Here it is, almost midnight, and I had vowed that I would not begin today’s diary entry about the weather and, guess what, I managed to avoid the topic altogether, but it was not easy to do. For us this was the great feast of Theophany or Epiphany —quick, hurry to the dictionary or computer. What am I saying, you are at the computer! We complied with the two major aspects of this feast, the first being the blessing of water and the second, a procession down to the stream where many of the people stepped down the wide ladder into the cold water. I so badly wanted to join the procession but was told that it would be of no use to my health, so I stayed behind with the frail and ill. As a compensation, dozens of photos were taken for me to look at and many of them should appear as if in a photo album. What a treat it has been to nibble away at a jar full of pickled garlic cloves and the occasional cucumber, and tomorrow we shall see if the pickled garlic was strong enough when I go to the pharmacy. Will people try to avoid me or will the aroma of the garlic bring them all together like a mother hen and her little chicks?