But it was worth it. :)
I woke up early today, about 7, even though I didn't need to leave until 9:45. Finally deciding that I couldn't get back to sleep, I got up, had a shower and got dressed. About 9:45, when Jeremy usually gets there, Troy - who was dressed and ready to go - started feeling really ill. Jeremy finally turned up at 10:15, and by then Troy was feeling really really sick. He was told to stay home, and Jeremy and I screamed off to try and get to church vaguely on time. Jeremy later remarked that it's God's providence that he was late, or Troy would have been out and sick and miserable. It turned out that Abouna (Father Nicholas)'s car had broken down and Jeremy had had to rescue him to take him to church and then come grab us/me.
There was almost noone there when we got there anyway, just one lady chanting and Father. Jeremy jumped in to chant, and I settled into my place for Orthros and the Liturgy. Liturgy over, most of the regulars had run off straight after Communion so no coffee hour today. We grabbed Abouna again, and went to the markets held at the drive-in to grab some vegetables and eggs for him, and then to St Nectarios to find out what Father Silouan was doing. He had a baptism this afternoon, so we wandered off again to Scuzzi's in North Adelaide (yum) for lunch. I got my favourite again, and we ate - long Orthodox prayers in a restaurant is definitely new.
After escaping from there we went to find Nikki's house as we were taking her with us that night, and Abouna lives near the church who was holding the quiz night. Picking her up, we chatted all the way (about an hour and a half I suppose) to Abouna's house, and then to church.
We ended up on a table with just the our of us - Jeremy, Nikki, I and Andrew, another St Nectarios' friend. Father joined us, but much, much later. We launched into it, and had great fun, especially with the religion questions - we didn't miss one! And I answered one I didn't know that I knew on feast days, so I was pleased. We ended up winning by about 150 points which was nuts, and won the usual - a bottle of wine and something useful. :)
In our case it was a bottle of Shiraz that looks nice, lindor chocolates, and an icon of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary for those who don't speak Orthodox). Mine is now hanging on my wall next to my bed (there was already a hook there), but I asked Mum tonight and it turns out that the wall above my junk-covered dresser faces East...hehe. There is nothing hanging there, and its a beautiful space, so I'm going to attempt to clear the surface and set it up for my morning and evening prayers.
We came home, listening to a beautiful CD of the Liturgy in English that Jeremy has - it has all the Resurrection Troparia one after the other, with pauses in between, and we were listening to them and chanting along. I love today's:
You descended from on high, O Compassionate One; and consented to burial for three days, that You might free us from suffering: O Lord, our life and our resurrection, glory to You.
That's the 8th tone (tune, rhythm and key, of 8 total). I don't know if Jeremy's trying to teach me to chant, but it's fun anyway. I'm starting to learn, and chant along quietly where I stand.
So I've had a wonderful day except for Troy getting sick which is not wonderful :( I am hoping that he gets better soon.
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