The much awaited visit of my younger sister Doreen and her children Nicole and Jeff finally arrived today much to my pleasure as I had not seen them for a number of years, except for my nephew who paid a brief visit a few weeks ago. There was so much to talk about that, after […]
Vladika Varlaam’s Daily Diary
FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2019
I am sorry to bother you with my repeat stories about visiting the doctor, or the clinic or the hospital but that is what my life has been reduced to so you shall have to put up with my ramblings. The first half of the procedure was almost impossible to endure but at least the […]
THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER, 2019
Next to bad news being hurled against us in our daily lives, there have been constant rays of joyous and lifebearing beams of God’s bounteous love falling upon us without us even noticing it. Glory to God for all things! Today’s glorious weather had much to do with the uplifting of our mood and the […]
WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER, 2019
WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2019I was notified that no entry was made for this date and, since so much has occurred this week, I shall make a feeble attempt to fill that gap. In actual fact, the medication I am taking has made me quite befuddled, so I shall make a special attempt to omit not […]
TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2019
What a lovely way of warming up an old man’s bones. Yes, the bright sunny sky did the trick, as it always does at this time of the year. Not knowing precisely what was going to take place at the hospital, I asked Vladika Lazar to drive me there. After a couple of consultations we […]
MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2019
Once again, I had only about three hours of sleep last night and, as a result, I spent the entire day behaving like a zombie—didn’t I say that before? We had an early evening baptism, so I rode across the yard on my newly acquired scooter. Actually it was fun racing on the gravel path, […]
SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2019
Vladika Lazar went to church at 8 am for the beginning of Matins but I could not do so. By the time I got up, washed, and dressed, Kyrill was already here to help me with the scooter. It was the first time I used this scooter, driving across to the back door of the […]
SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2019
I had such difficulty in falling asleep last night that it was close to four o’clock in the morning before I finally fell asleep. This sleep was so deep that when I woke up about ten in the morning I felt like a zombie. Eventually this wore off and I once again became a human […]
FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2019
Vladika Lazar drove me to Chilliwack to a store that specializes in things for the handicapped. I was grateful to have had a couple of old walkers but the one I bought today suits my purpose excellently. Andy did two loads of laundry for us, while Kyrill took out all the garbage. All such help […]
THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2019
Scarcely anything was accomplished today, having spent the entire day recovering from yesterday’s visit to the specialist in Vancouver. Vladika Lazar is mainly taking calls on my cell phone, as it is tiring for me to use it. I would like to thank everyone for their love, prayers and concern about me. Please continue […]
12 and 13 November 2019
There was no diary entry yesterday and today’s will be short. I was in Vancouver where I was tested for cancer and, although I had an operation eleven years ago and seemed to be free of cancer, it has now spread and there will be no cure for it. This does not mean that I […]
MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2019
It has been another quiet day and it is understandable, since it is Remembrance Day, a civil holiday when we remember all those who gave up their lives, particularly in the twentieth century, to fight against evil in the entire world. How many millions of people died and millions more suffered because of greed and […]
SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2019
I must say that today has been a wonderful day. Vladika Lazar suggested that, if the pain is too intense, I should perhaps not come to church, which I did anyway. Thanks to Andy, I managed to walk across to the main building, although a chair had to be brought out so that I could […]
SATURDAY 09 NOVEMBER 2019
Today has been unusually quiet which enabled me to have much needed rest. During one of these rest periods, I awoke to find that it was four o’clock and bright outside and I could not imagine why it would be so bright at that time of the night. It actually took a few moments to […]
FRIDAY 08 NOVEMBER 2019
Is it not strange how we act? The cleaning woman provided by the health authorities was to come this afternoon, so what did we do?: The dishes were mostly washed, I made up my bed and so forth because I did not want it to look too messy when she came. This sounds familiar, does […]
THURSDAY 07 NOVEMBER 2019
I regret not being able to see the work that was done yesterday and, in fact, today. I believe that it was Andy, Daniel and his brother Brad, who first removed the shrubs then dug a deep trench until they located the broken part of the sewer line. Having repaired it, I now hope that […]
WEDNESDAY 06 NOVEMBER 2019
I do not wish to continue writing about health issues but in today’s diary entry I will mainly talk about Vladika Lazar and his appointments. He first visited his doctor who told him, after the examination, that he was in a healthy state, cancer free, with good blood pressure etc. and this news was received […]
TUESDAY 05 NOVEMBER 2019
We were delighted to hear from Ekaterina and Mikhail who informed us of their exhibit of Orthodox churches in Alberta. The photography is astounding and so absolutely different from what one would see at ground level. Very well done! Check out ФОТОГАЛЕРЕЯ. Православные храмы Альберты (Канада) с высоты птичьего полета / Православие.Ru to see this work. […]
MONDAY 04 NOVEMBER 2019
What a difference it made to have slept soundly as I did last night. Probably by ordinary standards it was not very sound but I was pleased that I awoke only three or four times during the night instead of the usual countless ones. On the other hand, I felt groggy much of the day […]
SUNDAY 03 NOVEMBER 2019
This has been an emotional day. It was close to five o’clock in the morning before I could fall asleep so I was in no condition to go to church, yet I struggled, managed to get up, and dressed and, with Andy’s help I was in church not long before Holy Communion. The pain in […]
SATURDAY 02 NOVEMBER 2019
Unfortunately, this has not been a good day for me. No matter how many pain killers I took, the pain did not abate and, by the time Vespers was to be served, I could scarcely endure the pain, so I did not attend Vespers. It was the first time in many years that I was […]
FRIDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2019
Another day, another month, how quickly time flies by. November has come with a bright and warm sun, and the air filled with the aroma of composting grass and other greens. The repairman for the large printing machine has not yet returned with the necessary replacement, so we could not use the printer, instead we […]
THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER 2019
The GMC Envoy was brought back to the monastery today, after a new set of winter tires had been ordered and installed. The old ones were becoming bald and, whenever it rained, the tires began to skid, which was an important message to have them changed. Throughout the winter we get periods of rain or […]
WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2019
I had to pick up my medication at the hospital and, since it was past noon, we stopped at a diner to have lunch. Since smoking is not allowed in restaurants and cafes, half a dozen burly looking men stood outside near the entrance, all smoking and looking almost menacing. Yet, as we approached the […]
TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2019
While it was still sunny, Father Moses and I went to the memorial field to look for fallen acorns but, unfortunately, we found only five, all the rest having been eaten by hungry squirrels. During the war in Jugoslavia in the 1990s, a group of young people came to plant an oak sapling which has […]
MONDAY 28 OCTOBER 2019
The days are becoming shorter with great rapidity and one positive aspect about this is that the vigil lamps looked after by Niana are immediately noticeable both in the outdoor chapel and gatehouse as well. As one walks by in the dark, the flickering lights draw our attention to the main purpose of the monastery—praying […]
SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 2019
Andy warned me that it was chilly this morning, so I dressed accordingly by putting on a warm sweater and a warm cap, even though it is a short distance to walk from the cottage to the main building. Vladika Lazar did not feel well today so, for the first time in many months, he […]
SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER 2019
This has been a difficult day for me, as I did not fall asleep until about 5:30 in the morning, so I have felt groggy all day. We had a pleasurable conversation with Simeon about his studies in Finland and why he would like to return there to complete his studies. I think that Vladika […]
FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 2019
Although it was overcast this day, there were many sunny periods and, during one of these breaks, I sat on the verandah of the main building, away from the cool breeze and absorbing the warmth of the sun. I gazed upon the giant cottonwoods that have lost all their leaves, but the weeping willows are […]
THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2019
Early this morning while I was still in bed, but not yet ready to get up, I heard some animal’s voice outside. I could tell that it was not that of a bear, or coyote, or raccoon, but it might have been a cougar because we do have them around once in a while. It […]
WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2019
I had heard about our resident rabbit but, having never seen it, I assumed it was a rabbit’s tale [or perhaps tail?] Yet, as I walked to the main building I heard some rustling in the leaves and saw a rabbit scurrying along toward the woodpile, so now I am convinced that there is a […]
TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2019
After much procrastinating, I finally forced myself to bring out the jars and lids, the wax and the fragrance for the preparation of skin cream. It did not take too long to make it, and to pour it into jars, then to seal and label them. I have felt slothful all day and accomplished almost […]
MONDAY 21 OCTOBER 2019
This has been Election Day in Canada after a short forty day campaign which seemed long enough for most of us. I cannot imagine how Americans can stand an election campaign that stretches for over a year. Still, some Canadian are no doubt happy with the outcome of this election, others, not happy, but that […]
SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER 2019
Andy came to help Vladika Lazar walk over to the main building, as we had a typical autumnal drizzle and later he came to help me as well, holding the giant golf umbrella over my head to keep me dry. For once I felt completely comfortable in church, it being not too warm, nor too […]
SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2019
Now that I look back, today has been ever so quiet, with not a single phone call or any visitors, except for Vespers. I felt that I needed relaxing which my weary bones required. Vladika Lazar is in Chilliwack at the Holy Apostles Church so I do not expect him back for a while. Meanwhile, […]
FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2019
There is much controversy nowadays about flu shots, but Vladika Lazar and I have had them for probably at least forty years and never have either of us come down with the flu. Consequently, we went to the pharmacy to get our shots today. I like this particular pharmacy mainly because of its two handicap […]
THURSDAY 17 OCTOBER 2019
I had hoped to rest for a while so, while lying in the reclining chair and enjoying the rest, we suddenly lost our power, which meant that I was trapped and could not get up. While Andy hurried to start the generator so that we could at least have some light, Kyrill came to free […]
WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2019
Someone mentioned that today looks and feels like a typical late November day and they probably were correct, for it has been overcast with showers, not cold but dreary and completely uninspiring. I do not wish to suggest that November is a dreary month, rather it is caught somewhere between the joy of autumn and […]
TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2019
Since I was scarcely out today, there is not much that I can say, however I will add that the Jeep suddenly stalled and a kind young man came to our rescue. He brought out cables for a quick jump start and the Jeep was revived. We shall have to look into this problem and […]
MONDAY 14 OCTOBER 2019
Wow, what a day. I slept poorly last night, so I came to church while the first antiphon was already being sung, so I was given a chair next to the kliros where I sat quietly and joined the singers as best as I could. Meanwhile, Vladika had come early and asked Father Victor and […]
SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER 2019
It was difficult to get up this morning and even after Vladika Lazar had gone to church, I was very slow in getting ready. Eventually I got there but with some difficulty. When the Liturgy was about to begin, the bells had to be rung, so I stepped out into the belfry and rang the […]
SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER 2019
It has been a remarkably quiet day with no visitors and no events, possibly due to the long weekend. This is the last long weekend for people to go out camping, as it is Thanksgiving Day on Monday. I walked about a little, picked a few raspberries and figs, and left the ripest apples for […]
FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER 2019
What a gorgeous day it has been, warm and sunny, the air filled with an autumnal fragrance and tree leaves turning into various colours. Moreover, we had lunch in a Chinese restaurant with Elia and Gerry which was a special treat, especially since I could use the provided chop sticks. Speaking of food, Andrey phoned […]
THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER 2019
The long awaited truck arrived to empty the septic tank and this procedure did not take long, with some advice given on how to treat the tank. I sincerely hope that at least some of the problems that we have had will now disappear. One interesting piece of advice was to not use anti bacterial […]
WEDNESDAY 09 OCTOBER 2019
Today’s highlight was the visit to my doctor’s office. I kept postponing it until finally I could stand it no longer. The operation had on my right hip earlier this year was successful and now, just as the surgeon had said, the left one began. I was sent to be x-rayed and the surgeon notified […]
TUESDAY 08 OCTOBER 2019
There was a telephone call from Florida this morning and I was certain that it was Father Vasili calling. The first thing that came to my mind was that perhaps another hurricane was threatening them, or even worse, but no, he was anxious to know how all of us were and, after reading about the […]
MONDAY 07 OCTOBER 2019
Our good friend Yuri, the rodent control specialist, was here to examine the situation concerning rodents, as they are beginning to creep out of the woods, looking for a warmer place to live. We have not been bothered by mice for some time now, but it is indisputable that they will be knocking at our […]
SUNDAY 06 OCTOBER 2019
As I recall, it must have been about 6 degrees C when I stepped out to go to church this morning and, knowing this beforehand, I put on my winter cassock thinking that it would keep me warm, which it did. When I entered the church I could see that all the windows were open, […]
SATURDAY 05 OCTOBER 2019
What a delightful baptism we had today, if one can call a baptism delightful. Really, what I meant was that the service flowed freely without any hesitations and seven year old Alexandra was dressed in a long white gown adorned with white roses, making her look so elegant, but being the child that she is. […]
FRIDAY 04 OCTOBER 2019
How frustrating it was to locate a certain photo in my mobile phone even though there are less than four hundred photos in it, as they are arranged by date, by place etc and etc. Gone are the days when one could simply insert a roll of film, remove it when done, have it developed, then […]