of our building was a police van and an army jeep. 

"Don, come and look, something is happening out here !!" We both hung over the edge of the balcony and could see some police and soldiers peeking over the stone wall across the street from the parking lot. The parking lot is on the side of the building and we couldn't see what they were looking at. Pop.......pop, it sounded like gun fire.

Don said he was going to the roof and see what this was about, and I followed him up. We cautiously crept over to the edge of the roof and peeked over the side. There was a bomb robot almost directly below us but we couldn't see what it was doing, trees and shrubs were in the way. Deciding that this was not a safe place to be, we rushed back into the building and our apartment. Pop.......pop........pop, more gun fire. Maybe we should leave the building, we hurriedly put on our shoes, and left. As we came out the front door, a policeman called to us....... 

"You're safe now." 

Back to our apartment we went, I finished making dinner and we ate. After dinner we went down to the parking lot to see what we could see. In the parking lot, next to the trash building, was a cardboard box, shredded with bullet holes and misc. trash spread around it. Bomb threat?

From our apartment the city was quiet today (except for the "bomb threat"), but the news this evening told of some trouble in The Old City. The school has advised the students that during this long Yom Kippur weekend, we should stay in West Jerusalem, and out of The Old City. We live in West Jerusalem and the school is in West Jerusalem so that was no problem for us.

Well enough excitement for one day, I think I'll go to bed.

Don and Bernice Tuttle

No worries

(This only an excerpt from the message sent. The rest was personal stuff. But I thought I should put this up since it kinds of goes with the next message)

It has been quiet in Jerusalem. We are in NO danger. The problem areas that you are hearing about on the news are NOT close to us. The news makes it sound like we are in a war zone, we aren't. Please don't worry about us, pray for us and the situation in this country, but don't worry.

The Sirens Call

Yesterday afternoon we heard sirens, many sirens, All of a sudden the city was a concert. Sirens seemed to be all over the city, it was hard to tell from what directions the sounds were coming, because they were bouncing, and echoing off the sides of the valleys that surround the city. We went out onto the balcony and saw a fire engine, police cars, and many ambulances speeding up Mount Zion toward the Temple Mount and the Western wall. Dark smoke started curling up from somewhere around the Temple Mount. Something big was happening.

By that time, our neighbors next door were hanging out their window with binoculars. Their son is a news photographer and was in the area of the trouble. They contacted him on a cell phone, gave us reports on what was happening, and discussed with their son the best way to get out of the area. Their son got a ride in a mail truck and was not hurt, but a photographer that he was working with got hit in the face with a brick, she didn't get her helmet on fast enough.

Over 30 ambulances went up our side of the hill and I'm sure they were going up the other side too. The road became empty of regular traffic, only ambulances and official vehicles were going up. Ambulances, an occasional tour bus, and groups of people (walking) came down the hill. After an hour or more, the city became quiet and the smoke was gone. It was over.

Just so you'll know that we are fine............

Shalom.............Bernice

Dr. Bernice

The day was almost over, I had run out of battery for my camera and I was tired. I sat down on my little camp chair and watched some of the students helping the surveyor measure the sloping sides of the tel. 

One of the girls called to me, " Bernice, what do you do for internal bleeding?" 

Why was she asking me? What do I know about Internal bleeding? Internal bleeding would be serious, she must be asking a hypothetical question, so I told her that someone with internal bleeding should be rushed to the hospital. She only stood there and looked at her finger. 

"Shall I prick it?" 

I had better go and see what this is about. I reluctantly got up off of my little chair and made my way down the slope. She showed me her finger with a small blood blister at the end, she had hit her finger while hammering a stake for the surveyor. "Shall I prick it and let the blood out? What should I do?" "Don't open it here, leave it like it is." I said "There is too much dirt here, wait until you get back to the school where you can keep it clean and put analeptic on it." Doctor Bernice saved the day!!!

Today is New Years Day, Rosh Hashanah. Last night we went to a New Years party given for the Civil Parole volunteers in this neighborhood. It was fun to meet and get to know some of our neighbors. I met a lady, Norit, who works with silver. She uses the studio of a women in this neighborhood and when the holidays are over, she is going to take me with her. I am so excited.......a torch.......a well equipped studio to work in.........I can hardly wait.

Shalom............Bernice