The weather the last couple of days has been glorious - beautifully sunny and warm. Unfortunately the guest house faces north so it is difficult to know what to put on in the morning as it always feels cold inside. So I layer up only to find that I'm stripping off as soon as I go outside.

Yesterday afternoon was the first birthday of Jamila's first grandson Fathi. So this was a reason for a big family party to which I was invited. A huge spread of delicious food, balloons and an enormous cake. Little Fathi was the centre of attention and he was so cool - being held aloft by all his uncles and grandfather while the birthday song was sung - so completely unphased by the fuss and the people. The palestine family is so important and quite often each family within the extended family have separate houses but close to each other. Jamila lives just next to her son's family and and across the road from her sister, whom we went to visit later after the party.

Her sister's son, Hamam, was home for the weekend from the rehabilitation centre where he is recovering from very serious brain injuries inflicted on him by "rubber" bullets fired by an Israeli soldier. He is just a young guy of 18 years and he was involved in a protest against the Israeli agression in Gaza when he was shot in the head, the bullet going straight through his skull, apparently taking a fragment of his brain out with it on its tragectory. It was uncertain whether he was going to live but the body is quite remarkable in its ability to heal and although he is having difficulties with his speech and muscular control he is improving week by week. A lovely guy with great spirit - due to take his final school exams this year.

Today, Saturday, we met as the women's group. We are planning an event for international women's day to run concurrently with the one at Calthorpe. Like Calthorpe we are basing it around growing and planting for the garden. We are thinking to ask women to bring seeds, plants and possibly a tree as we don't have funds to buy stuff. We talked about the infertile and dry soil in the garden and N'ama suggested we get some good sheep manure from her home. So we all trouped round to her house. She lives in the old part of Abu Dis in an old house made of clay with domed roofs. Najah took some photos and I will try to insert a picture later.

School starts at 8am so tomorrow I must be up and ready to leave by 7.30 am as I will spend the morning at the UN school. So I will sign off for today.