For a few people.............

To the FitBit Peeps out there: Have you tried this? (It just seemed worth a go!)

I have a little pedometer- nothing so slick as the genuine fitbit dealy-bobber. But it counts steps. I don't wear it much. Not since I got 16,000 steps in 3 hours on a typical bus ride. 

I've seen a lot of shivery posts on facebook- the weather's turning cooler and a goosebump or 2 might appear from time to time. No complaints here, though. It's such a treat to not be sweating all the time. I'm in love with being able to move around outside without feeling like I've melted into a yucky puddle of grime and slime. And sleeping at night and needing a blanket! How fantastic! I tucked my duvet into it's cover today and am luxuriating in the bliss of needing a blanket and the duvet. Of wanting to snuggle into covers and pillows. 

Even the buses are mostly no longer hot. 

I like summer for the freedom of movement- my backpack is lighter because there's no need for a sweater or extra socks or long-sleeve anything; no coat to slow you down and take up space. Footwear is a cinch- sandals! In that respect, summer is a treat. 

But this weather- you can breathe again, you can exult in the feel of cool air on your skin. Walking everywhere is a treat again and not just something to endure. Ahhh fall, I do love you!!!

Things that really aren't possible

I can only conclude that they have bad ice cream at that house.

 

I have ice cream memories from as far back as I can remember. There were a lot of things that we didn't have in our house when we were growing up. Some of those things I wanted pretty badly (oddly, though, I cannot think of a single one of them now. hmmm); some I don't remember fretting about much. For instance, we never had a TV and, while I loved spending the occasional night at my friends' houses- Sondra or Lorna, usually- and totally gluing my eyes to the TV while there, I really don't remember missing it much at home. (Maybe my mom can fill in forgotten details!)
I think I would have gladly had more soda pop, although I don't remember exactly suffering without that, either. I do remember that ice cold pop (Pepsi or Root Beer) and chips went with haying.
And I also vividly remember my very first ever Mountain Dew. I was at the county fair and stopped at a food stand for a snack...and had a Mountain Dew to go with it. And it was love at first swallow. And nothing's changed. Man-O-Live, I love that stuff. (And it's just good for everything about me that it's not for sale here in Ukraine, sigh.)
Same goes for my first Snickers. I was, if you can believe it, in the 8th grade. Supposed to meet my mom at the library after school or some such thing. What I remember clearly is going into the grocery store across the street from the library and buying a Snickers bar. And also loving that from first bite. Snickers is sold here in Ukraine. Snickers are too much and too sweet now. (I have no idea why Mt Dew isn't....I'm sure there's way more sugar there.)
And we always had ice cream in the freezer. Always. Burger's Vanilla Ice Cream. (And sadly, it doesn't even exist anymore.) It was delicious. My dad's favorite. About the only kind he'd eat, as I recall. His idea of an after dinner treat was a big bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce on top. My brother Paul has continued the tradition nicely. And I must say, I don't often say No to ice cream myself. Vanilla is the best. And when it's hot out? You simply can't have too much! Ukrainians love ice cream but most often buy it in single serving cones or bars or some such thing. The place is full of little ice cream freezers with a friendly woman (usually) and a cash box.
I had 2 ice creams yesterday and one today.
It's been very hot here the past few days.* Thankfully.
So let's hear it for ice cream!! And remember, Kids- You really CAN'T have too much! ;)

*It really has been hot- unseasonably hot. Over 90 degrees on Fri and close to that yesterday. 80-something felt cool today. 

calendars and birds and collectors

When I was in the US the last time, I picked up (on sale) an Audubon bird calendar for 2012 and brought it back with me. And loved it. And kept it thinking- Sometime, you know, you might want some of these pix.

In June, I came across it and decided to cut the pictures apart and use them 'here and there'.
I accidentally cut off some of the names and was curious to know just what kind of bird was on one or two of the pix.

So, being a fan of google, I googled '2012 Audubon Songbird calendar'. And clicked on the Amazon link. And nearly passed out. You can sell your used '2012 Audubon Songbird calendar' on Amazon starting for (starting at) $89.88. And I'm guessing mine would have fallen into the higher price range as it was in excellent condition, no writing, not bent, pristine condition....
Mind you, I likely wouldn't have sold it myself but.
Seriously- Who pays $255 for a calendar????

So- if you have any of those babies laying around, get them listed and sell them! (And start shopping around for next year's; by the time your kids graduate from high school, you might be able to contribute to their college fund with 1 calendar!)

Hot chocolate with a twist

Several years ago, I had some hot chocolate in the Arcadia Mall at the Wedel Chocolate shop. It was- amazing. Thick and creamy, more like the drinking chocolate we had in Spain with our churros. With a twist. Served with hot pepper syrup. 

Some time last year, I had this brain storm. What if I melted this chocolate bar and mixed it with milk. 

So I did and it was good- really good. One bar makes enough for at least 2 people. To get it right, the chocolate:milk ratio is about 1:2, approximately. To taste, I reckon, is a better way to say it. It's rich, for sure. 

So then I messed around with adding ground, hot pepper. Which was good enough but not quite 'the thing', you know? 

So last week, I did some googling. Several people are coming this way in the next year or so. And I was thinking: Why not find some online and have someone bring it over?
Turns out the syrup doesn't actually stay nice very long. Everything I saw said Make it fresh and use within 2 - 4 weeks.

And all those syrups are for making mixed drinks. Here's a very simple recipe I found. 

Peppers, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water

melting the chocolate, mixed with milk

Finished syrup

And in my cup! Oh my. Very yummy.
I'm now on the lookout for hotter peppers. Ukrainians aren't big on hot peppers; the ones I found aren't actually hot but warm...and that heat was diluted quite a bit in the syrup making process. 

Oh boy

Where to start? I didn't intend to let it go this long. So does a person catch up? Or just start in *boom* right here and now? Perhaps a bit of both? ;) Done mostly in pix, I think...and in several posts.

Patriotism is huge right now. Everywhere. I kind of like it. :)

 In May, K's niece and husband visited and we spent a day in L'viv with them.

The "Coffee from L'viv" coffee company roasting coffee beans in the front of their store. Pretty good coffee, actually.

We visited Lychakiv Cemetery- rich in Polish and Ukrainian history. Wikipedia link and a site dedicated to the cemetery- English available.

Lychakiv Cemetery is a beautiful place. The main 'roads' are well maintained, as are the graves along these paths but most of the cemetery is very wild. 

Pretty typical graves.

The only part of the cemetery with many fresh graves- people who have died in Kyiv in the winter of 2013/2014 and in the current conflict in the east. This whole section of the cemetery is dedicated to people who have died fighting for Ukrainian independence.

Graves of people who were killed fighting Russians during WW II and those who were liquidated by the Soviets during Soviet occupation. This part of the cemetery is new and bodies were relocated here from their original burial site.

This part of the cemetery is large and gave me goosebumps.

This must be a brother and sister, both who lived to be old but both who participated in the Soviet resistance movement. 'УПА' is one of the controversial partisan armies that fought the Nazis and Soviets in WW II; in the  end, many of these opted to join forces with the Nazis, hoping to avoid Russian occupation. Because of this, they have been implicated in Nazi war crimes and atrocities against Poles, especially...which is why many in Western Europe are not too keen on them. Ukrainians see them as having fought for Ukrainian independence. As you see on this marker, the lady is still alive but because of her role, she will have a spot here. The man was 'repressed' (by the Soviets); the woman has been 'rehabilitated'- meaning the gov't has acknowledged she was a victim of Soviet repression and is not guilty of whatever crime she'd been prosecuted for. Many of the people in this part of the cemetery were sent to Siberia.

Ukrainian and Polish soldiers who died during the Polish-Ukrainian War in 1918-1919.   (From Wikipedia: The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.) L'viv was a Polish city until after WW II, when many Poles and Germans were resettled elsewhere. 

 Memorial to and markers for 3 Americans who died fighting for Poland

Some kind of archaeological excavation in the old town of L'viv. 

And it turns out I have a 'son'! heh. The things you never knew till you knew. Story: I reminded some people of a certain lady in Canada. And then along came Jason and he reminded these same people of this lady's son. So.... he calls me 'Mom' and I call him 'Sonny Boy'. And he's the kind of kid to pick if you could pick your kids! ;) 

In doing some computer housekeeping this afternoon, I came across a post I'd started to write earlier.

In our rambling this afternoon, we came back through the center of town, past this very quiet and now nearly empty place. But being here brought back some very clear and sharp memories from Feb 20, 2014. That was a chilly day. That was the day that snipers were on the rooftops in downtown Kyiv, picking off people from the streets and squares below. Aiming for people wearing special white vests with red crosses on them designating them as medics. The day we flew out of our apartment in an almighty hurry when we realized that our dear girl, my co's youngest sister a medical student was actually still in town. She was part of a group of about 40 doctors and medical students from our city who were leaving for Kyiv but their departure had been delayed. There was a desperate need for trained medics in Kyiv. She'd been there often before, during some of the worst days to bring medical help to wounded people. But this time felt so much more uncertain than the other times.

This quiet street was where the bus was loading and we got down here in time to tell her good-bye and hug her tight and wish her the best... and hold our breaths and hope that all would be well. I don't remember that there were any tears shed by anyone there. Everyone was sober and determined. About half a block away was a large public meeting in the main city square where public officials were going over safety measures for our city. 

So much has happened since then.

So much. 

I've sometimes written about it, mostly I haven't. What can you write? Thousands have died. Thousands. At least one army pilot was kidnapped inside Ukraine and taken to Russia where she's been accused of crimes; she's been imprisoned there, illegally, for months. 

For a long time, we were so thankful that at least none of those nearest and dearest had been called up by the army. 

At the end of January, I was having a pre-bus bread and honey snack when an army officer came calling with the notification for the man of that home. He's my age, exactly. His wife is my dear friend; so is his bro-in-law. He has 2 young children. We were all stunned. Of course it could happen; was bound to. But then it did. 

Because of poor health, he was deemed unfit to serve, thankfully. (With the proviso that if war is declared- or martial law- he must report.)

Several weeks ago we were with another man, a contact, who'd been called up in the very first wave of mobilization last spring. He served his 12 months and was deactivated. Alive, whole, healthy. It was a huge comfort and relief to see someone who came home from the army in one piece; so many don't.

Another friend's young son, 17, was 'called up'.... but because he's not yet of legal age (to serve) and because he's a student, he was deferred.

And today we received word that one of the dearest got his papers and was declared fit. He goes this week. He's 49. He has a wife, 6 kids. In fact- those 2 up there? The 2 sisters? They're his oldest and youngest daughters. I cannot imagine what this summer will be like without him. 

And that youngest one. She's still a med student, 3rd year. And she's still actively involved in training military medics. Many weekends, she's near the front where she hears constant gunfire. She trains soldiers battlefield first aid.

So much of this is hard to understand. It has at times kept me awake all or most of the night. It has at times made it hard to read, to pray, to concentrate. It has completely altered life here. Many grocery stores have collection bins for goods that the soldiers need; many collection tins for funds for the army and private militias. And many many people, in spite of very difficult times financially, give and give and give. 

There is comfort in several firm facts: 

• God doesn't give us more than He gives strength to cope with.
• Nothing is beyond His strength and control.
• We see a small part of the picture; God sees the whole picture.
• God has a plan- it is to save the souls of men. This He does. 
• There are things that are more important than even natural life. IE- Life is more than bread and the body more than clothing.
• God will care for those who trust Him.

So- we continue to trust. Someday, this will be history. We don't know how it will end, we don't know when it will end. But it will. No storm lasts forever. 

I've shared things on Facebook, sometimes. Often I haven't. Then someone says: You need to so that people know what's going on. So I've shared again for a bit. But really? People- Russia is in Ukraine- tanks, heavy artillery, soldiers. This is not a Ukrainian civil war- this is Ukraine trying to get Russia out. Why is Russia here? We don't know. Not really. Why can't the two countries live as neighbors with independent governments? I don't know. But apparently one can't imagine life without the other while the other is desperately trying to create life outside of the domination of the other. Yes, there was a ceasefire. No, it's not the first. No, it's not actually been adhered to...at least not by the rebels and Russians. Ukrainian troops and heavy artillery were withdrawn from the front lines; the other side simply takes that territory. And so it goes. So someday, hopefully, I'll be here to tell you about how it all ended. But that day is not today.

And yes, this is partly why I really haven't blogged much the past year (although I was on a decline, post-wise before this all started). So much just doesn't seem important in light of the current situation. 

xo

Happiness is...

...being a Puppy

...if you're a little boy. :) Which reminds me of a story I've (possibly) told before.
Summertime, big family gathering. Sister 1 and Sister 2 each have little boys about the same age. Sister 1's little boy is potty trained; Sister 2's little boy is not potty trained. The 2 little boys are playing together and both run up to Little Boy 1's mom (Sister 1). Little Boy 1 says 'Mom, I have to tinkle' (use your imagination- shouldn't be too hard). Sister 1 thinks- Aha! I'll take Little Boy 2 along and we can show him how it's done! Off they go to a shrub (or tree...or something). Little Boy 1 takes care of his business. Little Boy 2 is watching with BIG eyes. Auntie- Is he a puppy? teehee Those 'little boys' must be about 17 or 18 now. 

...having a cat who loves (?) appreciates (?) acknowledges/accepts you; soaks up your affection.... or at least deigns to sleep on your sofa. ;)

I'm not kidding. I love this cat. She lives in the town of Ostroh, near the apartment I frequented in February. We'd come home after having been gone an hour or all day or 3 days...and she'd be waiting for us; jump up, meow in the most questioning way and run to the door, meowing...and run into the apartment ahead of us, heading for her favorite spot on the sofa, in the sun. And because we're such softies, we let her spend the night. Who knows what kind of life she led when we weren't around... must be tiring because she'd be in the exact same spot and position the next morning.... and also ready to leave and take care of business the cat way. ;)
 

... a for real toilet. (I'm not kidding.) See this one? The seat is attached. Affixed. Won't slide. Won't come off. Oh Hurray.

 Also there's a lid. I'm telling you, we are uptown, we are! (I'll bet you wish I had a pic of what we had before this one, don't you? Well, subtract the lid and imagine an unattached 'floating' seat. You really don't need a pic. Trust me. And trust me that this is a thing of beauty. 

(And did I ever tell you my other throne story? As in the throne that occupies the smallest room in the house? *throat clearing noises* Well, Once upon a time, Little T and I moved into an apt that had no furniture and just barely had a toilet. As in No seat, never mind lid. Just the ceramic base...and wherewith to flush. We move in. The landlords are there, all pleased and happy. Oh- You don't have a TV, they say. We'll bring you one. We have one we don't need. We'll bring it right over.
T and I look at each other. You know what we'd like more than a TV, we say? A toilet seat.
WHAT?! They say. Listen, if you want a toilet seat, go to the bazaar, get a cheap one and when you leave take it with you. They're not expensive.
I am NOT hauling my own toilet seat around Ukraine, I say. We'd like you to get one (it can be cheap, no worries) and we'll leave it when we move out.
And they did.
And we were TV-less and happy.

.... darling little nieces who grow up WAYYY too fast but are adorable along the way. Oh My Little B... you do thumpy things to me heart.

 .... this mouse catcher is pretty warm-fuzzy feelings inspiring, too.

This one is quite possibly my favorite of all... as far as cats, go, anyway.

...this duvet cover. I got to be with it again for the month of February. It just.... makes me happy. 

 ...this chocolate. A touch of salt in/on it.
Break it into pieces and put into a teflon-coated small pot with milk. Heat until the chocolate's melted and it's all mixed together nicely. Add hot red pepper to taste. Drink it.
It Is So Delicious. It warms your tummy-tum-tum in the most cozy way.
The real stuff is made with hot pepper syrup but...that I've never seen in a store. 

....and of course- Happiness is when your friend who had cancer and zoomed home 2 years ago for chemo and radiation and the works comes back, healthy and happy and raring to go!! Welcome back, Little T!

hello? hello? helloooooooo?

Just because it's been a LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG time and so that you'll know there's still life here. ;)

I, uh, don't like it at all. Unless it's toasted in granola. Just because.
(But you're cute, Dolly, you are.) 

Did I ever tell you about my co who could swallow a WHOLE handful of pills in one go...with one gulp of water...and one swallow? And how one time her hearing aid ended up in that pile of pills? And how she could even manage all the pills AND the hearing aid with one swallow of water? It's quite the story. And it's true. :) (And she was quite the lady- I miss her!)