As I have already mentioned, yesterday was a joyous day when I was able to visit with Steve from Chicago, David from Edmonton, and Stavroula from Virginia. Anna Altmann, my goddaughter from Vancouver Island, came today to rejoice my weary old bones, so that I have been having these precious guests rescuing me from bleak weariness. I had decided not to attend Vespers because of my weakness but, at the very last moment, I changed my mind, and asked Andy to bring out the scooter to take me to church. Even though it was ice cold in church, the heat was turned on and, in a few minutes, one could readily feel warmth spreading throughout the church. For a number of days my voice had been weak but, as soon as we began to chant the First Kathisma, this simple rendition of Psalms I, II, and III, I was overfilled with joy, so much so that I choked up and could scarcely continue. And, at the same time, an unexplainable power returned to my voice, changing me from a feeble old monk into someone much younger who could have continued half the night. At the snap or two of the fingers, a light supper was placed on the table where we continued to sit for a long time and I, for one, felt so alive for the first time in weeks. As I chugged along in the scooter back to the cottage [or do electric scooters chug?] the fresh air gave me an even greater sense of joyous living, for which I give glory and thanks to our Triune God.