North to Canada!

There is a couple at my church, Bill and Lynn Day, who host a gathering of young single people once every other month or so from all the Orthodox churches in the area. The people from St. Joseph the Damascene's in New Westminster, BC invited everyone up to their church last Sunday.

I decided to go, not least because of the mention of a falafel feast. So I woke up a bit early last Sunday and left my house at about 830ish. Church started at 11. I figured that that would give me plenty of time to get through the border, and probably get there for Matins.

From my place its about 15 minutes to the border crossing in Blaine. I got to the border with no problem, until I realized that I forgot my passport on my desk. So I turned around to get it. On my way home, I stopped at the post office (its on the way) to pick up my mail. I got home, took the mail in and grabbed my passport. Turned around, and headed back to Blaine. Got back to the border, and realized -- I took my directions in with the mail.

So I head back home. I left the first time at 830. By the time I actually got to talk to a Canadian border guard, it was almost 10! And I still had an hour's driving ahead of me. Of course, they pulled me over for additional screening. I finally got out of there at about 1020, and started booking it toward New Westminster. Of course, once I got off the main highway, I got lost, and had to ask directions three or four times. The upshot of it is, I got there just in time for the English Epistle reading (St. Joseph's has a large native Arab population, so they read the Epistle and Gospel in both Arabic and English)

It was a good service, and while the Arab tones were different from the Russian, Kievan, and Byzantine tones I am used to, it was very pleasing.

And the Falafels were out of this world amazing. There is truth in the saying that Arab Lenten food is better than their non-Lenten food.

While I was driving around looking for the church, it had started to snow. I think the most we got was about 2 inches, maybe three. On the drive in, I was going about 140 kph in a 100kph zone. On the way out, because of road conditions, 30 kph on the same highway. It was slicker than snot the whole way home. But I made it home safely.

I'm now looking at getting a Nexus card so I don't get stopped again.