I am sorry to say that nothing has helped my cold and I shall have to “sit it out” as they say. It seems to me that I have been using more idioms than usual lately, perhaps because they are so colourful and expressive. I was touched to hear Ekaterina say yesterday that she reads […]
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WEDNESDAY 02 OCTOBER 2019
Every couple of months the foot care lady, as we call her, comes to work on my feet, as it is too difficult for me to do it myself. We have built up a nice relationship with exchanging plants and horticultural ideas. Today she bought sixty large candles from the amount that I ordered from […]
TUESDAY, 01 OCTOBER, 2019
In yesterday’s dairy entry I suggested that I might take some garlic to stave off a cold that was afflicting me. Well, I did not and there is no way of knowing if it would have helped and, as a result, I have spent this day sniffling, hoping that it will pass away quickly. They […]
MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2019
Indeed, I did come down with the sniffles and, after trying various remedies, I do feel better. I once read that this should happen every year at this time, as it detoxifies us and prepares us the the winter, although I cannot altogether give credence to this idea. I was horrified to see that the […]
SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2019
This has been a hectic weekend with many volunteers working on various projects before the rainy season could fall upon us. By evening today, we could see that the central portion of the main building has a new metal roof which should last many decades, the ramp was repaired and the roof on the ramp’s […]
SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2019
Vladika Lazar was due for an MRI at the Abbotsford Hospital, so I drove him there early in the morning. After letting him off, I found a close parking spot and went in to the coffee shop where I bought a cup of coffee to sip while waiting for Vladika. The procedure took about an […]
FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2019
It has been very peaceful with the celebration of the feast of the Elevation Of The Cross followed by a bit of tea and a restful afternoon. I noticed that the chestnut trees have been dropping their nuts which the squirrels readily open and enjoy eating. It is a pity that they are horse chestnuts […]
THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2019
This was a perfect day to do some transplanting, so Jonathan took the two potted sour cherry trees and put them in front of the cottage next to the small fig tree which will have to be moved elsewhere. If we live long enough and if the trees survive, we shall be able to look […]
WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2019
It has been a pleasantly cool day, the kind that Father Moses insists is found in San Diego and perhaps he is right. The leaves are beginning to change colour and a change in the weather is perceptible. I hurried to make a couple of prosphoras and, in my haste, I forgot to add the […]
TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2019
This has been one of the most relaxing days that I can recall, with not a single telephone call, nor a single visitor. With most of the previous pain gone, I could not have asked for anything better, but we shall see how long that will last. In fact, I could barely believe that it […]
MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2019
In previous years, by now we would have had leaves turning colour on many trees and also dried or withered leaves, but this year they have stay fairly green and healthy looking so far. Andy mowed the grass everywhere, the lawns, around the monument and at the entrance. In fact the area around the entrance […]
SUNDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2019
The day got off to a good start with Matins being served well and with the chanting better than usual. There were quite a few visitors for Liturgy and I managed to speak to most of them after the service, including Peter from New York City and Victor from Moldava. I felt rather useless all […]
SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2019
Today was a day well spent, although I felt that it was Sunday, yet the feast of the Birth of the Theotokos brought many of us together. The Liturgy had several people on the kliros who sang better than usual and we encourage them to keep up this standard. It was interesting to meet a […]
FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2019
I did not venture out today, knowing that visitors were coming at various times. Actually, Vladika Lazar was able to receive most of them which freed me for other responsibilities. I examined the huge shipment of candles that we recently received and, as there was no other place to store them, the boxes were put […]
THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2019
Usually the first thing that I do when I arise in the morning is to glance out the bedroom window. A kind woman sewed drapes for it but I never close them since there is no one who would peek through the window. In all the years I have lived here, only once did a […]
WEDNESDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER, 2019
I can hardly believe it—a day without any rain. Still, more rain is forecast for the next few days. Andy took the repaired tractor lawn mower and cut the grass at the monument in the field and in other places as well. A handful of plants suffered from the heat and got scorched but the […]
TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Today was Father Moses’ nameday and to celebrate it, I took him to the megastore Canadian Tire here in Mission, where he was thrilled to walk about, looking at all that was available there. Do not be mislead, it has almost nothing to do with tires, although it has one section that deals in automotive […]
MONDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Today has been very quiet, but it could have been otherwise. Andy told us that, early in the morning, he saw a bear sitting outside Vladika Lazar’s sliding door that was partially open. If there had been some tempting aroma coming from the bedroom, the bear could easily have broken in through the screen and […]
SUNDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2019
I was given a new umbrella yesterday and this morning I used it to walk to church as it was raining lightly. In this climate we all have umbrellas and so often they are misplaced, so we are constantly looking for our own or other umbrellas. Often there are several of them on the verandah, […]
SATURDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER, 2019
It is almost eight o’clock in the evening and it is completely dark outside. Where has the daylight gone? And why so quickly? It will be another three months before the days start getting longer again so, in the meantime, we must put up with this darker period. We were inundated with visitors today, […]
FRIDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Today certainly did not feel like summer with the sky overcast and intermittent rain throughout the day which reminded us of the rainy season to come before too long. Still, we can expect to have many warm and sunny periods ahead. We were taken aback to see Davey drive in with a long, black limousine […]
THURSDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Vladika Lazar hear some noise outside and when he went out to investigate, he saw a small bear that had climbed up one of the apple trees, eating and obviously enjoying the ripe apples. He cupped his hands and made a loud shout which was enough to frighten the bear away. No doubt it […]
WEDNESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Well, it finally happened! After waiting for months to see a bear, I caught a glimpse of one this morning as I walked up to the desk which is located in front of a large window. The bear must have seen me and it scurried away, just showing its rear end as it disappeared behind […]
TUESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER, 2019
We took Father Sevastian to the airport this afternoon for his return flight to Winnipeg. I hope he enjoyed his visit here even though he did not get to see that much of this part of British Columbia. As it often happens, someone will come here to do work without us knowing and today Father […]
MONDAY, 09 SEPTEMBER, 2019
We finally stopped complaining about the heat as the rain fell upon us, not blustering or full forced, but gentle and, even so, intermittent. Sergey took Father Sevastian on an excursion to Vancouver where they saw the most visited places and it seems that the trip was most successful. On their way back they stopped […]
SUNDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Even though the rain was not very heavy during the night, the accompanying lightning and thunder were dramatic. Perhaps it only appeared thus because we have not had anything like this for a couple of months or even more. Needless to say, it was much cooler today, but I do not know why attendance at […]
SATURDAY, 07 SEPTEMBER, 2019
The sound of hammers hammering and saws sawing could be heard all day from early morning until sunset as men tried to accomplish as much as they possibly could before tomorrow’s rain begins. They had to go on the roof of the church to reach the belfry where a number of things had to be […]
FRIDAY, 06 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Whenever I bake a prosphora, I like to be alone in the kitchen but today Father Sevastian was present to see how I made them. All went well until I was about a third way through with kneading the dough when I saw the yeast standing off to the side. I had completely forgotten […]
THURSDAY, 05 SEPTEMBER, 2019
This has been another hot day when our energy has been sapped. A couple of men came late in the morning to install fire extinguishers in various parts of the main building. In the past we have had small extinguishers but this was done professionally, now let us hope that we can learn to use […]
WEDNESDAY, 04 SEPTEMBER, 2019
It might be confusing when I write about the Jeep and other vehicles but, in reality, it is simple. We have had the Jeep for some time and now we have a GMC Envoy as well which is really in exchange for a small sedan that was given to us but which was too small […]
TUESDAY, 03 SEPTEMBER, 2019
Vladika Lazar had an appointment at the Abbotsford Hospital for an examination and, thinking that it would be a lengthy procedure, and perhaps that he might not be able to drive back, I went along with him. I let him off at the main entrance and easily found a parking stall, which is seldom easy […]
MONDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER, 2019
What a blessing it has been to have so many volunteers showing up today to continue working at various jobs in addition to weeding and watering. The cross on top of the gate house has been painted and it is shining in golden glory. Today is a public holiday and these people could have stayed […]
SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2019
This was another muggy day, so you can imagine how we felt with several layers of cloth in our vestments. Even some scantily clad women had to fan themselves. Each year we go through this procedure, complaining about the heat, knowing very well that in a few weeks we will be complaining about the rain […]
SATURDAY, 31 AUGUST, 2019
I found today to be muggy [that is an interesting description, is it not?] and somewhat oppressive and difficult to endure during Vespers. In fact, Father Moses almost lost his voice, but we managed. Our pious Romanians were here most of the day working outside in this mugginess, as did some of them yesterday. It […]
FRIDAY 30 AUGUST 2019
It has been a cool day with occasional showers so that it felt more like autumn rather than the continuation of summer. I must admit that it has been a pleasant change. Our volunteers spent the entire day working outside and by evening they were tired, but they plan on returning tomorrow to continue their […]
THURSDAY, 29 AUGUST, 2019
I am pleased that we have been able to host the weekly meetings of Narcotics Anonymous and tonight was exceptional. Although I was not at the meeting, Vladika Lazar was, as is his usual custom, and I believe the turnout was larger than ever before. Tonight some women from the Womens’ Shelter joined this group […]
WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST, 2019
This day began with Matins for the feast of the Dormition Of The Most Holy Theotokos at eight o’clock and, by ten o’clock when the Divine Liturgy began, there was almost no one in church. It did not surprise me, as it was midweek and a workday. Yet, to my astonishment, people began to gather […]
TUESDAY, 27 AUGUST, 2019
Today was a typical August day—bright, sunny and hot. We went into town to pick up the Jeep which was repaired at some considerable cost, but at least this was the first time anything major was done to it. How good it felt to get into it and to drive back to the monastery. I […]
MONDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2019
We were informed that the Jeep has completed its stay in the infirmary and it is now ready to be released, so tomorrow it should be back at the monastery where it belongs and in good hands. It never occurred to me that I could be so attached to a vehicle. I hope that Father […]
SUNDAY, 25 AUGUST, 2019
I was late in coming to church, as Matins was well under way and the first people to be present, aside from the clergy and chanters, were Evgeny and his wife Ezra, both of whom are Turkish speaking. We had baptized Evgeny last year and this was the first opportunity to meet his wife who […]
SATURDAY, 24 AUGUST, 2019
I cannot understand how this week could have gone by so quickly. We baptized three month old Veronika this morning and, in the words of Father Moses, “I have never seen such a quiet and happy baby who smiled throughout the service.” It is true, she was delightful. There were people working the entire day, […]
FRIDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2019
I have almost decided to replace our grape vines with berries because when the grapes ripen they must be picked quickly before the raccoons and other creatures eat them, while the berries can be enjoyed each day. I go out and pick a small handful of berries over several weeks, if not longer. There continues […]
THURSDAY, 22 AUGUST, 2019
Half the day was spent at the car dealership getting the fob, the object that is used to automatically open the doors, for our new, but secondhand car, but at least it was finally done. Meanwhile the Jeep is still in hospital and I am not certain when it will be released and ready to […]
WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST, 2019
Today has been cool and rainy, no doubt much appreciated by all the plants, but for us it did not feel quite like summer, still there will be many more days of intense heat to come. Our poor Jeep is still in the automotive hospital awaiting its surgery and, in the meantime, we are using […]
TUESDAY 20 AUGUST 2019
The day got off to a good start with Zhenya and her two boys coming to clean our rugs with a steam cleaner and Michael with his son who worked outside doing various chores that we cannot cope with. Many thanks to all of them for their enthusiasm. Father Michael phoned to tell us of […]
MONDAY, 19 AUGUST, 2019
What a wonderful service we had this morning for the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since this was a working day, I expected just a few people to come for the service, instead there were almost as many receiving Holy Communion today as there were yesterday. Thinking that there would be […]
SUNDAY 18 AUGUST 2019
Vladika Lazar was up, dressed and in church long before I was, as I hobbled across the yard and up the stairs with difficulty, for my hip, not the one that had a replacement, but the other one, began to give me pain. Perhaps it was just the weather that caused it. It was good […]
SATURDAY, 17 AUGUST, 2019
This morning we baptized two year old Eva, who comes from a mixed background, her father being of Dutch descent. I could not resist what I hear many times in Lynden, a city across the border in Washington State where a large percentage of the population is Dutch and so, I just had to say, […]
FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST, 2019
It was quite late when I went to bed last night and, before I could fall asleep, the chirping of the crickets was music to my ears. The bedroom window was open and the melodious sound of these insects brushed away all cares and any problems that had arisen during the day. How grateful I […]
THURSDAY, 15 AUGUST, 2019
For some unknown reason, I had forgotten that it was Thursday so that when I went into the kitchen I found food that had been prepared by our Thursday kitchen volunteers. Many thank, ladies. I must also thank Kirill for quickly accomplishing a number of tasks, such as taking out the garbage, locating the iron […]