15.04.12 A blended Easter Ditl.
Hello my name is ktbean and that over there in the corner is my Petite Soeur korat_bean.
Korat and I currently live more than 4000 km apart on opposite sides of Canada. I'm in BC/Alberta. Korat's in Ontario. Since somebody has broken their computer (again!) we decided to do a dual ditl. You can see our previous one here.
We're part of the Orthodox Church in America (or the OCA if you're lazy ass like I am). Because we're Orthodox we celebrate Easter (or Pascha as it's otherwise known) on the Old Calender Schedule. This year April 15th! On any given year it can be anywhere from the same day as Western Easter to five weeks later. Next year Western Easter is March 31st while Pascha is May 5th. Yay for cheap Easter Candy! We're gonna fill the freezer next year!
Services start in the beginning of the week with the major ones starting Friday and finishing at about 4 am Sunday morning. It is an epic "endurance test" of fun, family, and church. By Sunday afternoon most people are hoarse from shouting "Christ is Risen!" We definitely know how to party. :)
Korat was lucky this year. She just had to go down a flight of stairs to attend church. I flew over 1600 km to get home from from Northern Alberta. Regardless of how far we travelled, our days ended up pretty much the same.
Anyways. Enough with the talking! On with the pictures!
Korat's on the left. Kt's on the Right.
12:00 am. Both of us are in church waiting for the service to start. At midnight the priest comes out with lit candles and the service has officially started.
Flames are passed around and soon the church fills with light.
There is lots of singing going on in Ottawa. In Cranbrook, our choir has lost the tune and needs a moment to get back on track.
The best part of the Pascha service has to be when we process around the church with candles and massive crosses all the while singing loudly. The poor neighbours.
After we process around the church we stand out side the doors and loudly proclaim the good news of Christ's resurrection for the entire world to hear. The key word here being "loudly". Again. Poor, poor neighbours.
Back inside the lights are all on and Christ has officially risen! Happy Pascha!
I find it funny that we both took pictures of candles at this point. Korat's is a bit more awesome than mine though.
Little people continue to be adorable in every possible way.
Again Korat and I are psychically linked. I took a picture of my favourite Pascha Song. She recorded it. Go us!
The Gospel is read in as many languages as we have people able to.
More little people being cute.
Halfway through the service and Feet are getting tired. Poor Korat. Little Brother is starting to flag as well. About 10 minutes after this photo was taken he fell asleep. Still holding a lit candle and everything!
Eventually the service is over and we all queue up to kiss the cross and nab our scarlet easter eggs. For some strange reason Mum won all the egg wars this year. I swear she had a rock instead of an egg.
Pascha basket time! We've been fasting from animal products for the last 40 days so tonight we are breaking our fast with meat laden baskets. Korat has a headache so she escapes upstairs for an Advil. No picture from her! Instead you get a nice shot of Father Richard blessing the Pascha baskets in Cranbrook.
In her kitchen Korat chows down on a lovely gluten free lasagna. I'm eating smoked salmon, brie cheese, and chocolate milk! Soooo good.
Korat takes a cute picture of of her Boyfriend being adorable. I snap a shot of a little sister being goofy.
The time is close to 4 am at this point so you get to see two blurry shots of us going home. Korat to her flat, and Kt to the local Best Western. The family stays at this one every holiday so they're pretty used to us staggering in at 4 am half sloshed on garlic sausage and posh cheeses. Sometimes we even sing. It's pretty sad.
Time for bed!
(oh hey look. We must be sisters or something. How strange.)
"Next" morning.
Somebody takes a snoozy photo of Korat. I wake up face to face with a bear. Wtf? That wasn't there last night! I guess this is what I get for sharing a bed with the little, little brother last night.
Korat steals her Boyfriend's computer to upload some photos of last night to Facebook. (Ooo.. I bet that was who took the above photo of her sleeping! Naughty, naughty Korat. Just kidding! Please don't hate me ! ;P) The twins and I get the hotel packed up and ready to go. It looks like they've gotten distracted by my new sock knitting book. Back to work girls!
Noon calls for a nice and short service. Korat comes up with a giggly shot of the Ottawa choir. I've got a nice one of the service booklet.
Korat turn your photos when you upload them!
Getting the Pascha feast ready. In Cranbrook we have a tradition of roasting a pig every Pascha. Here's a nice shot of the remains after we've chopped them up.
Feast time!
While the parents eat and talk and eat and talk, the kids head out side. In Ottawa they play in a patch of dirt that looks suspiciously like Korat's former garden. In Cranbrook we found a rope and had a jump rope marathon. Also. For some strange reason it was colder in Cranbrook than it was in Ottawa. What on earth is with the weather lately?
Ottawa: Eat and talk, eat and talk. Cranbrook: Easter egg hunt!
Eventually in both places the music comes out. Yay for talented musicians!
Korat and the Boyfriend get shanghaied in helping clean up in Ottawa. The family in Cranbrook decide to head back home. 1 hour drive = Yippie for PSP's!
I'm finally home hanging out and doing the crossword with my Dad and Grandma. We're cheating by looking the answers up on Dad's iPod. Looks like Korat's at yet another party and still eating. Pascha Parties FTW!
Korat and the BF go out for a walk and Smoothies. Kt gets a tour of the upstairs Grow Op. Ah the life of part time Organic Market Garden Farmers.
Korat's still out for a walk. I'm packing up to head to my house. My parents are lovely and all but I want a nap.
Korat's now partying with dinosaurs. I'm napping. I think Korat has a cooler day here.
Looks like the party is still going strong in Ottawa. I've had a wunderbar nap and now my parents have come over so it's on to the knitting/talking and eating part of tonight. Pascha is good for eating.
Party Hard Korat! I'm going to watch Richard Hammond drive across Iraq on the BBC. God he's short.
Time to head Home Korat. Ottawa is such a nice looking town to walk in. Even late at night.
I'm packing up to head back to Grande Prairie. The fight was supposed to leave Monday morning. I finally ended up flying into Fort Saint John Tuesday afternoon. Castlegar airport. You have issues.
Korat's still walking home. I'm currently in the bathroom trying to scrub off some orange monkey stamps that "appeared" on my arm. Several days later and they're still there. Sheesh...
We're saying good night! Today was an epic day of partying so off to bed we go. See you next Ditl!
