Random notes

It seems that the South is fertile ground for Orthodoxy. Yesterday morning we had Liturgy and a number of the Ecumenical Patriarchate archons were here for a weekend retreat. Fr. Nick, the president of the school, took the time to introduce the few students who were there (this week is spring break here). Not counting those whose place of origin is abroad (three of us, plus the celebrating priest), all but one of the others hailed from Texas (2), Georgia (2), Florida (2), Alabama, South Carolina (2), and North Carolina.

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This morning the Liturgy at St. Vasilios in Peabody had a rather different flavor with forty or so members of the Rachmaninoff Choir joining in to sing for the service. On a different note, the psalm we chant prior to communion (by the chanters), was started about a sixth higher than written. Now that was an experience.

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We had been looking for soy smoothies in the stores, but since we couldn't find them at our regular stores (BJs, Whole Foods, Stop 'N' Shop), we decided and make some. This got rave reviews from Magda: about 150 grams of strawberries, 1 can of frozen juice (in this case wildberry flavored juice from Stop 'N' Shop, which I only later discovered was mostly high fructose corn syrup...), and about half a liter of soy milk.