the people in our lives

Colin and Elaine share their home with us. They rent an apartment here in Kyiv and Phyllis and I each have a room in it. Lucky? Yep. Spoiled? More than a little. Happy and glad? For sure!











Fergie and Hazel just returned today- they live in another part of the country but we were more than happy to have them swing by here for a few hours between landing at the airport and their train tonight.

I thought we got a pic of Don and Phyllis- but apparently all those pix are on Don's camera... :( So, no shot of them. They were here for a couple months but left on a flight this am for the US. Good-bye, Safe Journey and Thanks!!! xo

and if any of you NE peeps see or hear from/of them could you just drop me a comment? Something like: They got back, they're alive, all's well... something like that, OK? Thanks!! To the unknown Renee- I read your comment re D & P while they were in the kitchen eating breakfast...and on my way to the kitchen to tell them "Renee just said she knows you (or some such clever thing)"... ummmm- well, the sad truth is, my train of thought totally derailed and never got out of the station... I remembered about it after we got back from the airport, having seen them off.... sighhhhhhhh

There have been several couples (and several single people) who came here to live- sometimes for a month, sometimes for as long as a year or more; some come regularly, some come once. It's a real treat for us!

on the sly again

came across my sandals yesterday- I'd gotten them cleaned up and ready to pack away till next year but one shoe needed some repairing. I'd noticed a little shoe repair stand about 5 min from the apartment. Away we go, my shoe and I. This is the man who did the work...while I waited... and he was so unique, I couldn't help myself...I just couldn't. So, while he was hand-sewing my sandal, I casually played with my deadly cell phone... teehee...

Here's the thing- he's not young, as you can clearly see. But the music blaring from his stand was Russian pop and he was nodding his head, rocking on his chair and singing along... Whenever he said something, I had to ask him to repeat it, so then he'd mumble and turn the radio way down, say what he had to say, turn the music back up and carry on... really, I hope more of my shoes bust this year. It's well worth the trip to his little stand.

The boot in the foreground? I watched him glue and then nail on that spike heel. And he was singing to the boot the whole time... lovely...

comically

Alaina's recent question (about comics) prompted this... someone sent this to me tonight... it worked... a few lines of the song ran round and round in my head for awhile... just wanted to do my part.

Had my first class tonight. It went well. It's pretty low-stress and simple. The class has a teacher who does the big stuff; my part is to take the last hour and work on conversation with them covering the topic the teacher worked on... sort of... at any rate, conversation is my part and believe me, I can do that... oh yes... I'm all over that... and what I like about this particular group of students is they're not afraid to talk. Some of the kids we've worked with... well, let's just say I've had better conversations with stubborn toasters that didn't want to give up their toast...

How are my earworms doing?

...Blue Ridge Mowntains, Shenando-ahhhh Riiiiverrrrrrrr...

hahahaha

missing the piano

We had a really good day today. Unwinding after supper and phone calls and such stuff...and I got all 'piano-ey'

ended up on YouTube...with this completely amazing kid. I think I started out looking for a decent rendition of Peter Piper... I've loved that since the first time I heard it; even halfway learned to play it once upon a time. Not so long ago...must have been in Spain, I guess- actually got to touch a piano... you know, the real deal...and tried Peter Piper and failed miserably. Oh well.

See this Mutt?

Yesterday we were out in a village visiting (here's a shocker) some people... yup. So we're walking from the bus stop to their house...and this dog sort of starts accompanying us. But she's peculiar because it's clear immediately that, while she's hovering around us, she has NO CLUE that we were there. So I watched her. She had a hitch in her get-along, for sure... sort of sway-backed, sort of hip dysplasia-ed (I'm not sure that's a real word, but let's just assume it is)... and she's a 100% serious, totally dedicated car chaser... and we just happened to walk along the stretch of road that was her responsibility... and she was responsible, let me tell you... she kept them informed of the rules along her piece of territory. And she had form... and a pattern... and a keen eye. I'm not just sure how she knew which cars needed informing, but she just did. She'd scope out every single vehicle, slinking along at a fast lope, swaying in the backend to beat the band and mostly she'd turn away reluctantly, apparently aware that they already KNEW... but then, ooooo, here comes another one... slink...lope...sniff...think... and Launch- really, she did this gracefully... and, get this, she always launched herself right at a tire. Now, I'm predicting that she dies a horrible death fairly soon. I mean, she touched some of those tires with her snapping teeth, I'm sure of it. I'd never seen anything quite like it. A true connoisseur of cars and tires and barking. She knew- she just knew- how to do it. It's her job.

As head of road-side security.

I'm going to call her Hankette... because she barked those cars along... and because she really is a SHE... I know...

this was on my Yahoo news page... so why worry about the economy when exciting things like this are happening??? really... looks like a bright future to me... oh yes...

My Grandpa B's 88th (I sure thought he was older... how come?) is Sunday. Proly 99% of you have never laid eyes on him and because of our family background, I have no pix of him to post... so he shall remain a mystery to you... BUT- he is my own dear Grandpa... Happy Birthday, Daudy!

Speaking of bdays- one that I missed earlier this month:

Happy Belated Birthday Lori! I reckon you survived without me but I am sorry that I missed it!

of course, this crazy lady just had a bday, too... we've been called twins- poor her, that's what I have to say.

there are others that I've missed and others that are coming. Somehow, this is where my thoughts were right now!

ciao for now!

5th grade math

that's what they say this is. I don't know. (are there any 5th graders out there? Can you tell us, please?)
so, in digging through my inbox, I found the following in an email from this summer. It came right when we were swamped with stuff, so I never tried it till tonight... I came up with the right answer...can you? Post your answer in the comments and I'll let you know if you're right!

This is a 5th grade math problem. This is not a trick question. This is a real math problem so don't say that a bus has no legs. There is no bus driver.
There are 7 girls in a bus. Each girl has 7 backpacks. In each backpack, there are 7 big cats. For every big cat there are 7 little cats.
Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

heeheeeheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee good luck!

Solution:
ok- I wanted to leave it till this afternoon (it's afternoon here at any rate). Correct answer is...
*cheesy grin, evil cackle*
10,990
Since he so kindly typed it all out and sent it in a message, I'll just paste in Murray P's solution... why break my brain on it again, right? (I was never so fond of word probs in school, either, actually)
bus has 7 girls
each girl has 7 backpacks
each backpack has 7 big cats
7 big cats or 28 legs associated with big cats in each backpack
7 little cats for each big cat or 28 little cat legs x 7 or 196 kitten legs
so then each backpack has 196 kitten legs + 28 big cat legs = 224 legs in each backpack
since each girl has 7 backpacks then 224 legs X 7 = 1568 plus two girl legs for 1570 legs per girl/backpack/cat mess
but there are 7 girls so then 1570 legs x 7 = 10,990 legs
or
7 girls with 7 backpacks is 49 backpacks
7 kittens x 7 big cats for a total of 49 kittens per backpack + 7 cats in each backpack is 56 cats in each backpack
49 packs x 56 cats = 2,744 cats & kittens x 4 legs = 10,976 legs
plus14 girly legs = 10,990 legs
assuming of course that the cats don't have any fleas!

Still here

Phyllis and I spent a couple hours this am with this little guy and his mom. Little kids are so interesting. I just love how he watches everything from a safe distance, taking it all in. As soon as we got there, I started talking to him... no response... zip... zero... nadda... Later, he politely and dutifully showed me a pretty cool 'moving parts' city bus toy that he has... but still no response to me. Then, we looked at a bunch of pix on their computer, drank tea, ate a cookie and a piece of candy. He solemnly watches the whole thing. Then, he took his candy wrapper and threw it me and *boom* we're best buddies... laughing, giggling, chattering... it cracks me up...and I love it. What is it that finally tips the scale in their little minds?

We had about 2 hours of actual honest-to-goodness sunshine today... this after over a week of rain every single day (and most of those days it was rain all day long), solid clouds and COLD... brrrr... as in there's-no-heat-it's-cold-where-are-my-wool-socks-and-long-johns cold....

Which brings me to this: I used to have a down comforter for winter but left it for Pat to use. Wool blankets are fine but don't fit in the duvet cover and tend to get all twisted up (this is a vital piece of info, yessirreeeee). So, out I go to find something that'll stop the night-time shivers. I found something like this (except for a tiny fraction of what they're listed for here). I'd never even heard of camel hair stuff (I proly haven't lived, I know). Well, Wow- it's great. I love it. I highly recommend it. (I will accept endorsement fees.) It will go with me from now until death doth uth part... :)

Next Mon, I start teaching... yikes... help... what?!
(aside to self: *calm down*)
Just one class Mon night- English conversation. Will likely also have maybe 2 other classes later in the week. We'll see how it goes. This is absolutely nothing zip zero compared to what some people have...but I like to say that I never aspired to be an English teacher... I sort of had cows in mind... and I sort of never planned on teaching them anything. It had a whole lot more to do with wellness and healthy living for the Bovines in your life (are there any there?)... good thing I like people and like to talk talk talk blah blah blah

dessert tonight

awhile ago, Sharon W emailed me this recipe:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug

4 tablespoons cake flour (that's plain flour, not self-raising)

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

a small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well

Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla essence, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Notice: The cooking time will vary according to the watts of power your microwave will put out. More watts less time - Less watts more time.

Serves 2

SO! tonight we made it... and here's the evidence

2nd pic added so you can see what the cup looks like afterwards... sort of scary... but doesn't effect the taste!















conclusion: texture is very rubbery (you'd expect that, I think, from a microwave cake) but the taste is good... and it's FAST!!! overall, not bad! and definitely fun!

I've always loved Peanuts

so, this is who I had lunch with today... it was super to just have some Julie time again. (pic is from this summer)


*clears throat*- are you for real?

went there, did that

that about sums up what's been happening here lately. We have days of 100% running- meeting planes, trains or various people in various places, running errands and going places; then we have days where there's a constant stream of people in and out the door; then we have days where we go make visits (although we're just getting started with that); we have days of quiet and calm where it's a treat to stay in; and soon, it seems we (the famous 'we') will have 1 or 2 days a week of English classes with the students of a local language school.

So, that should be... ummm, yes it should be...

In other news, I've decided to come clean and make a confession. This is why I've been straightening my hair for years now...it was just, you know... well my nerves and all...

Mom did you know I have naturally curly hair? ah-hahahahahahaha
tricked you, eh?

shwimmmmming shuits

We've been having random swimsuit conversations around here, including that the body of water outside is the South Pacific and that sand on the sidewalk (search me what it's really for) is the beach and let's all cruise around here in our bathing suits... which brought this Cathy from early this summer to mind; it perfectly expresses my own bathing suit feelings
late edit... for further proof of my swimsuit aversion (or if you just want to laugh at the nerd I am) go here.

ummm

Just for funsies, I was scrolling through my list of blog posts but from the dashboard- you know, where you can edit them- the list only you, the author, can see...and I found a few that had never been published (some got deleted) including this one which was quite interesting, as I recall...

T just sent me this... it's like a Calvin and Hobbes transmogrifier nightmare times 10. weird.

Or, for a whole lot of cool flash animations, go here... but beware- they're time consuming. I didn't watch them all.

do you ever wonder about Chernobyl?

This is an old post, too, that I'd not published... Chernobyl, is the name of a Northern Ukr'n city with a nuclear power generator. In April, 1986, as I'm sure most of you know/remember, there was a major disaster there. The accident is credited by some (many?) as playing a major role in the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union. Because of the direction of prevailing winds, Ukr itself has not suffered nearly as much from this disaster as Belorus to the north has. NW Ukr, too, is considered part of the 'Chernobyl zone' and people who live there are the recipients of various government aid, although these programs are being cut back. Here are some links to Chernobyl (and you can find heaps more by googling it).
some pix
wiki
world nuclear association
KIDDofSPEEDghosttown
chernobyl legacy
chernobyl

sniff

I've been listening to the Harry Potter books while unpacking (and earlier, while spending hours on various buses and trains)... just finished Half Blood Prince... I cried when Dumbledore died... and at the part about his funeral... I hate it when that happens. Do you cry when you read sappy stuff (fake as all get out) like this?

at the Dells

So, I know that by tonight, a whole lot of you are going to be at the Dells...believe me, I'd like to be there, too! Well, I won't be... but Sveta will be...and if you see her, tell her HI from me! By tomorrow, she'll be on a flight back to Ukr and tomorrow afternoon, her big sis and I will be waiting at the airport for her... but meanwhile, you can find her tonight, hopefully, trying to navigate the masses at C & C's; rumor has it, she's spending the night in the dorm somewhere... really, I'd like to be there just to see it with her! Anyway, tell her hi from me if you see this and then see her! xo

whoops! I got a bit mixed up here; was thinking it was Wednesday, when IN FACT, it was already Thursday and so, of course, by the time this was published, well, Ummmmm, well it was a bit late... *rolls eyes*

and one more airport 'find'

Look at who we found last week at the airport! It really does pay to go check out the selection of arrivers every now and again! Welcome back, Pat!!

I've missed a few birthdays recently

Actually, lots of bdays. I'm sure not going to even attempt to do all of them; I couldn't, I'd forget someone that means just as much to me as someone I didn't forget and so on and so forth. So, I'll just do a few from the family:

Way back in June, my favorite sis-in-law... this is an old pic but one of my all-time favorites. Miss and her boys!

And today! My favorite brother-in-law! this is a pic I just swiped from his facebook stuff- it's old, too... but will give you an idea of the pace of life at their house. Happy Birthday, Duane!

I debated about this one, since they're not technically part of our family... they're my 'fake family', the ones that became family when my brother got married... Aunt Tanny had a bday, too; here's a pic of her 2 dolls, since I have almost no pix at all of her. She's my good friend, too, so's hubby, so they really do feel like family. Happy Bday, Aunt Tanny!

'bout time

So why no new post for so long? No idea. Or would that be No real inspiration? Not sure. Got back from the big move to a real onslaught of company. Fought off a cold...I thought...but then it seemed to just hang around. Finally today, when I literally had to shove kleenex up my nose and sort of leave it wadded up there to stop the well, you get the picture, (I can't believe I just uploaded that pic...I can't believe I even took it... where is my self-esteem? Where is my sense? Didn't my mom teach me ANYTHING? Or can't I blame that on her??) and my eyes were itchy and teary and a mess, after the 3rd day of constantly sneezing- Elaine, in all her infinite knowledge said: Are you sure that's not allergies? And I thought- well Duh. It's just that I haven't had allergy problems here for something like 5 or 6 years (excluding the wood-fired heating stove and water heater in that one apt last year) so I sort of didn't recognize it. So now I'm doing claritin and eye drops (for ragweed, borrowed from Elaine, who knows first-hand all about allergies and hayfever and pollen counts and all that- apparently it's a really bad pollen year this year) and I'll be VERY SURE to let you know how that all goes...since you want all these minuscule details.

Onward. Speaking of discomfort... we were, you know... here's the evidence of discomfort: I realize it's not so evident in the pic, so I'll just tell ya. The foot on the right? The one in the flip-flop? Well, the rest of that girlie was dressed up to the nines (ok, the eights or sevens- proly she was going to work, but she was dressed nicely) but then she had these rather ordinary flip-flops... and then I saw that the top of each and every toe on both feet had a blister on it... every single toe... so, the day before, she'd apparently had on other shoes...but her feet hurt too bad to wear 'em the day I saw her. Ouch. Which brings me to this: women here are addicted to heels... and also pointy, narrow-toed shoes... which can be really cute, even cool- but with no car and hours spent on your feet walking to the bus, to the metro, to work, to the store, back to the bus, etc, etc... not to mention whatever you do at work... Yikes- I've never understood how they can do it... and apparently, they can't always all the time...

First there's this

Yep. The moving Mess...

So I did this

Pretty self-explanatory. So, if they posted in reverse order, kindly look at them from bottom to top... It's a superbly yummy fruit smoothie. Made with yogurt, kefir and fake maple syrup. It helps. :-)
Sept 4 edit: couldn't stand the out of order pix anymore, so changed them to suit my own ocd fancy...