Friday Afternoon

Bright warm sun, blue sky, cool breeze, blooming frangipani, Spring in Beirut!
Only the aroma of burning tires on that breeze reminds me of today's events.

I suppose the Summer War prepared us for this.
We heard a lot of explosions, mostly Israeli bombs.
The airport was closed, the port blockaded and the streets were empty.
We hung on Brent Sadler's every word, and checked local news websites constantly.
But we were safe at home, knowing that we were not targets.

So now, the noise from afar has not been Israeli bombs, it has been small arms fire, RPG's and more.
I can sleep through distant bombs about as well as I slept through most of last night's thunderstorm.
The roads to the airport are blocked and MEA has suspended all flights in and out.
But this time I'm home with Carol and the the kitties.
Brent and the websites are still active, and there is even more news available.
We're used to all that, so why is this time so different?

Guns on my street.

I was a little freaked out when I watched a nervous Army patrol work it's way down a cross street in front of us.
They are the good guys.
So it was a bigger freak-out to discover a squad of militia (Amal or Hizbollah) on the street, well armed, directly below us.
Their body language was arrogant, their control of the street was obvious.
If you have read CNN today, you will see Hamra mentioned as a Hizbollah-controlled neighborhood.
That's them; that's us.

I need to remind you all that we are personally safe, and not in any danger.
We have been packing to move to another apartment, but that seems to be put off for a bit.
I truly hope that we will be able to stay here, that Lebanese life and ACS will continue,
perhaps changed, but not dramatically.
If not, at least we are packed.