I’m home! Writing this from my laptop! Yeeha! It’s so great to be back here. Phyllis and Elaine came just before 6 and we got in about 7, I suppose. Had a little supper and am now ready for bed… You’ll be surprised (and pleased?) to know that I’m tired and heading to bed…at 9 pm! J
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Standing at the window waving
Thanks for all your care, thoughts, wishes, commiseration, etc.. Mostly, I do feel better... Just have sore muscles by the incision. I spiked a fever last Fri, so still getting antibiotics... But that should slow down today. I'm hoping to go home today. There was talk yesterday of maybe waiting till Weds, but I'll bust into tears if it helps him release me today...
Haven't posted because it's not all that easy to get a decent connection here.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
a whole lot of silence
from these parts... and more to come.
Cut my nails
Vacuumed my room
Packed my bag
Ate a leftover piece of pizza
Had a cup of coffee
Did what I could for me
Oh- and I watered the plants
That's what you'd do in the last 2 hours before leaving for the hospital to have surgery... right?
Today's the day... the last day of my association with the space aliens inside...
And I'm glad about that.
Take care and see you when things calm down around here! xo
Cut my nails
Vacuumed my room
Packed my bag
Ate a leftover piece of pizza
Had a cup of coffee
Did what I could for me
Oh- and I watered the plants
That's what you'd do in the last 2 hours before leaving for the hospital to have surgery... right?
Today's the day... the last day of my association with the space aliens inside...
And I'm glad about that.
Take care and see you when things calm down around here! xo
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Pac Man!
I was a kid in the 80's. Occasionally on a Friday night, I'd go home with my friend Sondra whose big brother had fun stuff... like Atari and a computer with computer games (that is ALL we did with those things back then...what else was a computer for?! Come on...) It was always rather a competition, of course, trying to get to the computer... I was never any good at any of the games. Sondra and I never got much game time in, as I recall... after all, the stuff belonged to Mike... but we did play some Pac-Man... played it at school, too, on the school computers when we could get time on them.
Well- this real-live Pac-Man recreation is just too cool for an 80's kid/nerd like me! I guess it was inevitable that they'd eventually program a Roomba to do this... ;)
Well- this real-live Pac-Man recreation is just too cool for an 80's kid/nerd like me! I guess it was inevitable that they'd eventually program a Roomba to do this... ;)
Nov 9... 20 years ago
This spring was the 20th anniversary of my high school graduation; a month or so ago, there was a 20 year reunion...which I didn't attend. I was curious though... brings back a lot of memories.
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of something bigger... far bigger. I don't have a lot of clear memories of the day, but someone (likely our floor counselor) came to our door room and said we needed to go to the common room where the big screen tv was, history was being made. I went... and sat there in silent awe watching people an ocean away in the dark lit by bright lights (guard tower lights?) and flash bulbs tear down a piece of the Berlin Wall. They swarmed on and up and over it. My memory is of watching a surreal event with a feeling of wonder, awe, amazement. If this is really happening, what else can happen? In fact, What won't happen? Anything was possible.
And it was true.
The Velvet Revolution in Czech. The (not-at-all-velvet) revolution in Romania. East and West Germany ceased to exist as separate countries and reunified. And other revolutions, resistances... the crumbling of the Soviet Union.
And even to a young person- for whom nothing ever seemed to happen fast enough- it all happened quickly. I knew it was history and that, even though I was watching from across the water, I was 'watching' history happen.
I didn't dream then that I would ever visit (never mind live in) part of what had been the USSR. My life then was all about other things- classes and getting through undergrad as fast as possible. Later, we heard stories about Romania, what it was like to be there during the Communist regime and the revolution. It was all fascinating, but I never connected it with myself. Ever.
In October, 2000, I moved to Ukraine. A brand new world to me. The next summer, I visited Germany for the first time- more new stuff, but it felt like home- America with a German accent. The following summer, my friend and I spent a week in eastern Germany and later we visited Berlin. It was fascinating. I remember one story we heard in that summer:
Sunday morning, November 12, some of our friends were together in the home of a mutual friend in Berlin... just together. A knock at the door. The knock answered. A family they knew from the East standing there, Can we come in? Everyone in shock. They spent the morning together and a lot of tears were shed. The family from the east was visiting East Berlin that weekend and heard that the wall had come down. Can it be true? They drove towards a checkpoint (Checkpoint Charlie was the most well known), expecting to be stopped any minute. Nothing happened. In amazement, they reached the checkpoint and drove through. Still no barriers, no guards, nothing. They're across, in the West! Where to go? Let's see if our friends from 'way back when' are still where they were... and off they go... and get there in time to drop in on a very special gathering of special friends, the icing on the cake... Old friends reunited...
To hear it told by some of the participants was truly goose-bump material. (I hope I've recounted it more or less accurately here.)
We stayed with the mother of a friend in Berlin. My friend took me to see Checkpoint Charlie and I had my pic taken there with Flat Stanley at a USSR memorabilia kiosk... I need to find that pic!
So- this has all been rolling around in my head the past few days as the 20th anniversary of this monumental event approached. Here are some of the links that have come through my news feeds the past few days...and one from wikipedia about the wall (you can get good stuff there if you filter it through your brain cells!) ;)
The wall came down- eyewitness account
wiki link on the wall
Peter Turnley's essay on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the iron curtain and the accompanying slide show, narrated by Peter (just wait out the ad)
an essay and slide show about East Germany
Kottke.org's post
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of something bigger... far bigger. I don't have a lot of clear memories of the day, but someone (likely our floor counselor) came to our door room and said we needed to go to the common room where the big screen tv was, history was being made. I went... and sat there in silent awe watching people an ocean away in the dark lit by bright lights (guard tower lights?) and flash bulbs tear down a piece of the Berlin Wall. They swarmed on and up and over it. My memory is of watching a surreal event with a feeling of wonder, awe, amazement. If this is really happening, what else can happen? In fact, What won't happen? Anything was possible.
And it was true.
The Velvet Revolution in Czech. The (not-at-all-velvet) revolution in Romania. East and West Germany ceased to exist as separate countries and reunified. And other revolutions, resistances... the crumbling of the Soviet Union.
And even to a young person- for whom nothing ever seemed to happen fast enough- it all happened quickly. I knew it was history and that, even though I was watching from across the water, I was 'watching' history happen.
I didn't dream then that I would ever visit (never mind live in) part of what had been the USSR. My life then was all about other things- classes and getting through undergrad as fast as possible. Later, we heard stories about Romania, what it was like to be there during the Communist regime and the revolution. It was all fascinating, but I never connected it with myself. Ever.
In October, 2000, I moved to Ukraine. A brand new world to me. The next summer, I visited Germany for the first time- more new stuff, but it felt like home- America with a German accent. The following summer, my friend and I spent a week in eastern Germany and later we visited Berlin. It was fascinating. I remember one story we heard in that summer:
Sunday morning, November 12, some of our friends were together in the home of a mutual friend in Berlin... just together. A knock at the door. The knock answered. A family they knew from the East standing there, Can we come in? Everyone in shock. They spent the morning together and a lot of tears were shed. The family from the east was visiting East Berlin that weekend and heard that the wall had come down. Can it be true? They drove towards a checkpoint (Checkpoint Charlie was the most well known), expecting to be stopped any minute. Nothing happened. In amazement, they reached the checkpoint and drove through. Still no barriers, no guards, nothing. They're across, in the West! Where to go? Let's see if our friends from 'way back when' are still where they were... and off they go... and get there in time to drop in on a very special gathering of special friends, the icing on the cake... Old friends reunited...
To hear it told by some of the participants was truly goose-bump material. (I hope I've recounted it more or less accurately here.)
We stayed with the mother of a friend in Berlin. My friend took me to see Checkpoint Charlie and I had my pic taken there with Flat Stanley at a USSR memorabilia kiosk... I need to find that pic!
So- this has all been rolling around in my head the past few days as the 20th anniversary of this monumental event approached. Here are some of the links that have come through my news feeds the past few days...and one from wikipedia about the wall (you can get good stuff there if you filter it through your brain cells!) ;)
The wall came down- eyewitness account
wiki link on the wall
Peter Turnley's essay on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the iron curtain and the accompanying slide show, narrated by Peter (just wait out the ad)
an essay and slide show about East Germany
Kottke.org's post
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Back
To the land of questions and sometime confusion but that gets into your heart and being and keeps you coming back for more... and glad of it, thanks! ;-)
And we're currently on a very icy road in a full bus headed for our beloved capital. I reckon we're going to be very late, the rate we're going. You know what they say- Better late than never. Amen. Here's to cautious and careful drivers. 4 hours worth of them.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
stomach ache?
hmmm- it seems these are sort of small... hopefully you can read them well enough to enjoy them...
We didn't often trick or treat when we were little... there just wasn't a lot of it going on out there where we lived. I'd be like John in the FBFW, though, if I had kids and took them down the street ringing doorbells... yummmeeeeeeeeee
And- it's just over 2 years since the first short order blog post. I've loved it, for sure... Thanks for the good times (or whatever) and for stopping by! xo
We didn't often trick or treat when we were little... there just wasn't a lot of it going on out there where we lived. I'd be like John in the FBFW, though, if I had kids and took them down the street ringing doorbells... yummmeeeeeeeeee
And- it's just over 2 years since the first short order blog post. I've loved it, for sure... Thanks for the good times (or whatever) and for stopping by! xonot much
all's quiet
at least here.
Last week we went over to Western Ukr to help out in the kitchen with food preparation while some of the guys were around doing some work. Lovely! I mean being with the people... all of them! The food part went not too badly as well.
We also used the shop vac to slurp up millions (I'm sure) of flies- that was oddly satisfying. They worm their way inside this time of year and then zoom around drunkenly and litter the place up with their corpses after awhile (when they're done zooming)... if this happens to be in the attic/upstairs part where no one actually lives, well their dear little departed left behind selves accumulate... and then crunch into the floor when you walk on the floor... This just sort of offends some part of me- some sissy weak part of me- so we bribed someone to haul the shop vac from one upstairs to the next and then mindlessly slurped them up- chic, ching, chic, ping, pong, chic... they make such cute little pinging noises on their way up wand of the vac... I'd go out and do some more just any old day... ;)
*******************************
Have I told you about 'Tushene Myaso'? It's literally 'Stewed Meat', but I'm here to tell you that it's nothing like what N Americans usually think of when they hear 'stew'. No pix, but I did pork that way one day:
-cut the meat into chunks (like stew-size pieces)
-brown it in a bit of oil (or butter...or both) with a bit of salt and pepper
-reduce heat to low and pour sour cream over it (this is best but milk also works wonderfully well); add a bay leaf or 2.
-Let simmer for 2 hours (or more), replenishing the sour cream/milk from time to time. You don't need lots of liquid, just enough to cook down and keep the meat from burning. I let it cook uncovered at first and then towards the end, put the cover on the skillet but cracked open.
This is an excellent way to do any meat that is likely to be tough... and the flavor- out of this world! Serve over rice, potatoes, macaroni- whatever. Works well with a white sauce gravy made at the end.
*********************************
In other news, Ukr is in the middle of an H1N1 scare- all schools and universities (in Western, Central, Northern Ukr at any rate) are closed for 2 weeks; supposedly there are travel restrictions into and out of the 3 areas in Western Ukr that have been hardest hit. No one seems to know just how serious it really is but people are scared... and it certainly seems that the flu season has gotten off to an early start. There isn't a lot of flu in Kyiv yet but someone told me that their city has been hard-hit and that the pharmacies are out of typical respiratory meds... Lots of masks out in public... I'm maskless... can't stand that wet stuffy feeling up by my mouth. Besides- do they help? I am washing my hands often and, as Jill says, Keep your hands away from your face!
Ok!
en route to Poland tonight... border time... again... hurrah... (for Poland that is... border crossings are for the birds, mostly)
at least here.
Last week we went over to Western Ukr to help out in the kitchen with food preparation while some of the guys were around doing some work. Lovely! I mean being with the people... all of them! The food part went not too badly as well.
We also used the shop vac to slurp up millions (I'm sure) of flies- that was oddly satisfying. They worm their way inside this time of year and then zoom around drunkenly and litter the place up with their corpses after awhile (when they're done zooming)... if this happens to be in the attic/upstairs part where no one actually lives, well their dear little departed left behind selves accumulate... and then crunch into the floor when you walk on the floor... This just sort of offends some part of me- some sissy weak part of me- so we bribed someone to haul the shop vac from one upstairs to the next and then mindlessly slurped them up- chic, ching, chic, ping, pong, chic... they make such cute little pinging noises on their way up wand of the vac... I'd go out and do some more just any old day... ;)
*******************************
Have I told you about 'Tushene Myaso'? It's literally 'Stewed Meat', but I'm here to tell you that it's nothing like what N Americans usually think of when they hear 'stew'. No pix, but I did pork that way one day:
-cut the meat into chunks (like stew-size pieces)
-brown it in a bit of oil (or butter...or both) with a bit of salt and pepper
-reduce heat to low and pour sour cream over it (this is best but milk also works wonderfully well); add a bay leaf or 2.
-Let simmer for 2 hours (or more), replenishing the sour cream/milk from time to time. You don't need lots of liquid, just enough to cook down and keep the meat from burning. I let it cook uncovered at first and then towards the end, put the cover on the skillet but cracked open.
This is an excellent way to do any meat that is likely to be tough... and the flavor- out of this world! Serve over rice, potatoes, macaroni- whatever. Works well with a white sauce gravy made at the end.
*********************************
In other news, Ukr is in the middle of an H1N1 scare- all schools and universities (in Western, Central, Northern Ukr at any rate) are closed for 2 weeks; supposedly there are travel restrictions into and out of the 3 areas in Western Ukr that have been hardest hit. No one seems to know just how serious it really is but people are scared... and it certainly seems that the flu season has gotten off to an early start. There isn't a lot of flu in Kyiv yet but someone told me that their city has been hard-hit and that the pharmacies are out of typical respiratory meds... Lots of masks out in public... I'm maskless... can't stand that wet stuffy feeling up by my mouth. Besides- do they help? I am washing my hands often and, as Jill says, Keep your hands away from your face!
Ok!
en route to Poland tonight... border time... again... hurrah... (for Poland that is... border crossings are for the birds, mostly)
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