Vladika Lazar had his operation today and, although I have not been able to speak to him. he apparently has done well and is now recuperating. I would like to ask people to wait a little so that he can feel better before rushing to visit him. We all realize that such visits can be […]
Vladika Varlaam’s Daily Diary
MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2018
The entire day has been sunny, with almost no wind and the air feeling rather crisp. In fact, it was a perfect day to take out my bedding—blankets and pillows—to hang in the chilly air where they could be aired out the old way without using a dryer. After a few hours outside, the bedding […]
SUNDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2018
A light covering of snow on the ground did not alarm us, but the strong wind did. There was the possibility of losing our electricity but we carried on and, glory to God, all went well. There were fewer people than usual for the Forgiveness Sunday service, no doubt due to the heavy snowfall closer […]
SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2018
We were up at four o’clock in the morning to allow Vladika Lazar time to get ready for a trip to Vancouver for another scan. We are fortunate to have had Thomas drive him there. Meanwhile, Father Thomas arrived with others to begin the Hours in preparation for the Georgian Liturgy. Bishop Sabba arrived soon […]
FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2018
Daily tasks took up much of the day until early evening when our Georgian visitors arrived. Bishop Sabba, the Georgian bishop from Philadelphia, accompanied by Father Thomas of Toronto, arrived at Vancouver Airport and a delegation that met them brought them to the monastery. Someone was thoughtful enough to start a fire in the wood […]
THURSDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2018
I served alone for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple and I found it quite difficult, as I could not use my canes or walker. Still, by the intercession of Saint Simeon, I managed to complete the service. As no food was prepared for a meal, Elena quickly whipped up […]
WEDNESDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2018
When I ventured out to see how much snow had fallen overnight, the sight was remarkable. A light blanket of snow turned the landscape into a work of art, and the sky was overcast all day with clouds hanging low, adding another layer of silvery beauty. Much of the snow melted throughout the day and, […]
TUESDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2018
At this moment it is mid evening and Yuri has just informed us that it has begun to snow. This is not what we wanted to hear and, perhaps, next week might be cold with much snow. There is little we can do about it, but simply to have patience. The day itself has not […]
MONDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2018
Another sunny day—how fortunate can we be? It does not make any difference if we have more snow storms because spring is not just ‘in the air’ as people say, but it is evident with plants coming back to life, and the air filled with Mother Earth’s welcoming fragrance. We had forgotten that today is […]
SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2018
Today’s service lasted more than four hours, beginning with full Matins, the Liturgy, prayers for travel, and a memorial for Michael who had reposed forty days ago. We were pleased to see our friends from Cranbrook whom we have not seen for some time. After an abundant Agape meal, people kept dropping in, many of […]
SATURDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2018
For the first time in three or four weeks we had a full day of sunshine and it felt good to be able to open the sliding glass door to let in fresh air, full of earthy fragrance. We had visitors from Donetsk, the area in Ukraine where has been taking place, and I was […]
FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY 201
I experienced a most interesting session with my chiropractor who examined me and said that my right leg was longer than the left one. Thereupon, he manipulated it and the hip, and I arose, feeling all the pain disappearing. Now I must relearn to walk, for I have been hobbling for so long, that it […]
WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2018
It happened at last. We had a couple of hours of sunshine in the afternoon and, while driving, I was almost blinded by the sun, not having seen it for so long. We can tolerate much rain, but an hour or two of sun can re-energize us. We finished the skin creams and labels the […]
WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2018
By mid afternoon, I felt energetic enough to prepare some skin cream. All the ingredients were on hand, and all I had to do was ask someone to bring down the large box with the containers for the cream, as it was sitting on top of a high cupboard. Stavroula happened to walk in and […]
TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2018
I drove two different vehicles today [not at the same time, of course], a sedan and a Jeep, and each one had its own virtues. It is reassuring to know that I can still drive comfortably at my age. Michael, a retired forensic coroner, came to fill the potholes on our monastery road, pushing a […]
MONDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2018
This morning a I had an appointment with Doctor Tadrous, who is a Copt from Egypt, whom I have been visiting for many years, The first visit is simple with a battery of tests, while the second one, to take place next month, he undertakes himself in his usual kind manner and has almost always […]
SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2018
did not sleep well last night so I allowed myself to come toward the end of Matins, knowing that Father Alexey and the readers would do well without me. We also had a large influx of Georgians who went to the old church immediately after the Liturgy to read an Akathist and prayers in Georgian. […]
SATURDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2018
We had a discussion whether the overcast sky was greyish or silvery, with the latter term sounding more attractive. Some men came to help remove the broken limbs and branches, and they will bring a chain saw the next time they come. Others spread a thick layer of gravel and even made a wide path […]
FRIDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2018
Stavroula and Vladika Lazar drove to Mission and later to Abbotsford where they were locked out of their vehicle. This happens to most of us at one time or another, but it can be frustrating while we wait for help to arrive. I picked up Galina at the train stop, as she was coming to […]
THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2018
Is it possible that one twelfth of this year has already gone by? Obviously it has and the rest will pass just as quickly. Now that my computer is located here in my cottage, I can use it whenever it is necessary without having to walk in the dark to the main building and sometimes […]
WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2018
We did not see the red or, as it was also called, blue moon, for it was dark and cloudy early in the morning, yet many say that they felt its influence. When I asked them if it was a positive or negative influence, they all chose the latter. But, let us be positive, for […]
TUESDAY 30 JANUARY 2018
No doubt you have heard the expression “when it rains it pours” and that is exactly what happened today. For the last couple of days almost no one has come to see us, but today the sun appeared and a tidal wave overwhelmed us. For days and weeks we have been calling Shaw and Telus […]
WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY 2018
What a surprise it was to receive a birthday cake for Vladika Lazar, even though the event is long past. However, quite by chance, Lija phoned and informed us that today is Thomas’ birthday, so this cake, mailed here from the United States, has served both birthdays, Thomas’ and Vladika’s. Davey drove us to New […]
TUESDAY 23 JANUARY 2018
So many of these entries of the diary contain medical news and reports, so today I shall begin with telling you that, no matter how many snow storms we might get in the near future, spring really is around the corner. Our first primrose, a bright yellow one, showed us how brave it has been […]
MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2018
We had to find a proper electrician to restore power to the workshop and the automatic outdoor lights that allow me to see clearly whenever I walk back to my place in the dark. We also had to deal with the new cell phone for the main building, as the former company was trying to […]
SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2018
After Saturday night’s visit to the hospital, I felt somewhat weak this morning and I decided to go yo Matins later than usual, knowing that Father Alexey would be there for the beginning of the service. By way of interest, the Matins/Liturgy service lasts for four hours, although the readers are suggesting that we add […]
SATURDAY 20 JANUARY 2018
We have had some computer problems lately, so I am writing this day’s entry on Monday, which means that I have possibly forgotten what occurred on Saturday. This might not mean a loss of memory, just an overload of information to sort out! Vladika Lazar served a Slava for a Serbian family that has, as […]