Circus Day!

We learned two things today – An American Circus is nothing like a Russian Circus and don't try to find a place to eat dinner at 7pm on a Saturday night!

Genya woke up about 7am again today so he and I headed to the living room. There weren't cartoons on the TV yet so I got the new portable DVD player out – figured we should learn to use it before the airplane and also see how long the battery really lasts. He thought he was big stuff watching on that little screen! He LOVES the movie CARS and I've been playing it in English for him. I wish I would have brought a few more English kids movies along rather than just the few learning ones and song ones. Ah well, others can learn from my mistakes! We know he understands what we say to him most of the time but he still doesn't like to respond to us in English but instead just keeps talking Russian. I know that will change but sometimes it's amusing – sometimes frustrating. Often he'll go off on a long story (which probably in English could be about 6-words) and then at the end says "da, mama?" – (yes, mom?) Well I'm not going to agree unless I know what he says so I just say "maybe" in English and shrug. Often he repeats "maybe". Otherwise we'll just look at him and say "I don't understand what you're saying!" (in english) and often he just sighs. LOL

Very lazy morning today but had a nice long phone call from home! Eleni & Jack were staying overnight to help keep JJ company and entertained so spoke to both of them and to both my parents but JJ only said "hi, bye" – was having too much fun with his cousins. We did some more laundry and got dressed. Lunch was peelmini, cooked carrots and fruit salad – but Genya only ate one peelmini and a few carrots but all the fruit salad (apples, kiwi and yogurt). He had eaten a piece of cheese earlier and nibbled on cereal all morning so maybe he's filling up! His breakfast was banana and yogurt. Then I chased him and Brian outside to the park to get some fresh air while I did the dishes and got ready for our outing. My hair is getting so long that it's starting to do its own thing…not a good thing! I'm ready for a Domani experience! LOL

While waiting to leave for the circus we had Genya do a puzzle and I read some books to him. Then he and Brian did bubbles… Then it was time to leave. It was a good walk but a little messy and it continues to be warm so the ice and snow are melting. Genya made it without messing up his pants too badly! We got to the circus about 20-minutes to 4pm and entered. We put our coats in the coat check and then waited. They sounded a big bell when you were allowed to enter the "big top" – we quite easily found our seats… 6 rows up and near the aisle - Quite good. Then we waited. Not sure if the 1600 start time meant the time we could go in or what but the show actually started about 4:15pm. It started like an elaborate stage show – people in fish costumes dancing and some girls doing acrobats. There really wasn't any "skin" – any that looked like skin was flesh toned costumes like ice skaters wear. It was quite family friendly! A clown then had some dogs doing tricks (eating sausages) and then some geese came out and did some tricks. Next a bear came out and stood on a board. This act would NEVER pass in the USA due to embarrassment to animals laws – it was really quite sad…the bear was on a leash and had to walk on its hind legs and then stood on a board and jumped off. Later this same bear had to do some sweeping with a broom. I tell you I felt bad for it! Other animals in the show's first half included cats, a boxing kangaroo (felt bad for this animal also) and horses. The whole show somewhat had a nautical theme so there was some order to it – probably if we understood Russian we'd have had a better feel as to what the story line was. There was a lot of dancing by girls mostly but a few guys in certain acts. There were "clowns" to some extent. Then there was an intermission – at first we weren't sure if the show was over or not as it had been 1-hour but Genya said "no" when we asked if it was done! And people didn't seem to be leaving… So Brian went out to see if people were getting their coats or not and they weren't' so he brought Genya and me some popcorn. Otherwise down in the ring you could buy the same cheap toys you can at any carnival or amusement park in the USA and you also could do some other things for money. We told Genya "no" – it all breaks anyways! (told him unfortunately the second child has to bear the lessons the parents learn from the first child!). After about a half-hour intermission the show started again. There were some more acrobatics – more daring this time and quite interesting – some more dancing and some animals including penguins, seals, storks & a dog again. There were no lions, tigers or elephants. Overall we are very glad we went tho – at times Genya's face was just priceless during the show! And it was about 2 ½ hours total, including the intermission, so good value. Almost any seat in the place would be good I think, it's not a big building actually.

We had told Genya we'd get pizza for dinner rather than a cheap toy and he liked that idea…We tried to go to a pizza place up the road from where we were but we couldn't figure out how to order (if someone came to the table or we ordered at a counter) and it was pretty busy so we left. Then we thought we'd go to the "blue door" café but that place was packed so we left. Then we thought we'd go to our old standby across the street from us but that too had every table full! But our regular waitress was there so I asked if we could order "to go" and she said "yes"! So the boys went home and I waited for the pizza – had to wait about 20-minutes but the people who got a table right before us were still waiting for food when I left with our pizza. Maybe it pays to be semi-regulars there! So we ate our pizza, gave Genya a bath and then short DVD watching and then it was to bed for him! At one point during the circus he looked sleepy so I asked him in Russian if he was tired and he said "da", - "nyet, nyet!" So either he was covering his answer or gives the wrong answer half the time in Russian also! LOL

Tomorrow it's March first – where did February go???

 

Saturday - and Circus - Pictures

Another day gone!

















Practicing for the airline rides














Our circus tickets
















Waiting to leave for the circus - blowing bubbles to pass the time














Genya waiting - the main stage "door" in the distance












Mom and Genya











The lead clown









Part of the seal act












Grand Finale

The urinals Genya and Brian had to use (yuck!)

Sunny, but colder!

It looked so nice and warm outside today that I ventured out without long underwear – big mistake! I put them on once back and might not take them off again until I hit Wisconsin, and maybe not even then!

Genya woke up at 7am today…which once we're home will be fine but since we're still here I was hoping for a little shorter day, but it is fine! He is hungry when he wakes up so requests banana and yogurt – surprised? Lol and then I usually give him an egg or some cereal and then he gets juice. He's not a big fan of the milk here anymore and I figure that's fine as I'm not either and he's getting a lot of yogurt! This morning he found the frog Justin had sent along with us and wanted it to be a mask. Dealing with limited supplies here I did manage to make it into one – tape holding it on his head! It was also laundry day (well about every other day is laundry day when you don't have many clothes!) so we did a load of jeans and then a load of mixed clothes. Have the towels to do yet but we have plenty extras of those and we're out of drying space right now! Genya and I also painted on some egg cartons that we found yesterday (otherwise our eggs come in plastic containers) and then he did some tracing of his name and JJ's again. We also worked with fuse beads (where you put the iron on them to hold together) but I actually did it about 99.9% more than he did but I was enjoying it more also!

Elena called again this morning to talk to Genya. He gave her a positive report and also told her he was really excited because he was going to the circus today! {okay, who told him??!} I had her tell him "no, it's tomorrow" and he didn't want to believe that at first. Now how did he know it was the circus we got tickets to?? Can he read more than we were told? Or just recognized the building we were in? Regardless it won't be a surprise but that's fine because he's never been to one before and he's very happy about it! Alex had called this morning to make sure the phone was working and I told him we were going to the circus tomorrow…he seemed slightly surprised (I think) that we had obtained tickets. Doesn't he realize that when you leave us alone in a city for 6-weeks we do manage to find things out on our own? Lol But yep, it's been 6-weeks today that we've been here. Sometimes it doesn't seem that long, often it seems much longer. I know, the end is in sight…but it can't come soon enough! One way to make one's-self realize how far we have come in the last six weeks is re-reading the blogs that I've posted. From our first days here when we didn't know what was going to happen, didn't know what we were eating and walking in circles to now having a little boy with us at all times, taking him to our favorite places and knowing shortcuts to the places we want to go…

Lunch was egg salad sandwiches and veggie salad for Brian and I and a hard-boiled egg, leftover potato thingy, pickles and chips for Genya. I am perfecting my hard-boiled egg cooking here and now most of them are peeling very well! Then we waited until 1pm to head outside for our walk. As previously mentioned, it was sunny but not a heat wave! We did walk for 2-hours tho with no breaks… we stopped at a little grocery store where I got some yogurt and two kiwi(!) and then went to the big market for eggs and soda. It's surprisingly hard to find eggs (except at the supermarket) – I must not be looking at the "egg stores"? Genya has some money Brian's been giving him that burns a hole in his pocket – it's like 2-3 rubles but he thinks he's hot stuff. So we told him he could get something at the store today with his money – it's a good motivator for walking (not listening? posh lee dom, nyet magazine!) (translation: let's go home, no store!) Nope, he doesn't like that so continues to be good. Anyway, he got a little Nesquick bar that was 10-rubles. He knew he couldn't eat it until home so he carried it or had it in his pocket and listened very well the whole way home. There is a man outside a store just up from the market who we see every day now – we are now on nodding and Genya and he on speaking terms. What he does we don't know, but now we get smiles as we pass by!

Back at the apartment we watched some afternoon cartoon and rested. Later Brian and Genya took a walk to the corner store to get "chocolate" – As soon as Brian said "you and me" to Genya – Genya said "shockolat?" He knows the routine already! Shortly after they got back we went across the street for pizza for supper – Genya's first official "restaurant" (not café'). He did very well! He didn't like the smell of the vinegar (thought it was juice) or the pepper! Funny story – I had a total blond moment when ordering the drinks – got Brian a Pepsi, me a beer and could NOT remember the Russian word for "juice" – HELLO, I only hear it about 20 times per day!! "Soak"!! We were able to get Nathan some "apple juice" (yablacki soak)

After dinner was Genya's bath – the length of them are getting a bit shorter as he tries to get away with more things that we tell him not to do. But after some struggles he relinquishes and gets the PJs on. Tonight we watched another Elmo DVD – they're in English but seem to keep his attention and he knows what they're about… tonight's was about Birthdays, Games and Pets. During the last segment he had a banana and yogurt… I told him we were going to limit him to two bananas per day until I realized they're under 50 cents each… As long as we can find them in the stores I guess he can keep eating them!

Last night's movie "Three Men and a Little Lady" played completely through without any shut-offs! Will we have such success with tonight's show "The Princess Bride"?

 

Friday pictures

Hopper as a mask









And still another link off the chain!







A typical building in our neighborhood - a residence? a store? a government office? Who knows?? (we don't!)









One of the wells people would go to to get their water








A Russian Lada








A sculpture on a street corner








Genya paying me for his candy bar








Genya's tracing practice today

Brian hates this couch but it served him well this afternoon for a short bit!

Waiting for the pizza - a little put out because we didn't get him a greek salad like we had! :)

Brian thought my brothers and brother in law would appreciate seeing my "one beer" with our pizza!

Outside the restaurant for Genya's first official restaurant meal

Recipes

Here are some of the items I've been making over here:

Oven Pancake – Debbie’s Irkutsk version
Preheat oven to “hot” – I bake at “7” on the oven here. (425F is what I was aiming for)
Melt 2-3T butter in baking pan. I’ve been using a 9” casserole dish.
Mix together:
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ liter milk
1/10 liter flour
1 T sugar
Beat all ingredients together until no lumps. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for approx 20-minutes until golden brown and puffy. Serve with jam, honey or syrup (if you have it!) or just eat plain!

Auto Parts Chicken – Debbie’s Irkutsk Version
1 T butter
4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic
½ onion, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled & chopped
2 carrots, sliced (use one if very large)
Generous portion of mushrooms
Two chicken bouillon cubes, prepared in ½ liter water
2T flour
3T water
Salt/pepper
Brown chicken in butter in large pan on stovetop. Add garlic and onion. Sauté for a few minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chicken broth. Cover and simmer 30-minutes or until veggies are soft – stirring occasionally. In a jar, combine flour and water and shake. Add to pan to thicken juice. Cook a few more minutes – broth thickens as it cools. Salt/pepper to taste.
(this recipe came from allrecipies.com but was modified to fit available ingredients!


Judy Holmes’ Russian Vegetable Medley
Slice thinly and layer in greased casserole dish one of each:
Potato, carrot, onion, red/yellow or green pepper, tomato, mushrooms if desired
Mix together 2T mayonnaise and sour cream (generous portions of each).
Top with 2/3c shredded cheese (enough to cover).
Bake in a hot oven until warm and bubbly and vegetables are soft.

Beef Stew – Debbie’s Irkutsk version
½ kilo Beef stew meat, already cubed (from the deli) {my pieces were very large, might want to cut in half to make it easier to eat and quicker cooking if needed)
160g tomato juice
710ml water
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 carrots, cut into 2” pieces
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Any other seasonings you might have available and like to add
In large dutch oven, brown beef in some oil. Add water and tomato juice. Stir in onion, garlic and bouillon. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer 2 hours. Stir in carrots and potatoes. Cook another 20-40 minutes until veggies are tender.


Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Gravy – Debbie’s Irkutsk version
½ kilo ground beef
100 ml plain dry bread crumbs (I used panko crumbs)
1/20 litre milk & 3/8 litre milk (divided)
1 garlic clove
Dash salt
2 t vegetable oil
¼ litre plus mushrooms (sliced)
2 T flour
Combine beef, bread crumbs, 1/20l milk, garlic and salt in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Heat the oil over medium heat in a 12” skillet that has a lid. Shape the meat into four 3 ½” patties about ½ inch thick, adding them to the skillet as you make them. Sprinkle the mushrooms around the patties then cove the skillet and cook for 5-minutes.
Meanwhile combine the remaining milk and flour in a container that has a lid and shake well until any lumps disappear. Set aside.
Uncover the skillet after 5-minutes. Push the mushrooms out of the way, if necessary, and carefully turn the patties over. Continue to cook, stirring the mushrooms often, until the meat is cooked to personal preference. Remove patties to a serving plate.
Shake the flour-milk mixture again and pour it into the skillet with the mushrooms to make a gravy. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the gravy is heated through and to the desired thickness – takes a few minutes to do this. Season as desired and spoon the gravy over the patties and serve.
(recipe from Desperation Dinners and modified slightly)

If it’s the last Thursday of the month….

We must have NO PHONE! But this time since we knew what she was probably saying we went across the street to use the phone and called Alex… So if you're seeing this, we again have telephone!

This morning's routine was pretty much our "normal" – wake at 8am, Genya eat some breakfast (for some reason I forgot myself today!), get dressed – didn't want to go on-line until after JJ called but he hadn't called by 11:00am our time so I called him! He had a busy day and was still doing his normal stuff – homework, etc. Right away he asked me – when are you coming home? I said I didn't know and he said "I want you to come home right now and that's an ORDER!" But he screamed it so he had to repeat it for me to understand! We had a nice conversation after that tho – unfortunately he had two cavities at the dentist at his check-up yesterday – he has the worst luck with teeth!! – but we'll handle that when we get home. I said we had to get Nathan to the dentist anyways! Then Genya and I did some painting and crafty things and then he put together some puzzles. He's quite good at them! Then it was time for lunch. He and Brian had hotdogs and I ate the salad I bought yesterday (had salmon in it so Brian wasn't even tempted).

I had also remembered to weigh Genya this morning – he weighed in at 44.6 lbs before breakfast so yes, I think he's gained a few pounds!

After lunch we tried the internet but that's when we discovered the phone line problem. We were going for a walk anyway so just left a little earlier and reported it along the way. We took Genya out without snow pants tody for the first time. Just had him put his long underwear and the play jeans on – by the time we were back home later tho the bottom about 6" of his pants were all wet from the slop and puddles all around the city! Our jeans get dirty at the cuffs just from walking too. Tomorrow is jeans wash day!

So more about our walk…The nice lady at the store across the street let us use her phone. We then walked to the courthouse area. Since we were there we took Genya's picture in front of the courthouse like we had ours taken – as that's where officially he became our son! Should have gone in and asked the Judge to pose with us – NOT! Lol We had headed that direction as there was something going on at a building across from the courthouse that I wanted to check out what it exactly was and when it was – I figured out it was the Circus and there were two days of shows yet – Saturday and Sunday. We have tickets to the Saturday show at 4pm – but don't tell Genya LOL I bought the most expensive tickets (500r/each) as I figured we'll probably never see a genuine Russian circus in Russian again!! (well at least not for a LONG time!) I'm so excited – that will help make the next days go a little faster!

Then we walked over to the walking street and Brian bought a few souvenir cars at a toy store. Then we went to the People's Market for more bananas. I tell you, Genya eats at least two a day and asks for more sometimes! Isn't the banana like the perfect fruit or something tho? Thought I read that somewhere… Anyway, we are noticing he's slowing down on the consumption of food already. He continues to eat healthy and good portions but not huge ones like last week. He still likes the cooked carrots tho.

I digressed and almost forgot the most amusing part of the day! We had been talking about purchasing another portable DVD player since ours broke the day we got here. When we were on the walking street we were handed a sale flyer for a store (like a Best Buy) that had DVD players on sale. We walked a little further and found another young gal handing out the flyers also so I asked her if she spoke English – she said "no" but we able to figure out I was asking "where is this store?" (we didn't' see an address on the notice). She didn't know but went to ask someone else close – well it was at the end of the street! Could see the building sign if we turned around! We all laughed! So after getting the bananas we headed to there. Like I mentioned before it's like a smaller Best Buy. We were standing by the regular DVD players and a young guy came up to help us – Brian asked him "do you speak English?" and he said no but went to find someone who could. Well he brought back about two other guys who between them all spoke about 5-words but by then we had found the portable DVD players and were looking at them. Then they went off to find the ONE GUY in the store who spoke English! He was in the TV area talking to a couple at the time but they told him to go ahead with us. Well we all – 5 of us at that point – trotted back to the portable DVD area and the English speaker answered our questions while about 6 salesmen plus us three hovered around! It was actually quite funny if you picture it. Well the one low priced one was on sale because it had been repaired – nope, not that for me…have had bad luck with that before! So then we asked some questions about a Sony. It was a fair price (for Russia anyway) and has a 5-hour battery and is very lightweight. I asked if they took credit cards and he said yes so I said we'd take it. Then our original salesman took over and could say "follow me" – got me the receipt, got the DVD player and then told us "let's go" and walked us to the check out. It went pretty smoothly from that point on! We then took another leisurely walk (Genya was getting tired and we didn't even feed him a snack on the walk today!) back to the apartment. We all had a little something to eat and drink and then we opened the DVD player. Well, we're discovering it only plays the Russian DVDs – not our American ones. All in all that's not exactly bad because we can have Genya use this on the airplanes and in the hotel then and save our laptop for other uses. And we're not sure if our home DVD player will play the Russian ones or not – our laptop does but that is brand new. So we'll see about this DVD player – it might become the travelling one for families behind us yet too!

Dinner tonight was hamburger steaks in a mushroom gravy, noodles, veggies and for Genya, cooked carrots. He ate all the carrots, much of the noodles but only about ¼ of the hamburger. Not bad for a 5-yo tho! Then it was bath time and we watched the Russian version of Madagascar 2. (I asked Brian if this is a good thing that I understood about every 10^th word in Russian and sometimes whole segments of dialog?!?) Then it was rocking and singing and to bed for Genya! Our new routine does seem to be working much better!

Oh, and last night's movie selection "Last of the Mohicans"? – after about 15-minutes of the movie it totally stopped and we could not get it going for anything. So that was a bust! We have a few more to try yet but we're not optimistic any of them will work well!

Thursday pictures

Taking one more link off the chain









Another day on its way!









Painting








Binoculars (called him WALL-E)








Making puzzles









Finished!








Another puzzle

Finished this too!

Vaccuuming take MUCH longer when you have to pick up one piece of lint at a time!

Remember yesterdays posting of "slop"? Here you can see it!

The big boy walking without holding hands...was imitating his daddy!

In front of the Irkutsk courthouse!

I never saw an orange cow...I never hope to see one...

Oh yeah, I have seen an Orange Cow! (like our russian phrase list posted prominently also?)

(poetic license on the poem by changing purple to orange for those of you in the know!)

With warmth comes slush!

Another nice warm day today! Almost didn't need a hat but yet most everyone had one on so I kept mine on also (and had a case of hat hair too!)

For breakfast this morning I made oven pancake again. We all slept until 8am again today – then watched some cartoons while the pancake was baking. I had started to get ready for the day but then we got the call from Andrew that he'd be here in 20-minutes and we were doing citizenship and passport so all of us were going. So quickly Brian got ready and I finished myself up and got Genya dressed also! He wanted to wear his "American" jeans but I got him into one of the pair Judy had given us… and no long underwear today! I did have Andrew tell him on the phone that if he wears his new shoes outside he can't wear them in the apartment. So he willingly got his boots on instead! I want those shoes to be worn outside the first time either onto the airplane or in Moscow and not get dirty and then all over the apartment!

The taxi with Andrew was waiting when we got outside and there was a big box of computer paper in the front with Andrew. We got to the office where we needed to get the Citizenship Stamps and the box of paper went in also. Andrew said to me "stay right with me" and we walked right past the "people line" and into the office. The box of paper got placed behind the clerk – a "bribe"? Anyway, she finished up the lady she was with and then told Andrew to give him our papers. He indicated the lady waiting in the room could go but the clerk said no and processed us. This was the first of the two stamps we needed on the birth certificate. Then we went down the hall to another office – here we had to wait a little bit… maybe 10-minutes? But got the stamp. Then to a place to make a copy of the document and then to the passport office. I said to Brian this must be the only place Andrew doesn't have influence as we had to wait quite a while to get in – just in the regular line. He even had me and Genya come stand by him as he said usually women with children get to go first but not today apparently! It really wasn't too bad but we eventually got into the application room. She looked over all the documents and I had to sign (I could see my name and birthdate on the application) and then Genya had to get his picture taken again. It's this cool booth like you'd see at a strip mall but there is a place your face lines up in the designated area that just keeps taking pictures… Genya had some interesting ones with his eyes looking all around, etc. But that was it then! As posted earlier, now we just wait. I really hope it comes in 2-weeks if not before. Come on, the kid doesn't have any criminal history! Let him leave the region and country!

We were only about 6-blocks from the apartment so we walked back. We ate some leftovers for lunch – Genya chose the "auto parts chicken" (I'll post those recipes soon!) and Brian and I ate up last night's dish. Then I asked Genya about going outside but he initially said no, that he wanted to stay here with papa. So I said I'd go to the market and they could stay here. Well as soon as I said that then Genya decided he wanted to go with me – so we all went! We walked up to the "people's market" – to differentiate from the supermarket – and got bread and some more veggies… Also three of the stuffed bread thingies with potatoes in them. But then we decided to go to the "Sunshine Café" for blini since it is Pancake Day and we were close. Claudia was there and served us once the other gal didn't know English and I was grabbing for my book. Brian and I got with cream (like sour cream) and Genya had with jam. We also were able to draw a piece of paper for a prize so I had Genya draw and he won the stuffed cow you'll see a picture of. He's so happy with that cow! He ate all the blini and drank his compote also. Hey, my Russian readers – what is the difference between compote and juice? I asked Claudia but she couldn't tell me as her "English isn't so good" per her… They're the same price at the café! And I think I forgot to mention, this Sunshine Café now has a computerized check out…and we're paying more realistic prices. I think they were forgetting some "0"s at the end of prices before! LOL Then we did a leisurely walk back. Saw Andrei, our Cheremkhovo taxi driver, along the way so we all waved! It is quite sloppy outside now but actually more depressing to me is that the store windows are showing the spring styles – sleeveless dresses, shorter skirts and spring colors… I said I know there is a new sweater waiting for me at home that I might not even get a chance to wear this year – now that made me sad! J

We walked by the Stadium on the way home because earlier we could tell something was going to happen there tonight. There is a lot of activity but everyone I asked "do you understand English" said NO so we can't figure out what it is. I called Andrew to ask him if he knew what it was but he didn't know and said we should go and report back to him what it was! We "think" it's a speed skating qualifying event… lots of guards, food booths, busses, kids in matching clothing, etc. We walked all the way around the stadium and stopped in at the market we hadn't been to in two weeks. I just got some salads to go with our potato thingies for supper tonight (but I might send Brian for a sidewalk sha-shiek yet!). While I was inside Brian said the "army" walked by – we're thinking they're probably security/ushers for tonight's event but they came in in the back of army vehicles dressed all in military clothes with hard hats, etc… I said that we're staying away tonight, they have riot gear! Ha, ha- Brian and Genya bought some nuts from the sidewalk vendor – Brian got pistachios and Genya pumpkin seeds… you get served them in a rolled up piece of newspaper. The pistachios both guys liked, the pumpkin seeds were a little chewy but Genya still liked!

Back at the apartment we just hung out. We're going on a new strategy – dinner for Genya about 6pm, then Genya's bath and then him to bed by 8:30pm or so… I'm realizing he's missing his "afternoon rest" so maybe that is throwing him off by bedtime and that's why get starts acting up. We'll either eat later or else with Genya, depending on how the day goes… We'll see how this schedule works after a few days! But we certainly are doing our best to get him fresh air now that the weather is nicer – we walked for over 3-hours today!! Our "more interesting" blogs might be back now that we're hitting the town again!

I don't think I've mentioned this but one of the "blessings" – yes, to me it's a blessing (lol) – is that up the street about 1 ½ blocks is a nice liquor store. I've been experimenting with different wines from different countries. Actually, they all taste about the same but I'm staying in the "under 200r" price range also! The last bottle was from Hungary. I've had a few German wines and a Russian one also. The beer here is too strong for me, and too big of bottles! One bottle and I'm getting snookered! Wasn't bad when I wasn't responsible for a little guy but now… I'm sticking to wine!

I am sending our agency a note tonight – asking them the longest a family has been stuck (for lack of a better word) in country for them… I wonder if we'll hold that honor?!

The "other American family" who was a week ahead of us for court finished their obligations in Moscow today and are flying home tomorrow! They were able to get their son's passport processed under the "old" system so didn't have this long wait for the passport – we're the first Americans for this I believe. So the good news is we're in the homestretch – the bad news is, like so many things in this region, no one knows exactly what the timeframe will be! I have communicated with our contact in Moscow tho and he's ready for us and will have a hotel room reserved for whenever we get there. Judy/Kathy – I think we're going to fly Aeroflot to Moscow. We had one-way tickets here so might as well try it – the pictures Judy had of the plane looked great!! Much better than S7 – and I like the idea of the afternoon flight… But I'm really looking forward to the Starbucks in Moscow – that might be one of the "first stops" for us, right before McDonalds! LOL Is this a sign of desperation???

Oh, well I'm thinking of it I have to tell about our video watching. I think I mentioned Brian figured out the VCR as I said but every movie we've watched at some point shuts off and then Brian has to futz with it to get it going… sometimes it does it for minutes on end and is really quite annoying… well last night we were watching "What Dreams May Come" and while we didn't think it was great it was a movie…so we watched and watched and I said to Brian "you know, we have to be nearing the end so it will shut off right before we find out what happens" – he said "I know" and what do you think happened?? Yep, about 2-minutes later it shut off! Brian got it going tho so we know the end… Sort of like most things in this apartment – functional but not entirely working!! (maybe that includes us also!) Tonight we're going to try watching "The Last of the Mohicans".

Wednesday's pictures

Posing by the oven pancake just out of the oven - note the slinky in front of his face... ah well, that's how the picture goes!!








The Stadium tonight - I just had to have the shashliek we had seen being made earlier so Brian went over to get one and check out what was going on -- it was a hockey game and he said it was LOUD! And the meat was delicious!!!!








Brian and Nathan Genya with their nuts! (ah, it's late - I crack myself up!)








The first of three "armies" marching by -- guards?? ushers?? both??






Second group









Third group









Posing by a sign advetising a lunch special - there is a cafe by the deli we go to but we haven't tried that -- yet!








Pancake Day -- our blini stop and Genya's cow









We had to fight with him to get these bags away from him - he WANTED to carry them and got pouty when we wouldn't let him!








Ok, who can tell us what this sign says? It was by the stadium today

The stadium early afternoon... Speed skating practice

The building to the left (not the grey door) housed the offices where we went to get the Citizenship Stamp... You never know what is inside some of the buildings here (well, most of them you never know!)

Cutting paper this morning

One more link off the chain!

Somewhat posed picture last night - he does sleep with the bear and gives it kisses during the day but usually it's not snuggled up as closely as this!