somewhat relevant ramblings

It's snowing. And has been. It's been a snowy winter. It's like the clouds up there are bored and so, just for the fun of it, they decide Hey- let's snow! And so- poof- they snow. And snow And snow And snow. It was snowing when I thought about this post a few days ago. It was snowing when I started it hours ago. It was snowing when we left for the village. It snowed as we walked out to our friend's. It snowed while we walked back out to the road. It snowed the whole way back to town. It's still snowing. It just snows. For the fun of it. No, not like in some parts of WI and MN- doesn't manage to accumulate to huge deep amounts. But most winters here involve some snow and then days and days of mucky yucky wet and sloppy stuff that gets darker and murkier and yuckier with each passing hour. Not so this winter. It's been just cold enough and just snowy enough that there always seems to be fresh white stuff on top. That's not all bad, really.

There were some guests here recently. Several couples, one with kids. We saw the tail-end of them Sun eve. We'd been slipping and sliding all afternoon. More fresh snow on top of what had started to melt and then re-freeze. Lots of slipping and sliding. I'm pretty good at keeping my cool on the bus in bad road conditions until I can feel the back end of the bus fishtailing. Which is what was happening Sun afternoon. We were glad to get in safe and sound. Had a little time with the guests. They had a flight the next morning. They'd had train tickets for that night to get back to Kyiv but they gotten lost so had opted for a car at 1 am. Which was proly smarter anyway, considering they had a little kid with them. Not so smart considering the roads but you have to go with the options you've got, right? We slipped and slided all the way back to our town and were glad to get there. So- yesterday morning, I call back to their family in Town A to see if they made it ok. I don't know, the mom said. Last I heard, they were stuck in traffic. Their flight was at 10.30 and this was at 10.00. Mind you, I nearly had a nervous breakdown on the spot. Not for me, for them- sympathetic sort of thing. (Not really- but I did take a very deep breath.) What happened, I asked. Well, they decided to leave at 2am instead of 1am. Oh. I let that go- no point bemoaning that fact now, right? Later, when she called back to say they'd made it, I said- What made them decide to leave later? Well, she said, in Regina [Saskatchewan] you'd need less time not more to get to the airport.
And that, folks, was such an airtight bit of reasoning that I was left with no breathing room in the conversation and signed off. (Let's just set it straight that I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the population of Kyiv is bigger than all of Saskatchewan... not to mention the distance involved.) It was, however, the best laugh of the day. We fell down laughing. 

And this is last week's company! See- they were even (mostly) warm! :)

I borrowed these from someone. Somewhere. Don't remember where. Possibly someone's blog. The thing is. Less than 6 months until a) Mountain Dew available in nearly every store and gas station; b) all the yummy delicious things I've been secretly pining away for; combined with c) and emotional and mental high that won't quit for about a year. Not a real good combination. 

I wonder what a person should do about all of the above? 

;)

hahaha

I'm not sick but in keeping with the exercise theme... ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

:)

My blog, My fun

Why do I blog? Good question. I decided awhile back that it's because it's a legitimate way to talk to yourself, with all the arm waving and facial expressions you want... And you can invite everyone to watch and no one thinks you're weird. And I said so. And someone said Oh yeah? Heh. So you think I'm weird. Oh well. ;)

smile!

Remember playing this as a kid? Why is it so fun? And you know what? It's universal. Kids here love it just like kids in America. And just like there, kids here get raucous and slap happy and giggle and squeal and slap faster and faster and faster until everyone collapses in a fit of giggles. 

I love you Little Bro!

I have 2 brothers. Both younger than me but for the purpose of this story, we'll call them Big Brother and Little Brother. So. Little Brother. It always amazed me that this kid not only moved out of the home we grew up in but actually survived. Because... he was one of 2 Little Kids in the family. There were us 2 big kids and those 2 little kids. And Everybody Knows that Little Kids need people around to take care of them. That's Just How It Is. I have no idea how it happened nor do I know how he survived but he did. So one day, I was at his apartment. Ok. So 'survive' is a good word for what he did there. Being the Big Sister, I dug up a tub of elbow grease and had a blast. Somehow, it was a whole lot more fun cleaning his apt than it ever had been cleaning up after him at home. Not that it was just him to clean up after. You know what I mean. So, nice tub of elbow grease. And the washers and driers are in the basement. And his laundry basket's overflowing. And there's a stack of quarters and soap. And he sure doesn't mind if someone puts all those ingredients together to see what will happen. So. Off I go. Sort and stain treat and start a load or 2  or so. And more and more and more. And no more quarters. I ask for more. He's horrified. I gave you a whole bunch, he says. I know, I say, but they're gone and I'm not even half done. Well, he says (in a very unimpressed voice) That should have been more than enough to wash AND dry it all. I don't have anymore. 

Heh. I had to go get more. I got some real insight that day into an alternative method of doing laundry. And into the cause for the uniform color of everything. ;) 

And- we're still friends... I think...

I guess I'll mostly let these be. Just like they are. 

ok- I'll say this. No smart phone here. And definitely none of the above (things). 

(I'm really happy you have an app for that. I do, too. Just a little different, that's all.)

That's it. Good-bye. ;) 

friendship, laundry tales, musings

Sorry. This just seemed sort of fitting for the weather and all the bugs that seem to be flying around. And we're not talking about insect bugs, either...

It would be a whole lot easier for most people to love them if the sounds were disabled. I've never really understood why the sound effects are such a great thing, actually. I had a very satisfying moment on a city bus in Odessa once. A couple of (approximately) 5th grade kids were clustered around one boy who was playing a game on his cell phone. Lots of little beeps and zings and weega weega weega's. After about 5 min, I went back to them and said quietly- You know, this is a bus and there are a lot of people on here. We all have to listen to those sounds and maybe a lot of people really don't like them. When you're in public, mute the sound. It's the nice thing to do. They were all big eyes and then they did it. Zap. Just like *that*. 

Since the advent of e-books and e-book readers and with lots of time spent on buses and trains... well, I have a lot of favorite books. I miss holding a book in my hands when I read... but e-books are pretty convenient when you travel and move all the time.

It was like that here last week and earlier this week. Temps soared above freezing and stayed there for days. All the snow and ice melted. Lots of mud. Everywhere. Especially inside the door of the apartment. It finally mostly dried out. (The stuff outside, that is... the inside stuff got wiped up again and again and again and... you get the picture.) Then yesterday, it dipped below freezing again. And today it's been snowing. All day. The 'small snow big snow' kind of snow. 

153 days... and counting! Plus- friends from across the water coming to see us! Yay! They should be in Europe already. And by Mon, we should be seeing them!! :)

V day is nearly here. I miss candy hearts and all the other fun Vday candy. This ad is from a year ago I think... please don't tell me you did this. Please...

Dontcha just love these guys?!

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? ;)

Color is Good*

COLOR  IS  GOOD

Yesterday I went to the doctor

For my yearly physical.

My blood pressure was high.

My cholesterol was high. 

I'd gained some weight,

and I didn't feel so hot.

My doctor said eating right

doesn't have to be complicated and

it would solve my physical problems.

He said: 

Just think in colors.

Fill your plate with bright colors.

Try some greens, oranges, reds,

maybe something yellow, etc.

So I went right home

and ate an entire bowl of 

bright colors.

And Sure Enough,

I Felt Better Immediately !! 

I never knew eating right could be so easy !!

*Thanks Julie!! xo

ps

Ok, I'm not really a fan. I don't even like football. BUT- I did live in WI for 3 years, you know. I guess I feel sort of green and yellow just now. Can't he'p it...Go Pack!
;)

Google works for me!

-Tonight's error message:
Oops.
Something didn't work quite right and we are unable to show the page you requested right now. Rest assured, Google engineers are already springing into action to solve the problem.

See?! Even as we speak, all manner and any number of highly trained, zippy, spiffy, friendly, polite, eager-to-please Google engineers are springing into action to solve the problem... My problem. Wow. I'm overwhelmed by the wondermousness of it all.

-In other news, the shoes up there? You did know, didn't you, that the pic is of the shoes, right? Good. (You wouldn't dream of noticing my classy socks, for instance.) The shoes. They have the kind of heel I can't really run in anymore. Ok, I can't really even walk right in them. Not sure I ever could but that's sort of beside the point. I mean, they're just completely cute... And completely tippy. And they probably punch holes in the linoleum. I found them in the closet in the empty apartment we're staying in. I put them on, teetered out to the other room so T could shoot the pic. You look like JennaMae, she said. That made me grin. JM's pretty much cute you know...(you think she meant something else????)
-some people are up in Kyiv just now...would be lovely to be there, too. You wanna know something? After 2 years in Kyiv, I miss those people. They'll have a beautiful day tomorrow...they deserve it!
-Only 167 days!!! :)! I love being here, I wouldn't trade my life for anything... But when you're down to 167 days, that's cause for real excitement, a party, smiles and grins. :):):)

The best-selling candy around the world.
M&M's in the US
Milka (chocolate) in Germany
Thailand it's...  Halls Cough Drops.
Roshen in Ukraine!

ps- Agnes is going to get sick if she pursues this. ;)

Growing Up Amish

No, not a post of my stuff, just a link to a blog whose author wrote a book... and I think it should be interesting. Mom, are you going to get it? ;) 

a little downtime

self-explanatory

Good idea. I'll take a jar of salsa, though, with some tortilla chips instead of the honey. Thanks. 

time- it either flies or stands still 

And- back to the races! 

oh- hello there!

I'm still here. Really. 

Had a very full, very busy, very run-all-over-the-place time the past 3+ weeks. I'm amazed at people's patience with me, amazed that they will follow my blundering steps off to yet another bus or train or cafe somewhere, amazed that they do all that and smile (!)... amazed and happy and thankful. We've had a really good month. :)

crazy shot but I like it. My green fleece blanket. ;)

See this? Know what it is? Answer: An Oreos ad. Oh- you could tell? Well, OK. Here's what it says: Twist it, Lick it, Dunk it. Oh me, Oh my. Oreos are here and we are glad! ;)

Hoping to see this Monkey tomorrow. She's full of vim and vigor and spit and fire. 

After an all night train, breakfast can be anything at all. Even instant mashed potatoes with onions and cream flavor. Especially when the train gets in at 5.30. Yawn.

It was a foggy day in the foothills of the mountains. Foggy and beautiful. 

This bridge gave me the creeps.

What to do with those old in-ground fuel tanks? Haul them up, clean them out and use them for outbuildings. In a village on the Black Sea, someone turned one of these into a house. ;)

The day (and the area) really was beautiful. This bridge gave me the creeps, too. It's for cars. And is in use. And the 2 girders on the near end are completely buckled. The bridge is held up by 2 tree trunks. 

How they put up hay in these parts. ;)

Favorite shot of the day. 2 liars' benches and a table under the tree. Waiting for the sunshine and some leaves on the tree. 

If you want to make really good garlic bread, start by pressing the garlic and then mashing it with salt (if you don't have a pestle, use a glass as demonstrated by T). Then, you mix that in with softened butter. And if you can't figure out what comes next, well... (hint- You'll need a knife...) The bread was delicious!

Now, we've had 2 quiet days. I had plans for 'doing stuff'- catching up and whatnot. I didn't. I just crashed. It was great. Now, we need to hit the road again! ;) 

ps- Snow...

Snow is made for kids! It's been a kidsfying winter so far! ;)