No Want Kiss U!

Did I ever tell you this story? The story about the little 3 year old boy who was cornered by a Big Older (WellNotThatOld) Lady? He was trapped in a corner as Big Older (WellNotThatOld) Lady closed in. Big Older (WellNotThatOld) Lady said- Come here I want to give you a kiss! Little Boy shrinks further into his corner and, in complete desperation shouts- I have a RUNNY NOSE!!
And No- he did not get kissed.
At least not that time.
And like little boys seem to do, he grew and grew and grew. I just looked him up on Facebook... he's in college. Oh my. And I remember him from when he was 3. (And no, Big Older (WellNotThatOld) Lady is not/was not me!) ;)

I needed this pic after wading through Google's new Terms of Service.  I don't pretend to even begin to understand most stuff about the web. And I know that it's nearly impossible, really, to make things completely private or to delete them once they're created and posted. But I'm not kidding- You'd better make sure your Google profile is where you want it. Those folks scare me more than Facebook. They seem even more intent than Facebook on making everything public UNLESS you specifically specify otherwise. (I keep both accounts because- Well, I do need to be in touch with people. And both sometimes work better than regular email for some people...especially people who change their email address more often than.... Than what? Than Ukrainian roads need potholes fixed? Than you sing in the shower?  Something like that. 

And while I'm at it- Be careful with what you put on your profile. Does everyone need to know what year you were born? Do they need to see your face tagged in every single picture? Does every stalker on the planet need to know your home address and telephone number? Or the names and ages of all your kids AND the school they attend? (A few years ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted as having said: "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. (this is a link, fyi)"  Of course, he's right. Duh. We need to be honest, upright, moral, etc etc etc. We need to be that for our own conscience's sake. We should all be concerned about THAT first and foremost NOT because of what Google or Facebook or LinkedIn or whatever will share with the public or government. BUT there are other reasons for guarding privacy fiercely. Identity theft. Stalkers. It's a long list, and does include the government and what exactly they'll do with your web search data- but you can fight about THAT one somewhere else. The point is- We Need To Be Careful. Because I doubt that Google or Facebook care about more than their own earning reports or bank accounts. They don't really care about your privacy. At. All.)
Just saying.

In other random news:

• In spite of being dead tired and wanting only to go to bed, I took a shower last night AND washed my hair (does every stalker on the planet need- or want- to know that?!?)- And this is a Big Deal why? Because there is no water anywhere in the city today (and tomorrow, we hear)- the twice annual cleaning of the water pipes has begun. Natalya went to the train station to buy tickets today and did find out that the bathroom there has water. But the hospitals don't; the university doesn't; we certainly don't. 
• Have you ever seen Orc Children? You know- Tolkien's little monsters. We had 2 hours on the train recently with some kids (age 0, maturity wise) who'd been for a tour of Western Europe. After watching them on the platform and hearing how they talked with their adult chaperones- I'm pretty sure they're Orc Children. I have Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as an audio book and some of them sounded exactly like the Orcs of Mordor. And were about as refined and polite and nice, too. I'm going to persist in my belief that not all kids that age are like that. Please please tell me I'm right. I mean- there are some MYP's I read about often who surely are NOT like that. (I guess someone knows what that's all about.) 
• Early fall was cold and unfriendly. No heat. Freezing temps outside. Much need for camel hair duvets. The past 2 weeks have been gorgeous. Warm. (And full heat in the apt- go figure). Gorgeous foliage. I'm sure it won't last. But it's been great! 

I'll leave you with a pic for evidence! :)

And no- that isn't my car. Not even close. I'd want a Hummer anyway, for the roads we cover. Uff.

I've had this post open for umm awhile now- and have been adding a link or 2 each day. So some of them are rather old now. But still good/interesting/funny/scary...

Food for thought about internet use. RAT...had never heard of this before.

and one about cancer survivors

and one about differential gears. (hey hey- Have you thought about your differential gear lately? Yeah- I hadn't either. Not that I have one...)

from Yahoo news- a mama elephant fighting off hyenas to save its baby.

a pretty decent article about Facebook privacy.

and another about F/B privacy. Yes, I have f/b. Yes, I'm careful. Very. Believe me- you need to be careful.

40 years of cell phones...well really, only 30 but...

you like cats? Wild cats, too? How about this one?

tree house envy, kicking right in

ok- does your dog eat peanut butter?

or would you like some pre-Revolutionary War events? Oh. My.

oh- And did you hear about the man who thought he bought a poodle...only it wasn't. It was a....(on steroids).

And in case you were wondering- it's technically spring here, yes it is. But we had another couple of inches of snow this morning (mind you- it did us the courtesy of melting this afternoon). It doesn't exactly feel like spring yet, though. It's been a most unusual winter, that's for sure!

passwords

Just in case you didn't know about passwords and the need to change them periodically or the need to make them 'hacker proof'... here's an interesting little chart. :)

I have a few more posts knocking around in my brain. They just haven't found the exit yet. It's cluttered in there you know.

So for now- we're going to focus on pork chops and mashed potatoes. With or without salad. Because. I can deal with that! ;)

That's basically how I feel about football. Basically. The Colts and the Packers, though, are sort of an exception. Ok, my life won't change because of the outcome of 'the game'... but still... A little more Green and Gold with a side of cheese never hurt anybody, right? ;)

what you don't know can hurt you, after all

 get off the bus at the 'col-hosp' (short for Collective Farm) stop, head down the sandy trail along beside the old collective farm buildings and head out 'over the river and through the woods'. Well- I guess there are no actual woods but it's a bit up and down the swells and skirt the creek and past the cows or horses and through the field. It's the trip out to Svitlana's.

 I've heard about it for more than a year now and was really glad to finally get to go. In fact, we go every week! Fall has been warm and mild and (mostly) sunny so this has mostly been an easy hike. It's about a mile back to S' mom's house.

See T? See what she's doing? Splitting wood.
While she was splitting wood...

 ...the cat was resting up from a tough day in the great outdoors (all the white on her body is smudged with soot- because she likes to hang out in funny places...) and I was making 'млинці' ('mlyntsiy') or crepes- super yummy and filled with cottage cheese mixed with egg and sugar). They're heated up and served as dessert- often with a generous serving of sour cream over the top although I prefer them without.

Unfortunately, the whole thing ended with the above pix this time. :( (ps- dontcha just love that needle? We asked for a flexible iv port for me because I have a hard time with needles... but there was no such thing. So- it was 2+ hours with this beast. I turned my head the other direction and just drifted off to sleep... thankfully.)
So- what happened? The wood-burning stove that heated the 2 rooms we were sleeping in wasn't vented properly. Our rooms filled with carbon monoxide. We both had headaches before falling asleep...but didn't think a lot about it. At 2.30, I woke up with a headache so bad I thought I'd be ill... so 'tried to navigate' to some pain pills... and could barely stay on my feet. Collapsed back onto the bed in a cold sweat then shakes and swirling head. Thought I'd pass out and didn't want to be alone so whimpered (literally) and T heard me, thank goodness. She'd had a similar experience 2 weeks prior in the same room so when I told her what was up and that I couldn't walk, she came barreling in and opened my window...then could hardly get back out of the room. She managed to and convinced me to follow... took us outdoors where we just 'were' for awhile. S heard us and came to check on us and got very scared. Took us to her side of the house, put us to bed there. Checked on us in the am- Are you girls alive? ;) (We were but with splitting terrific headaches.) T **called a doctor acquaintance in town who told us to come to the hosp and he'd de-tox us. Of course, that meant walking the mile back out to the road (the walk was beautiful with a heavy frost melting (or dew) and lots of spider webs clinging to plants with the sun shining through them... but I got zero pix), waiting for the bus and then riding 1 1/2 hours back to town. I slept nearly the whole way. At the hosp, the dr ran around getting meds (he went off campus somewhere for some of them)- usually every patient has to procure everything (s)he needs for any procedure so we were very grateful this dr did our running for us- then took us upstairs to the outpatient section, got us a couple of nurses... and now we're to the last 2 pix up there. The only treatment they have for CO poisoning is pushing fluids/i.v.'s and making your kidneys really work. After 2 hours- we were racing each other to the bathroom... well- not really. I was finished first so got first dibs. One of the symptoms of CO poisoning is having to urinate frequently... along with a headache the night before, I'd had to run and run and run to the bathroom...if that EVER happens again, I'm going to be sleeping in the yard!
After all the i.v.'s and some resting, we collected our stuff from the dr's office. He sat us both down and gave us a good talking to. I think that was the first that I really began to take in what had happened... and what nearly happened. Later, as people began to find out and ask questions and shudder- it hit home some more. Yesterday am, after our time together- more questions. One of the young girls looked at us, all pale, and said You know that whole families die of this don't you? (Yes, we do.) Another told about some neighbors near her in-law's dacha- recently 4 adults died; only a baby survived- because it was in a separate room and the door to that room was shut tightly.
To say we're grateful, thankful, happy to be alive is the understatement of the year.
The doctor said we'd feel like sleeping a lot and should just do it- so we have. Really, we feel better. But still sort of tired- which I'm guessing is partly from the sheer shock of it all. And- today I've had the weird after-headache again- feels like a tight band around my head with some prickly spots on my scalp.
We go back to the village tomorrow and had initially planned on staying the night- you know, get back on the horse that threw you and all that... but there's company there so we'll just come back into town... and I don't think either of us is all that disappointed.

**while T called the dr, I was outside losing the rice and pumpkin cereal I'd had for breakfast... And- did you know that chickens will eat anything? Yep. Even that. They gathered at my feet and just had a feast. *shudder*

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)

ATM's

Ukraine has long been a place to be very canny and cautious when it comes to using credit/debit cards and ATM's. We've been watching out for the following tricks here for years... but did you know it's happening in the States now, too? Be careful at the ATM!
ATM with a card capture device added- not cool at all!
real GreenSleeve- a security device
ATM with fake GreenSleeve- be careful

oh yes... and we have an election tomorrow... a presidential election, to be specific... no one's very excited. Maybe they'll all fall on the ice and break their necks on their way in to the polling stations??? We can only hope...

hitatus

I've done a lot less posting lately than sometimes. Of course, with Mom and Paul here- who wants to spend time online (more than necessary) when you've got people like that hanging around? Not me, For sure.

But that's not the only reason. The other is...

different, to be sure.
If you know me well- and if you spent time with me at all the past couple years- you would know that I spent a lot (a whole lot) of time chewing on ice. Lots and lots of ice. I craved it- it felt good in my mouth, on my tongue and in my tummy. I didn't pay much attention at first (although I'd never liked ice before- I hate watered down drinks). A few people noticed and mentioned it- and I always said: It's good for my nerves. And I guess I thought that.

Well......
google this: ice craving
interesting. Craving ice is a fairly common symptom of iron deficiency anemia. So is an enlarged spleen. So is abnormally pale (not pale but sickly white) skin- although I didn't notice my white skin until it was pink again... if that makes sense.
To make this shorter- because of prolonged dizziness and periodic bouts of extreme weakness and overwhelming hunger- I went to the doctor in Aug. And found out a bunch of stuff I never would have dreamed.
The anemia and spleen stuff are history (as of last week).
The hyper-thyroidism is next up for tackling.
The (most likely) benign fibroid tumors are in line, too. (And believe me- talking about tumors and meaning your own body- well, that is... bizarre, odd, unsettling- like Get These Space Aliens Outta My Body... NOW... even if they're only harmless little old benign dudes... Forget it- I don't want no truck with ya- now git gone. Thanks.)
This would, I believe, explain my longer than normal silences. And lack of much personal stuff.
For one thing- when I had a minute and felt like it, I took a nap. I've never done that in my life. Never had the time or the inclination. Know what? It felt really good.

And the ice? I haven't had any for at least 3 weeks (except in a McDonald's soda)... and I don't miss it and I don't care if I never have it again. I would never have believed craving something so plain and boring and 'nothing' as ice could actually be tied to some medical problem.

And 1 more thing? If your hair falls out more than normal, if your nails change- crack, peel and get bumpy little ridges, if you're way more nervous than normal, if you're more sensitive to heat than normal, if you're eating more or less normally and losing weight: Ahem- go have your thyroid checked. I should have known long ago that something was up... but I guess we can be amazingly stupid about what's going on with our own selves.
I don't like 'all about me' posts much, either (nods to fellow blogger)- but this was one.

Dutch Blitz, Acacia, homework.... (in short- Life)

again. 'S just like that folks... not that you didn't already know that, of course.

These people are back... they're mentioned at the end here, too. (There are times when I feel so completely vulnerable and smashed and like a baby that if you can't have your own Mom and Dad, it's sure nice someone else is sharing theirs and you've got them...) So, besides the fact that it's great to see them- and No, I don't yet have a pic of them... at all- anyway, besides that it's great to see them again, they brought mail- letters (and I'm amazed anyone still writes... amazed and happy and in awe and ashamed) and this:
2 cd's of this guy. I love hearing the songs of my childhood. Thanks Mom! Love them. (the first one was taped in Mom's hometown; the 2nd has the most familiar songs, but it's great to hear that old familiar tongue.) :)

The end of May is the end of the school year, without exception, in Ukraine. The last day festivities (which you could hear from my open window) at the school near us. The last day is always called 'The Last Bell'. aside: Graduates are nearly always called 'school leavers' by Ukrn's speaking Eng- which is technically correct but always gives me the urge to grin for some reason... not that they don't have plenty of reasons to kill themselves laughing at my Ukrn...

For the past week or so the scent of the Acacia tree in bloom has been on the air... it is exquisite.

close-up

Found a pic of the lupine I saw recently... not such a great one- but I love lupine!

and this- well, yes. I've done things in reverse... I'm off to do 'homework' now! ;) My homework is more pleasant than this poor kid's, though. (Is this Billy? Or Jeffy?) Public Service Message #forty-leven

Ukraine is called 'Ukraine' not 'The Ukraine'- which implies that it is a region within a larger area or country. Not that it matters so much... but it's a fact. ;)

a brief look at TB

This started out at the bottom of last night's last post, but I'm giving it its own post since it's completely unrelated and it IS important. For one thing- this is a prime reason why you should not stop taking antibiotics until you've finished the full course that was prescribed...and you shouldn't be taking them unless they're really necessary... I have a few soap boxes- I guess some of you know what they are!- and this is one.

In other news- these 2 articles were on my feed reader tonight. I post the links here because, although most of us in the West don't know much about TB (thankfully), it is very much a part of life here. There are all kinds of reasons- some of them are actually blog-worthy, just not tonight. (We had a scare about a month ago when a lady we often visit, someone who sees 1001 people in and out of her house each year, was sick, likely diagnosis of TB; thankfully, it was just 'leftover' pneumonia (what is that, anyway?). I give you: tb article #1, #2 and #3. Consider yourselves lucky.

public service message #2

This is scary. Internet shopping... be careful.

'nuff said.

public service message #1

this was on my Google Reader today. I'm posting a link to it because I think it's something worth 'soapboxing' about... worth running into the ground.

Don't Do Antibiotics if you Don't Need Them

Just a little reminder

This electronic age is really great in a lot of ways. Because of web cams and excellent high speed internet, I can watch my nieces and nephews grow up, blow them kisses and have wonderful little chats just about whenever I want. If I remember at the last minute, I can still get a B/day card out to someone. If we need to be in touch about something, it's fast, easy, painless and no one has to talk to an answering machine to leave a message for someone who's out. It also flies out your realm and into mine and is irretrievable with one split-second barely noticeable miniscule exertion of effort.

Which brings me here: be careful. Most message programs have auto completion- you start typing, it quickly scans your contact list and list of recently used addresses and pops up names that match what you're typing. My point is- twice recently I've received messages that weren't intended for me. The first was completely innocuous and we had a good laugh. Last night's was not. It wasn't for me, it wasn't nice and I doubt the sender would really want it to have gone astray like that. Nor was there anything trey could do about it after one tiny click of the mouse.

So- make sure you're sending to the person you have in mind and remember that electric communication is not always as private as it seems.

Thank you (steps down off soap box).

update: I doubt that the author of the 2nd message even knows about this blog, so it really was just a reminder for all of us, me included. It's too easy to do stuff that we might really be sorry about later. That's all...