It’s going okay so far considering what a big move this is. We’re still in quarantine for a few more days.

We finally made it to Europe despite the pandemic and hope to ride out COVID-19 here until a vaccine arrives (the country we’re in is handling the pandemic relatively well). We’re just in temporary housing at the moment and everything is still pretty chaotic; we’re looking forward to things settling down and getting back into a routine soon. Take care and stay safe.

Hope you're feeling better! Be careful out there.

It's more than that. It's symbolic of Turkey rejecting its modern-era secularism and, instead, embracing a past that included the genocide of its Christians.

This probably means the end of any restoration of the mosaics. I guess Erdogan is trying to score points domestically.

It was the most important cathedral of the Byzantines for hundreds of years before the conquest of Constantinople, when it was converted into a mosque. It was changed into a museum in the 1930s and has been one since -- until now. The Greeks are all up in arms about it: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-museum-greece-eu-idUSKCN24F1JZ

It's actually considered significant enough that the US government has condemned it: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-secretary-state-urges-turkey-not-turn-hagia-sophia-mosque https://usa.greekreporter.com/2020/07/10/erdogans-move-on-hagia-sophia-a-deep-affront-to-christians-around-the-world/ Of course, there's not much anyone can do about it.

As I predicted in Under the Crescent Moon a year or so ago. I don't think this was necessary; there are already plenty of mosques in Istanbul. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53371341

I've been using it for a few years and find it really helps to keep things organized, especially in a longer work.

Yep. The quarantine thing is getting a bit old.

Good luck!

Thanks for the laugh.

They said I can't get tested since I'm not currently sick and the antibody tests are in short supply. So, I'm stuck with a 14-day self quarantine, unfortunately. Thanks for asking.

Praying.

Glad to hear your family made it back home! Thanks for the prayers.