Last night a group of us from the school went to shop at the newest supermarket in town. How exciting... huh? Well, for us it was. We found all sorts of treasures we had not seen since leaving the States. Honey nut cheerios, small packages of Skittles, Microwave popcorn... you know non- essentials that make life fun! I have some great photos to post once we get settled in our new place!
After shopping our little hearts out in this great place we had to take a taxi home. Well, make that two taxis. One was not large enough to hold our haul and us! I negotiated with the first driver to pay one hundred fifty rubles. When the second driver got there he wanted two hundred and was not budging. I said I would just take my stuff and call another taxi. Melanie told them either we pay 150 for both or no one goes with them... so they took the one hundred fifty! They thought the American women were going to roll over. Excuse me; we know better.
We also knew what was being said when we were being talked about! They didn't realize that soon enough or they would not have tried to strong arm us!
So, if you need some muscle when you are traveling abroad... just get a few well traveled women together and see what they make happen!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
School days....
Today was our first real day of school. Tonya our teacher (me and Nathan) said that our first phonetics lesson was to learn the difference between her name and Tania's. Tonya is like the O sound in Boat and Tania rhymes with Sonia. Like, don't get any 'on yah!' Tania is the Director of the school and Tonya is one of the teachers. Tonya said that Tania will forgive you 3 times for saying her name wrong after that.... you may be asked to leave the school! Remember, this is RUSSIA!
Most of us from the US are used to writing in print. However, here in Russia they learn as very young children to write in cursive. Tonya said that some people cannot even read printed writing very well. So along with learning the name of the letter, the sound it makes, and how to correctly pronounce it we are learning to write it in cursive.
Tom's mom is doing better. Thanks for all the prayers.
We are now the only family left in the dorms; everyone else has their apartment ready so they are gone now! We got up and had breakfast and hot showers!
We each have to do a culture report... so Spencer and I were just going to pull photos off of our blogs to write about. Today on the way to school I got two shots of a woman out walking her goats.... they were following her like puppies! I guess it won't be hard to get this homework done!
Most of us from the US are used to writing in print. However, here in Russia they learn as very young children to write in cursive. Tonya said that some people cannot even read printed writing very well. So along with learning the name of the letter, the sound it makes, and how to correctly pronounce it we are learning to write it in cursive.
Tom's mom is doing better. Thanks for all the prayers.
We are now the only family left in the dorms; everyone else has their apartment ready so they are gone now! We got up and had breakfast and hot showers!
We each have to do a culture report... so Spencer and I were just going to pull photos off of our blogs to write about. Today on the way to school I got two shots of a woman out walking her goats.... they were following her like puppies! I guess it won't be hard to get this homework done!
Monday, August 08, 2005
Going to school
We got out the door and to the school on time! That was a major accomplishment for us! Maybe tomorrow we can even add breakfast to the routine. At least everyone can have a shower. There are just two families left. Four adults and four kids. When there were four families in the dorms it was not a done deal to think that we would each get a hot shower. 8 adults and 9 children can use up a lot of water and of course the hot goes first!
Today was the last day of Orientation at school and tomorrow we start in on two weeks of phonetics. It was good to get some cultural questions answered. And to get more familiar with our class. Everyone had some sort of difficulty over the weekend. From no water, or electricity to ATM machines eating bank cards or being locked out of access to funds it was a joyous weekend for us all. Oh and the temperature was over 110 degrees F.
I just found out about Peter Jennings death. How sad. His voice will be missed.
Tom's mom is still in the hospital... we are praying for her to be relieved of any discomfort and they try to discover the source of her pain.
Our remont is still ongoing and we are ordering the kitchen today. It should be done in a week we are told.
Dorm life and school work will go on!
Today was the last day of Orientation at school and tomorrow we start in on two weeks of phonetics. It was good to get some cultural questions answered. And to get more familiar with our class. Everyone had some sort of difficulty over the weekend. From no water, or electricity to ATM machines eating bank cards or being locked out of access to funds it was a joyous weekend for us all. Oh and the temperature was over 110 degrees F.
I just found out about Peter Jennings death. How sad. His voice will be missed.
Tom's mom is still in the hospital... we are praying for her to be relieved of any discomfort and they try to discover the source of her pain.
Our remont is still ongoing and we are ordering the kitchen today. It should be done in a week we are told.
Dorm life and school work will go on!
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Seven Churches!
Seven churches in the city came together today for one large service! It was great... the music and the fellowship what more could you ask for? The churches also decided to adopt a children's home for the day and took an offering for its benefit. The offering came to over 22,000 rubles (over 700.00) !
We are still in the dorms... I cooked from a Russian recipe last night. I will post it another day. Larissa, my neighbor helped me with a few of the instructions I had not yet translated. She had copied the recipe from my book! It was good to sit and talk with her and her family. We rode the bus to church with them this morning. She asked me what was hard about learning Russian. I said pronunciation. I asked her what was hard about English she said words like is, at, the, an...
They are not used in Russian and it is hard to remember them!
Please pray for Tom's mom... we just found out she had not been feeling well. She is doing much better now but we hope that we hear a another good report soon!
We are still in the dorms... I cooked from a Russian recipe last night. I will post it another day. Larissa, my neighbor helped me with a few of the instructions I had not yet translated. She had copied the recipe from my book! It was good to sit and talk with her and her family. We rode the bus to church with them this morning. She asked me what was hard about learning Russian. I said pronunciation. I asked her what was hard about English she said words like is, at, the, an...
They are not used in Russian and it is hard to remember them!
Please pray for Tom's mom... we just found out she had not been feeling well. She is doing much better now but we hope that we hear a another good report soon!
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Internet cafe in Krasnodar
At last! I FOUND IT... if you want to know where something is you have to ask the guy who leaves next door to the language school! Jody seems to know where everything new is here! Maybe because it is so easy to stop by his house and ask him questions or tell him about the lastest thing! Anyhow, I knew if I started my search at Jody and Melanie's house I would get to an internet source today and I was here within an hour!
We are still at the dorms. We hope to be in our new flat by next week. We were told 5 days just yesterday. But, I was informed that the babushka kept her old phone number and we have to get a new one. So it may be a while before we have a phone.
We had our first language class. We met the other new students at the school. There were about 11 of us I think. One lady is from Beaumont, California... she most likely went to school with Erin's mother. They are the same age! Two other students in the class a woman from Alaska and a guy from Texas found out they are distant cousins. He said there was "a lot of intermarriage in the Assemblies of God Church!" He also knew the parents of a young woman who was one of my tellers at Bank of America in Newport Beach. The church they worked at years ago in Moscow is still active...
Spencer and I were walking to the school to take our learning style assessments when I was appraoched by a man who wanted to know what company I am with. I was taken aback by his question so I repeated it. He asked me again following up with "aren't you a missionary?"
I thought 'is this a weird trick?' "No, I am a language student"I replied. He thought that all Americans that speak english as well as I do are missionaries. So, I repeated that I was here to learn Russian and that I needed to get to class.
Our school is not a religious organization. However, many church groups do send people there. It is registered as a social organization. We will each have to choose a social project to participate in two times per month.
I plan to teach English and music in the elementary school. Tom might work in the children's home or the hospital; he is going to wait until we visit to decide. More fun days lay ahead as we begin our first week of full time learning and study next week!
We are still at the dorms. We hope to be in our new flat by next week. We were told 5 days just yesterday. But, I was informed that the babushka kept her old phone number and we have to get a new one. So it may be a while before we have a phone.
We had our first language class. We met the other new students at the school. There were about 11 of us I think. One lady is from Beaumont, California... she most likely went to school with Erin's mother. They are the same age! Two other students in the class a woman from Alaska and a guy from Texas found out they are distant cousins. He said there was "a lot of intermarriage in the Assemblies of God Church!" He also knew the parents of a young woman who was one of my tellers at Bank of America in Newport Beach. The church they worked at years ago in Moscow is still active...
Spencer and I were walking to the school to take our learning style assessments when I was appraoched by a man who wanted to know what company I am with. I was taken aback by his question so I repeated it. He asked me again following up with "aren't you a missionary?"
I thought 'is this a weird trick?' "No, I am a language student"I replied. He thought that all Americans that speak english as well as I do are missionaries. So, I repeated that I was here to learn Russian and that I needed to get to class.
Our school is not a religious organization. However, many church groups do send people there. It is registered as a social organization. We will each have to choose a social project to participate in two times per month.
I plan to teach English and music in the elementary school. Tom might work in the children's home or the hospital; he is going to wait until we visit to decide. More fun days lay ahead as we begin our first week of full time learning and study next week!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Dorm life pt 2
We are slowly getting used to being here. Tom and I have the first room as you enter the dorms. I have decided it is like being on the front row of seats on a train. The door opens all day long and it is not quiet until 11pm. However, it is still not quiet outside. The tram-vi is still running out there!
We had to order one of our medications that we needed from Moscow. It had to come from Italy. We were grateful to find it. I had originally spelled it wrong. then Tom tried and he came home with something for dysentery! Then I looked it up in another book and we finally got it right.
Tom is meeting today with a woman who is just finishing up her pyschology degree. She has to defend her thesis. He is meeting with her because she is also interested in helping with recovery.
We are looking into putting airconditioning in at the church. Temperatures have reached into the hundreds here and the church has no air conditioning. Not even a window unit. Our next distribution of funds should be in our account and we should be able to find a split system on sale. They are quieter than a window unit and more efficient.
Lena just got here for our language lesson so I must go!
J--if you read this I tried to answer your email and the computer froze! I will try again tomorrow!
We had to order one of our medications that we needed from Moscow. It had to come from Italy. We were grateful to find it. I had originally spelled it wrong. then Tom tried and he came home with something for dysentery! Then I looked it up in another book and we finally got it right.
Tom is meeting today with a woman who is just finishing up her pyschology degree. She has to defend her thesis. He is meeting with her because she is also interested in helping with recovery.
We are looking into putting airconditioning in at the church. Temperatures have reached into the hundreds here and the church has no air conditioning. Not even a window unit. Our next distribution of funds should be in our account and we should be able to find a split system on sale. They are quieter than a window unit and more efficient.
Lena just got here for our language lesson so I must go!
J--if you read this I tried to answer your email and the computer froze! I will try again tomorrow!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Dorm Life
Finally.... we are settled here in the dorms at the BLTC. The boys have a room and Tom and I have a room. I walked over here with Brownie so she did not have to come in a taxi and petrify a driver! But when we got here she did not want to go up the stairs. Have you ever tried to make a forty pound dog do something they do not want to do? I had to carry her up the stairs. We stumbled on the way up and I was pleading with her to just try but she was resigned to stay on the second floor. And we needed to get to the third. I finally got her up there and took her to the room that Spencer had prepared for her and when she saw her things there... blanket, food dish and Nathan got her some water she relaxed. I, however was wiped out!
Tom and I saw the new place today and were told it was two weeks away from completion... Tom called Alexei 'Pinnochio'! Alexei laughed pretty heartily at that! Whether it is two weeks away or not we will be here until it is done... hopefully.
Tom and I saw the new place today and were told it was two weeks away from completion... Tom called Alexei 'Pinnochio'! Alexei laughed pretty heartily at that! Whether it is two weeks away or not we will be here until it is done... hopefully.
Monday, August 01, 2005
updates on friends
We love getting updates on friends. We heard from several over the past few days...
... namely one who we just found out is a Grammy nominated producer!
Yeah, I told Nathan this guy used to lick his finger and stick it in my ear in highschool! Nathan said "impressive!" What would you expect from one of Tom's freinds who was the best man at our wedding?
I cannot wait to meet his kids and tell them all about their Dad... oh wait he is THEIR dad... they already know!
Tom did disconnect the computer but, as you can see, Nathan hooked it up again... some of us diehards just cannot live without cyberspace for too long.
Spencer is standing over me with a box waiting for me to sign off... so until next time!
... namely one who we just found out is a Grammy nominated producer!
Yeah, I told Nathan this guy used to lick his finger and stick it in my ear in highschool! Nathan said "impressive!" What would you expect from one of Tom's freinds who was the best man at our wedding?
I cannot wait to meet his kids and tell them all about their Dad... oh wait he is THEIR dad... they already know!
Tom did disconnect the computer but, as you can see, Nathan hooked it up again... some of us diehards just cannot live without cyberspace for too long.
Spencer is standing over me with a box waiting for me to sign off... so until next time!
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Here we go!
Nathan is wiped out. He is still asleep and it is almost noon. He has gotten up every morning this week at 5 am and been out the door for early meetings before camp and then worked all day coming home near ten each night!
Tom and Spencer went to church and I am working on the kitchen...
There is a crew of friends coming over at two to help us move. We have to live out of suitcases again until the apartment is ready. What will life in the dorms be like? We are about to find out whether we want to or not! This is reminding me of when my parents moved our family sooner than originally planned & our housing on the AirForce base was not ready. We had to move into temporary housing. My brothers were 5 and 6 years older than me and did not want to share a room with a dumb girl... We were crammed into a very small apartment until our house was ready.
Well my family of four is getting one room; two sets of bunkbeds!
If one of us does not make it out alive I will not release details about the body... it may not be pretty!
Tom and Spencer went to church and I am working on the kitchen...
There is a crew of friends coming over at two to help us move. We have to live out of suitcases again until the apartment is ready. What will life in the dorms be like? We are about to find out whether we want to or not! This is reminding me of when my parents moved our family sooner than originally planned & our housing on the AirForce base was not ready. We had to move into temporary housing. My brothers were 5 and 6 years older than me and did not want to share a room with a dumb girl... We were crammed into a very small apartment until our house was ready.
Well my family of four is getting one room; two sets of bunkbeds!
If one of us does not make it out alive I will not release details about the body... it may not be pretty!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Moving day!
No, we are not moving today!
Tomorrow... but Tom is packing up the computer so I have to talk about it quickly! Hopefully, we will have computer access at the BLTC. There are no Internet cafes in our neighborhood!
Nathan... took photos at Kids Camp perched on top of a jungle gym. He stayed clear of a water fight that way. Not to worry... Heather made sure he got wet afterwards! She is his designated big sister. I gave her full permission to harass him!
Tom is on his way to deliver Big Books at a meeting tonight. We are grateful to The Bridge at Capo Beach Calvary for the donations that came in to cover the cost of these much needed books.
It is vital for people to have resources in their own language. These books were hand delivered from Moscow earlier this week.
Slava Bogu! Glory to God!
Friday, July 29, 2005
Final lesson at Gagarina!
Spencer and I had our final lesson in this apartment. On Monday we will meet with Lena at the BLTC. She knows right where it is. She graduated from there! We will be staying in the dorms. Hopefully, we will have computer access... otherwise Nathan and I will go into withdrawal! And it won't be a pretty sight.
Tom has recieved a lot of emails in response to the recent newsletter. It is good to hear from so many people. And to get updates on what is going on in your lives! Please pray for one of our prayer supporters. Del had a stroke yesterday. He is in the hospital but out of ER with limited abilities. His family would appreciate your prayers.
Nathan is finishing up with Kid's Camp at church. The other day the police showed up "looking" for homeless children. The kids were being fed everyday so the police were watching to see who showed up for food.
Next week on Thursday we go deeper in language instruction when school starts. Lena will still come to help us out. We will have cultural exercises to complete that I am sure to write about!
Tom has recieved a lot of emails in response to the recent newsletter. It is good to hear from so many people. And to get updates on what is going on in your lives! Please pray for one of our prayer supporters. Del had a stroke yesterday. He is in the hospital but out of ER with limited abilities. His family would appreciate your prayers.
Nathan is finishing up with Kid's Camp at church. The other day the police showed up "looking" for homeless children. The kids were being fed everyday so the police were watching to see who showed up for food.
Next week on Thursday we go deeper in language instruction when school starts. Lena will still come to help us out. We will have cultural exercises to complete that I am sure to write about!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Tile...
We had to purchase the tile today for the apartment. The area in the kitchen that Americans call a 'backsplash' is called a 'workspace'. I chose the tiles I wanted for that and could have gotten ones that had paintings on them. I was asked if I wanted "bez carteeni, tolka zeloni?" only green without the paintings? Yes, only green without the paintings! Then I was informed that there was not enough tile for the entire apartment to be done in one color. I had to choose another color. They tried to sell me granite. I asked how much it was... I know numbers very well now thanks to Lena's drilling! 520 rubles per meter was 200 rubles more than the other. No thanks. I will just take the same tile I wanted originally in a different color! Ervand and I finished up; leaving a deposit and then went off to find Alexei and Tom. They were looking at tile for the mosaic Tom has planned for the church. Tom found some great colors and is pleased. We are moving out of here on Sunday and into the BLTC. Our flat is not yet ready but things are progressing.Our entry way is full of boxes and packages from the States! There is a small pathway... Just before you get to the chairs is the bathroom. We will be so glad to move!
Mom sent a cookbook that came in the mail today. It was a gift for Ella. Alexei took it home with him. He is certain she will be very happy. Yes, Lena has an Alexei and so does Ella!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Koosny
Brown Sugar is “koosny”. Delicious.
Tom was packing up some of our brown sugar today to give away to our landlord and to our pastor’s family. I walked in while he was doing it and asked what he was was up to. After he told me I said “you can’t do that without giving them something to use it for!”
I went to the computer to print out copies of Mom’s recipe for Blonde Brownies. Lena and I finally finished the Russian translation. I worked on it and then Lena made corrections. We had to actually measure things using Russian utensils to make the changes. After Tom packed up one container he took it over to our landlord’s mother & she was thrilled! She recognized the paper as a recipe right away and asked if the container had the brown sugar in it! They don’t have brown sugar here so it will be a treat when she bakes the brownies.
Anastasia made me a necklace at kid’s camp today. She is one of the helper’s working with the kids. It is such a pretty necklace. Tom thinks she is very creative. The necklace is leather and has a shell on it and some yellow beads. She arranged everything so artistically. Tom would like to see her go to Art school but she is saving for Cosmetology school. Nathan didn’t make it to kid’s camp today. He has a cold. He has made a little friend who feels sorry for him that he does not speak much Russian. It is a little boy about half Nathan’s size who is going around naming things in Russian for Nathan. But, instead of just telling Nathan what something is he also tells Nathan a story about it. This is a ball... one time I had a ball..... You get the idea! Nathan says he is very cute!
Here is the recipe for the brownies again in case you missed it. This time I am including the Russian translation!
Blonde Brownies
Recipe from: Mama Tom
2/3 cup butter, melted 2 cups flour, sifted
2 cups brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten 1 teaspoon baking powder (not soda)
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces chocolate chips
Melt butter and add brown sugar; stir well.
Add eggs & vanilla; beating well. Add flour, salt & baking powder; stir until well mixed. Add chocolate chips; mixing well.
Bake in brownie sheet pan at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Cut into bars to serve.
brownies блондинкы
Recipe от: Mama Tom
200 г. масло сливочное, растопить
2 стакана (200г.стакан) коричневого сахара
3 яйца, взбить
1 чайная ложка ванили
2 плитки шоколада или (200г.) (сделать кусочки)
2 стакана муки, просеяно
½ чайная ложка соли
1 чайна ложка разрыхлителя (не сода)
Растопите масло и добавьте коричневый сахар; тщательно размешать.
Добавьте яйца и ваниль; размешать. Добавьте муку, соль и разрыхлитель; Всё тщательно размешать. Добавьте кусочки шоколада; и всё размешать.
Используйте тонкий протвень, но не глубокий. И выпекать в духовке при температуре 350 градусах на 25 минут.
Готовый торт порежьте на квадраты. И подайте к столу.
Tom was packing up some of our brown sugar today to give away to our landlord and to our pastor’s family. I walked in while he was doing it and asked what he was was up to. After he told me I said “you can’t do that without giving them something to use it for!”
I went to the computer to print out copies of Mom’s recipe for Blonde Brownies. Lena and I finally finished the Russian translation. I worked on it and then Lena made corrections. We had to actually measure things using Russian utensils to make the changes. After Tom packed up one container he took it over to our landlord’s mother & she was thrilled! She recognized the paper as a recipe right away and asked if the container had the brown sugar in it! They don’t have brown sugar here so it will be a treat when she bakes the brownies.
Anastasia made me a necklace at kid’s camp today. She is one of the helper’s working with the kids. It is such a pretty necklace. Tom thinks she is very creative. The necklace is leather and has a shell on it and some yellow beads. She arranged everything so artistically. Tom would like to see her go to Art school but she is saving for Cosmetology school. Nathan didn’t make it to kid’s camp today. He has a cold. He has made a little friend who feels sorry for him that he does not speak much Russian. It is a little boy about half Nathan’s size who is going around naming things in Russian for Nathan. But, instead of just telling Nathan what something is he also tells Nathan a story about it. This is a ball... one time I had a ball..... You get the idea! Nathan says he is very cute!
Here is the recipe for the brownies again in case you missed it. This time I am including the Russian translation!
Blonde Brownies
Recipe from: Mama Tom
2/3 cup butter, melted 2 cups flour, sifted
2 cups brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten 1 teaspoon baking powder (not soda)
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces chocolate chips
Melt butter and add brown sugar; stir well.
Add eggs & vanilla; beating well. Add flour, salt & baking powder; stir until well mixed. Add chocolate chips; mixing well.
Bake in brownie sheet pan at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Cut into bars to serve.
brownies блондинкы
Recipe от: Mama Tom
200 г. масло сливочное, растопить
2 стакана (200г.стакан) коричневого сахара
3 яйца, взбить
1 чайная ложка ванили
2 плитки шоколада или (200г.) (сделать кусочки)
2 стакана муки, просеяно
½ чайная ложка соли
1 чайна ложка разрыхлителя (не сода)
Растопите масло и добавьте коричневый сахар; тщательно размешать.
Добавьте яйца и ваниль; размешать. Добавьте муку, соль и разрыхлитель; Всё тщательно размешать. Добавьте кусочки шоколада; и всё размешать.
Используйте тонкий протвень, но не глубокий. И выпекать в духовке при температуре 350 градусах на 25 минут.
Готовый торт порежьте на квадраты. И подайте к столу.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
A Sharp Day
How do we entertain ourselves here?Tom was checking over all the lights we purchased for the apartment remodel...
Nathan was watching Home Star Runner on the Computer...
Spencer spent time balancing pencils on his nose...
and I just sit back and record it all for posterity!
We just found out that language school starts for us on the 4th of August. Maybe we were looking at an old calendar but somehow we all had the impression that we still had until the end of the month to get ready for school. Now everyone is in hypergear to get all the fun in before school starts. You see how we spent the day? Whoopee!
Monday, July 25, 2005
Whiter than Snow
Whiter than Snow- Tom's title for this cross... it has all white beads and just a few red in strategic places.
Tom presented a cross he made in Amercia to Valodya. We were so happy when our boxes arrived from the States and we found the cross in perfect condition. Not one bead was missing or one piece of mirror broken. Heather was available to translate. Tom is planning to do some mosaic cement stepping stones. The church is very plain out front and Tom has an artisitic eye. He is able to "see" possibilities and share those ideas with others. Valodya is exicted about having an artist at the church!
Tom presented a cross he made in Amercia to Valodya. We were so happy when our boxes arrived from the States and we found the cross in perfect condition. Not one bead was missing or one piece of mirror broken. Heather was available to translate. Tom is planning to do some mosaic cement stepping stones. The church is very plain out front and Tom has an artisitic eye. He is able to "see" possibilities and share those ideas with others. Valodya is exicted about having an artist at the church!
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Yah Toatyah
Yah Toatyah! I am an Aunt. This is not new news I have been one since I was 15. Tom is called Dahdyah; uncle. I was speaking with one of the young mothers today after church. Her baby is just starting to walk and talk. In Russia it is a sign of respect that Tom and I are not called by our first names by some of the younger children. This young mom was teaching her toddler to call me Toatyah. Ten years from now, depending on how grey I am, it will most likely change to babushka!
Nathan got invited out after church with a group of kids who were visiting from Moscow. He went over to City Center our new mall and they had lunch and hung out! Spencer, Tom and I went to check the progress on the new flat. We found the tile guy at work and it seemed as if there was some progress since I had been there on Tuesday. There are new walls. There are windows and radiators. It feels as if we are having a place built. I hope our neighbors don't hate us for all the noise by the time we actually get to move in. Tom thinks we should have a dinner and invite everyone in the building to come over. I think I will do that. It will be a good way to meet the neighbors and to apologize for the weeks of banging and cussing our construction guys have been doing!
We left the apartment to get some lunch and purchase wall sconces for the korridor (hallway). And overhead lights for all the rooms. We went downtown on Krasnaya to eat and then caught a Marzhutka from there. I asked a taxi driver which Marzhutka went out to Krasnaya Ploshad and he showed me on my map which numbers. Then he fed me a line about the Marzhutkas not running on Sunday which was clearly a lie because we could see them passing by on the street! We thanked him and moved on. We caught the Marzhutka further up the street and were relieved to get out of the heat. Several young parents were on with their kids. One little boy was doing the bobble head sleepy time thing! He finally fell asleep on his mom and she gave her camera to her husband to take a picture. I asked her "skolka let" how old?. He was four. Then a young mom got on with a little toddler who was dressed up in her Sunday best... hat and everything. This child was tired and hot and let all of us know it. She started whaling at the top of her lungs. The babushka on board let the mom know of her disapproval. They are blunt here! I got Tom's notepad and started to fan the little girl and finally the babushka pulled a stack of cups out of one of her many bags and made another woman who was carrying a bottle of iced water give some up! The mom spurned the water and got off at the next stop. The cup of water was passed to Tom. He offered it to the ladies on board. Everyone giggled but no one accepted. He drank it up himself!
Our driver today was wild. He was skidding, braking hard and taking off before passengers could get the door shut. We got dropped off further away than normal but that's ok... we are alive to tell the tale!
Lights have been purchased, we are home now & we had a productive day. The toatyah and the dahdyah can rest!
Nathan got invited out after church with a group of kids who were visiting from Moscow. He went over to City Center our new mall and they had lunch and hung out! Spencer, Tom and I went to check the progress on the new flat. We found the tile guy at work and it seemed as if there was some progress since I had been there on Tuesday. There are new walls. There are windows and radiators. It feels as if we are having a place built. I hope our neighbors don't hate us for all the noise by the time we actually get to move in. Tom thinks we should have a dinner and invite everyone in the building to come over. I think I will do that. It will be a good way to meet the neighbors and to apologize for the weeks of banging and cussing our construction guys have been doing!
We left the apartment to get some lunch and purchase wall sconces for the korridor (hallway). And overhead lights for all the rooms. We went downtown on Krasnaya to eat and then caught a Marzhutka from there. I asked a taxi driver which Marzhutka went out to Krasnaya Ploshad and he showed me on my map which numbers. Then he fed me a line about the Marzhutkas not running on Sunday which was clearly a lie because we could see them passing by on the street! We thanked him and moved on. We caught the Marzhutka further up the street and were relieved to get out of the heat. Several young parents were on with their kids. One little boy was doing the bobble head sleepy time thing! He finally fell asleep on his mom and she gave her camera to her husband to take a picture. I asked her "skolka let" how old?. He was four. Then a young mom got on with a little toddler who was dressed up in her Sunday best... hat and everything. This child was tired and hot and let all of us know it. She started whaling at the top of her lungs. The babushka on board let the mom know of her disapproval. They are blunt here! I got Tom's notepad and started to fan the little girl and finally the babushka pulled a stack of cups out of one of her many bags and made another woman who was carrying a bottle of iced water give some up! The mom spurned the water and got off at the next stop. The cup of water was passed to Tom. He offered it to the ladies on board. Everyone giggled but no one accepted. He drank it up himself!
Our driver today was wild. He was skidding, braking hard and taking off before passengers could get the door shut. We got dropped off further away than normal but that's ok... we are alive to tell the tale!
Lights have been purchased, we are home now & we had a productive day. The toatyah and the dahdyah can rest!
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