The many faces of JM

I'm sure you've been waiting for another skype chat with the Monkeys... I have, too. :) All the kids were home for a change. JM was AllWoundUp. Completely. A regular Chatterbox. Aunt Nita Does Not Mind when this happens! I have 3 pumpkins: A huge one, a small one and a tiny one. (In case you can't tell- this is the tiny one. The huge one really is big...)

 I stuck in 2 cents about That Boy being original... but I'm not sure originality can win over the audacity of doing the Only Orange Card. Orange... oh the shame...

don't remember what happened here but Aunt Nita made her blush!

Oh look- it's the Twinnies! Madi's waving. Miki's grinning. Instead of hiding from Aunt Nita. How nice! (and the Jboy? He was, as ever, elusive. An arm and a leg made a brief appearance...as did the rapidly disappearing back of his head.) ;-)

Good-bye Twins. Good-bye Monkeys. Very nice to chat! xo

We're not so rich...

that we can afford to buy cheap. That's an expression we hear sometimes over here. I heard it first from our very dear friend Dima. He was looking sorrowfully at a chopping knife that he'd tried to fix for the umpteenth time- the handle kept coming off. We'd gotten a set of knives that were...less than expensive. Dima is happy with nothing less than quality and perfection. And whatever he does- he does well. Those knives were ditched and replaced by something better.


Later, we were moving from apartment 1 to 2. DeAnn and I and the taxi driver... and one very eager, very helpful, very 'cocker spaniel' friend of the XY variety. Now- we were very VERY grateful for XY's help. But after awhile (possibly after D found her toothbrush on  the bottom of a bunch of stuff in the bathtub. Dear XY Friend had gone into the bathroom at apt 1 and swept everything he saw into an empty pail. When XY and Taxi Driver arrived at apt 2, XY simply dumped the bucket into the tub and went back for another bucket full.) So- D says to me- Please PLEASE take XY and go. Just go. Go somewhere. Go to the-I-don't-know... go to... go to... go the market. Yes- go to the market and get something, anything... something we need.
XY and I left. Found our way over to Big Bazaar clear across town- the one that took nearly 45 min to get to. We need paint, XY says.
We do?
Yes, we do. I'll paint the bathroom for you. It could use some paint.
Ummm.... (think fast, Girl, faster than you ever have- he's tugging at his 'leash' and is heavier and stronger than me by miles and I certainly won't be able to hold him back for long... we've rented this place from a friend of an acquaintance and painting the bathroom doesn't seem the way to get off on the right foot with them)- Ummmm- YouKnowIthinkWeNeedAnElectricTeaKettleWaterBoilerOneThatBoilsTheWaterReallyFastLikeIsReallyCoolToHave. (deep breath) Yes. We Need One Of Those. Look- there they ARE!!! (big smiley face)
Of course- I've never bought one of those...or much else in the household appliance line. Prices here are different than home- everything comes in big numbers because of the 5 to 1 (at the time) exchange rate and math just has never been my thing.
Well, XY says, Get something good. Don't get the most expensive thing...but don't get the cheapest thing either. Get something in the middle.
So we did. And not knowing one thing about good/better/best brands in Europe or about electric water boilers, we picked out this kettle:

The point is- 8 years later, I'm back with this same water kettle. It's been through a few moves since then and is now in Central Ukr... and it's as good as ever.
A hot water kettle is just a water kettle, just a 'thing'. But- I've met a few others- cheap, rotten, drive you nuts water kettles. They last about 6 months and they're shot. And you have to get another one. Whatever we paid for this one 8 years ago- it's turning out to have been quite a good deal.
Life's a lot like that- buy once and buy well. Look for quality and be willing to pay for it. You don't need the flash and glitz (which often goes with the most expensive item on the shelf and is just a disguise for cheap); you don't need the poverty of having to buy again and again and again. The cheap thing becomes the most expensive in the end.

left footed all the way around

From a few weeks ago down south, this story was too good to miss. S had been to the maternity ward to visit the granddaughter of a friend who was waiting to have her 1st baby. (The system is a bit diff here. Because her husb is working on a job across the country and she's been staying with her mom in a village and because of alcohol problems in the household- not, thankfully, the new mother- and because her grandma is nearly blind and can't help in an emergency- well for all those reasons, the soon-to-be-mom went to town about 2 weeks before Baby was born, talked to her ob/gyn who admitted her to the hosp. She just stayed there until Baby was born.)

So. It's a very cold and rainy Saturday- the last, in fact, before the heat was turned on. Baby Boy had been born 5 days earlier and was healthy and fine and so was Mom. Mom calls late in the afternoon- S? They're going to release me in about 30 min. Now- being released from the hosp with a newborn is a Big Deal around here. There's a whole formal ceremony and all... 

Only I didn't know all that at the time of the phone call. 

The hosp is about 15-20 min walk away so we hop up and, without bothering to comb our hair, put on pretty clothes (it was COLD, remember? We went for warmth and comfort NOT pretty), without even looking in a mirror- we jammed our feet into shoes, jumped into hats and gloves and coats and sprinted out the door. S ran across the square for New Baby flowers; I hopped into the store for a box of chocolates. (If all else fails- bring chocolates. Chocolate is nearly always appropriate here.)

We tear down the street, dodging (most of) the puddles, trying to keep our umbrellas between us and the rain drops. Get to the hosp. There's a man with a video camera taping everything in sight but I think nothing of it. We park our umbrellas in an unobtrusive spot. The video-tapey man goes out to get the outside of the hosp. 

We wait. 

A car pulls up. Video-tapey man jumps to the car and shoots away. My first clue that I'm in BIG trouble...

the princess that exited the car. Accompanied by her mom. Neither of whom was wearing a coat... in this weather?! And- even more ominous- I KnowThesePeople. They are the grandma and the aunt of the new baby we've come to send off. Hmm- One Begins To Think One May (just may) Be Underdressed. Oops. 

But this is Leeza - and she is just too cute to miss. I'm pretty sure she had help with her hair.

there were flowers.

To twirl and play with.

Then we were ushered into the receiving room... where bright lights were turned on Leeza who was parked here, there and everywhere and shot to within an inch of her life. The lights bothered her... blinded her, I think. But she just couldn't help being C-U-T-E.

I'll look at the flowers- they're normal. 

What?!

But there is more action! Here comes Leeza's Big Sis and her New Baby. 

The Very Well behaved (other) star of the show. Here's where it began to hit me just how big was our goof as we peeled out of the house without an apparel check... (Keep in mind it was cold there- I was wearing- a bulky sweater, a jacket, a scarf or 2, a dark and very warm skirt, umm- how to put it?- dark brown... leggings, ok long johns (happy?!) none to classy...totally scuffed and clunky black shoes- because you can walk miles in them and then sprint to the finish line and still not have blisters. That's why. Sigh.)

So the real ceremony begins. We're all lined up along the wall (like the innocent and guilty in a lineup)... and filmed the Whole Entire Time. And the perky little made up and dressed up assistant rolls off her tongue a great big long and formal spiel about presenting Baby Sasha to his loved ones and family who will watch over him and protect him and guide him and love him and on and on and on and on... Then- she starts with S- Who are you to Baby Sasha? Big Blank Look from S. Baby's Grandma says- S- who are you? (camera's rolling... of course) S gulps and says Umm- I'm like umm like his ummm Grandma- yes. A grandma. From Canada- says Baby's Grandma. My turn. Who are you? Heh- I'm umm- an auntie... from America, I add lamely. (that is soooo dumb... who CARES?! The camera man must surely think they send the socially inept and classless from Parts West to haunt him here.) On to Mom- she does her part nicely. Then to Grandma. Umm- Grandma (in a whisper- at least she's camera-shy and we're not the only funny ones in the outfit). The Native (blood) Grandma, I say. (OH Brother- Dumb and Dumber.) 

No one asks us anymore questions.

All attention returns to Leeza... who gets to hold her big sister's baby with her mom's help. This was followed by another lineup and photo shoot. Then Grandma (the blood/native/real one) glided over to the table and uncorked a bottle of something sparkly and fizzy. Pours about a hundred glasses and passes them out along with chocolate. Now- Someone Must Make a Toast. Someone did- must have been Grandma- she's the only one with the remotest idea (with lots of prompting from Sparkly Assistant) of what's going on. Camera Man and Sparkly Assistant refuse the bubbly on the grounds that they're on the hosp payroll and can't. Baby's Mom puts the glass to her lips and lowers it without making a dent in the surface. So I do, too. No one seems at all interested... except Grandma who downs one glass in one swallow and then pours another one and gets it down without another toast. 

More speeches. More photos and videos. I'm pretty sure I never want to see Camera Man or Sparkly Assistant again- they think we ride the short bus, need all the help we can get- it's pretty clear. 

Finally- we ooze out the door, being filmed all the while. Leeza is so adorable and cute (although she's only being kept from a HUGE tantrum by now by the continual stuffing of chocolate into her eager hands. And the chocolates went into her mouth in one swift move...which diminished her photo appeal...) S and I fade to the back and let the happy family get into the car (while being filmed) without our help. We retrieve our umbrellas and flee... after wishing everyone well. 

And then we begin to laugh.

No One NO ONE has ever had their new baby sent off home quite like THAT before! 

Someday- a long time from now- I'd like to see the finished video... 

oh my.

What kind of dog are YOU?!

Had a fun little conversation with my Trude friend the other day. Lots of stuff covered but we finished with dogs. Lots of dogs.
And how sometimes people are like dogs. So-and-so's like a Cocker Spaniel- running around, smiling and wagging their tail.
A is a Yellow Lab- solid, dependable and true blue. Oh yeah- and blonde.
B is a German Shepherd- they have hip dysplasia (in this case a bad back but anyway- it's all the same, sort of kind of... right???)
C is a Saint Bernard- the rescue dog who's there to help.
D is a Doberman- can't remember why just now.
E is a Dalmation- genetically recessive all the way and prone to more sickness and illness than most other dogs- but beautiful and a favorite all around.
F is a Chihuahua... can't remember why... hmmm
And you're like a whippet- skinny and fast, the poor man's greyhound (this was all news to me but I just believe what I hear so it must be true...) ;)
What am I?
You?
Yes, Me.
You're one of those little pugs with squashed noses who get excited and then can't get enough air and get all wheezy and upset.
Well- you know what? That about says it. I am a lot like that bug-eyed squashed-nose pug... hyperventilation is my specialty. Just ask anyone who's had the misfortune of being around me lately. I'll bet they're really lovable and friendly and true-blue, though, those pugs. Right? Riiiiggghhhhttttttttttt??? 


Back to something else. Those dogs at the top? They are the New Breed of Ukrainian Mutt. Bus station dogs curled up for the night. It was pretty much late when the pic was taken so that explains (I'm sure) the poor quality of the pic. But- the New Breed of Ukrn dog. How so? (I'll tell you- just wait a minute.) Friday evening, I arrived to Central Ukr with S. I haven't spent much time here at all for about 2 1/2 years and it is GREAT to be back. One of the very first things I saw as we walked my baggage home, dodging puddles and people and dogs... Whoa- S! That dog has an ear tag! Yes, she smiles. (She's a great lover of pooches.) The city rounds up strays, spays/neuters them, tags them and releases them.
Well Wow! This is progress. When I first came here, there was some discussion- What to do to stay- Teach English? Teach English? Teach English?
The first thing about Ukr that socked me between the eyes was the sheer volume of stray dogs... and then I realized that they were very busy having puppies... lots of them... often...
I will open a not-for-profit spay/neuter clinic, I said. Which I couldn't have done, really, because my vet med education was aborted before we actually got to doing surgeries. But- I wanted to.
Well- Western Ukr! We have arrived! All over here (and in all the cities we were in this weekend) there are tagged dogs running around.
And guess what? It's quiet outside at night. There.Are.No.Dogs.Barking.Ever.
And word on the street is- They're a lot less active and behave themselves a lot better. (said with a laugh)
You know what- it really makes me happy. I'm glad- from the very bottom of my heart- that they're doing this. Someone, somewhere- after all- is not misappropriating all the public funds.
YeeHa!

autism photo essay

on my newsfeed- Time magazine's photo essay depicting one part of autism.

Word to the wise...

...before you call the new folks to check up on them and make sure they're still alive and kicking- check the clock first. Just because you got in around 8.30 and it feels early...doesn't mean it is early...
...don't be snarky... no matter how bad you want to be... especially to your friends. You'll be glad later. You will.  
...and for the teens among us- Now I'm not talking to the ones I know best. In fact, thankfully, I can't say that any whom I know personally would behave like what I saw this weekend. But- just remember- you think you're cooler than words can express just now and you think that InYourFace behavior is amazing, that you're so much more than those of us so old we've used up our best zip and razzle-dazzle: You'll be ashamed some day for what you did and you'll wish you had these days to do over. You'd choose differently. You'd be more careful. You'd save some of your 'smartness' for the day it really was smart. Sigh. I know- we can all be like this at any stage of life. Please- let's all remember this a little more often. 
and other odds and ends....
... little girl this am- too cute to be allowed. Wearing a snowsuit (it's sort of cold here in the mornings you know). Across the back side of her pink snow pants were the words- 'Bean Angel'. I got the giggles. What happens- the stuff that's made in China and Turkey with typo's on it- never makes it to the States, Canada, UK, etc... gets sold cheap to non-English speaking countries. So you see all kinds of nonsensical stuff. Another little girl used to wear a cute t-shirt with the words 'Hippy Child' stamped across the front. Not sure what 'Bean Angel' should have been... and 'Hippy Child'? Maybe Happy? Maybe it really was for hippies... or the children of hippies? Who knows.
and some fun stuff from a few days ago. Life Mag photo essays on..... CANDY!! :) easy (they say), medium (again- they say) and hard (this time- I agree)

Batvision

There's so much more to write about (after another long silence) than this crazy comic... but in going through my inbox tonight and reading all the stuff I haven't taken the time to read in a few days... well, right after the video of the dog 'driving' the Canadian Post Office van- this made me laugh harder than anything else. Food is one of those things- beautiful, exciting and full of potential (you can do so much with it!)... however- I've never been tempted to put a video camera in the fridge...or hook my comp up to a live feed of the fridge...
We did have popcorn (not microwave- the real stuff) with apples and cheese and a smoothie for supper tonight, tho... and it was just sort of comforting. In a foody sort of way. I think Dagwood's style would give me heartburn though.

in the news... and nice

The past 5 days or so have been incredibly busy (and nice, too!) So, after a fast trip to Odessa and a few hours spent knocking around between (mostly) the train station, McDonald's and the airport, the train last night was a welcome sight and the bed there a welcome spot. Landed in on Lillian this am and have been catching up. For one- I've been reading about the rescue of the miners in Chile. For me, this picture of the hospital beds awaiting the rescued miners was the most touching, somehow. The hope of 33 live patients. The realization that they will need some medical help. They're not there yet (when the pic was taken) but they're ready and waiting and expectant. And it also shows that, in spite of the jubilation that they survived, they won't be able to just step into their lives where they 'left off' 10 weeks ago. 

pic is from Time.com's coverage

some really neat (and sad and thought provoking and just plain interesting) pictures from the Life.com feed the other day... some of the pix were very familiar; some were not.

ok- it's been on its way out to sea again for awhile... Fall's been pleasant- sunny, warm; down here in the south, you can hardly tell the difference between summer and fall... but the past few days have been seriously cold. brrr....

and in the land where you can't turn the heat on when you want... where the heat is turned on at some mysterious and unknown central location by the city when they deem it's time... well- this is what we're fixing to do. Hibernate. Dig out all the warmest clothes we have, the down comforters, wool socks (and woolies in general!) and tuck ourselves in for a bit! ;)

Remember when you thought all the teachers were like the Hogwarts ones- they lived at the school and had no life at all outside of school? I do. It was a shock- I remember running into one of my teachers one day at the grocery store and being seriously amazed that she would be there...

Let's talk bagels. With cream cheese. With chopped walnuts and honey added. Ok? Yes, let's.

or just food in general. I love how different their ideas of the upcoming experience are!
So- what do you see when you see the menu? What are you really there for? Eating out is always a bit of a conundrum for me... I look over the whole menu and then try to pick out the one thing I'd always wish I'd tried if I never get back there again. It can be an ordeal...

I need to do this and very soon. My bags and I are leaving on a bus next week for parts north. Yikes.

:)

This was too good to miss. Agnes... you've got to love her! Sweetie- I have news for you- I'm already there on that other facebook. There is still nothing like a letter... a for-real-delivered-by-post letter. I have a stack to answer... I love letters. I also enjoy writing them. I need to do that again soon.

And- I missed my baby bro's birthday yest... he's 36 (!) I'm in shock. Since when are the babies in the family 36 and 34?!? I mean... weren't they just the center of attention at every family circus, hogging the blankets and generally being cute and impossible while we were being awkward (and impossible)?! I must have slept sometime along the way...

Happy Birthday K! Love you heaps and bunches! xo

smile!

The tea light underneath, the water up top, the lavendar and rosemary essential oils in the water. Love it! (and I'll confess- I don't know the first thing about essential oils- I just love the smell!)

for the geeks among us

This was on my newsfeed this morning xkcd's Map of Online Communities... and I found it fairly amusing. The Northern Wasteland of Unread Updates. The Sea of Opinions. The Sea of Protocol Confusion. The Sea of Zero (0) Comments. The Bay of Flame. The Bay of Drama. The Charred Wasteland of Abandoned Social Networks. And a host of other interesting places.

Law of the Garbage Truck

Just read this on Adina's blog and really liked it. It sounds like a good piece of advice! 


Law of the Garbage Truck - One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital'. This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a garbage-free day!

full moon

couldn't resist! S cooked up some squash today. When I came home, I could tell some of it had been made into pumpkin custard (otherwise known as crustless pumpkin pie- the best kind of all)... let me tell you- it's good! ;)
They say it frosts at the full moon... well- we're coming up on a new moon... wonder if the same holds true for that? Or is it just something 'they' say. Don't know- but the past few days have been chilly. The first jacket weather we've had- I mean- a quick jaunt in the middle of the day in the sunshine- and you need a jacket. Don't leave home without it- that's what I mean by jacket weather! ;)

smile!

walking home through town the other day, just a few blocks off the main drag- met a lady taking her goats home for the day. I love the rural feel of city life (in most cities) here! 

freshly made grape jelly... a perfect do- a first for me. Made from grapes intended to be made into wine, it's much milder and lighter than what I was used to but very good. 

quince

Know what quince is? I'd heard of it but never seen it until about 9 years ago. It's quite good, really. Bigger than a lot of apples and about a hundred times harder, it's light green or nearly yellow. They are all over the place here. Sharon got a whole bunch the other day- M had a bunch that were fixing to spoil and she didn't have the time or energy to deal with them. 

didn't get a pic of the whole fruit so found a pic here from this site. It's amazingly hard- thought I would break the blade of my paring knife dealing with the little monsters.

cut them up- chunked them. Put into a kettle with a bit of water. Bring to a boil and then turn down low and let simmer for a long time. Add sugar at the end when all the fruit is soft and well done. Remove from heat and puree. 

Quincesauce! It turns a gorgeous pink... and I have no idea why!  

It sure is yummy!

Real in Ukr!

And that would be the European superstore chain- Re-AL...or whatever. There's one in Odessa. It's in the Riviera Mall- which is the first really big, full-size huge normal kind of mall I've been in here. It is the real deal. The Real Deal. Re-al De-al.
ok.
We went to see Anya and then walked out to the bus stop with her and caught a bus to the mall. And get this- the Riviera Mall has 3 different buses that it sends to various parts of the city, collects people and brings them to the mall...free of charge. Takes them back, too. heh. A mall with a free bus. Yikes. The inside was exactly like a normal mall... didn't start taking pix till we got to Real, though- the main anchor store (unless you count the building supply store at the other end...but it's hard for me to count that high...)

this prompted the photo shoot- fleece blankets... label says they are: soft and cuddly; colourfast and formstable. yeah- formstable. That is definitely a plus. And if, like me, you don't know what that means- google it. ;) Yeah- not a word. Not sure what word they were after... ;) 

loved the fleece blanket display, though- they were gorgeous and colorful and I wanted a blue, orange and green one... but left them all right there 

a small part of the cheese counter. Oh My. I left in a hurry! Danger Zone.  

(very blurry) shot of part of the produce section. Hands down the most beautiful produce I've seen in a supermarket here. And the place was busy. People are used to buying produce at the market- it's nearly always better there. But this stuff looked hard to beat. 

now we move on to Ukr specials... or at least I've never seen bulk frozen vegetables anywhere else. Do they do this in the States? 

loved the spice dept- chock-full of bulk spices of all kinds. Smelled wonderful! This is the bay leaves section... but there were boxes of everything under the sun... I think... ok- how do I know? Ok- I don't. But there were a lot of bulk spices there. A Lot. 

25 kg of sugar? This is very common- a lot cheaper to buy sugar in large quantities and we do love sugar here. Oh Yes We Do! This pic also shows a bag of Cream of Wheat open- take as much as you want. There were all kinds of cereal grains, flour... just about anything you'd imagine needing... in 25 kg bags. 

you can tell you're in Ukr by the vast quantities of candy! I said we like sugar here... and we like candy, too. This is only part of the candy aisle- all wrapped chocolates, hard candy, jelly candy. No peppermint, though, or cinnamon. :( 

how do you know you're in Ukr? Open stock cookies of all sorts and kinds! A lot of them are not nearly as sweet as we're used to and much drier as well- but there are some really nice ones. Pictured are the 'Maria' cookies. A generic kind of mild cookie from way back- nearly flavorless but amazingly comforting. Might be like graham crackers in that they're ubiquitous and everybody knows them. I fell in love with them last winter when I had pancreatitis- they were 1 of the few things I could eat.  

a new one for me- open stock coffee beans! Not typical Ukr... unless you count bulk/open stock as being typical... which it is, I guess. It's called being economical. 

open stock green tea! Another first.  

more sugar- this time, open stock. 

ahh- here we are again- very typical- lots of cakes.  

Ponchykiy! Otherwise known as donuts- these were cherry or apricot jelly-filled. We went home with a bunch of them! ;) 

Finished the trip off with a stop at Gloria Jean's Coffee!!! Yes, it was good. Yes, it was familiar. Yes, they had cheesecake with graham cracker crust! 

see the graham cracker crust?! :) Big Fat Smiles! The very first time, EVER, I've had this in Europe! And Oh Boy- it was good! We got 3 things and split them: Cheesecake, Cherry Chocolate cake and a brownie. 

waiting in the parking lot for the bus... ahh- I shall miss you Riviera Mall, ReAL store... and I shall hope to be back sometime. 

Things we did not get pix of: Boxes of Crayola crayons in the Hallmark store (both were sighted the first time here by me, at least); boxes of Altoids Curiously strong mints on the counter at Gloria Jean's- another first ever. I haven't had this much fun shopping (when I didn't even buy anything- except the decaf coffee and treats at the end) since I-don't-know-when. :)