Alaskan's Journal

[Alaskan]

Saturday night... I stayed up until 4am...I think.

Our Pascha service started at 11:30.

Woke up at... 9 on Sunday.

Drank the wrong wine at the festivities that night, so Sunday morning I was all congested. something to do with age... some wine will make me super congested... and some wine is just fine.

BUT! CHRIST IS RISEN!


oh my! It was a comedy of errors! So lovely to be in a congregation where we just laugh about it! My voice completely left me before the midnight service was over... TRULY... I could barely squeak out a note! I was supposed to be leading the choir!! And I am standing there... and I KNOW the staring note... and out comes this rasping squeak!


Luckily it only happened on songs that were familiar to other people... so stuff still got sung!

I think the comment was something along the lines of "our enthusiasm was clear" -snicker-

And sheesh! I forgot to stick candles in the paschal baskets... the priest forgot to put the festal bells on the censer (no bells on the censer for all of lent)... until during a censing a congregant told him to put them on.... the altar boy forgot to change to the festal incense until... again... a congregant mentioned it (we use frankincense and myrrh during lent, then switch to floral for the feast).... I TOTALLY forgot how dark it would be at the Procession around the church... and couldn't both SEE the music and walk without tripping! So... yep, no singing at the Procession around the church... at least the bell ringing was great! AND everyone's candles got blown out in the Procession!!! I think 2 people managed to keep their candles lit!!! Poor priest had his Paschal candle blow out!



So we get around the church, back to the front door... Everyone had to get their candles relit, so there at the doors of the church we were all scrambling to get all candles relit, so that we could start the outside the church part. One of my favorite parts, the priest bangs on the door of the church.. shouting out the end part of psalm 24.
Priest says a part "Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in", and my eldest still in the church bellows out "who is this King of glory?" Anyway.. it goes on... but so cool!

It was lovely... bummer I couldn't sleep until noon!

Service on Sunday was at a lovely 4pm!


Oh... I had forgotten how old fashioned some of our translations are! The priest was blessing the paschal baskets... and he blessed the "curdled milk"! Later on the blessing says "flesh-meats, cheese and eggs".... so duuuuuuude..... then what is the "curdled milk"? Rotten milk?!?!? Can't be! no one would bring rotten milk to feast on! Kiefer? Yogurt? At first I thought "curdled milk" = cheese... but later he SAYS "cheese"!!!!



Ah! What a hoot!

 

[Alaskan]

We had some RAIN!!!!

But... yeah.... not much...

My driveway yesterday, Pond on right.

And the path out of my front door... yes.. up and very dirty icy ramp to the driveway... the little thing is the pond coop.

And... pictures of the church, with the Pascha decorations. The stuff on the floor are the laurel leaves of victory, and rose petals... that the priest throws at everyone in the church while we sing "Christ is RISEN from the dead!"

On Sunday we have church at 4 PM!!! A super short service where we read the gospel in as many languages as we can... the one where the apostles see the risen Lord, and Thomas misses it, and when they tell him, Thomas says he won't belive until he himself sees Christ.


And after that... we FEAST! No curdled milk was to be found! but there were armadillo eggs, and Texas dip, 3 kinds of chicken enchiladas, roast lamb, ham, scalloped potatoes, baklava, amaretto cake, some kind of fancy cup cakes, wine, beer, candy! Not sure what else... bunches of food! Oh.... there WAS salad... I ate that first... covered in blue cheese dressing... ah! Blue cheese dressing! Maybe that counts as curdled milk!

It was such a fantastic time!

Today is a day off!!!

I told the kids they could sleep in as long as they want... no more school until Thursday (well, maybe a little Tuesday and Wednesday)...

So far, at ELEVEN in the morning... only one kid is up!!!

But... don't panic, spouse made me coffee AND the fanciest sausage creamy stuff quiche.


You want me to love you? Feed me! I am easy!!!

 

[Baymule]

That is the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen. But the real beauty is the people in it.

 

[Alaskan]

Smack me senseless.

Sigh

Washer busted.

Had kid #3 take it all apart and clean it up... have to order a new motor.

 

[Alaskan]

We are a pretty filthy family... yeah... humans living in filth is us....low standards....

But take away the washer for just a day.... and


SO BAD!!

 

[Alaskan]

Kid 5 has been doing laundry all day... sitting there... draining the machine by hand...



Starting to see floor again. (Floor had been covered in a carpet of dirty clothes)

 

[Baymule]

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Hope the motor shows up soon.

 

[Bruce]

Kid 5 has been doing laundry all day... sitting there... draining the machine by hand...

I sure hope that new motor arrives quickly!!

 

[Alaskan]

Showed up yesterday...

Had kids install and reassemble today! They are getting better, all good first time! No leaks... and WASHING!!!

I am listening to the joyful sounds of a functional washer as I type!

 

[Alaskan]

Kid #3 got signed for a boat this summer... he found what he wanted... a short run (6 weeks) in the Berring sea. It was harder than I had hoped.... he is super humble, and doesn't market himself well. All other job offers have been because someone saw him working...

This was the first time he had to get a job by jumping in cold... and ask people who don't know him.

I was starting to worry he wouldn't get on a boat... I tried coaching him... but... he just wouldn't market himself.

So... it isn't the best boat, but it isn't a bad one... so should be fine.... pray with me that he stays safe and makes a bundle. (And yeah, safe is more important than the money, but both sure would be nice.

And...if he decides to do it again, he will hopefully be able to move up to a better boat.

There is a training tomorrow, all full... he is going to show up anyway, and hope they let him join.