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It seems that each year, at the beginning of February, we are lulled into thinking that spring has arrived and so it is today. The sky is clear, the sun is shining brightly and the air feels warm and enthralling which is why I have kept my sliding door open all day. It also reminds me of my childhood in Saskatchewan when I was able to keep my bedroom window partially open overnight in May. I can still recall the fragrance that wafted in through the window and the sound of the birds singing cheerfully. But, spring has not yet arrived and we shall no doubt have much more rain and a couple of cold spells with some snow. Some ladybirds (perhaps more commonly known as ladybugs in North America) have crept in and are now crawling on the walls and ceiling as I sit at my desk. Not only are they beneficial but even loveable, which is why they are called in Russian, "God's Little Cows." The covers for the book that was just reprinted were picked up and they look very good. I had forgotten that the cover design was done in France for the Romanian language edition of the book.
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2 February, 2012

The first pleasantness of the morning was the appearance of the sun for a brief while. The van went in for an inspection and only two belts had to be replaced, much to my pleasure because anticipating a visit to the garage can be likened to visiting a dentists office. The other agreeable activity was having Father Moses willing to vacuum in my place. In all honesty, I am quite poor, or perhaps impatient, in vacuuming. The quilt was aired outdoors in the afternoon and, with a change of bed linen, sleep should be quite sound and pleasant tonight. While checking for mail at our local post office, I was able to film the swans feeding in a nearby field and it is now on Youtube. Deacon Philip is close to completing the printing of the book he recently undertook and Brother Ephraim has been running errands and tasks in town. All in all, it has been a rewarding and busy day.

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1 February, 2012

Let it never be said that we have no sunshine. We do, and actually the sun shone for a couple of hours today. Often we need just a brief appearance of the sun to brighten our spirits. Speaking of brightening the spirits, I needed plenty of that today, since I have begun writing out tax receipts for the previous year. It is not a difficult task but one more suited to accountants, among whose numbers I do not count. At least I can be grateful that this transpires only once a year and then, for the remainder of the year, I do not feel the pressure of preparing and mailing these receipts. I could not help but spend some time in church, rearranging some of the icons and hanging some new ones. We have been fortunate in having so many real icons, that is, painted or, as some would say, "written", rather than reproductions. We strive to have only canonical icons rather than those commonly referred to as "classical" or some other designation which are really nothing more than western paintings and images. Many icons look as if they are acceptable but the faces are too sentimental and realistic, while the position of the hands and fingers are taken directly from western art. The most difficult thing about donated icons is that people seldom ask if they can purchase or order an icon to your liking. Instead they buy one and then expect you to be grateful. We have been very fortunate in having Father Moses as the official "accepter" of icons. If an icon is improper in style (or content) he simply says that we cannot accept it and explains why. Most people seem to understand the refusal although some must surely keep "scratching their heads," all the while wondering why one icon can be canonical while another cannot. Since Father Moses types up each day's diary, you cannot see the originals that are hand-written by me. Recently I bought a set of eight ball point pens of various colours at Staples at a startling reduction. Now I understand why there was a drastic cut in the price. On every fourth or fifth line and always on the first word of each sentence, a small blob of ink pours out, making an unsightly mess on the lined paper. No doubt the moral of this is that every bargain is not necessarily a bargain.

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31 January, 2012

The last day of January always makes us feel that spring is not too far away. This morning we drove across the border to mail books in Sumas, Washington. Brother Ephraim worked on candles, Father Moses trimmed candles and Deacon Philip prepared to reprint another book that is now out of print -- "Evidence of Things not Seen". I made another large batch of our special skin creams which many people use regularly because it ha no additives and uses only natural ingredients. Since the afternoon was pleasant, I took a spade and walked down our road to try to fill in some potholes that are getting larger. Perhaps it is futile but I felt good to be outside and engaging in some exercise

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30 January, 2012

There seems to be little to write about today, although I was pleased to see that our parsley and sorrel were not killed by the frosts and icy winds. Looking at various websites one can see many blessings of water on the feast of Theophany and in some instances people waded into the open sea or lakes. It rather seems that our celebration of the feast here at the monastery was unique in that the thick ice had to be broken before anyone could go into the icy water -- including women. Those who did go into the water said that they can scarcely wait until next year to repeat it. Brother Ephraim has been working on candles and we soon shall be needing more beeswax. If our regular supplier from Norther Alberta does not deliver some beeswax soon, we may have to locate some locally.

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29 January, 2012

The singing in today's Slavonic Liturgy was extraordinarily good and it reminded one of the singing heard in some of the smaller Russian monasteries. In most Orthodox church choirs one hears women's voices primarily. Here we have strong male voices and today there was a new and powerful baritone that gave the singing more depth and fulness than usual. I do not know how it happened that this year we had an over abundance of children's toys and baskets of candies and goodies to pass out. Even after the Children's "Yolka" of two weeks ago, we still had two large bags of goodies, so today, after the Agape meal, we passed out the treats to the children first and then to adults and you can probably guess who enjoyed them the most!

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28 January, 2012

This morning was spent with people coming and going, and among them was a couple planning to be married which is always joyous news for us. Later we drove to Chilliwack to bless Nikolai's and Elena's new house. It is beautiful and Grandmother Vilena's presence made it special. Paramon was hospitable and Xenia treated us to a piano recital after the meal. While we were away, an effort was made to protect some of the trees that had already been attacked by the beavers. Chicken wire fencing is wrapped around the tree trunk and that prevents the beavers from gnawing. Apparently it is not the strength of the wire, which is not that great, but its density that plays havoc with beavers' teeth.

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27 January, 2012

The alarm clock had to be set for early morning, or actually more like the middle of the night because Vladika Lazar was to be interviewed from Moscow via the internet. It was a successful interview, done in preparation for the conference in Moscow next month which Vladika will attend. Then, we went to pick up the books "The Neurobiology of Sin" and "Concordance on Dostoevsky" that had been collated and bound. From there we went to pick up Vladika's visa in Vancouver, then hurriedly returned to the monastery. While at the bindery, Vladika made a short film of the interior of the bindery and showing how the machinery works. Word has spread throughout our neighbourhood that cougar tracks were spotted recently and everyone is warned to be careful outdoors. Also, our nuisance of a beaver has begun to attack some of our trees and trying to block a culvert

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26 January, 2012

I felt slightly hungry because I was not allowed to have anything since a CT scan had been scheduled for me. The procedure was straightforward and brief. I was then supposed to sit for five minutes while pressing on the double bandaid but they seemed to have forgotten about me. Finally, I went around, looking for someone to release me. Once that was done, Father Moses and Brother Ephraim and I set out to serve a funeral. On the way I managed to get a sub sandwich and we arrived with no time to spare. Everything had to be set up and arranged before we could begin. I was lead to believe that there would be a rather small crowd but hundreds of people showed up, no less than five hundred, with people crammed into every corner, every hall, corridor, reception area, etc. The service itself was in both Church Slavonic and English and, I am pleased to say, we were in very good voice so that the service flowed marvellously. Please remember the servant of God Yuriy in your prayers.

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25 January, 2012

The memory of the Holy Martyr Tatiana is celebrated today and so, I tried to telephone as many Tatianas as possible to congratulate them on their namesday. In Russia it is considered to be a students' holiday because the first university in Russia, that is the Univerity of Moscow, was inaugurated on the feast of Saint Tatiana and now it does not matter which university is attended -- all students consider it to be their special day. I was out to bless a house and, as usual, I was invited to the table (as Russians say). And as usual, there was enough food to feed the entire neighbourhood, yet it was most enjoyable because so much can be learned and so much pleasure derived while sitting around a table and conversing (and eating, naturally). I must be aging because by the end of the day I often become quite tired, just as I have today. It is also Robbie Burns Day but we have nothing Scottish or Scotch to celebrate, not even a wee dram.

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24 January, 2012

I hope that we are not becoming spoiled. This morning I went across the border alone to mail books because we were unable to go earlier due to the feast days and the poor weather. All went well and I had no difficulties until I saw a yellow card in our postal box, meaning that there was a parcel to pick up. In fact, there were two parcels. Our very dear friends from Virginia had sent us a box of organic peanut butter and tahini and also a gigantic fig and almond cake. Yes, nothing but compressed figs and almonds, a delicious and nutritious delicacy from Spain. That is what I meant by being spoiled -- perhaps being spoiled a little bit will do no harm! Father Moses visited the dentist today and is on his way to having his teeth in good condition again. Vladika Lazar was interviewed for an hour and a half by our local university radio, so it has been an eventful day. More bottles had to be prepared for Holy Water that people will take on Sunday. Mineral water and wine bottles seem to be the best for Holy Water, the former being easier to remove labels by soaking them in warm water.

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23 January, 2012

Much of the day was centred on this week's calendar with some of us seeing the dentist, having various medical check-ups, a c.t.scan, blessings of houses and a funeral and also a radio interview. Needless to say it is going to be extremely busy. Two dozen photographs of our Theophany celebration have appeared on the "Archdiocese of Canada" website and on our Youtube one can see the people going into the icy water.
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22 January, 2012

The gentle rain helped to melt much of the snow, yet we scattered salt pellets to keep people from slipping. As usual, the Divine Liturgy was well attended and today we had our three teenagers serving in the altar -- Paramon, Andrew and Luke. We had a second blessing of water and almost all the bottles were later filled and taken home -- dozens and dozens of them. At the Agape meal we had two immense Vasilopitas with an array of coins inside. Everyone was warned not to bite too hard to keep from possibly breaking a tooth. Everyone enjoyed trying to find the pieces that had coins hidden in them. It was good to see some people who have not been here for some time. After the meal, some people asked for various prayers, for a memorial service and also for a service of intercession. Then, there were discussions about places for various events throughout the year. It would be impossible for us to accomplish this by ourselves but we have many good, devoted people who are willing to take on responsibilities in assisting our monastery life.

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21 January, 2012

Minutes after Father Moses took my diary to type last night, my water returned. It felt so good to be able to have running water to wash, brush my teeth, make tea. The temperature has risen and snow is melting fairly quickly, although the roads are not especially icy. The people who were stuck yesterday managed to get out but our neighbour's truck ended up in a ditch and he had to use his excavator to pull it out. Our kitchen sink is in operation again. One of the problems with it was that a numb er of plastic stir sticks had been forced down the sink. As of today we are no longer going to use either plastic or wooden stir sticks but teaspoons instead. Countless bottles have been cleaned and sterilized and they are now ready to be filled with tomorrow's Holy Water. Paths have been cleared, icy stretches de-iced, food prepared and so we are ready for tomorrow's Divine Liturgy, Agape and the Meleti to follow. It appears that some Greek speaking people plan to come tomorrow and they will bring a (belated) Vasilopita which is brought on Saint Basil's Day. There always is excitement in the cutting of the Vasilopita to see who gets the coins. We hope to put some plates on our website of the blessing of water outdoors on Theophany.
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20 January, 2012

We still seem to be recovering from the wondrous feastday we just celebrated when people disregarded the fierce Arctic wind and, after chopping a hole in the ice, they descended into the blessed water.
Today, it has begun to drizzle which will no doubt turn to sleet at night and the roads tomorrow will be extremely dangerous. This afternoon we were visited by the police, that is, Dennis (Dionysios) a former local policeman who now is studying theology in the U.S. dropped by. It was interesting to hear his comments on living (at least temporarily) in the U.S. and how different our two cultures are.
Father Moses and Chris carried emergency water supplies to my place since I will be without water for a while. Deacon Phillip fixed the faucet on the water blessing vessel in the church, which we have neglected to repair for the past 2 years. He has been doing painting as well. Brother Ephraim and Chris dressed warmly and have begun walking out toward the end of our road because someone has got stuck near the sign and cannot free themselves from the ice. The road and our pathway to the monastery is so icy at the moment that I had to hold on to Brother Ephraim's arm and use my cane in the other one, in order to walk to my little abode. Father Moses has just informed me that he slipped and fell on the ice between the buildings so is inside and refusing to go outdoors again.

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19 January, 2012

What a remarkable day! The Arctic wind blew bitterly, the snowbanks kept getting bigger and Helen's van was still stuck in a snow bank. Apparently the British Columbia Automobile Association did send out a tow truck, but when he examined the situation, he felt that he himself would be unable to get out so her van remained stranded. A few people telephoned early to find out if they could safely drive in and in each case I advised them to stay at home although I was certain that our kids from Moldova would make an effort to come. In addition to having no water in my place, water was unable to run out of our kitchen sink. At any rate, we began the Hours and then the Divine Liturgy. All of a sudden a family arrived, then another and more kept coming in. They had all stopped on the road and tramped through the snowdrifts on our monastery road. Over two dozen souls ventured to brave the storm and just as the service began, we lost our power which meant that we had no lights, no heat and no water. We tried to get the emergency generator out but it was missing a spark plug. What else could go wrong? Suddenly, as we began the Cherubic Hymn, power came on again, much to our relief. Then we had the Greater Blessing of Water and we descended to the hall where the stove had been lit and it had become quite warm. I ran out to get a very warm jacket to wear over my outer ryassa and also gloves, and we started out to bless the water at the end of the road. By the time we reached the monument, an acquaintance had already cleared part of the road with his Bobcat. When we reached the water, some of the men tried to break the ice but could not, until one stout fellow pulled out a loose fence post and smashed through the ice. I then blessed the water and threw a cross into the icy water. Igor jumped in first, causing some of the sediment to rise and he could not see the cross, so he gave up and came out of the water. Then Kostya went in next and he, too, could not find the cross. So, Igor tried once more without success. Then, Marina stepped down the wooden steps and jumped into the water, followed by Sergei. Once again Igor went into the icy water and was able to retrieve the cross. These brave souls changed into dry clothes in Igor's large van and drove back to the monastery. The rest of us braved the Arctic chill and returned rosy-cheeked. While we were having our festive meal, Vladimir arrived and he also went out to immerse himself in the blessed icy water. Later, many of us sat in a semi-circle around the stove, enjoying the heat it gave off and the crackling sound of the burning logs. Now, at the end of the day, the kitchen is full of dirty dishes since we still cannot use the sink but it does not matter. Tomorrow and the day after will be warmer and things should return to normal. Everyone has a wonderful time because of the cold, not in spite of it, for they said that Theophany would not be the same without the "Theophany frosts" as they are called in Russian. And, everyone who had gone into the icy water said that they felt blessed and privileged to have partaken in this custom. They said that they did not feel the coldness of the water because they entered it so quickly. It is when one goes into it gradually that it can be unbearable. As I blessed people with holy water at that site, some drops actually turned to ice on their jackets and especially on metal, such as zippers. I simply could not have asked for a more beautiful and wondrous Theophany than the one we experienced today. I was just informed that other people came later in the day to dip into the icy Theophany water.

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18 January, 2012

What an Arctic front we are experiencing. We were able to drive through the snowdrifts and continue on to Port Coquitlam to the bindery where two books were left to be collated and bound. From there we went to give Holy Communion to a dying man and from there on to Vancouver where Vladika Lazar had to leave documents to get a visa for Russia. And, what a coincidence -- a woman had telephoned to ask for a document to be verified and signed and, lo and behold we bumped into each other on a busy Vancouver street. By the time we arrived home it was time for the Theophany Eve service, with the wind howling and snow covering everything. Our Helen arrived but when she left, her van got stuck in a snowdrift. As I write this, an hour later, she is still stuck even though our young men went out to free her. I doubt that anyone will be able to drive through tomorrow unless someone clears our road. All I can say is that we shall see what happens, or as the Serbs say, "Ako Bog da" (as God grants).

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17 January, 2012

It did not look too promising this morning although the air was crisp and everything was still and covered with snow. Deacon Philip again kept the paths clear while Brother Ephraim and Chris managed to move the van off the patch of ice. This made it possible for me to pick up my new cellphone which, I believe, will be cheaper and more efficient than my old one. Vladika Lazar had his photograph taken for a visa to visit Russia. Brother Ephraim spent much of the day making candles, as our supply was quickly diminishing. The forecast is for cold and a wind at night which could mean snowdrifts on our monastery road. Yet, we must try to get out since we had an urgent request to visit a dying man tomorrow. There is no use in worrying about it right now and in the morning it will be evident whether we can make an attempt to drive through the snow drifts or if we are stranded for some time. And then, there is the problem of people not knowing if they can reach us on the feast of Theophany. We shall simply see how everything unfolds.

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16 January, 2012

While sitting at my desk and gazing out the window it is impossible not to be overcome by the beauty of all the snow around us. There must be at least 10 inches of snow on the roof-tops and each twig of every tree is covered with snow. It reminds one of those old fashioned calendars with winter scenes that looked almost unreal. On the other hand we dare not venture out on the van lest we cannot cope with a steep incline near the main road. That has happened to us in previous years when we got stuck and had to leave the vehicle for a couple of days until warm weather returned. Deacon Philip kept shovelling snow and clearing paths, including a long one right up to my doorstep. A delivery was made by a printing press company, the driver arriving in an ordinary car but the driveway is so steep at the very end that his car, unable to find any traction because of the ice, slid backward and bumped into a tree. I could not tell how much damage there was but even our van almost experienced the same. Let us hope that tomorrow will be better.

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15 January, 2012

An early telephone call was made to ask us about our snowfall. We had less than two inches but in many parts of Vancouver and the suburbs there was an eight inch snowfall, so people assumed that we would have even more. The first people to arrive told us of the heavy fog they drove through. Yet, they gradually arrived and kept coming until the church was crammed. I began hearing confessions about half way through Matins, that is, about nine-thirty and I continued hearing confessions, except during the Gospel reading and the sermon, until the beginning of the Symbol of Faith. The Agape meal had scarcely ended when the tables were cleared of dishes and food, and the middle row of tables was carried away to make room for the presentation. Some of the characters were the Snow Queen, the Snow Maiden, an assortment of others from Russian folk tales and, lastly, Grandfather Frost. Since there was no time for a rehearsal, the various characters had to fend for themselves at times, which they did extremely well. The costumes were delightful and everyone joined in to sing the children's songs. Without a doubt it was the nicest "yolka" or children's programme that we ever had.

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14 January, 2012

Although we had about two inches of snow overnight followed by rain and hail, it was the lower Fraser Valley (Vancouver and suburbs) that suffered with nine inches of snow. Many homes had no power and people were warned to stay indoors. We, on the other hand, even had at least three hours of sun so that we cannot complain. Two long filming sessions were done in the afternoon with visitors dropping in. After so little sleep last night, that is, going to bed at 2 a.m. after the midnight Moleben and drinking cups of the Russian tea from a women's monastery in Moscow, we naturally feel somewhat groggy today.

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13 January, 2012

It is Friday the thirteenth and, no, we are not superstitious. Tonight, at midnight, we shall have a thanksgiving moleben for the "old" new year. Some people might not have heard of it but if you use the traditional Orthodox or Julian Calendar, you will know what I mean. On this calendar tomorrow will be the first day of 2012 and also we will commemorate the memory of Saint Basil the Great whose relic we possess. It is the name day of our Fr Vasili (Wilkes), and we were grateful to have him with us for the Nativity Feast. May our Lord Jesus Christ, His most holy mother, the Theotokos, together with Saint Basil and all the saints bless us to have a spiritually prosperous year, good health and success in all things, in other words "Mnogaya Leta" or "Many Years". Quite a few book orders were filled today so that they can be mailed next week. I was surprised to see one order for twenty-five copies of "Innokenty of Alaska" because usually only a couple of copies are ordered at any one time. The title, "The Neurobiology of Sin" is out of print and already is in the process of being reprinted.

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12 January, 2012

I found a robin hopping about the lawn this morning. Has it returned, thinking that spring has arrived, or did it ever leave? When I hear the wrens I shall know that spring has definitely arrived.
Our power was off for a couple of hours and when I telephoned B.C.Hydro Repair, I was informed that a large bird had caused the problem. Our neighbour suggested that it must have been an albatross. The most annoying thing is having to reset the clocks, two ovens and five (or is it six?) microwave ovens in our buildings, as well as resetting the yard light. Of course it is not that difficult, simply annoying.
I removed all the seeds from the dried money plant to pass out and to reseed. I believe it is officially called "lunaria" but when I tried to look it up in the dictionary, nothing could be found. I did, however, look at a previous entry for "lunacy." Historically speaking, there used to be a "Master of Lunacy", an officer who investigated cases of alleged lunacy. (That is your lesson for today!).
I noticed that the diaries for 8-11 January were not up, so Vladika Lazar quickly straightened out that problem

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11 January, 2012
Can you imagine the sun shining all day? That is what we have experienced today. A neighbour brought chicken and beef patties to feed our cats who are not accustomed to such luxury. Whenever they desire to have some meat they have to catch a mouse or two. By the way, I have not been bothered by mice for a long time now and, just because I mentioned it, they will probably begin to invade my place. Vladika Lazar and Deacon Philip took food and clothing to the needy people in Abbotsford tonight. We have been pleased by the response to our requests for winter clothing and shoes for the needy. Our friend Sergei sent us a Russian translation he had done of the prayer to the Theotokos "Joy of Canada". After comparing it carefully with the original English version, we found his translation to be excellent, as he was able to be both precise and, what is of great importance, poetic, a talent that only good translators possess.

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10 January, 2012
Early this morning Vladika Lazar had to be in the hospital for a procedure while Father Moses had to see a dentist. I was "on call" so to speak, waiting to pick up either of them. Time passed slowly as I visited a number of bargain and thrift stores. Finally, when no one called me, I went to the hospital, only to discover that Vladika had been trying to reach me on my cell phone and finally he gave up, calling our neighbour to pick him up. It was then that I realized that I had no more time left on my cell phone. If it could at least warn me a few minutes before time runs out, but no, when I tried to use it, a voice came on to inform me that I had only a few seconds left. That is one reason why I am changing my cell phone carrier.
At least I managed to buy a few staple items, some gloves and socks to pass out to the needy tomorrow and some beautifully embroidered East Indian material that we can eventually use to cover the analoys in church. As I write this, I am looking at the narcissus I bought the other day. Perhaps they have done too well as they sit on my desk. They have grown at least eight inches (about 20 centimetres). One hyacinth has become so heavy that it is drooping more each day.
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9 January, 2012
We arose in what seemed to be the middle of the night to take Father Vasili to the West Coast Express train that left Mission for Vancouver. Once in the city, he had only to transfer to the Airport train in order to catch his flight to Miami, Florida. Everyone enjoyed his visit with us and we wish that it could have been longer -- maybe next time. Since there was no need for him to bring any vestments, the set that he wore has been here in the monastery for many years. I cannot even recall who gave them to us but they had been in use for many years before we received them. Then, Father Moses wore them for years and, to this day, he likes them best, even better than the newest and most resplendent ones. In fact, even Father John wore them for his ordination to the priesthood and for sometime later. There will be no need to prepare any food for a couple of days because of left-overs, although one can eat only so much of chocolate cookies, other sweets and chocolates. Still, there is enough cheese to keep us happy for the rest of the week.
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8 January, 2012

It was somewhat difficult to rise this morning because the joints let me know how tired they were. Nevertheless, once up, it was a rush to get ready for Matins, followed by the Divine Liturgy. Attendance was much better than we had expected but much less than the huge crowd we had yesterday. The main disadvantage of an immense turn out is that it is impossible to speak with everyone. And again we had electrical woes. Father Moses went to check on the coffee urn during the Liturgy and he returned to tell us that there was no power available. Brother Ephraim had to leave and see what had happened. Eventually he came to the conclusion that there was something wrong with the coffee urn itself, so we were rather short of coffee today, having to make it in small amounts in our kitchen coffee maker. After everyone left, Deacon Philip vacuumed the church and hall while others tended to the general Sunday clean up. All in all, it has been a remarkable weekend with people coming from everywhere. For some reason, we had a number of American visitors today. In fact, there were at least twelve nationalities represented in the worshippers today, a truly Orthodox phenomenon.
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7 January, 2012

As it often happens, when you do not expect many people for a service, they arrive in droves. The church was packed and confessions continued for a long time, in fact, until after the reading of the Gospel. When it came time for receiving Holy Communion, we kept singing, "Receive ye the body of Christ..." endlessly, as the stream of communicants seemed to be endless. Around 130 people received Communion. The Agape meal was noisy as everyone was in a festive mood and the hall was crammed. Many people had nowhere to sit and so extra chairs were brought to the tables, while others simply ate in the kitchen and the refectory. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the tables were awash in seas of chocolates and other sweets which is not to say that there was not enough food to be had. Everyone left, feeling quite filled with good food and plenty of sweets. Again, people dropped in during the afternoon to wish us well and to treat us with goodies (that is, mainly more chocolates). When Great Vespers was served, we all felt somewhat tired to say the least, yet the day was an outstanding festive occasion.

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6 January, 2012

The entire day seemed to be a preparation for the evening service. And, naturally, we had a problem with our electricity. Although we thought that it had been repaired, suddenly there was no heat in the bunk room where four people can stay. Last minute attempts provided no results and, consequently, our American visitors were taken under Joanna's wing, to whose home they went for the night. The service was excellent as was the presence of so many worshippers. When we went to have the Agape meal, everyone was surprised by the amount of food that was brought. The last people left at eleven thirty when the fire in the stove had died down and everyone became sleepy. All in all, it was a glorious day.

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5 January, 2012

Father Vasili arrived from Florida this afternoon after a long trip and feeling tired since he was up at three o'clock in the morning. As it happened, we had some electrical problems that could have inconvenienced our visitors but it was dealt with. It is a pity that Father Vasili could not bring his pet dog with him, a Havanese. At least we saw a picture of it. Apparently it is a fairly rare breed and Fr Moses immediately wished that we could have one as well. We are fond of our cats, but a little dog is quite another matter. Mount Etna has once gain erupted in Sicily, giving cause for many people here on the West Coast to worry about our Cascade volcanoes. One of them is Mount Baker, just across the border from us and certainly close by, at least "as the crow flies."

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4 January, 2012

The weather forecast is for more rain and that the warm air is coming to us from near Hawaii. Since there have been no strong winds, there is no "Pineapple Express" as South Pacific storms that hit the coast of British Columbia are called. Deacon Philip has printed Metropolitan Antony's book on Dostoyevsky which has been out of print for some time. I spent part of the afternoon changing the clothes on the holy table and decorating the church in preparation for Nativity. I also tried to find an appropriate set of vestments that Father Vasili can use this weekend. There was no need for him to pack a set of his own vestments when he could use one of the monastery's. He will fly in from Florida tomorrow and let us hope that he will not find it too cold here. We look forward to his visit because he is unable to be here very often. Vladika Lazar and Deacon Philip went to Abbotsford to help in feeding the needy and the street people. They also took a bag of warm caps to hand out. Father Moses and Chris are cleaning the vestry because it has become filled with various things, such as empty bottles to be used for Holy Water on Theophany. Brother Ephraim is in the process of finishing a basement window, so one can say that everyone has been busy all day.

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3 January, 2012

While shopping for a weekly pocket planner, which I ought to have done much earlier, I noticed some small potted plants on sale. I broke down and bought two for myself, a pink hyacinth and yellow narcissus; they are now on my desk. Although I felt guilty at first for not sharing them with others, at least placing them on the kitchen table, I soon overcame this feeling, recalling how I buy potted flowers or two for myself each January as a reminder of spring. Besides, I can plant them in the garden later on. More telephone calls let me know that the children's programmes will be presented on 15 January so that I do not have to worry about that any more. Actually, when I was in town today, particularly at the mall, I had to stop a number of times to chat with people, none of whom were Orthodox, and perhaps even non church goers. There was the woman sitting outdoors on a bench and knitting a sweater. She had to tell me in detail what she was knitting. Then, a familiar face sipping coffee, again outdoors, a man who had come to repair our telephone lines a few times before he retired. Then, there was the cashier who chatted for a while since there was no one waiting in line. In a small city one becomes known quite quickly and most people react kindly. Young people do not engage in conversations so easily because they often seem to be unsure of themselves and do not know how to react, whereas with the elderly, one can carry on a conversation on almost any subject. As well, seniors can interact splendidly, usually with a good sense of humour.
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2 January, 2012

After the tiring weekend, I actually slept in this morning and it was slightly past eight when I awoke. I was somewhat startled because I never oversleep and invariably am awake long before the alarm clock rings. Rain began quietly in the afternoon and we have been promised at least three days of soggy weather. Some time was spent speaking to people who would like to put on a children's program in mid-January. We rather look forward to such events, in particular the "Yolka" or children's fir tree and Grandfather Frost. Every year I have worried and fretted about such presentations but this winter I decided not to be involved and to let others be responsible. I have a feeling that it was a very intelligent decision. Brother Ephraim and Chris worked on cleaning up the basement while Deacon Philip cleaned the church. I shall soon have to begin sending out tax receipts for donations made in 2011 and to calculate the total of our HST (sales tax) for 2011 so that we can receive a refund from the government.

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1 January, 2012

A number of people came before midnight last night for the New Year Moleben, after which we ate. I had intended to have only tea and biscuits but others brought lenten food so we sat and visited and ate until about on thirty a.m. and finally went to sleep by two a.m. The alarm clock rang loudly in the morning, a little too early it felt, but it was another Sunday and we had to prepare for Matins and Liturgy. Attendance was not particularly good and most people were tired because of staying up late to meet the new year. Helen was pleased to be able to participate more than usual in singing and reading since we were short on readers and chanters. We do not have female readers and chanters but rather congregational singing and anyone can be asked to pitch in to do reading or chanting. Most people did not linger long after the Agape but rather hurried home to rest. Let us pray that this new year will be full of God's blessing with good health and all that is needed for the salvation of our souls.

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31 December, 2011

Today has brought us to the end of this year, for which we have much to be thankful. At midnight we will serve a Moleben for the new year. A number of people have indicated that they will come but it might be slightly difficult because they will not have much sleep before they return for the Divine Liturgy tomorrow. We shall see, and I will describe it in some detail later. In the morning we went to our local airport to spend a little time with someone from the Armed Forces of Canada who had wanted to meet Vladika Lazar in person. The only opportunity he had was before catching his flight from Abbotsford. Almost two week's worth of garbage was hauled away and much of this afternoon was dedicated to sweeping, vacuuming and cleaning. George left his commercial sewing machine with us and Deacon Philip had a chance to shorten the hem on his cassock. He had a lot of experience with alterations especially when he worked in his father's shop years ago. For a monastery to run efficiently it is necessary to have people with various skills

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30 December, 2011

When I stepped outside I could not believe how warm it was. It felt like spring, the only thing missing was the sun. Another, much greater joy was that the gas bubble in my eye had completely disappeared overnight and now my eyes should be operating normally once again. Psychologically it was like regaining one's youth and I must especially remember the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Youths whose memory we celebrate today. The visitors who came today kept me from doing much other than receiving them and offering them our monastery hospitality. After Chris finished cleaning the laundry room I could scarcely recognize it. How clean it was, with everything meticulously put away, just as someone young and energetic can do..
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29 December, 2011

What a relief it was to finally do something about the piles of books on the library floor. We are short of space and acquiring new books, so our collection was weeded. After carefully examining which books are not really needed, they have been set aside and will be given to the "Books for Charity" organization. As usual, a few were kept merely for sentimental reasons and some books in Greek are set aside for our Greek-speaking friends. Brother Ephraim and Chris, who has come to stay for a while, have been working on the sign at the entrance to the monastery property. Yesterday's strong wind caused some damage. Deacon Philip finished printing Volume 6 of the "Lives of Saints for Young People". Father Moses has been typing so that everyone has been busy. I am thrilled to see the gas bubble in my eye decreasing in size, rapidly because as soon as it disappears I can remove my medical bracelet and feel normal once more. Now, I must hurry to the kitchen to prepare the last part of supper (it is "supper" here, not "dinner"). In case you are interested in knowing what we will eat, a pot of green beans and potatoes in a tomato sauce, Greek style, is ready, a tossed garden salad, steamed baby bokchoy and Persian bread that was given to us yesterday -- a good lenten meal that anyone can enjoy!

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28 December, 2011

We rose to find a strong wind blowing from the west, almost like a "pineapple express" when warm wind blows in from the warmer parts of the Pacific Ocean. There was no frangipani fragrance but it was welcome. Soon after, the rain began and continued throughout the day. Yesterday afternoon our neighbour, a dairy farmer, spread manure from his cow barns on a field. The wind blew it in another direction but such fertilizings leave a rancid, ammonia-like stench in the air. Usually it disappears after a few hours.
    Then, we set out for the post office in Sumas, Washington, to mail books. On our return at customs a new official, a young woman, was quite thorough in her questioning. When she was told that the wooden box she saw is used as a communion kit for hospital visits, she was satisfied and we continued on our way.
    Stopping in Mission to run some errands I checked at one store that often has great bargains. This time I bought six tetrapacks (one litre each) of organic vegetable broth and sixteen of organic potato and leek soup (completely dairy free), each pack costing only seventy-five cents.
    I have begun proofreading Volume Seven of the Lives of Saints for Young People and then I will be able to read each life for our Canadian Orthodox Broadcast
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27 December, 2011
Even though "Boxing Day" has become "Boxing Week" in many places, we were not anxious to visit the malls but some shopping had to be done. As quickly as possible, we returned to the peacefulness of the monastery.
    Visitors arrived to see us, and it was great to see Apostolos again. He resides in Switzerland but is visiting his parents whom we have known for many years.
    Several people telephoned to enquire about the schedule for the Nativity services. Those who had been here before did not need directions but some will be coming for the first time and, although it seems simple to find us, in fact many people get lost since our road is a cul-de-sac (dead-end road). Scott, our visitor, left this morning promising to visit us again in the future. Also, we managed to pick up a number of touques and caps at the thrift store (on at half price) to give out to the needy street people. We shall be asking people to donate scarves, gloves, socks and caps for the needy.
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26 December, 2011

Last evening Deacon Philip removed our old island that was in the middle of the kitchen and replaced it with a new table. In addition to a large table, plenty of counter space, we have a two and a half by six foot island in the middle, next to the sink, two kitchen ranges, two refrigerators, microwave oven and other cupboards. In a way it could be the envy of anyone who has to spend much time in the kitchen.
    Brother Ephraim and Scott, our guest, went to a "Pick-a-Part" to find material with which to repair our pickup. Our neighbourhood is quiet as it usually is after a holiday, although we continue to clean and maintain order, a never ending job, in preparation for the forthcoming feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. Today was also a watering day for our indoor plants, about two dozen, ranging from medium-sized aloes and peace lilies, to larger philodendrons and palms. Brother Ephraim has a potted tomato that still has a few tomatoes to be picked
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25 December, 2011
    Each year on this day there is somewhat of a conflict for some Orthodox Christians. It is Christmas for the Roman Catholics and Protestants and the minority of Orthodox who have chosen to use the Gregorian calendar. But the vast majority of Orthodox Christians feel uncomfortable with the “new calendar” on choose to maintain the Traditional calendar, celebrate Christ's nativity thirteen days later. Our service today, commemorating St Spiridon, brought a huge throng of people to church whereas we hear that some who use the Gregorian calendar did not bother to attend church because of opening presents, roasting turkeys and preparing for family dinners and visitors, all that is associated with Christmas day. I am not offering a judgment to anyone using this Gregorian calendar, but would like to mention one reason why the majority prefer to use the Traditional calendar. When our Nativity Feast arrives, the world around us is quiet, the commercial hype and frenzy have passed and we can celebrate the incarnation of Christ in holiness and peacefulness. It is almost like the difference between the birth of baby Jesus on the one hand, and the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer on the other.
    The strong winds out of the southwest that we in British Columbia refer to as a “pineapple express” left thousands of people with no power today, which made it difficult for them to celebrate. Fortunately, we have not experienced any power outage, despite the strong winds. Such occurrences seem to be worse at night because suddenly there is no heat, no water, no lights and one feels quite lost.

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24 December, 2011

Early in the morning our kids, as we call them, from Moldova arrived in a huge van, ready to help decorate the hall and church for the upcoming services. Today was a free day for them so they had earlier asked for a blessing to do the decorating. Ladders, pliers and other instruments were brought out and last year's decoration taken out of storage. The tree was put up and decorated with lights, garlands and various colourful objects. Lights were strung from corner to corner, along the staircase and it looked quite different from previous years. I had forgotten that some people were arriving for a memorial service so, when they arrived, the table was already set for a meal but we decided to postpone it until after the memorial. When we finished, these people were invited to join us at the table (in fact, two tables placed together) so it was like a memorial meal for them. The woman had made lenten savoury rolls and braids, filled with potatoes and tofu with dill and green onions. The men continued with the decorating, finally doing a bit in the church. It looks splendid at night when all the decorative lights are lit and this will be left through Nativity and Theophany. It was so good to have these young people, joyous and filled with energy, and keeping a strict lenten fast.

23 December, 2011

After a stop at the hospital pharmacy to pick up some supplies, there was a lot of food preparation to deal with, for tonight, for Saturday and Sunday as well. Several large lenten dishes were prepared and refrigerated. Then, proofreading began which I do not mind. So often mistakes are discovered on the second proof reading, even if the first one was done carefully. The 2012 service schedule was prepared for January to June and now Father Moses must type it up. After checking for corrections,it will be printed for local use and also posted on our website. Scott, our visitor, has been repairing, fixing and cleaning which has helped us very much. Also, he brought us numerous bottles of juice and soy milk, all of which we can certainly use. I missed greeting the Conrads when they telephoned Vladika Lazar today, so I can at least wish you all in Virginia a blessed Nativity season and much health.

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22 December, 2011

At last we could go to Port Coquitlam where the bindery is located to pick up the boxes of books that had been collated and bound. The rest of the day was spent in fulfilling obediences. Some shopping had to be done but, because the stores are so crowded during the day, I decided to shop at about ten o'clock in the evening. It was great to go about peacefully, not being jostled by people rushing to and fro. It was also good to avoid the checkout lines where everything moves so slowly. Instead, the self-check stations are so handy and easy to use. Because of all this activity, I went to bed quite late and fell into a deep sleep.

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21 December, 2011

Much of this day was spent with a family that visits us occasionally at least when time permits. It is always so enjoyable having them with us that I feel sad when they depart. Even though it is close to the end of December, I managed to pick a small bouquet for them to take home -- snapdragons and periwinkles. It may not sound grand or impressive but where else in Canada can one pick even a modest bouquet in winter? In mid-afternoon we lost our electricity and the telephone went dead. Usually this means that we would have a long wait before repairs are completed but it all returned in a couple of minutes. It seems that someone crashed into a power pole nearby and caused all this to happen.

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20 December, 2011

It was time for another eye examination so I had to be up very early to battle the morning traffic rush. Fortunately the specialist proclaimed both my eyes to be in excellent condition (at least at this time). On the way back to the monastery we stopped to see Father Andrew who loaded our van with various gifts and other things to be used at the monastery or to be given away. In the evening Vladika Lazar and Scott, who is visiting here for a couple of days, drove to Abbotsford with boxes of cookies. An acquaintance of ours feeds street people and tonight he was offering them coffee and cookies at nine p.m. because, although they may have had an early supper somewhere, there is nothing for them to warm up with, later in the evening. It will be interesting to find out more about this outreach to these unfortunate people and if there is anything that we can offer.

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19 December, 2011

Today, being a workday, we did not expect people to come to the St Nicholas Liturgy. The Liturgy had scarcely begun when our Moldovian kids came pouring in. The icon of St Nicholas was surrounded by the same mass of tiny white carnations that were used for yesterday's Pochaev Theotokos icon. At the end of the Liturgy we served a Moleben to St Nicholas the Wonderworker, after which we had a splendid lenten meal. At this meal we had a Protestant visitor who might easily have been taken aback by the lack of gravitas at the table. This was, after all, a feastday and people made merry in each other's company. Our next joyous feast is, as one would expect, the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Vladika Lazar went to visit a Serbian family that has a St Nicholas Slava. Whenever a Serbian family became Orthodox in the past, they were given a saint for the entire family, rather than each family member having an individual saint, and so, a family might be celebrating the family patron saint for a thousand years or more.

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18 December, 2011

Since Vladika Lazar was ill this morning, I hurried to serve Matins and prepare to receive the icon of the Pochaev Theotokos. At the end of Matins, the procession set out to meet the icon -- banners, fans, cross, censer and candles with the singing of the tropar in honour of this icon. As the bells rang outdoors, we met the icon and then we processed back into the church with little Anastasia casting small white carnations in front of the icon. After blessing it, we began the Divine Liturgy. With the huge candle stands and the large vases, the church looked resplendent. George, who had arranged to donate the icon and the other objects, was overjoyed as one could expect after having spent about three weeks in the hospital. What makes life so interesting at the monastery is that we are visited by all sorts of people. Today we had a group of Bulgarians who come here occasionally. We served Great Vespers since tomorrow is the feast of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and we will have a Liturgy.

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17 December, 2011

The book "Icon as Scripture" was completed today, at least the printing of it by Deacon Philip. Early next week we will get the covers and, after collating all the copies, we will take everything tothe bindery. This week has been difficult for all of us with arthritis and we have used linaments and others medications. ...... Before Vespers, George brought a framed copy of the Pochaev Theotokos, two matching candlestands that with their thick candles are more than five feet tall, and two huge brass vases. Tomorrow morning we plan on meeting the icon and bringing it into the church with a cross procession. In tomorrow's diary you will be able to read about this event.

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16 December, 2011

This seemed to be a day for visitors to drop in, first in the morning there was a stead stream of people who wished to go to confession. It was good to see the teenagers who often are somewhat unwilling to go to church and especially for confession. Later, other visitors arrived bearing gifts, including a hundred pound sack of potatoes that should last us a while. A large box of 2012 Calendars was shipped to Eastern Canada. Deacon Philip continued printing "Icon as Scripture" and Brother Ephraim did some electrical work in the sanctuary (one heater kept giving off heat even though the thermostat was turned off). An old friend, Father Michael whom we had not seen for a long time, came to visit us later in the afternoon, as did a tow truck to tow away a car that was left here last night by a visitor. The alternator belt had been broken so I hope that it has been taken care of today. The day ended with some repair being done on a server's vestment. And, yes, it happened again today. At least twice, mothers said to their children, "Doesn't he (meaning me) look like Santa Claus?"

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15 December, 2011

As it often happens, the insurance on our van ends without us realizing it and so a quick trip had to be made to the insurance office. Now we are set for another year.
    We are in the process of cutting down some decorative cedars and other shrubs near the gatehouse. Over the years they have grown so well that the gatehouse itself was being overshadowed. Not only will this look more attractive but it will enable us to more easily repair the roof where some shingles have been knocked off.
    We have had frost at night all week, yet some plants are carrying on bravely. Outside my door are two pots of mauve petunias, one with parsley and sorrel, and one with mint. The mint is particularly good for making Moroccan style tea. For our evening meal we have green split pea soup and freshly baked bread both of which, by the way, are delicious. I am continuing to proof-read the Russian translation of our booklets, while Deacon Philip has been printing the book "Icon as Scripture" since it is out of print.
    Yesterday I mentioned that we had received just one Christmas card and, as it happens, our mailbox was filled with cards today. Please remember Father Andrew Somow in your prayers. His health has been failing and there is nothing much that can be done about it. No doubt he is one of the last of those Russian priests of the old school, possessing a strong character and an aristocratic bearing.

14 December, 2011

Vladika Lazar and Brother Ephraim went to Vancouver early this morning on the West Coast Express. Six trains leave Mission every thirty minutes beginning at five a.m. and return in the afternoon beginning at five p.m. This schedule is basically for commuters, the trains taking one hour and a quarter for the trip. It is much more convenient than driving with the morning traffic rush, and more enjoyable with its own observation cars as well as a coffee bar. It is unfortunate that those trains run only on weekdays, and only within certain hours. Many city people who have no cars have said that they would like to come here by train but alas, there is no such convenience. In previous years we would have received dozens of Christmas cards in the mail by now, yet this year we have had only one, all the rest having been sent by email. There is no doubt about this change in custom and I rather suppose that we will be following suit.

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13 December, 2011

Just as I occasionally begin to think that no one bothers to read this daily diary and that perhaps it is not worthwhile continuing, there suddenly is a message, or even more, from somewhere out there. I especially want to greet the good folks in Wyoming and to wish them God's blessing in the forthcoming feasts and the new year. We had to drive into the city to serve a funeral this morning which I expected to be modest but the crowd was so large that all the fans had to be turned on because of the heat generated by the people. All went well. Vladika Lazar served, while Father Moses and I chanted. It seemed to me that it was one of the finest funeral chanting that we had ever done. Twice we experienced a glitch but it was so minor and we corrected it so rapidly that I am certain no one even noticed. The weather was perfect for the graveside service and burial. Since we had to hurry back to the monastery, the food was blessed in the church hall before we left for the cemetery which allowed the mourners to return for the meal which was already blessed. On our way back we stopped for a quick coffee and no sooner had we stepped out of the van than a server from the coffee house came running out to ask who we were -- "such cool looking guys!" she said, looking at us in black cassocks, with our grey beards, etc. No, she did not give us any free coffee but did give us some 2 for 1 cards to be used in the future. At this time of the year it can be a bother to appear in public places. Invariably, someone (more often an adult rather than a child) will make some remark about "Santa Claus." After years of enduring various comments, I have learned how to react. Pleasant comments are one thing but at times there can be something unpleasant said either by adults or poorly behaved children. In such a case I might reply, "You had better behave, or I will leave you nothing but a lump of coal!" Their attitude changes immediately.

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12 December, 2011
What joy we experienced today! For more than a month we had been searching for Vladika Lazar's engolpion (the medallion of the Theotokos a hierarch wears). Nothing was overlooked and certain areas were searched several times. This afternoon he discovered it under a stack of papers. Generally, Russians often seem to turn to Saint Triphon, the Greeks to Saint Phanurios, for help in locating whatever has been lost. Somehow it didnot occur to us to appeal to them. Themonastery has a beautiful icon of Saint Triphon painted by Yana Sherstyak, a skilled yet humble iconographer.
Space is at a premium in our library, and occasionally we have to do some weeding. Two boxes of journals from the 1970's and 1980's, such as the "Cistercian Review" were given to one of our neighbours. By emptying a few shelves, we can now have room for countless books stacked in piles on the floor. It is hard to believe, but a primrose has begun to bloom. They usually begin in early spring but this one must be a real survivor. And now, it is time for supper. Tatiana brought us a huge jar of borshch yesterday and now, after adding dill and a few other things, we can enjoy a real Russian meal by including hearty homemade bread and garlic.

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11 December, 2011

A West Coast fog spread through the Fraser Valley before any of us had even arisen. It was like being in a dream world where everything outdoors had the appearance of haziness and the smell or wood burning in the stove added a touch of earthy fragrance. I began hearing confessions during Matins and finished only at the Epistle reading. It always pleases me when there is a long queue of people waiting for their confessions to be heard. I cannot tell why the singing was so melodious, yet powerful in today's Liturgy. We had a large number of Greek-speaking people today in addition to those who attend regularly. All the relics were brought out so that people could reverence them as they came up for the final blessing. This took a longer time than usual because most people wanted to reverence each relic carefully. There was only one small problem; someone asked for prayers for travel but when I went to pick up the "Book of Needs", it was gone. A scramble took place in trying to locate it and it was quickly found, lying in a place where it could not be easily missed!

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10 December, 2011

This has been mainly a day of preparation for tomorrow's Liturgy. Brother Ephraim baked a prosphora while I prepared food for the Agape, including left-overs from yesterday. We shall see how people will react to it tomorrow. There is Portuguese "dry soup", really a casserole of dry bread, canned tomatoes and herbs; an Asian pilaff of rice, raisins, coconut milk and curry; and lastly a cold daikon (Asian radish) soup, the same as we had yesterday. I sense that it will be too unfamiliar for some people, although some brave souls will enjoy it. More printing is continuing and proof reading newly written material. All the relics have been set out for tomorrow's Liturgy (they are brought out on the second Sunday of each month) and three icons have been hung in the church. One is All the Saints of Carpatho-Rus, one of Saint Hilary of Poitiers and another of Saint Columba of Iona. The two latter ones have relics of these saints embedded in the icons. They formerly were hung on a side wall of the altar but now they are accessible for veneration in the nave of the church.

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9 December, 2011

There are times when nothing noteworthy seems to happen and this was such a day. Aside from the regular tasks and obediences, I did enjoy some brief shopping in Abbotsford. First I dropped into our East Indian store where I bought several boxes of "soya chunks." They are small round soy based pieces that have to be soaked briefly in hot water. When the liquid has been squeezed out, they can be prepared in numerous ways and they resemble small meatballs. Their protein content apparently is higher than meat and they are completely lenten. Then I stopped at a Vietnamese store where I bought pickled tofu, fortunately without chili. If you spread a slice of bead with lenten margarine, then a cube of this pickled tofu, it tastes rather like blue cheese. This was taught us by Orthodox Russians who had once lived in Shanghai. As well, we had daikon (mild white oriental radish) soup. Grate the diakon, add cold water, salt and lemon or lime juice. That is all to it and it is wonderful (if you are so inclined).

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8 December, 2011

It was an absolute thrill to be able to drive this morning, the first time in more than a month. There are times when it is nice to be driven but I had almost forgotten the feeling one has seated behind the steering wheel. I remember how crushed my grandfather was when he failed his one and only exam when he was in his late eighties. He became so nervous that he had difficulty in parking, consequently he was no longer able to drive. For him it was a loss of independence. This also reminds me of how I obtained my first driver's licence. As soon as I had turned sixteen, my father went to the office where the licences were obtained and he asked for one for me. It was issued immediately -- no written exams or driving tests and it probably cost no more than five or ten dollars. Mind you, that was quite a few years ago in rural Saskatchewan where farm kids learned to drive tractors, trucks and cars at an early age. Deacon Philip represented the monastery at an all-clergy meeting in Abbotsford where a discussion took place on involvement in community activities, especially for young people.

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7 December, 2011

Early in the morning we were already at the commercial border crossing on our way to mail books in the U.S. We were cleared quickly and, after a visit to the local post office, we returned to the monastery. A number of telephone calls held us up, although more calendars were completed, volume 6 of "Lives of Saints for Young People" was proofread in preparation for a reprinting, and the 2012 service schedule was begun. Through all of this, there was time to bake five loaves of whole wheat bread, much of which will be eaten for supper tonight. Someone gave us a jar of fig and walnut butter, delicious and lenten, so it can be spread on the freshly baked bread. Some time was spent re-examining the library discards. I decided to retain several books that had been selected as discards but the rest must be given away. Since none of them are theological or of any real importance, they might b e given to a group that gathers books to give to the underprivileged and to third world countries.

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6 December, 2011

Just as yesterday morning was beautiful in its late autumnal glory, this evening was perhaps even more so. As I walked a few blocks in town, there was a mist in the air which itself was pleasantly cool and refreshing. The pavements were wet and they reflected all the surrounding lights. On the way home there was a farmyard, at least one acre in size, entirely covered with lights and the usual Christmas decorations, making it look garishly stunning. Most of the 2012 calendars were assembled and bound with our comb binder. The rest will probably be done tomorrow. The main gate at the front of the property is usually not locked at night but when everyone is away it definitely is. The last lock was unsuitable and so today each one of us was rewarded with a key to the new lock. Over the years many things have vanished, especially tools. When we began to lock up everything, there were too many keys in possession. Now, aside from the gate and house keys, only one person has a key to the tools and other objects worth locking up. In Russian such a person is called a "klyuchar" or keeper of the keys and, in this case, the obedience fell upon Brother Ephraim

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5 December, 2011

It was a perfect example of a late autumn morning or perhaps even of an early winter morning. A light fog hid the sun, yet its rays tried to pierce this fog and, at times, there were shimmering rays falling upon the trees and shrubs which were still covered in hoar-frost. I quickly took my camera and hurried out along the road to the monument and into the east field. Some of these photos will eventually appear on our website. This evening, as we sat eating our supper in the refectory, some coyotes began their mournful crying. This does not bother us in the least since we are accustomed to this sound, although visitors often find it most unnerving. Train whistles will also set them off and if there is an entire pack of coyotes nearby, they begin their at times unearthly sounds. There has been a small, hand-held vacuum cleaner lying about for at least a year. I tried it several times and nothing happened. Just as I was ready to throw it outwith today's garbage, I suddenly realized that the cord attached to it was part of the recharging apparatus, so I recharged it and it began to operate beautifully. Of course now it means that I shall have to use it regularly in an attempt to maintain at least a certain amount of cleanliness.

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4 DECEMBER 2011

The feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple brought many of us to celebrate this day. The sun shone brightly, the air was mildly crisp with a definite autumnal fragrance -- a mixture of decaying leaves, of cedar boughs and the last of the lemon balm. We were blessed with the presence of an old icon of Christ the All-mighty that was brought to be blessed. Despite its intricate background designs, it truly seems to communicate a feeling of grandeur and holiness. It was with sadness that we bade Gregory and Alexandra farewell, but no doubt we shall see them again in a few months. A few people were here for the first time and they were anxious to know about confession and Holy Communion. This gave us cause to have a serious conversation on these important topics. And, yes, the poor little mouse met its demise and I hope that there will be no more such little critters invading my home, but if past experience tells us anything, it is that they are persistent pests and must be guarded against vigilantly -- let me have a bear or two any time.

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3 December, 2011

It felt as if dawn had scarcely arrived when there was a knock on my door. Igor and Markel had arrived to work all day in an attempt to clean up our yards and to fill in the potholes in our long driveway. Soon they were joined by Valentina and Virgil who had worked until 4 a.m., then got a bit of sleep and then hurried to help at the monastery It was already completely dark when these volunteers left and tomorrow, in daylight, we shall see the fruit of their labour. We have two sets of the festal icons that came from Stavronilkita Monastery on Mount Athos. The only difficulty is that there is not one for this feast, the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. One icon in this set bothers Father Moses, because of a large piece of the Theophany is missing, otherwise it is a deserving set. Hieromonk Seraphim, a Romanian priest-monk who had been serving for a while in Vancouver almost twenty years ago, gave us a painted icon of the Dormition, copied from the Stavronikita set. Visitors brought us bags of apples, pears, dried fruit, bananas, pineapples and peanuts, food that we can readily use during the Nativity Fast.
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2 December, 2011

It has been sunny much of the day and both in the morning and evening, the pleasant scent of wood burning in stoves and fireplaces could be easily noticed but it certainly was unlike coal used as fuel which often emits an unpleasant odor. The pleasant weather enabled me to spend some time pulling out dead anemonies, pruning the rampantly spreading ivy and raking up leaves. Greg spent sometime with us,mostly working on the computer and helping Vladika with some difficult aspects of maintaining a website. I had hoped to do a fair amount of proofreading but for some reason I did not have the energy to do much of it. In fact, aside from some outdoor work, I really have done little today. Princess Andiysky, who tragically had a stroke in her youth and was crippled all her life used to say that each evening she would recall the day to see if she had done anything useful, even if it were the simplest task. Using that as a guide, I to suppose that I can take satisfaction in knowing that I had accomplished a few useful tasks.

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1 December, 2011

I spent at least two hours at the retina surgical clinic waiting for my examination which lasted no more than a few minutes. Of course I had to wait for the pupils to be dilated and they were very busy in the clinic. The good news is that my eyes are in good condition. The one that was troublesome previously is now fine, and the one operated on is progressing splendidly, so I have that to be thankful for. While sitting and waiting, I could not help but hear the conversations around me. Granted, the people were mainly elderly, some extremely so, but I was amazed how people could talk for long periods of time yet say nothing. Perhaps that is what is happening in our time -- people talk but seldom converse (heaven forbid that they should have any serious conversations). I was pleased that the music being played was scarcely audible and of a neutral nature. I sometimes think that I shall be driven to despair if I hear another Christmas carol or "seasonal" song in the stores or malls. Perhaps it is a plot by the Evil-one to have constantly blaring "Christmas" music and song is broadcast everywhere in public in order to make us actually dislike them. In my youth they were heard only a few days before the feast but what can one expect when it has become so commercialized?
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30 November, 2011

On this last day of the month there were a number of tasks to be completed, none of them exciting but necessary. A large order was received for "Twelve Great Feastdays for Young People". Fortunately we had a couple of boxes of them already collated, so that I had only to fold the covers, staple them and flatten the folded edge. There are many such chores to be done in the printshop. They can become tedious but only if one allows them to become so. The 2012 calendar continues to be collated. We also have a stack of 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheets of cover stock with six small icons of the Theotokos, "Joy of Canada" on each sheet. They must be cut out individually and then they are blessed in church to hand out to worshippers.

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29 November, 2011

While reading Day 25 of "The Guardian Angel" last night, the batteries died out just as I was on the second last sentence, so I shall try to reread it tonight (with the batteries recharged). Brother Ephraim repaired the shattered window while Deacon Philip fixed the kitchen drawer that kept giving us woes. Father Moses began the task of collating the 2012 Calendar so that everyone was busy all day, aside from the above mentioned tasks. We had Anglican visitors, both clergy and laity, who were gracious and, I rather think, they enjoyed this visit. I do not want you readers to think that what I write is all that we do. Basically, I simply try to recall what I noticed or did during the day. Each person here could undoubtedly have much more to say but all I want you to have is a glimpse of what takes place here each day. It is never boring to say the least.

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28 November, 2011

Since it is almost the end of November and I doubt that we shall have any more baptisms this month, I prepared the baptismal certificates for all five babies and children who were baptised at the monastery during November. There have been 27 baptisms here so far this year.This also is the first day of the Nativity Fast and I am pleased to say that there was practically nothing to remove from the refrigerators. Several eggs were left and we will give these to a neighbour who is Roman Catholic because they have a completely different way of observing this period. There were a number of telephone calls from people who wanted to make arrangements to visit us. Now that my sight is gradually returning to a normal state, and my sneezing, coughing and throat-clearing have greatly reduced, I will try to read from "The Guardian Angel" so that these readings can be uploaded. I must admit that I was completely dumbfounded when I was told how many listeners there are each month. Therefore, dear listeners, (in case you read this daily diary), I shall make an even greater effort to provide you with readings. There is another very large order of books from the Greek Archdiocese of America Department of Education.

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27 November, 2011

What a wonderful day this has been. The Slavonic Liturgy was moving with the chanting being particularly good. It would have been difficult to squeeze any more people into the church and after the dismissal we had prayers for travel: Marina's elderly parents are returning to Russia, Gregory and Alexandra will leave next week for Romania, Kostya will be off to sea, Alexander off to Montreal and others will be travelling elsewhere. Then we sang "Many Years" for Deacon Phillip since today is his nameday. Byway of interest, in Russia this Nativity Fast, that begins tomorrow is still often called "Phillip's Fast." After that, Vladika Lazar brought out the chest with the relic of the Holy Great Martyr Demitrios of Thessaloniki, censing it as we all sang the troparia to St Demitrios three times. During the reading of the prayers after Communion, the people venerated the relic and then came up for a blessing. There were present at least three men withthe name of Dmitry, so they felt honoured to venerate the relic of their patron saint. We do not advertize, nor do we try tomake any special effort to attract people because we are not a parish church but rather a monastery. It matters not if we have only five or one hundred and five people present. The Liturgy is served with all the saints and the heavenly hosts surrounding us.We are fortunate in that many new people are brought by those who regularly attend services here. Since the Nativity Fast begins tomorrow, the refrigerators were cleared of all dairy products. By evening, a dozen and a half eggs had to be finished. All cheese and butter had been used up earlier and tomorrow our diet become much more rigid and, in many ways, more healthful and even nutritious. We all like vegetables but to complicate matters, one of us does not like broccoli, another dislikes beets and cabbage, and so on. In such cases, the person with a dislike ends up eating a peanut butter and jam or honey sandwichs

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26 November, 2011

It is only midafternoon and I already feel tired. We had a morning baptism with a large crowd present, all of them young people who have come from Moldova to British Columbia. The little baby Victoria behaved perfectly. The second baptism was Russo-Czech and the baby Arseny also behaved very well. When we baptised little Anna last week, Arseny was present and he cried much of the time so that we expected him to do so today, but he scarcely even cried out. Because it is usually quiet and peaceful here, the sight and sound of countless children running about like little mice was quite an experience for us (but a very pleasant one. Children are always a source of joy). Each one of us here in the monastery had an obedience or task to fulfil and so we were busy throughout the entire day.

25 November, 2011

It is one month until Christmas and already we are weary of all the carols and Christmas music that is played in almost every mall, store, coffee shop, etc. In my youth such music was heard only one week before the holiday and everyone enjoyed it. Now it has become tiresome and many people begin to dislike it after a week or so. Besides, let us face it, Christmas is just a commercial outburst of mindless and endless purchasing of gifts, often accompanied by “credit card hangover.” That is why we are so grateful that we can celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ on 7 January together with the majority of Orthodox Christians around the world.
When the sun came out this morning I grabbed a rake and began raking since there were so many leaves, twigs and broken branches lying around. Father Moses and Brother Ephraim repaired the broken window, that is, boarded it up for now. After supper we made a hospital visit to an elderly man who is gravely ill. And thus the day ends after a number of tasks having been fulfilled. Also, I secured the relic of the Great Martyr Demitrios, framed by an oval golden roundel, in a dark chest which will be brought out during Sunday's Liturgy.
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24 November, 2011

I had planned on getting my flu shot this afternoon at a public clinic but instead I went to my doctor's clinic the other day and got it there. Ever since I began having flu shots I have never come down with the illness. Some people say that they came down with the flu even though they had a shot, while others avoid it entirely as if it were the plague or something demonic. I personally feel that if I had such an aversion or fear, I would have refused the medication given to me after my bout with cancer and I might have been on my way out of this life by now. It rather reminds me of people who are against the use of electric lights in churches (yes, there are such people) because Jesus Christ did not use them, or as one person once said, he refused to drive a car because Jesus Christ did not do so! Today's weather was very English: rainy and blustery and, since I still feel that I cannot drive because my eye is not functioning perfectly, I asked Vladika Lazar to drive me down the Fraser Valley to a small village that has retained an authentic village culture. Wherever we stopped there were elderly people who came over to chat, reminding me of old English village life. Although it is nice to be away from the monastery for a while, it feels even better to return where everything is so familiar.

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23 November, 2011

I have in my possession a contemporary Orthodox Prayerbook in Church Slavonic but with modern Russian letters. The cover is green velvet with the design embossed in gold. The quality of the paper is superb. It is profusely illustrated with many designs and icons, a good half of which are in a traditional and canonical style. The other half ranges from icons showing a Western influence to simply poor icons. It is reassuring to see an ever-growing amount of correct icons, but it is our eternal struggle to teach people the difference between canonical Orthodox icons and religious pictures that purport to be icons. The rain stopped so I could go outdoors to do some raking. This is not necessarily an easy chore, since some of our maple leaves are the size of dinner plates, or even bigger. The air is fresh, damp and smells earthy. While raking one can think about the catkins that are beginning to appear on some trees, always harbingers of spring, although that is still sometime away. What a surprise it was to find that our beatup old pickup truck passed its stringent AirCare exam. This means that we can have it insured for another year without having to have a tune-up or overhauling it.

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22 November, 2011

Most mornings begin uneventfully which isjust as well but today, a window in the konak shattered. The konak is the separate building where some of the brotherhood reside and where the printshop is located. This summer a window in the second floor sunroom exploded with a loud bang and shattered into thousands of pieces, yet it held together firmly, so that one could only see the pattern of the shattered glass. Last night there was a storm that blew off the Pacific Ocean, causing close to 100,000 people losing their electricity. We were spared that, but evidently the wind was strong enough to cause the window to crumble, and glass to fall onto the ground. Looking at the situation positively, at least no havoc occurred. Father Moses and Brother Ephraim spent the afternoon visiting the sick. There are times when this can be somewhat difficult but it is an important part of our ministry. Besides, it can be rewarding, especially when you see how much the ill people appreciate such visits. Vladika Lazar began printing our 2012 calendar so that it shortly will be ready to mail and to pass out here at the monastery. I began proofreading the Russian translation of "Ascending Toward Great Lent," a booklet we wrote and published years ago. Sergei asked for a blessing to translate it into Russian and he seems to have done an excellent job. Translations can sound stilted and good translating can be a special talent.

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21 November, 2011

As I stepped out early this morning, the light blanket of snow had mostly disappeared in the light rain, and I could hear some distant crows. It reminded me of my youth in the Prairies, especially in March or April, when the snow was finally beginning to melt, the air felt fresh and moist and the first crows had returned. We knew that spring had arrived. It is not quite the same here on the West Coast. Old timers tend to say, "Let it rain because it means that it is above freezing and we do not have to worry about shoveling snow." Our neighbour Mike was kind enough to offer his Jeep to haul away our week's collection of garbage (he just had a knee replacement and cannot drive for some time). A busy weekend is in store for us because, aside from the Liturgy we shall serve in Church Slavonic, when the number of worshippers usually is very high, we will have two separate baptisms -- and this is just Monday; who knows what else will occur. While shopping today, I found some containers of dairy-free tofu spread. Rather than ponder on how many to buy, I took all ten containers, marked down more than half price, for our own use or to give some of them to others, particularly those who claim that they have difficulty with finding acceptable food during the Nativity Fast. Most vegan cook books will show you how to prepare this spread "from scratch" because it is simpler to take them off a grocery shelf.

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20 November, 2011

It is early morning, the soft sunlight is making a brave effort to lure us outdoors and there is no hint of the cold. For us here on the West Coast, when the temperature is near 0 Centigrade, it means that it is cold. Because of the tall cedar trees that block my view of most of the main building, I cannot see any smoke rising from the massive chimney (it actually has three flues, one for each fireplace on all three floors). So, I did step out for a brief moment and quickly noticed the fragrant scent of burning wood which means that Deacon Philip has started a fire in the main hall. I am not certain if the wood is maple, but it probably is because of its pleasant scent while burning. Thanks to Dieter, who cut down half a dozen of his own trees, then sawed them into 18 inch lengths before we brought them back to the monastery, we shall have enough firewood for a year or two, depending on the severity of the winters. It is now almost 5 p.m. and all the
people have left. We baptized little Anna at 2 p.m. and she behaved beautifully. Later we had a meal in honour of the baptism which means that we ate twice this afternoon so it is no wonder that I cannot lose any weight. Among today's worshippers were people visiting Canada from Russia, Poland, and Greece. I was touched when everyone sang "Many Years" on the occasion of my (yesterday's) name day.

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19 November, 2011

A crank call awakened me somewhere after 5 a.m. (and I had only fallen asleep after midnight) and, as a result, I could not fall asleep again. Because of that, today seemed to have at least 48 hours and I felt tired. Still, it was my name day (St Varlaam of Khutinsk) and the Brotherhood sang "Many Years" for me. Our celebratory meal consisted of homemade bread and bean soup which, in a way, was more delicious than most restaurant meals. The day has been cold but bright and sunny. We tried to get an "air care" service for our pickup. In order to get any vehicle insured, it must first pass an air care test but we shall have to wait a week because, as soon as the colder weather began, everyone flocked to all the service centres or else made appointments for next week, mainly to winterize their vehicles and to get winter tires. This means that on Monday we shall have to take away all our garbage in the van. My left eye is gradually improving so that in a couple of weeks I hope to begin reading again, continuing with the reading, "The Guardian Angel," Day 23. When that is completed, I shall go on to read another volume of the Lives of Saints. It was really quite a shock for me to discover how many subscribers there are to these readings because I simply assumed that there would not be more than two or three dozen.

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18 November, 2011

The first snowfall of this season surprised us, not that we had no warning but it is pleasant or disturbing, depending on one's inclination, to see a blanket of snow covering the ground. More than a powdering of snow, it reminds us of the winter ahead although officially winter does not begin until 21 December. Another sign that colder weather has arrived is the occasional scampering of tiny feet in the attic. Yes, a mouse has moved in as always in the case when winter comes. Let us hope that it will not prove to be an entire family. The night before last, Brother Ephraim heard the eeriest and most distressing screeches and howling. He rushed out to see if one of our cats was in danger, but they were lying peacefully on their soft blanket. Perhaps it was raccoons who are capable of making the most unearthly cries. Another round of candles (tapers actually) was made so that we have several hundred of them to carry us over into the next month.

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17 November, 2011

Once George framed the icon of St Nicholas, a chain reaction began. It is being placed on the iconostas, and the icon of St Antony is being moved to a separate alcove. The St Nectarios proskinatarion has been put in the place of the icon of the Theotokos, "Joy of Canada" which, in turn, has been moved more to the centre where it can be seen and venerated more easily. The confession analoy has also been moved slightly so that the entire ensemble is more eye-pleasing. It rather looks as if we shall have to repaint the walls and ceiling of the church because in the rearrangement, it became quite visible how much the walls have darkened, mainly from burning candles and the lampadas. Deacon Philip and Brother Ephraim moved all the objects, since I still am not supposed to lift anything -- their help was greatly appreciated.

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16 November, 2011

It certainly was worthwhile to have risen long before the crack of dawn to drive to Surrey for an examination by the eye specialist because she said that the eye looks excellent and that it should be restored to good vision. The gas bubble is decreasing in size so that occasionally I see a snippet or so clearly and as it decreases, full vision should return. Also, I finished December of 2012 so that, with the partial filling of January 2013, the calendar will be printed very soon. We purchased a beautiful casket for the fragment of the relics of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki, given to the monastery by Metropolitan Theodosius.

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15 November, 2011

In between visits from various people, it was possible to recheck January to August of the 2012 Calendar. Perhaps the last four months can be completed tomorrow. Actually, it is quite difficult to prepare a calendar for church and home use, especially since there are various calendars available. As mentioned once before, we are using the same formulation that the Moscow Patriarchate uses, since theirs is the most reliable. I have an extremely early appointment (at the crack of dawn) with the retina and vitreous specialists, and since the drive will take almost two hours through the early morning traffic rush, I will have to set my alarm clock for an extremely early hours, which in turn means that I must go to bed early tonight. But, how do I fall asleep when it is so much earlier than the usual time when I retire?

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14 November, 2011

Monday is often a day for running errands and both beginning and tackling tasks, but perhaps that is the way we should begin the week -- energetically and enthusiastically. The 2012 calendar has been completed and now I am making a thorough check to look for possible errors. Probably we will be able to print it by the end of this week and then it will be collated and the comb machine will provide for its spine so that each month can be torn off. This is the first year that we have a fair number of orders for the calendar, and it will be used in various parishes from British Columbia to Newfoundland. As well, a number of parishes in the U.S. have requested the 2012 calendar. What makes our wall calendar so easy to use is the layout -- each day has the proper readings, the main saint, and each week is given its tone and Matins Gospel reading. Without it, we would be quite lost.

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13 November, 2011
The morning chill soon vanished in the main hall when the fire was lit in the stove. The heat from the stove is completely unlike that of the electric heaters; it has a warm, embracing feeling that is noticeable immediately. The church on the second floor was left unheated because the warmth from downstairs gradually drifts upward and, by the end of Matins, it becomes warm. By the end of the Liturgy we often have to open some windows. What made today's Agape meal somewhat different was the conversation of some Orthodox Old Believers who were present or at least people who have come from an Old Believer background. They exchanged reminiscences of Russian Old Believer life in Russia, Latvia and Romania. It often happens that people drop in after the Agape and throughout the afternoon to light candles, to ask for prayers and blessings and to offer thanksgiving for whatever they might have received. It was no different today when several families came
around as the day progressed.
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12 November, 2011

The day began wtih a visit to a neighbour who has been in hosptal, followed by a car blessing (thanks to Fr Moses), then a baptism (thanks to Vladika Lazar), and finally Great Vespers which was served mainly in Church Slavonic because the worshippers were primarily Russian speaking. As usual, a meal followed the service, this one very East European. Olga's mother Zinoviya is visiting here from Riga, Latvia so we had smoked Latvian cheese, and fish prepared in strong tea that she brought from Riga, Sauerkraut and seaweed salad, quail eggs with salmon roe, and several other dishes. It all sounds quite exotic, espcially for a monastery but people enjoy bringing food to share with us after a service. For once, we seem to be prepared for Sunday morning, compost material has been taken out, recycling matrial cleared out, and wood and kindling brought in to start a fire in the main hall
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11 November, 2011

Remembrance Day in Canada has always been observed as a public holiday and today we endured strong blasts of wind that relieved the trees of most of their leaves. Thousands were left without electricity although we were fortunate. Tomorrow our usual activities will begin once more and the weekend will probably prove to be hurried and even slightly hectic, but more will be written about that tomorrow.
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10 November, 2011

What a relief it was to be told that I could feel free to sit and walk as long as I was careful. Late in the evening Vladika Lazar returned from his trip to the East Coast. Since he returned earlier, his schedules became somewhat confusing and, fortunately, our Helen Kindrachuk was able to pick him up at the Bellingham Airport. It is good to have him back but he was too exhausted to say much about his trip -- more will be said tomorrow.
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9 November, 2011

Vladika Lazar informed me that he has uploaded all previous diaries which made me feel better. In his telephone conversation he mentioned that his hosts were waiting for him to come to the supper table, so I asked what they had prepared. I was somewhat taken aback when he said that it was lobster, something common enough in Maine but what we never have here. Oh well, we cannot all be fortunate enough to have lobster (even occasionally!)
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8 November, 2011

At least I have not had to do any food preparation these last few days. This evening I was treated to a tuna casserole made by Brother Ephraim and it was a treat to have real food instead of peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Vladika Lazar telephoned from Maine and said that he was able to get his laptop operating again and he uploaded the previous daily diaries. This is about all that I can write now, as I must lie down again.
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7 November, 2011

It has been agony having to lie all the time with brief moments to stretch the legs. I hope that this will all be over by the end of this week and I certainly can commiserate with those who are bedridden. At least I am allowed to read, but only briefly, so as not to tire my eyes. Our monastery crew has been looking after me and providing me with food.

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6 November, 2011
It was difficult having to lie on my side in bed during Matins and Liturgy. I was able to get up and be present at the dismissal and the abbreviated healing service. Also I stayed for part of the Agape, then lay down in the great room so that people could visit with me while I was lying down. It made me realize how important it was for me to be amongst all these people. Then, it was back to my own bed and interminable hours of lying on one side or the other, mostly without a pillow as ordered by the surgeon.

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5 November, 2011

Once again Brother Ephraim had to drive me, this time, to New Westminster, to see the surgeon. I can see nothing with my left eye but vision should gradually return. The most unpleasant part is having to spend the entire day lying down. All my life, until this week, I have never taken any rests or naps during the day while lying in bed -- the occasional dozing off for a few minutes in my arm chair, yes but not in bed. Sorry that all the news in the daily diary is about myself.
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4 November, 2011

I underwent vitrectomy surgery which did not last too long and, I pray, will prove to be successful. It was done because of a retina detachment which occurred unexpectedly. It was the other eye that had been a problem earlier. Now, I must lie on my back or side for a few days to allow the gas bubble to help retain the retina in its proper position (it will slowly disappear on its own). The ideal position would have been hanging upside down from the ceiling but, since that is not possible, lying on the back or side, preferably without a pillow, is next best.
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3 November, 2011

Now that I am pleased with my right eye, the one that needed regular injections to normalize the macular degeneration condition, I suddenly discover that the left eye has a detached retina. An operation has been scheduled for tomorrow morning and I am glad that there will be no delay. Brother Ephraim will drive me down to the Surrey Hospital and then drive me back. I was quite anxious to serve on Saturday and Sunday but we shall have to wait and see. This no doubt is part of one's aging process and I am constantly amazed at how many people, including rough or tough looking young men, will hold open a door for me or utter some polite phrase. It is a relief to know that there are still people, including young people, who have a sense of civility.

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2 November, 2011
Apparently there was an accident on the road near our gate last night when a truck had gone off the road and upset. It seems that no one was hurt. I was completely unaware of what had happened but it seems that Brother Ephraim and Deacon Philip heard what had happened and without knowing what the other was doing, both set out to investigate, almost running into each other. I found some old photographs which will be mailed to those who will appreciate having them. Father Moses and Deacon Philip spent some of the afternoon working on two kilograms of garlic. Each clove had to have the skin removed and the base snipped off. Then I took about a cup full of garlic cloves at a time, added some water, a bit of sea salt and blended them. The mixture was put into jars and refrigerated. In a couple of weeks it will begin to turn green, eventually becoming quite dark green. This garlic sauce will keep for weeks, or even months, and is added to any dish requiring

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1 November, 2011

This is the first day of November and I seem to have little to write about. With Vladika Lazar away, everything seems to slow down here at the monastery. It was, however, a good time to clean up outdoors and indoors as well. More weeding was done in the library. We shall have one or two hundred books to give away to make room for the ones that should be shelved there. On the traditional Orthodox Church Calendar the Nativity Fast begins on Monday, 28 November so, on the previous day when we commemorate the Apostle Phillip (and many still call this period "Philip's Fast") we will have a special celebration not unlike "Maslenitsa" or Cheesefare Sunday before Great Lent. Nothing has yet been planned but it should be a memorable day.
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31 October, 2011
Much of the earlier part of today was spent with Vladika Lazar hurrying to prepare the last few things for his trip to the East Coast of the U.S. He is having to spend the night in Bellingham because he must be at the airport at 6 a.m.. Otherwise he would have had to leave the monastery about 4 a.m. and that was too difficult. It also meant that we had an early supper in the harbour, overlooking the bay and the dozens of boats and yachts that were tied up. Even if it is a short trip or jaunt, it always feels good to return to the monastery. During Vladika's absence, the daily diaries will be emailed to him and, with hope, he will be able to upload them with his laptop. Tonight Halloween is being celebrated although I doubt that anyone will come to us. They would have to walk or drive up our long, winding road in total darkness. In fact, I think that Brother Ephraim is going to lock our gate and that should settle everything.

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30 October, 2011
Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Sobor celebrated its feastday today, a little more than a month later than usual. It really is on the feast of the Elevation of the Cross in September. Bishop Irinee came for the celebration, as well as Protodeacon Nazary Polotaiko and Subdeacon Jeremy Seratch from Ottawa, Subdeacon Andrei Baldireff from Rawdon, Quebec, Archimandrite Alexander, our Chancellor from Edmonton and clergy from Vancouver and the surrounding area. The Divine Liturgy was served beautifully with the sobor packed with worshippers. For his many years a priest, and now the new dean for B.C. and Yukon, Father Michael Fourick was awarded a mitre which is usual in the Russian tradition. Father Michael's sons, Nestor and Kyril, were tonsured as Readers. The banquet that followed was splendid and we returned to the monastery with some of the food which meant not having to prepare anything for supper. Father Moses served here at the monastery and,
despite the fact that many people had gone to Vancouver for the feastday, there were more than two dozen worshippers present. For the first time this year, the wood burning stove was used, leaving a faint trace of the fragrance that is noticed when wood is burned in a stove.
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29 October, 2011

Our first deanery was held at the Holy Resurrection Sobor in Vancouver. Although the deanery existed for many years, it was entirely inactive. Before, whenever anyone had a problem, or even a question, everything was directed to the Chancellor or the Bishop. Now, however, all will be directed to the dean who has the authority to deal with whatever matter is presented. This should greatly streamline various procedures and in the Very Reverend Archpriest Michael Fourik we have a worthy dean. Father Michael served the Divine Liturgy alone while the rest of the clergy chanted. Since I asked to hear confessions, I was tied up until long after the Great Entrance. Tomorrow we shall have to rise early again to make the drive to Vancouver. Deacon Philip joined us today, although he will remain at the monastery tomorrow to help Father Moses who will serve the Liturgy.

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28 October, 2011

More books were taken across the border to be shipped to various places in the U.S. and fortunately there was no line up at all at the border, although it rained very heavily. Brother Ephraim has checked all our electrical outlets to make certain that they are in working order. Our "kids" are back for a day or so, having spent much of their honeymoon in the turbulance of Vancouver's "Occupy" movement. This cold and rainy weather does not make for ideal "camping" but youth and enthusiasm can overcome most obstacles. I recently spoke to one of the reference librarians at the Mission Library who reminded me about advice I gave her when she first began -- much of the paperwork that comes across the desk ends up in the wastepaper basket and, as a result, she has kept her surroundings clutter-free. This inspired me to continue cleaning my entire little house. The craft/music/sewing etc. room is almost in complete order and now the main room, which is my office, sitting room and icon and prayer area are being uncluttered. Perhaps by the end of the year I shall be able to receive visitors with no feeling of "cluttered" guilt.

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27 October, 2011

Much of this day has been spent in Vancouver where Vladika Lazar had to go for his medical tests. I, on the other hand, spent most of the time sitting and waiting in the van. I found the experience to be most interesting. For one thing, I was almost exhausted by the noise of the city with the constant hum or even roar of the vehicles, half the people walking and talking on their cell phones, sirens, etc, etc. I did walk into a nearby whole foods market where I was dazzled by the array of food. Most items were more expensive than in our Mission stores, but not too much more. I headed for the cheese department and asked for their strongest cheese. The salesman said, "You must mean the smelliest?" I could not deny that definition and so she gave me a sampleof Fleur Danis Cheese -- Charentes Poitou which was fine and so I bought a piece. Esrom cheese, nevertheless out smells this one -- and Esrom is available even in Mission. I had my lunch in their dining area where I had a piece of pizza with a crust so thin and hard, it was like chewing on brittle cardboard. So much for "city" dining.

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26 October, 2011

It definitely feels autumnal and today we brought our small heater into the kitchen and refectory area because some heat is needed. Some visitors find it cold in the monastery. In fact, one woman who was here this afternoon wrapped herself in an unzippered sleeping bag while others sat with their heavy coats on. On the other hand, we usually roast when we visit people at home. I put together book orders and I was pleased to see the variety of titles ordered. As usual, most orders were from the United States but there also was one from Latvia. Quite a few orders are coming in from the United Kingdom and Finland. Our friend Christos dropped in and surprised us with his growing knowledge of the Russian language. Obviously, help from Lena has made all the difference. Last night I added two more readings of "The Guardian Angel". It had been several weeks since I had read anything because of coughing and having to clear my throat. Perhaps by the end of November I shall finish this book and continue reading the "Lives of Saints for Young People."

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25 October, 2011

Aside from it being a glorious, warm and sunny day, we were visited by some dear friends who had come for both prayers and a visit. How refreshing and revitalizing it is to be with those who are of one mind with you. Although life can be fragile and fraught with dangers, or at least sorrow, it can still allow you to embrace those joyous moments that even the evil-one cannot take away. Since work is continuing on our nearby bridge, traffic was backed up for miles and so we had to lead our visitors through the countryside and along steep drives over the mountain to avoid that bridge. Forty five minutes later, on the way back, the workers at the bridge had left and the traffic flow was normal once again. And yes, the apples were picked today and will probably be eaten before long.
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24 October, 2011
It was a librarian's delight and nightmare. Weeding in our new monastery library was necessary, since we have stacks of books lying about. Some books were easy to discard particularly if they had never been used or were of little significance in our library. Others, however, were more difficult to discard, mainly because of personal attachment. Two volumes on the lost art of country crafts had to be retained even thou they are basically useless. About once a year I take them to an easy chair in the library and pour over the pictures and text. The problem now is -- what shall we do with the discards? No doubt the answer will arise in a couple of days. The huge woodpile disappeared as Deacon Phillip quickly stacked the wood under the steps and the veranda. Tomorrow the last of the apples will be picked.
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23 October, 2011
I had somehow forgotten how noisy some children can be. Although there was a bit of it during the Divine Liturgy, it was mainly during the Agape meal that the children outdid one another. Consequently, the adults got louder and soon it was almost difficult to hear anyone speak. Still, no one minded and, in fact, many people seemed to enjoy this animation. We have had a huge pile of firewood in our parking lot and the thought of carrying it over closer to the main building seemed formidable (we use the wood for the stove in the main hall in winter). Before leaving, a group of men quickly brought the entire woodpile over, so that now we have only to stack it. Some of our men had gone fishing yesterday and they caught a number of coho salmon which they barbequed for the Agape meal. It was absolutely delicious and the men promised to barbeque more salmon before long.
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22 October, 2011
I have a fairly large collection of fountain pens that I use quite regularly. I can still remember how difficult it was to write with a ball point pen when they first appeared in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The ink often ran or else it was left behind in little blobs that smeared or soaked through the paper. Also, they were silent, while fountain pens could be heard while using them. I write these daily diaries in long hand and then Father Moses enters them into the computer. In any case, I strongly advise everyone to use a fountain pen, at least occasionally. While cleaning the vestry, I set aside a number of things that we no longer need (or have no room for) including some vestments, etc. If any parish or mission could use them, please let us know.

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21 October, 2011

We enjoyed the visit of Damian, a pious young man who would like to climb the mountain behind us, among other things. I noticed that the posting of the Daily Diary is about three days behind. Although the diary is written every day, for one reason or another, it does not necessarily get uploaded the same day -- sorry about that. There are times, such as today, when I think that there is nothing of interest to write about or that no one is interested in reading the diary and, invariably, someone will let me know that they read each entry. So, many thanks to the faithful readers.

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20 October, 2011

I did not realize how crowded the vestry was. Just bringing in a couple of items each week adds up quickly and, in no time, it is difficult to find anything. As a result I spent most of the day sorting, weeding and having to be ruthless with myself. There always is the temptation to hold onto things, many of which are really of no use any longer. A few things can be given away while some must be burned. At least another full day is needed to bring the vestry into some semblance of order. A visitor brought, among other things, an immense slab of Atlantic salmon which I marinated and fried for supper. It was absolutely delicious! Father Moses had his stitches removed today so that now he can move about more normally.

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19 October, 2011

When several of us began complaining about pain and stiffness in the joints, it assuredly meant that rain was soon approaching. Indeed, by supper time, a gentle rain began and it will likely continue, on and off, for a few days. As well, each one of us will have visited at least one doctor each this week. I am so grateful that we can visit our doctors whenever necessary and also be sent to specialists either when necessary or upon our request. I was amazed to discover that the eight large tables that were set outdoors were all carried over to beneath the staircase by Deacon Philip all by himself. In the past it has always taken two men to carry each table. The "occupy Vancouver" movement continues but I wonder how the people will make out with all the rain. At any rate, our Elizabeth (Joy) made the headlines in today's Vancouver Province newspaper when she was interviewed and did well in her replies. It made me sad to throw out an old woolen shawl dating back to the early 1940's that had been bought in the Rocky Mountain resort of Banff by our dear Elena Vladimirovna (Princess Andiysky). It had survived well all these years but at some time this year the moths attacked it and it was beyond repair.
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18 October, 2011

In yesterday's haste to complete the daily diary, I forgot to mention what had earlier transpired. While getting ready to prepare supper, I noticed a dark red van driving up which headed in the direction of the barn. It was not Vladika Lazar because he was still in Vancouver. Soon, it returned and headed for the main road. Brother Ephraim hopped into the pickup and caught up to them near the elementary school where he forced them to stop. Little did he know that there were two immense men in that van, one of whom had tattooes up to his neck, and both looking like what one would expect of thugs. He maintained his cool and told them that he wanted to know what they were up to. In return they said that they got lost (that is possible, although unlikely). We suspect that they might have been "casing the joint" because we have had things stolen in the past. At any rate, we are now diligently trying to lock the main gate at night. By contrast, today's events seem to be insignificant
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17 October, 2011
We were briefly visited by Seraphim and Elizabeth who are now involved in "Occupy Canada" in Vancouver. They have set up a tent on the lawn in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery which is where most demonstrations take place. Many people are determined to camp there for weeks, if necessary. Regardless of what people think of these "Occupiers" in the various cities around the world, I think that it is good that we still have a number of young people (and some not so young) who feel the need to be heard. Often there is criticism of young people who do not vote, or who are uninterested in the political life of our countries but, when they do speak or act up, they are criticized again. Their concerns are real, so let them be heard. There was an invasion of lady bugs today when I opened my sliding door. They found a space around the screen and entered en masse. Fortunately they are easily caught and set free outdoors. In Russian they are called "God's little cows".
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16 October, 2011
This is perfect autumn weather; bright sun, cool breeze and a complete absence of mosquitoes. The church was comfortably crowded and later in the afternoon the crowning of a marriage was celebrated, for which many people remained. This meant that in addition to the regular Agape meal, we had a second feast (heavy on the sweets) after the crowning. Because of today's events, everyone was in a celebratory mood, even those who are usually rather serious minded. The thought of retiring to bed early is so enticing, especially since the heaters have made our rooms warm. It was amazing to see how many people had come down with colds, sniffles, coughs and sneezing. Some claim that it is beneficial to have these symptoms in autumn since that is how the body gets rid of toxins and prepares for the winter -- but I wonder.
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15 October, 2011
I was glad that Brother Ephraim baked tomorrow's prosphora because that gave me time to do a number of necessary tasks. Later in the afternoon I drove to Coquitlam to serve a house blessing. Since the people were Moldovians I was sure to expect a large supper and, of course, I was not disappointed. It was a totally enjoyable event and, on the way back to the monastery, I picked up a family of three who had asked for a blessing to spend the night at the monastery, since they had no means of transportation. As a rule I do not enjoy driving at night but the moon was shining brightly and the drive back was most pleasant.

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14 October, 2011

It was good to see the number of people who came to the Divine Liturgy on this feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Somehow I was reminded of how many Orthodox Christians refer to the Theotokos as "Saint Mary". In the Orthodox Church she is called, or referred to, by many names such as: the Most Holy Theotokos; the Mother of God; the Ever-Virgin, and countless others. Saint Mary would be used for Mary of Egypt or any of the other numerous saints with that name. Believing Orthodox Christians never, ever refer to the Theotokos as "Saint Mary."
You can tell that autumn has arrived by the number of lady bugs that have appeared indoors. Other insects, especially flies, are also trying to find a warm refuge. In two or three weeks they seem to disappear, not to be seen in such numbers until next autumn.

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13 October, 2011

    The bear visited us last night and walked over the electric fence which had been somewhat pulled down during the digging of the drainage ditch and so it was not in use. Fortunately only the apples on the lower limbs were eaten. I repaired the fence as best as I could so we shall see if the bear will be back. In the meantime I picked about a bushel of apples, some of which were super delicious.
    A huge order came in for "The Twelve Great Feastdays" and we thought that we would have to reprint it. As it happened, there was still a large box of this book without covers, so that we will be able to crease the covers and staple all the extra copies.
    I had a long conversation with Vesna Lukuc who telephoned from Toronto. A few years ago she decided to dedicate her life to sewing liturgical vestments. You can visit her website at Vesnavestments and see her work. It really is good and seems to be reasonably priced. I am not acting as an advertising agent but am merely trying to acquaint people with some of our talented Canadians in the Orthodox Church
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12 October, 2011

   What had been intended as a quiet day to catch up on various tasks ended as it often happens, quite differently. First, a telephone call informed us of a seriously ill person in the Vancouver General Hospital, so Vladika Lazar and I hurried off in that direction. Before we even reached Vancouver there was another call on the cell phone of someone else being rushed to the Burnaby General Hospital. After visiting with the first patient who is improving but who has an extremely serious condition, we hurried to the other hospital where the patient's husband and daughter had been waiting in the Emergency Waiting Room for four hours. Rather than waiting longer, I urged the Triage nurse to take some action. Actually, much had already been done and all four of us were allowed to see the patient who had a smile on her face. No sooner than we all sat down in a small family room, a doctor came in and took our patient away. In a few minutes she was back — all was well. We served a short Moleben of thanksgiving in that family room and then walked out into the fresh evening air, feeling so grateful that all ended well.
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11 October, 2011

   It was time for my semi-annual visit to my specialist and all seems to be well. Father Moses has some surgery today and Vladika Lazar also visited a doctor. No, we have not fallen apart yet but it simply happened that we all had appointments today.
   We were upset to hear that the long-range forecast for B.C. (and all of Western Canada) is for an exceptionally cold winter. Mind you, they said the same last winter but it was fairly mild, although wet.
   We are still eating food left over from Sunday's festivities and probably there will be enough for the entire week. Let it never be said that our people are inhospitable concerning food.
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10 October, 2011
   I must have been tired yesterday because after I turned my lights out at midnight, I did not wake up until 5 a.m. when usually I would wake up every hour at night.
   All day long I have worked, slowly I must say, but steadily. There has been cleaning to do after all the weekend's activities and we were not able to take the garbage away since today is Thanksgiving Day, and the recycling/garbage centre is closed. Now we shall have to wait until Saturday to take it all away.
   I looked at the window our visitors had installed and Brother Ephraim has only to frame it in and replace the dry wall. At last we shall be able to have some circulation in that area of the main building.
   Perhaps I shall allow myself the luxury of going to bed earlier tonight (and to find out if I will be able to have an undisturbed sleep).

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10 October, 2011

   How green is our valley. After being away for a short time, the density of the green colour all around us is almost overwhelming. But it was overcast and there probably will be some rain and that is the main reason why everything is so green.
   There was barely enough time to rest when we had to serve a baptism for a three year old boy. I was glad that a prosphora had been baked for tomorrow's Liturgy, but the refrigerator was still crammed with leftovers from last Sunday. Consequently it had to be composted because some of it had already become mouldy. I am tired and almost falling asleep while writing this. It therefore means that bedtime is near.

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9 October, 2011

    This has been a long, long day but a most interesting one. I drove to Vancouver to serve in the Holy Resurrection Sobor, arriving early because there was almost no traffic on the highway. The Divine Liturgy was very well attended and all went splendidly. As people came up for a blessing, there were many familiar faces, and many people wanted to speak briefly, or to ask for a special blessing.
    After being hosted to a lunch (that turned out to be a full meal) I hurried back to the monastery where Elizabeth and Seraphim had a crowning of their marriage. Although I missed it, many people told me how beautiful and touching it was.
    A number of the people stayed on to attend the baptism that began at about four o'clock. That, too, was touching. Little Vladislav fussed and cried until his baptism, after which he whimpered a few times and then began to take an interest in his surroundings. The food that had been prepared was brought out into the dining hall in huge trays and bowls, enough to feed the proverbial army.
    It must have been about eight o'clock when the last visitors left, except for those who were staying here for the wedding. After all the excitement and exhaustion, I will either be unable to sleep much of the night or else be the proverbial sleeping log!

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8 October, 2011
    Most of the day was spent in the preparation of food for the wedding and especially the cake. Fortunately the atmosphere was pleasant and people crowded into the kitchen, hall and other rooms.
Some of the men worked hard to install a window on the first floor of the main building in an area that had no proper ventilation. Now we should be able to get fresh air and avoid any musty smell that can arise from such closed quarters.
    The sun is out all day (when rain had been forecast) and let it be sunny tomorrow as well. Also, Vladimir came today and finished digging a drainage ditch that was badly needed.
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7 October, 2011
Guests have arrived for Sunday's crowning of a marriage and all our nooks and crannies are being filled with people whose excitement can be felt.
    Last night when Brother Ephraim went for a walk, he was almost attacked by a giant beaver that was crossing the road. It seems that as soon as the otters disappear, the beavers come back. Oh otters, when will you return? You see, they do little damage, while the beavers dam our streams and create problems.
    We are constantly asked to pray for various people, something that we take seriously and we rejoice when we hear good news, as with Nikita, who was suddenly rushed to the hospital with something gravely serious. Now he is recovering quickly and should be his old self again (or is it young self, since he is still a young fellow).

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6 October, 2011

Some cuttings and limbs were burned this afternoon -- October is a month when one can legally burn such things. More Liturgy hymnals were printed and assembled and also more work has been done with the 2012 Calendar.
Each Sunday people return their empty holy water bottles and take freshly filled ones, but first they must be cleaned and sterilized before refilling them with holy water. This process continues indefinitely and I am pleased that people ask for, and actually make use of, this holy water.
I can hardly wait to see the translation into Russian of the tropar and prayer to the Theotokos, "Joy of Canada" that Yanna has done. We have had requests from Russia and Latvia but I personally have had no experience in translating any liturgical material into Russian or Old Church Slavonic. We have not made any effort to have large scale translations of our material into other languages. In fact, we do not know how much has been done, although over the years we have seen various material of ours translated from English into French, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Romanian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Polish, Arabic and Japanese.

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5 October, 2011

The entire morning was spent with Vladika Lazar at the Abbotsford Hospital where he had two MRIs. They had been scheduled some time ago and it is good that the doctors are being careful.
    We have had printed hundreds of small icons of the "Joy of Canada" on cover stock, so I have been carefully cutting them out. They are ideal for people asking for a "pocket sized" icon.
    The basement rooms in the main building, and even the library have had a smell of mustiness because of the dampness during the summer. We have heat on and our visitors are cleaning, sweeping and vacuuming which is a great help to us.
    I have been looking at my grandfather's account books from 1917 to 1922 and there are innumerable insights into what life must have been like then. In 1920 they sold eggs at 50 cents per dozen which sounds rather expensive because another entry showed that a pair of shoes cost $4.00. A bottle of wine cost #3.50.

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4 October, 2011

It began as a dull, damp day, yet it soon became very warm and sunny which meant that outdoor work could be done, especially at the monument. Two evergreens were cut down because they were crowding out other trees and I finally dug up the peonies which, although attractive during their short blooming periods, tend to be unattractive the rest of the summer. I also fertilized a number of plants, realizing that I had been negligent about feeding them this summer. To my surprise, the parsley, mint and sorrel burst into thick masses.
    Our faithful Mrs Kale (not her real name) brought us a bundle of kale and garlic. This usually means that Portuguese potatoe and kale soup is coming up.
We ate the first apple from our Gala apple tree and it was so juicy and crisp. Also, the fig tree is covered with dozens of figs from the second crop but not a single one will ripen now. We planted two chrysanthemums, one on either side of the side entrance. They are a deep pink-mauve colour which is so right for this season.

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3 October, 2011

It has often been the case where people have offered to do some work or to donate something, then they are never heard from again. Yet, a man recently asked us if we needed his work with a backhoe and of course, we did. He brought it on a trailer and began digging a drainage trench where water always gathers during the winter rains. This will be a great help to us although, unfortunately, he toppled over the electric fence so that the apples are in danger of being eaten by the bears. Oh well.
This forthcoming weekend Canadians will be celebrating our Thanksgiving Day and perhaps the hungry bears can feast on our apples.
Earlier in the day I was asked to bless a business establishment, which I did. It was followed by a typical Russian meal and I returned to the monastery with a large box of piroshki.

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1 October, 2011

   How green is our valley. After being away for a short time, the density of the green colour all around us is almost overwhelming. But it was overcast and there probably will be some rain and that is the main reason why everything is so green.
   There was barely enough time to rest when we had to serve a baptism for a three year old boy. I was glad that a prosphora had been baked for tomorrow's Liturgy, but the refrigerator was still crammed with leftovers from last Sunday. Consequently it had to be composted because some of it had already become mouldy. I am tired and almost falling asleep while writing this. It therefore means that bedtime is near.
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30 September, 2011

   A very quiet day when I visited relatives and scarcely even ventured outdoors. I was surprised to find Edmonton and its surrounding area still quite green at this time of the year, not like our West Coast, but favourably pleasant. Winter will arrive before long and the entire countryside will be blanketed in snow until spring — that, too, has its own charm.
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29 September, 2011

   This was my Russian Day in Edmonton. Igor picked me up at 10 a.m. and drove me to their home where I spent the entire day, at least until 8 p.m. Only for an hour and a half did I leave the table, as the rest of the time was spent around the table, eating and making toasts and generally nibbling. We had served a Moleben at the icon corner first and then enjoyed the food Tatiana had prepared. There were probably fifteen dishes, each one more delicious than the previous one. After all, she spent two and a half days preparing the food. Marina came with her daughter Anastasia who is already a mature young lady. Two Andreys joined us for the meal, while Scott spent much of the day with us. Our ties of friendship and love were renewed and hundreds of questions were answered about various people who regularly attend services at the monastery. The long visit did not tire me in the least and I felt quite energized.
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28 September, 2011

   Rising what for me is unusually late, a breakfast was almost ready, consisting of old fashioned steel-cut oats (not only delicious but extraordinarily nutritious). As we went for a short stroll before lunch, we stopped at a used book store — how could one not stop there — and browsed for some time. I was able to refrain myself although, in the end, I picked up the Autumn, 1973 issue of "Alberta Historical Review" because it had articles, one on early Ukrainian houses in Alberta and another on a Romanian pioneer.
   Next door was the Mill Creek Café where we stopped for lunch. There we ordered tomato soup. Yes, I know, that could sound dreary because usually tomato soup is watery and even bland, but not this one. It was almost as thick as a stew with actual tomatoes and other vegetables in it, flavoured with a good combination of herbs.
The afternoon was spent making telephone calls and seeing our good friend Hopa, who is originally from Central America.
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27 September, 2011

   After the Liturgy on this feast of the Elevation of the Cross, Vladika Lazar and I hurried to prepare for our trip to Edmonton. Brother Ephraim drove us to the Abbotsford Airport where we soon boarded a plane that flew us to Calgary. It has been a few years since I had last flown anywhere and, either my memory is failing, or perhaps the planes have always been this crowded. Once seated, it seemed impossible to move about but at least the gentleman on my left was of slight build rather than the size of many of the passengers. At Calgary there was a short layover and then we flew on to Edmonton. David Goa met us at the airport and drove us to his home where we were met by Anna Altman. Seated at the table we talked for a long time about our long acquaintance and friendship. This is a quiet residential area and the night was pleasantly refreshing. I seemed to notice a difference in my sleep, perhaps because Edmonton is about 2,100 feet higher in elevation than our monastery.

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26 September, 2011

 It has been raining hard all day and I do not want Fr Moses to come to my place in the rain to pick up this diary entry. He types it up and then Vladika Lazar uploads it. And yes, something is written each day. Often, Fr Moses will start asking me in the early afternoon if I have written anything yet, and each time my reply is that I have to wait until evening so that I can mull over the day’s events.
 Today Vladika Lazar had to help some people with their legal problems, then two kindergarten teachers brought some of their pupils for a visit, this being their first field trip in the new school year. The children were delightful and one of them, Jordan (I did not realize that girls can have that name) sounded like a university lecturer and even looked the part with her eyeglasses and serious demeanour. Another child, Paynton, was much younger and behaved like a perfect gentleman. It was so refreshing to have these charming children visiting us. I took them on a tour of the monastery but I do not really think it meant much to them until I gave them a candle each to light in church. And, of course, the highlight was sitting at the table and eating ice cream cake (left over from yesterday’s celebration). The children agreed that I was too old to attend kindergarten but they want to come back again.
 Vladika Lazar printed about 4,000 slips of paper for writing the names of people one would like to have prayed for during the proskomedia. Russians either have a booklet with names in the first half for health and well being, while the second half is for names of the deceased. These booklets are left in church and at each Divine Liturgy the priest reads these names in the appropriate place in the Proskomedia. Others, on the other hand, prefer to fill out two lists each time they are in church. At any rate, I am amazed at how many we go through.
 Tomorrow morning we will celebrate the feast of the Elevation of the Cross and in the early evening Vladika Lazar and I are flying to Edmonton, returning on Saturday morning. It becomes increasingly more difficult to get away because, for example, we will have a baptism on Saturday and on Sunday Vladika Lazar will serve again at the Romanian Holy Trinity Church in New Westminster.
 During our absence, I shall try to write an entry for each day, although I do not know when they might be uploaded. Please have patience, they will be uploaded sooner or later. Thank you for your email, Fr John. A reply should be forthcoming oon. If anyone else has questions please feel free to submit them (and I would hope that they might not be too profoundly theological or philosophical – how about “light theology”?) One last comment – thanks to Yanna’s advice, we placed a large icon of St Spiridon on a section of the back wall that is rough brick. It was painted some twenty-five years ago by a friend of ours, Sister Nadezhda, and all this time it had not been properly displayed. Now, it has found its perfect spot and we pray that St Spiridon will look down upon us at every Divine Service.
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25 September, 2011

If I had forgotten the meaning of the word "blustery", today's weather would have reminded me immediately. For a while it was cool, with rain falling heavily and the strong wind blowing off leaves. At least we were fortunate and not like the tens of thousands who were left without any electricity. I do feel better today but still weak. As for the Divine Liturgy, the church was packed with people standing on the staircase and even downstairs. Communion was so joyous as the line of communicants seemed never to end. At the dismissal I told everyone that we would do the prostration before the Holy Cross today because the actual feast is on a work day and few people can attend. It was an impressive sight to see the vast crowd of worshippers all prostrating themselves. As for the dinner, there was enough to feed the proverbial army. Much of the food was prepared by the Georgians who, by the way, have always been famous for their dishes.

Just as we began to eat we lost our electricity so we ate in a somewhat dimmed atmosphere. About three hours later the power came on again and the majority of the people were still here. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I ate very little because of my unsettled stomach. The Georgians vowed to come back for another such occasion. Even though I was completely drained of energy, it truly was a glorious day.
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24 September, 2011
Almost the entire day was spent in bed. I came down with the stomach flu or perhaps food poisoning. At any rate I was miserable and several people who had come to see me had to be turned away as I was in no condition to receive anyone. The Georgian young men were here putting up the roof or cupola on the outdoor sign. Since I have not seen it I cannot make any comments --- perhaps tomorrow. I hope that I shall recover soon, since I must serve the Slavonic Divine Liturgy tomorrow because Vladika Lazar will be serving in the Romanian Orthodox Church in New Westminster.
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23 September, 2011

 It felt like a "Pineapple Express" when a very warm wind blows in from the warmer areas of the Pacific Ocean in midwinter. It might be cool, or even cold for a people, then the strong warm wind raises the temperature drastically and it feels like spring in mid-winter. Today it was both unusually warm and extremely humid which made it uncomfortable. You must understand that humidity here is always fairly low, even though we are not far away from the Pacific Ocean.
 The van was taken in to have two used tires replaced and the brakes repaired which meant that I wandered about the mall, waiting to be telephoned when the van was ready. What I did not realize was that time had run out on my cell phone so that no one could reach me.
 We had to print another several hundred copies of "The Orthodox Christian Church — Who are we?" in the Russian language because, over the years, we have had thousands, probably tens of thousands of the leaflets printed and visitors invariably take several at once.

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22 September, 2011

 On this celebration of the feast of Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos, we greet Matushka Anna in Moose Jaw and wish her "many years". We also greet little Philip Nantze who was baptized last September in Santa Maria, California and whose godfather I happen to be — May Jesus Christ bless his dear little soul.
 We crossed the border to mail books this morning and I had to stand outside in pouring rain while our crossing was being processed. Thank goodness for umbrellas!
 Today's visitors were from southern California who came unexpectedly but we enjoyed their visit. The wanted to venerate the relics and were amazed by the large number of them that has blessed the monastery. Father Moses warned me about the bear's huge tracks near the barn so I think that I shall avoid that area for a while.
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21 September, 2011

 The feast of the Birth of the Theotokos was celebrated quietly today in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity which is proper for this splendid occasion. Everyone was moved by the power of the hymnography. Since it was a feastday, not much was done after the Divine Liturgy but we were given a period of rest wherein we could think upon the mercy that the Most Holy Theotokos has bestowed upon us. For quite some time I shall be reading for our radio broadcasts. The first five volumes of "Lives of Saints for Young People" have been read, and about a third of "The Guardian Angel: A prayerful contemplation for each day of the month." Eventually I might also read "The Most Holy Theotokos" which also has contemplations for each day of the month.

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20 September, 2011

 This is the weather we enjoy the most — very warm during the day, in fact it was hot, but with a breeze and in the evening it became cool so that the night air is fresh with no humidity.
 Visitors arrived today bearing dozens of Russian Pirozhki made with cabbage, others with mushroom, potato, cheese, apples, etc. Since they are among our favourite "piroshki providers," we always welcome them. That is not to say that those who come empty handed are not welcome.
 Vladika Lazar and Brother Ephraim drove to Port Coquitlam to pick up the books that had been collated and bound, and now the outstanding orders can be filled.
 Seraphim, who is visiting us for a while, has gone over the computers, cleaned them up and brought them into good order. Also, he has our video camera operating again — this one produces the excellent quality videos!
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19 September, 2011

 Most of the morning was spent in preparing food for our visitors who were to arrive for lunch (or as we often call the noon meal "dinner" — and the evening meal "supper"). Vladika Seraphim and Father Michael arrived and, after a brief visit in the library, we all sat down at the table. The meal was somewhat on the overabundant side and someone mentioned that perhaps we could have guests more often! The meal ended with dessert — vanilla ice cream and a delicious Russian honey cake (much like a Torte Napoleon and almost as rich). Professor R. Dart came and he and Vladika Lazar did a broadcast while I took Father Michael to show him some of our local sights. Now that it has fallen dark, I shall try to read one or two more readings from "The Guardian Angel".
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18 September, 2011

 It poured in the early morning, yet many people arrived for the Divine Liturgy at the end of which we served a thanksgiving Moleben for the church new year, for all those who are beginning or renewing their studies and for all that our Lord has bestowed upon us. Much of the afternoon was spent in discussing icons and analysing the different schools of iconography with people who are interested in this topic. George has framed a number of our icons recently and they look so much better in plain wooden frames. He has taken others to work on as well and we are grateful for his enthusiasm and precise workmanship.
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17 September, 2011

 What a gorgeous day. At first it was cold and people were bundled up, but by noon the sun was out and it became hot.
 We were given another 2012 Church calendar, the official Russian Orthodox Calendar of the Moscow Patriarchate so that we have two of them now and we can compare the information with our own 2012 calendar to be certain that there are no discrepancies.
 The Georgian young men dropped by to look at the place where they will place the new monastery sign. In fact, it is more than that, with a roof and cross and it will be embedded in concrete. It is nice to see them excited about it because it gives us a feeling of not just renewal, but of progress.

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16 September, 2011

 At last we have been able to make a copy of the benefit concert put on by the Silver (Serebro) Ensemble in May. Something happened and it was impossible to make any copies but today Vladika Lazar managed to do something with the computer to remedy the situation. Now it will be possible to provide some people with this DVD, after having promised to do so long ago. We may have to purchase a new vacuum cleaner for the church. Father Moses has been using the very small cleaner which is more like an electric broom and it is time for something more substantial.

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15 September, 2011

 One could easily think that summer has ended, now that the rain has begun. It is very cool and damp which feels odd after so many weeks of no rain, but the soil is undoubtedly happy to be watered. Old friends, whom we have not seen for five years, dropped by for a visit, bringing jars of homemade vegetable caviar and other delicacies. Moreover, other friends telephoned to say that they would drop by next week and they always bring a huge basket of their own piroshki. I can safely say that their piroshki are about the best that I have ever tasted anywhere, especially the ones with cabbage. Of course, the other four or five fillings are also delicious. The big bear made his appearance again but did not come out of the thick shrubs to be photographed — perhaps he is camera shy!
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14 September, 2011

 This being 1 September on the Traditional Orthodox Calendar, we recognize it as the Church New Year. Perhaps some of you have noticed that many liturgical books begin with services for 1 September rather than 1 January. At any rate, let us pray that we will have a spiritually profitable year ahead of us. Next Sunday we shall serve a Thanksgiving Moleben after the Liturgy on the occasion of the new year. Also, let us all forget about senseless prophecies made about 2012. Brother Ephraim made a large number of candles today and now Father Moses is cutting them down. I, on the other hand, assembled a cordless weedeater that Vladika Lazar bought for me so that I can tackle weeds and tall grass in my area of the monastery grounds. I had picked some dollar plants that were already dry and spray painted them, some in gold, others in black, and perhaps some in red tomorrow. They are decorative and attractive. Our neighbour was provided with blueberries, blackberries and rose hips so that she could prepare jam, some of which she will give us, although I thought that rose hips had to be touched by frost before being used.
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13 September, 2011

 At last, we were able to take the numerous boxes of printed pages and the covers to the bindery where they will collate and bind the books. Later, we stopped in New Westminster where I did some shopping at a health food store. One of the two saleswomen looked very Russian so I spoke to her in Russian and, indeed, she was from Russia. The other saleswoman joined the conversation saying that she too was from Russia. Fifteen or twenty years ago it would have been almost impossible to stumble on any Russian speaking people while now, they seem to be everywhere In our absence, a huge black bear made his appearance at the monastery and began feeding on ripe blackberries. The electric fence is now in operation around the apple and fig trees and let us hope that it will deter the bears. The figs we picked today were ripe, sweet and juicy. It never ceases to amaze us that we have our own figs — such an exotic delicacy for us.

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12 September, 2011

 I forgot to mention yesterday that our telephone was not in operation for about sixteen hours. Yes, it happened again, the copper wire thieves were at it again, this time right at the edge of Mission. We have been told that they arrive in official looking vehicles so that no one becomes suspicious and they help themselves, later selling their wire to willing buyers in the city. It is at such times that you realize how necessary a telephone is. Some change was made in the church today. A high, carved icon stand that stood at the back of the church was moved next to the large bier containing the epitaphios/plaschanitsa. Also, an analoy/analogion (stand) was moved to the other side, next to the memorial table. All this allows for more open space and makes the nave seem larger.

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11 September, 2011

 Well, my fears about today's strict fast proved to be unfounded. All the food brought for the Agape meal was acceptable (except for the plate of meat which was left untouched) The wasps are becoming more numerous and we have been told that hanging an artificial wasps nest keeps other wasps away. Perhaps we can try that next year. George brought the Resurrection icon he cleaned, using a potato, then washing it with holy water, and framed. It is not large and hangs on the three-bar cross behind the table with candles for memorial services. Speaking of memorials, we prayed for those killed in the 9/11 tragedy and also for the Russian hockey team member who died in an airliner crash at Yaroslavl in Russia.

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10 September, 2011

 Today's baptism of three year old Ivan showed us how little children can be prepared for baptism by the parents so that they do not have to be in a state of apprehension or even fear, as it often happens. Little Ivan (actually, he was quite large for a 3 year old) complied with everything that was asked of him and the mutual love between him and his much older brother was evident Late last night I suddenly realized that this Sunday is a strict fasting day, commemorating the beheading of St John the Baptist and I did not forewarned people last Sunday about bringing only the simplest of fasting dishes. We shall see how it works out tomorrow and see how many people pay attention t the calendar.

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9 September, 2011

 We left the monastery at 6:30 A.M. to be first in line at the clinic where Vladika Lazar had to have a blood test. If you arrive later there usually is a long line up. The morning was gorgeous. A light mist filled the valley and there were large areas of heavier mist with the gentle morning light piercing it. We are so fortunate to have relatively cool nights which makes it easy to sleep, and the humidity level is not too high. The book that we have been printing for ages, a bit at a time, was finally completed and, since the cover is ready, it can be taken to the bindery early next week. Our library is still not properly catalogued but it certainly is looking more comfortable especially the reading area with the easy chairs and the stove nearby (definitely not being used now!) In addition, an oriental tapestry has been hung over the storage area near the stove so that the bags of pellets used to heat the stove are now concealed.

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8 September, 2011

 It has been some time since we crossed the border to Sumas, Washington, to mail books. Usually the American border officers are "no nonsense" men, to the point and direct, but not this morning. The man on duty was actually polite, cheery and spoke with a sense of humour even courteously wishing us well as we drove into the U.S. Has the summer heat thawed their usual reserve? After mailing the parcels of books, we drove down to Bellingham, a charming city on the coast. Once there we drove to Fairhaven, the oldest part of the city still retaining much of its original character. Since it was already lunch time, we stopped at a restaurant that has several wrought iron tables and chairs under a huge chestnut tree. Sitting in this narrow lane, paved with stones, it resembled many places in Europe. There is one other place in Washington that has a European atmosphere — Leavenworth, but it has been artificially built and modelled after Bavarian or Alpine towns, whereas this lane in Bellingham shows its organic origins. I might add that the clam chowder was delicious.
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6 September, 2011

 The great news today was that a copy of the Orthodox Calendar for 2012 arrived by mail. Last year it was our Olga from nearby who was visiting her family in Riga, Latvia who brought us a copy of the 2011 calendar, and this year it was another Olga, from Riga, Latvia, who sent us this much-needed calendar. She had passed it on to a friend visiting from Toronto who in turn mailed it to us upon returning to Canada. As many of you are aware, there seem to be endless variations of Orthodox calendars and the system of arranging the Epistle and Gospel readings, particularly after the feast of the Elevation of the Cross in September. We therefore resolved to follow precisely the calendar and readings used by the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow (we actually have come across other Orthodox calendars, particularly in Ukraine, that deviate somewhat from the norm). It means that we now can proceed with the preparation of next year's calendar without which we would not be able to serve accurately. And, yes, next year is Leap Year.

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5 September, 2011

 Labour Day — a public holiday, although for us it was more of a typical day with the crowning of a marriage in the early afternoon. The couple, their relatives and friends were all from Siberia and we have often noticed that people from Siberia, having lived so close to nature, have a special appreciation of the quality of the air here at the monastery and the fragrance of various trees. Because the weather was beautiful, a reception was held outdoors on the patio where there are eight glass tables with eight chairs at each table, so that quite a few people can sit there. Just as this group was leaving, others arrived to make it a long and enjoyable day.

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4 September, 2011

 Another remarkable day! While not hurrying in the morning, thinking that Vladika Lazar would be serving the Divine Liturgy, I suddenly had to vest quickly when Vladika Lazar became too ill to serve. After the dismissal we had the regular abbreviated healing service that falls on the first Sunday of each month, then a brief memorial service for the mother of two sisters, both of whom are doctors, and finally, the blessing of a newly painted icon of Saint Evdokia. Immediately after the Agape meal I served a baptism in Church Slavonic and it was followed by another baptism that Vladika Lazar served in English since he was already feeling better. Fortunately, no one stayed very late today, probably realizing that we were tired, which we certainly were, but at the same time elated that we are having so many baptisms. Both babies, Michaela and Christian, were perfectly quiet and smiled throughout the entire services.
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3 September, 2011

 We had the crowning of a marriage for a couple who had a civil marriage twenty-five years ago. How gratifying it is to see how many people wish to have the church's blessing in whatever they do in life. Another couple did not wish to leave for a trip on this long weekend holiday without a blessing and so on What well behaved children we had today —— quite remarkable because in this age, many children are allowed to run about uncontrolled which might be fine in a field or park but certainly not in a monastery. The consensus seemed to be that it was mainly the influence of the parents More visitors have arrived, this time from Washington, Elena and Trifon.

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2 September, 2011

 This has been another example of, "where has this day gone?" It is already evening, yet it feels as if the day has not yet begun Our faithful Georgy Pavlovich brought some furniture that someone had donated and which we will probably place in the reception room. Is it odd or natural that although we have a formal reception room, most visitors seem happier to be received in the kitchen? As well, it is closer to the tea pot and cookies The Dewdney Elementary School is on the edge of the little village of Dewdney and, since school will reopen next week, the teachers have already been showing up to prepare for the hectic school opening. A new teacher came to ask if she could bring her pupils for a tour of the monastery this autumn. Since it is so close, they can walk here and, after the tour, we will treat them with juice and cookies. We have had many tours in the past but usually it was for adults, so this one should be interesting.
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1 September, 2011

 It was good to have Vladika Lazar back from Edmonton. The Abbotsford Airport is modest in size but I can remember when it was absolutely tiny and primitive. In fact I remember the original Vancouver Airport and how primitive it also was. As I walked through the airport this morning, I tried not to look too intensely at the new carpeting because its design is meant to suggest an ascent of some sort. It gives me a feeling of instability, as if my footing is insecure. I made a whole batch of skin cream so now, my little pustin/workshop is very fragrant because the cream contains some essential oil. A few jars are left unscented for those who prefer it Meanwhile, the monastery kitchen is filled with the odor of garlic because every dish we had for supper contained garlic, (except for dessert!) At this rate we will soon have to buy another kilogram of garlic to grind up into a garlic sauce (muzdei) I mentioned that I had activated the electric fence around our big apple and fig trees, only to be told that it was not even connected yet!