In preparation for our departure from Moscow, I needed to get Abby's papers in order. I had taken her for her vaccinations in Jan. '08. Technically, you are to have your animal vaccinated every year here, but somehow that always slipped my mind. At any rate, I knew that I needed to get her in order, in order to get her out....wherever we end up going. In the past I have always had a friend go with me....sometimes even a Russian speaking friend, but all my "dog friends" have left, so here I am, alone, having to do this by myself. I just have to put on my big girl panties.....

So the driver finds the place in pretty quick order (new driver since the last time.) He parks across the street and says, there it is. Great....me & Abby cross the little street...not much traffic but ALOT of ice and snow and she is at full tilt. She needs to pee! Whew, that chore take care of and we skate through the gate and into the building. There is a sign on the door....I ignore it because I have no idea what it says. The waiting room is empty (could be good, could be bad...depending on what that darn sign says.) Well, I take my seat on the bench and notice down the hall, at the other end of the building, are alot of people with pets. But, I've never been down there. So, I sit...and pretty soon a guy with a dog exits one of the rooms and sits down in "my" waiting area. Ok, good sign. So I wait a few minutes more, a few people come through, dressed as though they work there...scrubs and official looking badges hanging around their necks. They all give me that disdainful Russian look.....what are YOU doing here. But I've gotten tough over the years....they don't scare me off! Finally, the door to the room I usually go into opens....and I can see that they are preparing to operate on a cute little weinerdog. He is obviously under the affect of anesthesia, they are gently arranging him how they need him, and then the door closes. I think, uh, oh....if I have to wait for the surgery to be finished, it might be awhile. In the meantime, to distract me....I hear BIG barking from the other end of the room....kind of behind us....and suddenly, in comes a street dog, talking big, like he owns the place. A lady comes out of the "operating room" (she is the kind lady I recognize from the last visit...YAY!) And she says to the dog, pajalsta (please) and shows the dog the door to the outside....and the dog dutifully leaves!! But he is out there barking and barking. He wants back in...where it is warm. So the kind lady disappears down the hall, but when she comes back she says a friendly "priviet" which means hi! in Russian. Not used to often, except among friends. I LOVE HER! I show her Abby's passport and shot record and mumble something about injections. She nods, smiles and motions me.......into the "operating room!!" Where they are OPERATING!! They have, fortunately, pulled a screen around so that I can't see. Abby and I sit and wait a few minutes, we fill out paperwork, she asks me for my email address (which I find hilarious.) She marks the passport, a couple of blue stamps, and the paperwork is done. I pay her 650 rubles (about $20 for a 4 in 1 shot) and we are done! Now to get out the door. I KNOW that street dog is out there. And sure enough, I open the door, Abby pushing beside me as she is ready to get the heck out of there...and there he is. He barks, we retreat. I think ok, I gotta get out of here. So I open the door wide, Abby and I slink out, he slinks in. Oh, well, the nice lady will have to ask him to please leave again! Whew!! Mission accomplished! Vadim waits on our side of the street, jumps out and lets Abby in the back. Now for the LONG ride home. Shouldn't take an hour but the traffic was horrible, and I had to stop for a framing project that I needed to pick up. By the time we drive in the gate, Abby is literally hopping up and down in the back. We both thought....I'm HOME!!!!!!!