The Real LG

I've had good intentions of being more active here again but that's gotten off to a slow start.
I arrived to Kyiv June 7th, repacked some bags, spent the night and hopped on a bus for Western Ukraine. Preps began the 8th. We've had great days since. Here are some pix from the past 2 weeks.

This one's out of order and I can't get it back where it belongs. Too bad so sad. Some of the happy participants of the most recent picnic. We do this as often as possible!

When you've been a naughty puppy, chewing up volleyballs (2 in the past 3 weeks) and stealing food off of picnic tables, you get locked up for the duration of such activities and no amount of crying, whining and fussing gets you out. 

Dusya is one cool kitty.

The sky was beautiful tonight. The pic, of course, doesn't really do it justice.

More happy campers- Darren and Matviy. In the background on the left is "Стара Хата" (literally 'Old House') which rumor has it will be torn down soon (it's well ventilated in all the wrong places) but, in the meantime, functions as overflow ladies' sleeping; in the center of the pic is a guest room; on the right is the entrance of a root cellar. 

And yet more happy campers. Karen, Vasyl, Lillian, Taras, Iryna.

Taras, Iryna, Viktor, Maria. 

The grill-master. He did brats, hamburgers and whole eggplant this time. 

I tried to tell her the way to ensure a bad pic of yourself is to make it bad on purpose. Sigh. Sweet girls: Alina, Olenka, Karina, Tanya.

A hard day's work makes you tired.

Homemade ice cream! Olenka sat on the lid; Olesya and Tanya took turns cranking the handle. 

Kitchen

Different day, different people, same spot, same event. We like doing this! ;)
Kenny H, Kenda E, Sharon, Braden, Becky, Olena, Natalia

Where was I?

Oh my. It's been so too long. I loved blogging. I still do it in my head. But.... uff. Someone pointed out several months ago that it was high time for an update. And I really meant to do an update then. But I didn't.
So I'm going to find some pix and see where it goes. It's been a great summer. It really has. As always, by the time our preps and convs finish here, it feels like summer's pretty much over. July 25th. Phyllis' birthday. One month and 6 days of summer left, according to the Ukr'n calendar. I fly to the Czech Republic next week for a week. (What shall I take Phyllis for her bday? ☺😊☺😊)

Shashlyk! 

Start of Kisl preps. Tanya S, Sharon W, Ira S, Ruzan M

Dan W, Bill H, Tanya S 

Charlene M, Ira, Ruzan, Olesya T, Sharon

Bilo. Lovely walk

Bilo dining area 

Serving line at Bilo

Polish and Ukr'n kids bonding....over a tablet. Sigh

This sweetie had a blast on this scooter! 

Uncle D was the basketball goal! 

Post conv cookout. Laura E, Sharon A, Alan B

Hanging out on the grass in Kisl. (Story: at supper, Nastya says to Ruzan- We're friends but not (strong friends- like super close, I suppose) because you wouldn't hang out on the grass with us. So after supper, they did. 😆)

Anya H (Lutsk) and Nastya  (Ira S' step-granddaughter) were instant BFF's. Here they are playing 'Nova Poshta' (i.e. UPS)

Nastya's heart broke when Anya AND her mom AND everyone else left after conv. 

Anya, however, was off to the sea with her folks. No heartbreak there! She is one of the sweetest, happiest kids I know. 

Rain predicted for later in the day, so dining tent came down ASAP.

And on to the last place. Noviy Buh. And this monkey. He has his mouth as full as physically possible! Zakhar D

Ivan Ivanovych and Kolya visiting

Serious dog and her anemic pup. Named the pup Teo

Teo meets a terrified kitty. 

There are more pix but I can't get to them, for some reason. So maybe I'll add descriptions later. Xoxo

So- published and then got access to the rest of the pix. Charlene's cousin Kelly married to Ben- a cousin of Bill's. This makes C and B kin. 😆

My tent at NB. Not a bad place to sleep, really. All it's missing is a recliner. 😅

Baba Halya's kitchen table and stools. Love the colors! 

Kelly's pic. Love it! 

Olena's pic of her with Sonya and Zakhar D (Zhenya and Tanya's youngest).

Some Beautiful Soul brought me these! I ate a few but most are tucked away for later. 

Valer Kozak. In his Kozak T. 😊

Breezeway between house and mtg shed at Kisl. Coolest spot on the place. I would have slept there if not for all the frogs and spiders....and possibly a few other reasons. 

We found desiccated frogs everywhere at Kisl. This one was perched here until nearly the last minute.