Slow motion

It's good to see more blue sky than cloud to start the day. I slept well again, though I'm slow to get going, even if I'm alert, as the medication seems to blunt my reactions and compels caution as a self protective instinct. The more sleep I get, the less worse I feel, but I'm still awake for two hours a night, emptying my bladder, not because I drink excessive amounts of liquid but my body is eliminating the irritating by-product of medication. It impairs quality of life, that's for sure. Clare's inflamed hip muscle is still painful, taking its time to settle down.

I didn't feel like going out this morning, so I started work on another Morning Prayer and Reflection. Then I made a savoury veg and canelli bean dish for lunch, and afterwards went to Tesco's to buy weekend groceries. Quite a heavy load to carry home slow and steady. We're both in slow motion today. I walked in Llandaff Fields before supper under an overcast sky. So disappointing when we're so close to the longest day.

Urged by Trump, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a cease-fire, in order not to endanger peace talks between America and Iran. Israel still occupies south Lebanon, and striking targets in response to attacks after the cease fire was meant to start. Relationships between Netanyahu and Trump are even further strained. Israel resents being told what to do, and pushes back against American pressure to restrain its lethal response. Over 3,700 civilians have been killed in Lebanon in the past four months and a thousand killed in Gaza during the so-called cease-fire with Hamas. 

I daresay it's difficult to control Hezbollah units embedded in their own country when they are being hounded by the Israelis and not necessarily communicating well with their Iranian sponsors. The flare up in fighting has led to a meeting cancellation between America and Iran. For the moment marine traffic through the Straight of Hormuz is still flowing, blockaded Iranian ports are open, but there's no certainty this will continue as long as the impulse to retaliation and revenge by all parties to the conflict controls the magnitude of the chaos.

Pink clouds decorate the sky at sunset as I bring my day to a close.