Mary's Musings

I've been neglectful!

2012-01-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, I forget I have this blog. I guess that makes me a lame blogger. I write a lot in my head, but most of the time that is where it stays. I have FB and Pinterest to keep me MORE than distracted from what I need to do. But as Abby-the-dog and I were walking today, I thought about it. I wondered what I had written about the last time I was here. Moscow, of course. I read back through it with tears in my eyes. Still miss that place. Bartlesville is feeling a little less weird, but if given the choice, I would not be here. I often wonder, if we had the chance to go back, would we find it different. Certainly, the people whom we knew there have changed....I probably only know 5 or 6 people who still live there. There are LOTS of new places....American places....Wendy's, and Chili's to name a couple. I think that would make it less charming. But I sure did miss those touches of home when I was there. Maybe if I went back I would try to be less American and more Russian. I would learn the language, make more Russian friends. Maybe, maybe not.......

Anyway, that is not the reason I got on this blog today! I felt the need to journal about quitting Weight Watchers. Not that I don't think it is a wonderful program because I do. They try very hard to reach people needing help. They have many, MANY ways to support you. But I realize, after 1 1/2 years and losing absolutely no weight that they are no longer for me. Lord knows I know how to lose weight....I've done it many times! Calories in, calories out. Exercise, eat moderately, exercise, drink water, exercise. I get it. And I'm also at the age where the shame of facing the scale, and the leader, doesn't motivate me. I just don't go to the meeting. I even bought a monthly pass, so I pay whether I go or not, so what? Even that is not motivation. I finally came to the realization that all of that not only doesn't motivate me these days, it stresses me. I need to find that motivation within. I need to be happy how I am. I am really not that overweight (20 or 30 lbs, not 100.) My health is good. I am happy. I have great friends, a wonderful husband, happy kids, fabulous family. So I've decided to just let go of the stress of trying to diet. Does that mean I won't watch what I eat and not exercise....quite the opposite. I will eat HEALTHY and EXERCISE. Will I lose weight? Who knows and who cares? I feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders for now (pun intended.) If you are reading this....I'll keep you posted!

Happy (?) Anniversary

2011-04-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about Harry and I. We are happy (most days) and it will be THIRTY years for us this September. If I'm not happy with him now, I figure I never will be! And I've almost got him trained. He would say the same about me!! Anyway....I digress.

It is hard for me to believe but a year ago the end of this month, on April 29, we flew back to the US from Russia, for good. Wow, a year. That seems like a long time when I say it out loud. And most days I still miss Moscow more than I can bear. Even after a year.

In some respects being here has it's advantages of course. I love that my dad & Maxine are so close. They can drop by or meet us for dinner, or we can go over to Ponca City. I love it that Meghan and Jacob are a mere 5-hour-drive away. If I'm needed for wedding plans I'm there. I love it that Harry's mom and 2 of his sisters are in OKC, just a few hours down the road. The grocery store is easy. Driving is easy. I love my house. Can I say it again....I.LOVE.MY.HOUSE.

I remember the days when I could NOT wait to have a reason to leave Russia. Our first trip out was to Rome. Our former priest and friend, and my boss, was on Sabbatical in Rome. He would be available to tour us around a bit. I was so excited! I loved every minute of our trip. Right up until we were sitting at the airport. Then I cried like a baby. I didn't WANT to go back to Moscow. Rome had been warm and sunny and friendly. Moscow was going to be cold and dreary and unfriendly (especially passport control!) Harry would be going back to Naryan Mar and I would once again be alone during the long week. But it was more than that. It didn't feel like home yet. Far from it. We had only been there since mid-January. It still felt weird and uncomfortable.

But something happened over the years. It became home. I remember when I had my "passport issue" (a long story and written about earlier in this blog) and I had to go back to Houston for almost a month. I felt out of place in the US, and mind you, this was after I had been thrown out of the country! But somehow, it was still home. Of course, Harry was there, Abby was there, friends were there. It felt like home! Blake Shelton had a song out at that time called "I Wanna Go Home." It became my anthem! I always said Russia gets under your skin and into your heart. And by then, it was clearly in my heart.

People often say, what did you like so much about Russia. It is so hard to tell people who have never lived there what it is about the place. Because on the surface, it seems like there is not much to like!! It's cold a lot of the year, it appears unfriendly most of the time, it's dirty and gray. It's a big, gritty city. But live there a while, and you begin to see beneath the surface, to the real heart of the city, the people.....both natives and people who choose to live there. The summer comes and you see the beauty of a city that has been there for 865 years! It suddenly becomes an amazing place to live.

Another friend said Russia was one of those postings where you cried because you had to go, and then you cried because you had to leave. No truer words were ever spoken!

How's that workout going?

2011-04-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hmmm....today was HARD! There are many reasons. I ate half a bag of peanut M&Ms last night. I thought they would help me feel better. Sometimes you just need comfort food (that thought is the reason I struggle with weight, of course.) About 2:30am, my stomach decided it was payback time. It tortured me for a couple of hours, then when I was just good and asleep, the damn alarm went off. Because my tummy was still rumbly, I ate no breakfast, but I did drink a yogurt drink. So, I was tired, feeling not quite myself, my body didn't have much fuel. I couldn't run the last 1.5 minutes. But I did a fast walk. Do I consider that failure? Nope. Will I get back on the treadmill Monday? Yep. And repeat week 2. Also not considered failure in my book. I'm old, I'm overweight, I've never run in my life. I WANT this for myself. One of the ladies at WW yesterday said that running on the treadmill wasn't as hard (agreed) as running outside because the machine did all the work for you. Excuse me, if I'm not doing at least some of the work, why am I sweating down to my panties and out of breath? I disagree with her. And it is so much more than what I was doing that I have that to be proud of. AND I lost 2 pounds. So there!

Workout!

2011-04-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Week one of c25k complete!! For those that don't know, that stands for Couch to 5 Kilometers. They promise to get me there in 9 weeks. I'm not training for a 5k, let me just state that. I have felt for a long time that there is a runner hidden inside me. I don't know why, I just have. I've never run for any length of time ever in my life. I guess I HOPE there is a runner hidden inside of me. I love to walk. And I think I would love to run. I imagine myself running like a gazelle (abeit a short, fat gazelle.) But I've never had enough (insert every excuse in the book here) to get there. Well, I'm hoping this is my time! I have all the time in the world, I have a treadmill, I have good music on the iPod, I have a plan to follow....oh, and TONS of support on Facebook! It's just amazing. Friends in Moscow are running, some on treadmills, some in SNOW!! I have no excuses left. So....week one down, 8 more to go!!

2011-02-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day! Abby and I head out the door for a walk in the neighborhood. We turn right off of our street....which, despite the fact that is probably the most historic street in Bartlesville, is busy with traffic, especially at this time of the morning. It is bordered by the middle school (I think!) at one end and the high school at the other end. It is also a cut-through between New Bartlesville and Old Bartlesville (where we live.) The largest employer in town (I assume) is ConocoPhillips and their offices are downtown. Hubby walks a mile to work and loves it. But I digress.....

The walk this morning was through an older part of Bartlesville (as I said before.) Their is a mixture of shabby old houses and stately old houses. There are a very few new(er) houses sprinkled in. Fortunately the builders chose to keep with the style of the neighborhood and they are lovely too. I very much enjoy this walk as it goes by some really lovely houses. I just wish people were still there in them! Yes, of course they are inhabited, but I rarely see signs of life in them. No cars in the driveway, no open door letting the sun shine in. I'm sure that many of these people work. I don't work outside of the house anymore. I used to, but 4 1/2 years in Russia (and 4 1/2 years of aging!!) most likely took me out of any job market. That is fine. I really do enjoy my time at home. I just wish all the other women in the neighborhood were home as well!

2011-02-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

Today, it was 109 degrees warmer than it was last Thursday morning. That's right.....last Thursday morning it was MINUS 27 degrees. This afternoon it was 82 degrees. AMAZING! In one week the weather changed drastically. No more snow, warm enough to wear sandals and capris and get my toes done! Woo hoo....I LOVE it! Warm weather makes me ridiculously happy...especially after 26 inches of snow and two weeks of really cold weather.

I know, can you believe I used to live in Russia?? I think the difference is that in Moscow, the weather never stopped anyone or anything. You just dealt with it. No schools closed, city government did not shut down, busses still ran, people still got out and about. Not so in Oklahoma. The place went absolutely nuts. They closed schools for days. It was crazy! I sure hope that is the end of it for awhile.

2011-02-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. It's been a long time since we spent the day of love in the US. My new goal since moving back to the US is to be a better gift-giver/card-sender. So I decided to give Harry a real gift for Valentine's Day. Most often we eat in as the restaurants are so crowded on this day. Sometimes we celebrate before, but as we were busy over the weekend, it didn't happen. So I determined to buy Harry a gift, as well as cook him a dinner he would like. He knew about the dinner, but I managed to keep the gift a complete surprise! So after the dinner (at his request) of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad and Texas brownies, I produced the presents and card. I think he was a bit surprised! Mission accomplished!

And what did he get me? A beautiful bracelet....which will come in the next week or two!

2010-11-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

Wow! I haven't even looked at this blog for a very long time. But life is finally settling down, and, inspired by my young friend Kat, I decided to have another look at it.

For starters, I changed the name, since we are no longer in Moscow, very sad to say! So I changed it to something much less fun, but much more appropriate. What will this blog be now that we are living in Bartlesville, OK? I don't really know. But I know that the urge to write a few things down is still there. It might not be as fun as it was while living and traveling the world, but I think it will still be interesting (to me anyway!) Life always is! So stay tuned.....over the next few days, I'll catch you up on what has been happening in the Deathe family since last April! Cheers!

Dog grooming, Moscow style

2010-04-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

I have to preface this with two statements: (1) I've never had a dog groomed in the US and (2)there are dog grooming "salons" in Moscow. I just happen to have found one (compliments of my friend Betsy) who comes to the house. I'm not exactly sure this is the best way. But maybe I'll let you decide.

Lena is a lovely young girl. Probably mid-30's. Married, with children (a least one, who kept calling while she was working today.) I'm sure she supplements her husband's income. She comes with a small overnight case and a duffle bag full of stuff. Grooming stuff, her "work clothes"...she changes from her street clothes to a pair of tan colored pants, a tee shirt and a cute apron. Plastic sandals & socks. She is ALWAYS late...almost always 2 hours late. Today was no exception. She was to come Monday at 10, but then the bombings occured. I was not surprised she didn't show. Vadim the driver called and rescheduled her for today, 10:00am. She calls about 10:30am, says she will be 1 hour late. She is 2 hours late, arriving right about noon.

Then we get to work. And not in the "Royal We" sense. I mean in the I am just as much a part of the process as Lena and Abby. My job, is to comfort, cajole, caress, scold, and hold, Abby. There is pretty much nothing about grooming that Abby likes. She especially hates to have her feet and her tail touched, much less groomed. Lena obviously enjoys her job. She is great with Abby, not timid with her. In fact she grooms her with gusto! I would say Abby needs a pain reliever following the grooming session...I KNOW I need a glass of wine! But she works constantly, ridding Abby of every single piece of stray hair that is on her body and not attached with Super Glue. She also scrapes the tartar off of Abby's teeth. She has numerous brushes, combs, clippers, scissors, sprays, dental tools and whatnot to aid her in her work. Now picture this....we groom on the floor of the entryway. The marble floor of the entryway. With a huge column in the middle of it. Hey, it's the best place, trust me. So, we end up doing this little dance around the huge column.....Abby, laying down mostly (sitting on marble is hard for her....she slides down to a laying position. She couldn't sit for more than 10 seconds to save her life.) So we slide, around and around and around. Lena is good, she just grabs & grooms whatever portion of Abby she can get. Works around her snarling face and her desire to jump and run. Abby never bites but she does her "ugly" face as Harry calls it. It really isn't a mean snarl, actually she does it when she wants to play sometimes, or when she wants to let you know she doesn't like what you are doing to her. Then sometimes Abby just lays there, like nothing is happening. Wish I knew what was going on in that little brain. Anyway. This is a long and arduous task. Harry calls it Abby's Spa Day. I need a spa day after it is over.

Lena is very, VERY meticulous. You would think Abby was a show dog. She is not. As I stated above, I never had her groomed in the US. She didn't need it. Here, she grows long hairy, feet. She never did that in Houston. I assume the are her "snow shoes." I don't have anyone to compare Lena with. But she is takes alot of time "tweaking" Abby's 'do. Too long. I'm usually about to shout ENOUGH! Just shave her feet and her bum, and brush her good and let's call it good. An hour, tops, would be needed. Not with Lena. Snipping here, cutting there, PULLING hair out here (ouch). I want to say, helloooo she is just going to the poop park! But she is relentless, and yes, of course, Abby looks "stunning!!!" Not really....she looks cleaned up, less shaggy, no Grinch Feet.

So finally, 2 1/2 hours later, we are done! Lena changes back into her street clothes, I sweep up a BIG pile of hair, Abby gets a drink of water and begs me to take her out.

And as Lena leaves, she pulls a big bunch of beautiful radishes that she has purchased at the market, and says, for you!

What a day...but hey, I'm drinking wine and eating delicious radishes. What could be better! Well, maybe a spa day for me!

A bombing in Moscow

2010-03-30T05:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, while drying my hair and preparing for the dog groomer to come, my phone rang. It was my friend CC. Have you heard the news? Two bombs went off in 2 different metro stations, Lubyanka and Park Kultury. Lubyanka is in the heart of Moscow, and runs below the old KGB building (now known as the FSB building.) Park Kultury is a bit farther out...4 stops to the southwest, on the same line, the oldest line in Moscow, the Red Line. Lubyanka is near where we go to church, but not terribly close to us. Neither is Park Kultury. But they are metro stations I've been in, many times. It was early in the morning, the first one occured just before 8am (Harry was in the car, going to work) and the other one followed about 40 minutes later. Rush hour, to be sure. People coming and going, minding their own business, going to work, to school, maybe home. All innocent....except for the two female bombers, with explosives strapped to their bodies. Waiting for the right moment....the train pulls into the station, the doors open, people disembarking and embarking. I can't imagine it. The horror is shown in pictures but I can't believe that you can even grasp what it must be like. I can't. The pictures seem like TV shows....I've seen lots of dead bodies on Law & Order. Then imagine the chaos that follows. Imagine being taken to a Moscow hospital. They probably receive adequate treatment, if they are lucky, if they have the language skills, if they know the right people. I always said that I would fly out of here for a hangnail, and I still say it. As my friend Lydia said, perhaps heaven would be preferable to a Moscow hospital!

So how did I spend my day? (The dog groomer never showed....I had my driver call her in the afternoon to make sure she was ok. He rescheduled her.) OD'ing on CNN and BBC World and Russia Today News. They had nothing new to say from about 10am on, but listen I did. I watched the pictures, the horror on peoples faces. I heard that they suspect 2 females from the Caucases, I try to imagine what would cause a woman to travel from so far away from home, strap explosives to her body and kill innocent people. What were her last thoughts? Did she look at the people she was trying to kill. Was the indoctrination complete? Obviously. She was killing infidels in a Holy War. She had nothing left to live for. Perhaps her children and husband had been murdered or disappeared. Perhaps she had been raped and imprisoned. As you can see, it was a dark day.

Today, I met above mentioned Lydia for lunch. I decided to walk to the restaurant, about 30 minutes away, on a busy street. Usually the walk is filled with people talking quietly, on cell phones, maybe schoolgirls laughing. Today, not so much. Quiet was the rule of the day. President Medvedev had declared a day of mourning. Flags that hung on buildings were draped with black ribbons. And the quiet was just eery. The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, the trees are putting out tiny buds, the birds were chirping. But people were quiet.

What will the next few days and weeks bring? That remains to be seen. PM Putin vows to find those responsible. Life will return to normal. The Russians are resilient people. Even yesterday, by the late afternoon, the metro stations that had been the site of the attacks were open. Hopefully the violence won't visit this adopted city of mine again.

2010-02-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

We are still waiting to see when and where we are going when leaving Moscow. We have known for 2 months now that we will be leaving. The wheels are turning, but very, VERY slowly! Hope to have some news soon!

My dear friend Kim came back to Moscow this weekend. So glad to see her and to have someone to go to the grocery store with! I know I can do it myself just fine, but it's always much more fun to go with someone. Then of course, there's lunch! We met another young friend who just got engaged the night before (a romantic Valentine's proposal involving a pond and snow!) So it was a great day.

There is an article in the NY Times going around cyberspace entitled, "Washington Shivers, Moscow Laughs." It is rather hilarious, after 4 Moscow winters (although the "worst" 2 for me were the "mild" winters....too much slush,) to see the seat of government completely shut down. Yes, they don't get it often but come on, it's in the Northeast part of the US. I would understand it if Houston got that much snow...but Washington? Please! And I wouldn't say that Moscow does snow removal any better, and maybe worse, than the US but they just don't let it stop them. I remember moving here, I wanted to be sure to have plenty of reading material as I was SURE that I would be stuck inside for days on end due to snow and cold. Many of those books I shipped over still languish unread on my shelves because there is no way a blizzard stops anything here! Just put on your hat, coat, gloves, scarf, boots and get out there! That being said, I'm not the one that has to shovel it or drive in it.....

2010-02-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

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!!!!!!!

2010-01-27T04:38:00.000-08:00

Wow....it's been a long time since I have posted here. I should count up the number of times I start this blog with that statement! I think it must be almost all of them.

Well, indeed a lot has happened since the last time I was here. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years...just to name a few!

I won't bore you with all the details of everything.....it would bore me as well! I will just say that we had a great Christmas/New Years in the States with family & friends. It included a very quick trip to OKC, cut short by the snow storm of the decade. Then a wonderful cruise with the Lasher side of the family, as well as Meghan's Jacob and Drew's Marie. We were so happy that Marie was able to travel from her native Korea to meet all of us and go on the cruise. Despite jet lag, meeting a ton of new people and the language differences she was a trooper! It was good to get to know both kids' significant others. We enjoy them very much. We also got to meet our grand puppy PC (Meghan & Jacob's dog) for the first time. He is a sweetie, full of energy and love!

Just before we left for the States for the holidays we received word that we would be leaving Moscow in the first quarter (that's finance speak for sometime Feb/March.) We still don't know when or where! We are trusting God to put us in just the right place for us. It did cut down on the stock-up shopping for Moscow....and I sure didn't need to look for a new coat and boots! I'm really sad about the new coat...I wanted a RED one!

So how do I feel about leaving Moscow? At first, and still....SAD! I have loved my time here, I have loved my friends here, I have loved my life here. Still, we have been here 4 years...and probably it is time to move on, as someone told me, before I despise it! That is a positive way to think of it. And when we know where we will be going, then we will have something to be excited about (hopefully!) At any rate....if you would say a little prayer for us, it would be appreciated. The hard part hasn't even started. I suppose the long drawn out is a good thing. I have time to....detach. I have time to clean out those spaces that desperately need it at my leisure. I have time to do those last things I want to do. And revisit those things I want to see one last time.

So thanks for your prayers....please pray for me to leave it in God's hands and quit trying to take it back. Pray that Harry's next job is just exactly what he wants. Work has been stressful at times here. Heck, LIFE has been stressful at times here!! But we wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the world! Excuse me, while I go find a kleenex to dry my tears....the first of many!

2009-11-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

So I went to the grocery store this morning, and all the employees were wearing medical masks. Of course most of them had them around their neck or looped over their ear. The point? Not sure. Just to make a show I guess.

Then went to the money machine. I usually walk, but I'm extremely tired from the Craft Fair yesterday and the weather is gross. So I had Dima drive me. After I asked him to take me, I realized it was on the busiest street in Moscow, mid-morning. Not very likely that there would be parking spaces. And of course there weren't any. No problem.....just double park! Just one of the many practices that makes Moscow traffic horrendous. However, this morning, I was more than happy to take advantage!

The 16th annual AWO Craft Fair. benefitting the children's oncology hospital, was yesterday. We have worked for many months on it. But really, REALLY worked the last 2 days. It was very successful and we are happy....but mostly happy it is over!

Fall in Moscow

2009-10-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Harry is always "reminding" me to update my blog....no so easy to find fun things to write about anymore (have I been here too long???) but a couple of things have happened recently, so here I am to tell you about them.

A couple of Sundays ago, as we were walking up to the church, a few 20-somethings were gathered at the gate. Not the typical St. Louis parishioners....they had piercings and leather and spikes and were holding flowers and smoking a last cigarette before heading into church. A couple of people were holding bouquets of flowers (an odd compliment to the aformentioned dress) I suspected they had no idea this was a English-language Catholic Mass. As far as they were concerned it was a church, and apparently any church would do. They were a few minutes behind us in entering the church, and came in loudly (I think there were maybe 8 or 10 of them.) Fr. Eduard, our friendly, but strict junior priest hushed them from the altar where he was setting up for Mass. (Fr. Eduard was the priest who reprimanded us after Mass one Sunday for not singing! Our organist and chief choir member (there are maybe 4 or 5 at best anyway!!) were not there. We are a congregation where, for the majority of us, English is not the first language....give us a break!!! Anyway I digress........) They sat right behind Harry and I. Mass began, they chatted through most of it, albeit fairly quietly. Friend Anne, who was sitting behind this little band, said more than one left for a cigarette break during Mass. The sign of peace was rather humorous...I was determined to shake their hands. They weren't quite sure what to do but took my offered hand and smiled back. They were smart enough not to go to Communion. After Mass, I saw our ever present Andrew (without whom Mass would not go as smoothly as it does) take a couple back to the Sacristy....I assume to speak to Fr. Eduard. I had no idea what was going on but very curious about it all. So at breakfast after Mass I asked Andrew what the deal was. He said that they had showed up to get married!! I'm sure Fr. Eduard set them straight. Not sure this would EVER happen in the US. Life is (almost) always entertaining in Moscow!

This next story is more humorous (for me, anyway) in hindsight. When it was occuring, I didn't find it nearly so amusing. It's kind of a 2 part story.....

Saturday morning we went to the Mega Mall north of town. It's a bit of a trip out there but we can make a day of it. I bribe Harry with offer of lunch at a KFC where he can have fried chicken AND beer. We went to the Lowes-type store for some plants for the church garden, then on to Auchan's grocery store for a few items. Now, if we didn't desperately need some of the items I would never even walk into this store on a Saturday, mid day. It is the craziest place you have ever seen (I'm sure I've told you about it before in this space.) Not only are there so many people you can barely walk (and Russians are not known for their courtesy or their understanding of personal space.) Now amid ALL this chaos, they are stocking the shelves, as they always do. Doesn't matter how busy the place is, they stock shelves. So, TONS of people, pallets of goods, and forklifts!!!! Well, Harry is off getting something, I tell him I'm going to get eggs and milk...he is just a little ways behind me. In front of me is a forklift. So, I step between 2 pallets to get out of the forklift's way, not even noticing there is a cart (not mine of course) between me and the forklift. Well, she hits the cart and pushes it in to me...to the side of her mind you. I am pinned (and it's a bit uncomfortable as you can imagine) between the cart and the pallet. I can't get out, I can't move. I hear Harry say, sort of loudly, are you ok? The forklift lady, backs up, climbs down off the cart, shoves it out of her way (I escape) and climbs back up on the forlklift and drives off. Not one word of apology or even a glance my way. I'm used to it....I might have been in more shock if she had said something to me!

Part 2 of the Auchan's story: So I've been "forklifted" and as you can well imagine, I'm not very happy (pissed off if you want to know the truth!!) We get our few necessary items and go to the check-out stand. Now on most Saturdays the lines at this place are RIDICULOUSLY long, but they have fairly recently instituted express lanes. So there are 6 express lanes and you stand in one queue til one of the 6 checkers is open. We are (amazingly!) first in line, staning there, minding our own business. Suddenly a Russian lady walks up and places herself right in front of me! Now, again, this is typical Russian behavior. If they think they can get away with it, they will cut in line with no qualms whatsoever. So I say to her in Russian, excuse me. She, with a big grin on her face says something back to me, which of course I don't understand. So I say to her, loudly and in English, EXCUSE ME, I WAS HERE FIRST, YOU WERE NOT!!! And I step in front of her.....and she backs off. Then it is my turn and I walk up to the cashier, who is smiling and pretty soon laughing. I ask Harry, do you think they are laughing at me or her? He says, probably both of you! Harry says, good for you. If I had not been pinned by a forklifted cart I might have let her pass....but not this day!

We ended the day with a trip to the honey festival and a walk around the lovely Tsaritsino park. The weather was beautiful and the trees are turning. I was happy to have a good memory to replace the "Auchan's Moment."

A Military Tattoo????

2009-09-10T06:21:00.001-07:00

No it isn't body art! A military tattoo is a military music festival and although I've never been to one anywhere else, I would say that Moscow's must surely rank up there with some of the best. Bands (and really, some were more like theatrical productions, some were straight off the (American) football fields. All were great and some were fabulous! Some of the countries represented: Russia, Kazakhstan, India, Israel, Finland, Italy, France, UK, combining GB and Northern Ireland (representing mechanical and electrical engineering,) China...those are the ones I can remember (no Americans....financial crisis, maybe??) Ranks up there as one of the top experiences for me in Moscow.

A Late Summer Update

2009-08-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

Summer has slowed down to a crawl. Nice, though. It's good to have some quiet time before the busy-ness of fall. Yes, even for those of us without children, fall just seems to get busier. AWO signup will take place early September and the new year will be off and running. We are definitely gearing up for that. Fall always means the Craft Fair, our big fund-raiser for Nastenka, the childrens oncology hospital we support. I have no specific role this year (for the first time since I moved here!) but I attend the meetings to offer the wisdom of years past, to fill in where needed, and to just "keep my hand in."

Meghan has made the big move to Dallas. She also has a job! She will be teaching 3rd grade at Ethbridge Elementary in Garland. As I understand it, she will be teaching everything but math, which makes her MORE than happy! She is excited about teaching science which she has never taught before. Of course she has only been at school one day, the kids don't start til the 24th and I've only spoken to her briefly, so she may not know much...and I know less! But she is very happy to be settled in Dallas and not having to drive every other weekend to see Jacob.

We hear from Drew even less frequently than we do Meghan! He is 5 hours ahead of us in Korea, and believe it or not, that makes it more awkward to get ahold of him. Plus, he is working (duh) but his Blackberry only works at his hotel. Go figure! Anyway, last news was that he was heading back to the US around Aug. 20th. He will be happy to see "what he pays for" (his words) and sleep in his own bed. He has been gone since first of March, if I remember correctly. We haven't seen him since Christmas! Hopefully that will be remedied soon.

I thought of a couple of interesting things I've done this summer. On Tuesdays, my friend Bonnie and I get together with a Russian Language teacher, who has been around the ConocoPhillips group a long times and knows most of us. She knows Bonnie and me well....we ONLY want language in a fun environment (shopping, sightseeing, cooking.) So among the many things we have done this summer, one of them is to learn a couple of classically Russian dishes. One is called pelmeni, which is a little meat (or anything else you wish to put in it) dumpling wrapped in a dough that is alot like a noodle dough. It was fun, tasty, and dinner was cooked for that night. These are very traditional and are sold everywhere.....restaurants and stores. I enjoyed learning how to make them. Will I ever do it again....maybe. They are time intensive! But sometimes I get motivated....so maybe. The other thing we learned to make is called cirniki . Cirniki is a kind of cheese (tvorog....kind of a cross between a cream cheese and a cottage cheese...has some small curds in it, but creamy) pancake. You mix it with egg, flour, a bit of sugar, and fry them, potato pancake style. They are served with sour cream and jam. Really good! I haven't made them at home yet, but will do it soon. Maybe I will even take pictures like my friend Kerry!

We have enjoyed a run of beautiful weather the past week or so. Warm, sunny days. We try to get out and enjoy. I've taken Abby to the park a couple of times, we try to have coffee or eat outside when we can.

Hope your summer has been full of fun things as well and that you are ready to face YOUR busy fall, rested and refreshed.

2009-07-28T02:47:00.000-07:00

We've had a great summer here in Moscow. The "kids" came and went, the summer finally got here and the weather has been lovely for the most part. The trees are beginning to lose their leaves and some even have touches of color!! It's still July. But I know full well that fall is very close. I'm not ready! Too cold a spring and early summer. But I shouldn't be whining yet!!! Something about having a positive attitude.....

Been on a couple of bus tours....if you are on FB you can see the pics. Seen a couple of "new to me" monasteries in Moscow. Enjoyed the outdoor cafes every chance we get. We have a Friday Afternoon Happy Hour here at our courtyard. It includes snacks, wine (lots of it,) beer, and singing!! Yes, singing! Friends Megan and Bonnie and I end up singing to country favorites. See what too much wine will do to you! It's fun....I wonder what the neighbors think? At least they are tolerant of us.

I am always fearful that with many people traveling out of Moscow during the summer that it will be boring. Hasn't happened so far! In fact I yearn for some quiet days at home. Most weeks I have to make that happen by turning down an invitation to do something fun. Oh, well, such is life! The Moscow Life, anyway!

Kids are coming!

2009-07-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sure they really appreciate me calling them kids since they are 25-30-year olds, but guess they will always be kids in my book!

So, who is coming to visit? Meghan and her boyfriend Jacob are arriving in a few hours! I'm excited for Jacob to see Moscow (and St. Petersburg.) He has heard alot about it, I'm sure. Now it will fun to show him "our town."

Tomorrow, 4th of July, Harry's 1st cousin Jan's oldest daughter Leana is coming, from around the world...I will have to get the story straight before I tell it! Her friend Maria will also fly in from DC. So we will have a house full and I'm so excited. I love people this age! They are so smart and open to the world. They will experience Russia in a totally different way than I do. I'm excited to see Russia through their eyes.

Monday-Thursday next week they will go to St. Pete's...without me or Harry. I hope all goes well! They are set up with a way to get there and a place to sleep. After that....they are on their own. Free to explore the city as they would like. A few guidelines from me on the must-see's....and some contact numbers in case of trouble. But not expecting any....they will have a great time, I'm sure!

Meghan and Jacob head home July 12 and Leana and Maria head out to their next destinations on July 14.

Tomorrow, the American Women's Organization will hold a 4th of July Pot Luck celebration right here in our little courtyard. We are happy to have them and even happier that someone else is in charge!! But we will have bathrooms to share, so that will be good.

So my days will be filled with sight seeing for the next couple of weeks. I will catch you up when I can...and hopefully learn to post pics.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, AMERICA!!!!!!

Repairs finished....sort of.

2009-06-18T01:54:00.000-07:00

So finally the repairs are what they called finished in the spare bedroom. True, wall paper has been hung, half of the lights work, one outlet works, part of the floor is still bowed from the leak, which means the baseboards along one wall don't fit. But hey, it is at least now it is fit for guests. I need an attitude adjustment I think. Thanks to Tammy for reminding me that the plumbers in America don't look like Brad Pitt either. So, off to get some liquid attitude adjustment!!

Why Can't Everything Work at Once?

2009-06-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Why, oh why can't everything work in this ghastly expensive apartment? Have I been away from America too long? My memory says everything works perfectly there... and when it doesn't, a repairman shows up immediately when called, is perfectly nice and polite, brings appropriate tools, cleans up after himself, and looks like Brad Pitt.

Bring me back to reality, America-dwelling friends!

2009-06-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

It's the Monday following a 3 day weekend. Always hard to get going. The weekend was lovely, the weather warm. Harry and I spent Friday and Saturday on the move, exploring this city of ours.

Friday (the actual holiday,) we went to the Troika mall. Now I've been several times, but Harry has yet to see this mall. So, I figured this was as good a day as any, and Dima is asking for overtime, so he would get that if he worked a holiday. However, a few mintues before Dima was to arrive, I get a phone call from him. The street getting to our street is blocked. He doesn't know why. He tells me where he is parked and we walk down the street and around the corner to where he is parked (maybe 5 minutes away.) We think, well, surely...when we get back from the mall and grocery shopping, the street will be unblocked. But no....several hours (and lots of groceries and misc. items) later, the street getting to our street, has a big truck blocking the path. But Dima hops out of the car, confers with the "police" and soon we are invited to squeeze the car past the truck and get to our street to get home. Whew! We had packed the bags so that in the event that we would not make it down the stree with the car we could carry the perishables in. We are learning......

So, after putting the groceries away, we thought we would wander around and see what was causing the streets to be blocked. As it turned out, the events of the day caused the Moscow government, in it's infinite wisdom, so shut down various streets for the festivities. Never could quite see why our street was blocked, but I've lived her long enough to know that no one really knows.....not even Dima! When I asked him he drew a big "?" in the air and sounded totally disgusted. The walk yeilded nothing really to look at. It was hard to get on Red Square. Can I say that I have lived here TOO long if I am unwilling to stand in a long line to get through security to look at one of the most fascinating places on earth? Well, I have. I just wasn't in the mood for the pushing and shoving, etc. I can go down there ANY time I want! So we wandered back home, stopping for dinner at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants....which is now close to us! It was a hot day and it was fun to sit in the cool shade of the outdoor cafe and watch the world go by.

Saturday, we had a nice, leisurely morning, ended up picking a park on the map and heading out to see what we could see. We went to Sokolniki Park. We saw what they call a Rosaria...a rose garden. The roses are not quite out yet but the peonies and irises, and some bush that smelled alot like honeysuckle were in full bloom. We promised ourselves to go back in a few weeks and hopefully the roses will be out. This was a lovely park full of all sorts of people, biking, rollerblading, riding in a horse drawn carriage, pedaling something that looked like a big tricycle; lots of different modes of transportation. Lots of walkers, like us. Lots of children. They had an amusement park at the end of the park and a place where pensioners were dancing. Lots of fun things to do on a Saturday afternoon.

2009-06-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ok! After many hours trying to figure out how to get my blog to look like I wanted it to....it happened quite by accident!! But I finally LIKE it...do you? Next step will be to figure out pictures. But I'm going to savor this victory before I once again experience defeat!

And, I know, I said I would be keep this thing updated more, and guess what....cute doesn't help! I still have to make myself do it. It's not like things don't happen in this crazy city we live in. and they are definitely are blog-worthy. And once I sit down, I really like it! But that first step is the hardest, for sure!

Since our return we have had electrical issues....the neighbor's shower leaked onto our wall and caused the lights in the front spare bathroom and spare bedroom. Also SOME of the lights in the living room, dining room and kitchen are affected. Lord knows I do NOT want to see how things are wired behind the walls. What I have seen scares me, and Harry and for sure EE Drew! Like bare wires "insulated" with plaster....which gets wet when the shower next door leaks. We are dealing with our wicked witch of a landlady (Harry calls her Leona Helmsley...the Queen of Mean and she has big lips too! ) I call her a b..... Anyway, she is VERY difficult to deal with and our sweet little Alina hates to do it. I would too, so glad it is Alina's JOB! Progress is slow, and we are looking at visitors beginning of July. So it's enough to raise both Harry's and my blood pressure. We are trying to deal....is there a patron saint for this mess? Maybe St. Jude??

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane!

2009-04-24T01:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we leave for the States! Woo hoo! I never think too terribly much about going to the States; my Moscow life keeps me busy. But when we are getting close to leaving to go back for a visit, I can hardly stand the wait! Guess that's pretty much my nature! Impatient!

We will be visiting family from the bottom of Texas to the top of Oklahoma! No way around it; we do alot of traveling in our short time back. We begin in Houston; we will be there for a week or so, visiting friends, taking care of appts. and getting some shopping done. We will be meeting Meghan's beau for the first time....they will pick us up at the airport. Imagine what a first impression we will make, "fresh" off a 12 hour flight! Poor guy! Then we go to Oklahoma next weekend, with a overnight stay in Dallas to break up the trip (it was originally to meet Jacob who lives there at the moment, but he is able to come to Houston this weekend .) So we will stay at the Adolphus Hotel (we love old hotels...especially ones with good weekend rates!) and have a nice dinner. Sunday, Harry, Meghan and I will drive...in TWO cars....to Oklahoma City. Meghan is taking a little bit of time off and we will get to see Harry's mom and sisters. Meghan will head back to Austin on Tuesday, and we will head to Ponca City to see Dad & Maxine. I am going to have lunch with a couple of friends there, one I haven't seen in awhile. So I'm excited about that. We will go back to Texas on Friday (May 8) and Harry will return to Moscow. I am going to spend the following week in Tulsa (yes, back up to OK for me!!) with 4 good friends who all used to live in Moscow. One lives in Alaska (we are staying at her place in Tulsa) one is living in Washington DC and two are living in the Houston area. Why are you driving back just to go back 2 days later you might ask?? Well, it is Mother's Day weekend and I simply can't be that close to my kids and not see them on that weekend. Of course, I will only see one kid (Meghan) as Drew is still in Korea and will not make it home when we are there. We are ALL sad about that. So, I will go to Austin (probably), then fly back to Tulsa from Austin, and return on the 15th to Houston and fly out to Moscow on the 15th. The downside....all that extra travel....the upside.....I get to visit alot of friends and family!! I'll come back to Moscow to rest!

2009-04-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Happy 25th birthday Meghan!

Wow...it is really hard to believe my oldest child is 25. As everyone knows....time passes quickly! I remember so clearly the day she was born, although I'm not too sure about what happened yesterday. She was 11 days late, our first child....highly anticipated! Did I have a CLUE what was happening, what had happened, what would happen...NO! But I was thrilled beyond words for that blue-eyed, blonde bundle, although I was a bit curious how she wound up with blonde hair (guess that has to be thanks to Mama Fran, who claimed Meghan validated her "blonde" hair!)

I'm so proud of who that infant has become....do I dare to sound obnoxious if I say I'm SO proud of who BOTH my children have become? But this is Meghan's day and I will say that that bundle of joy fufilled all the promise that birth day held...she is beautiful, happy, doing the work God intended for her. Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

2009-04-16T00:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still working on the layout. I definitely am in a bit more over my head on this one. Maybe Meghan or boyfriend Jacob will help me when we get back to the US!

The weather today has turned cold and snowy/rainy. Bummer! I was to Nordic Walk today (our first walk of the spring season) but cancelled. I'm far to bummed by the departure of the lovely spring weather we have been experiencing. And when I called to cancel, Robin told me they might have to cancel once we got out there. So hopefully I just saved myself an unnecessary car ride! I guess the bright side is I can squeeze in one more pot of chili and some cornbread before THAT season is over for awhile.

2009-04-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my young friend Bobbie for straightening out my blog! I think I have a bit of an edge over SOME of my peers when it comes to technology, but nothing at all on the next generation. At any rate my page now appears centered. I still am not thrilled with it so don't be surprised if you come back to a whole new look!!

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day in Moscow! Hints of spring are beginning to appear. Definitely the scent of a Moscow spring is in the air! In most places that would mean flowers....but in Moscow that means paint! Oil paint...pungent oil paint! They paint every metal object. It needs it after a winter of snow and dirt. But you just know to be careful when walking to avoid fences, trash cans, poles, gutters....anything metal. If it is shiny it has probably recently been painted!

After church and breakfast with our church friends, Harry and I decided to walk to the Arbat (our old stomping grounds and still a fun place to go.) There are usually lots of things going on. Well.....did we get a surprise! There were hundreds, probably thousands of people, mostly teenagers and young adults, on the walking street! They were blowing bubbles and dressed crazy, and singing, and dancing...it was wild!! We stopped in one of the souvenir shops, so I asked the girl who was working there and who spoke English, what was this craziness all about. She said that someone had posted a notice on the internet to come to the Arbat, dress crazy, and bring bubbles! Amazing the ability of the internet to spread that message. It was great fun, really. Everyone was happy, not too much beer drinking...just kids having fun! Here is a link to a website with pictures....I didn't have my camera. But no need...ah, the wonders of the internet! http://community.livejournal.com/ru_dreamflash

2009-04-04T01:30:00.000-07:00

I'm trying out this new blogsite....seems like everyone is using it, so no more Xanga for me. Perhaps it will inspire me to write more! I'm having the hardest time setting up the page...any suggestions?