Second Sunday in Siberia

A little about the food we've been buying and eating here. While it's easy to go to a restaurant when you have your translator, when we get by ourselves either to try and eat out or to the grocery store it's always an adventure! Brian is very good at ordering "coca-cola", even tho sometimes they say "pepsi?" – either is fine! We ask "English menu?" and they usually say "nyt" so then we do a lot of pointing and guessing. We understand more the routine now – they ask us if we want "salad" or "soup/borsch", then the main meat and a "garnish" (side). Then I ask them to write down how much we need to pay as I don't understand the numbers when said but I think I have the $$ figured out! I walk around the grocery store trying to decipher items with my translation book. The hardest thing for us to buy is milk – they have so many different kinds. Milk in cartons, milk in bags – different % numbers on them and then there is the liquid yogurt-like drink also. It's overwhelming. Yesterday I had my book open while we were trying to figure out what milk to get and a young lady says "Milk" to me – I said "spasiba" but really wanted to ask her "what do you drink??" But maybe I was afraid of the answer! The first day we got a box of milk and it's ok (not like home, but not terrible). The next time at the store we bought a bag of milk with a little higher % (I think it means milkfat?) Anyway yesterday I opened it to pour on our cereal and it is the equivalent of American buttermilk! Not the worst but certainly not what we want for everyday use. So yesterday we bought a different bagged milk – it tastes more like the first kind we got, not our favorite but drinkable. The meat is a bit of a challenge also. I either bought ham or beef to go with our eggs today (turns out to be ham/pork)! Otherwise you can really find most anything you want in the supermarket. By our standards the store is small but it is well stocked. Yesterday we found jalapeno peppers and tortilla chips in the store! We had found salsa previously so one night might have to make nachos – will just have to figure the best cheese to get for it! They also had a bottle of chili starter – "just add beef". All the stores have security guards – at the entrances and walking around. I don't have to check my bag at the grocery store like you usually have to do when entering stores but I make it a point to not try and be suspicious – carrying my "Russian-English" book should be a notable identifying mark if needed – lol! Every grocery store has a huge "deli counter" – premade foods, salads, sausages, lots of fish, etc. It really is fun to just look at what they sell here! The grocery carts are an adventure also – they're smaller but all four wheels spin! So you use all your muscle trying to keep it going straight down the aisles! I give Brian that job now! They also have little metal baskets that we use for smaller shopping trips – easier to handle!

We're getting quite good at solitaire on the computer – Brian wins more than me but it's still only about 1 out of 20 games! We tried Spider Solitaire this morning and might try that again – little more strategy so takes longer. We drag out our days here when we have nowhere to go or be – today we dialed up the computer at 7am, I started breakfast at 8:30am and we'll get dressed around 11am. Then we'll go for another long walk and maybe some more window shopping. Probably then we'll nap and watch some DVDs – when we're in the apartment I keep the music/video TV station on. About 1/3 of the songs are in English and even the ones we don't understand usually have a catchy beat. There are a few songs we hear over and over – my favorite is "Our Potential Breakup Song" – some of you who know how to download might want to try and find it…. Otherwise we just keep replaying our statements for court in our minds and writing them down to help us become more fluent in our presentation.

Brian got an email from a friend saying that we need to get him to post to this blog sometime. We might have to do that – but it would definitely be less wordy than I!

We headed out walking a little after noon. We went by the Stadium nearby and found a nice little market there! It's only a few blocks from the apt and had a good selection of almost any food we'd need. And I think they take credit cards there! We'll be back. So then we walked the streets for a long time. There were street vendors set up everywhere! I bought a pair of wool socks as my feet keep getting cold when we walk. Otherwise we just looked in stores, stopped in the general market (the one with the meat all in the open) and there is anything you could need to buy there. And the sanitary conditions? Well, there was a dog walking around also! We wanted to stop for a little bite and drink so we went to the place next to Subway (restaurant). We had seen it the other day when we were in the area for a doctor and it says "Welcome" on the front so we thought someone there might know English. A very nice lady behind the counter spoke it a little so it was easy ordering! We got blini (pancakes) – mine with jam and Brian's with a sour cream. I had tea and he Coke. It came to 100r (about $3.00) – and then she invited us to come back tonight at 6pm to hear traditional Russian folk music! We stopped at the grocery store again for some breadcrumbs (for my chicken tonight which now we'll eat later) and then we headed back to the apt. It was a nice few hours out of the apt. The TV says it's -18c today but there is sunshine and no wind so it was very comfortable walking. Our faces still get cold but that's about all now.

So now we're back from our Russian Folk Music event – it was so neat! We got a light bite to eat (just by pointing, but the gal there did speak some English – this might become a new favorite place!) Anyway I thought we were getting two sweet things but turns out one was like a handheld pizza and the other was a pastry with jam – Brian likened that to Kringle. I had tea and Brian a coke-light – in a CAN! (usually get bottles). Soon then the music began. Three young guys – one on an accordion/concertina, one on a guitar like instrument but it was triangle, one guy on tambourine but the mixed it around a little too. Then two of the guys played "spoons" – that was really interesting. And the tambourine guy also did a horn type object. We took lots of video of this and I think they played it up for the camera some. One day we'll post that for you but we need help from our IT department (basically our friends in high school and younger!) LOL The lady who invited us to the music came in socially (not working) and came to talk to us. Now she invited us to come to their Rotary Meeting this Wednesday at 7pm at the same place. She said she was happy to see people from America and that the Rotary Club almost all spoke English and she'd really like us to come – so we probably will! Judy H said to "stay busy" this week before court – well that's one thing to keep us busy! So far this weekend has been the most action our social life has had in like forever! Out every night! So now I have our supper cooking – I got Panko Breadcrumbs today at the market and am making my favorite "Fake Fried Chicken", buttered noodles and corn. We're eating late but it's not like we have anywhere to go anymore! And the lights are still out in our bedroom and entry way (still have the breaker off, no word from Alex yet!!) so we have to hang out in the living area anyway. What's on tonight's DVD line-up? Probably either some Happy Days or Laverne & Shirley… we think we'll sleep well tonight after all the fresh air and walking we got in!

Tomorrow the baby home should be calling to let Alex know if Nathan Genya got released from the hospital or not. I'm not sure what the plans are for the day but stay tuned to find out what we did!