This day has been rather a bit cooler though the sun was shining on and off. Even so, I did stay inside and worked on the curtains until the sewing machine started acting up, which means back to the computer in order to search for how to solve the problem.
Lunch today was excellent with the last of the buckwheat kasha, though it was put into the microwave. Added to it was a container of mushroom soup (one of my favourites) and finely chopped watercress and cilantro. Topping it off was a large glass of, you guessed it, Inka with almond milk and a huge, juicy orange. Then it was time to return next door to read a Moleben and continue working on the canvas panel of St Nicholas.
As I was painting, there was a terrible amount of noise and it seemed as if there was someone on the roof of the building. Then there was a lot of thumping and other unidentifiable noises and this called for an investigation. The investigation revealed that a large, black bird was in the building and swooping around everywhere. Then it went to the sliding glass door and just stood there. This seemed like the perfect time to assist in his escape but he didn’t want to leave. He crouched in a corner and refused to move and he would not let me pick him up.” Aha,” I thought, “I’ll get the broom so that it can be put into the corner, he can sit on it and then I’ll escort him to the window and release him.” This worked perfectly. I sat the bristly part of the broom on the sill of the window and the bird just sat there and looked at me. I shook the broom thinking that this would give him the idea to move but he still just sat there and looked at me. I have to admit that I lost patience with him so scooped him up in my hand but he still just stood in my hand and looked at me. Finally, he must have grown impatient with me and flew away after opening and closing his mouth a number of times, almost as if he was trying to talk.
This evening, Archbishop Lazar called to inform me that the cemetery monument for Vladika Varlaam has been installed and shall be blessed on Saturday, 13 June, at 14.00. A short memorial service will also be served at that time so I am including this in the diary in order to make the event known.