Today we grocery shopped

It was COLD again here today! -24c I think it was up to when we ventured outside but no wind and the sun was shining so it wasn't as bad as yesterday – our faces still got cold tho! We didn't go out until early afternoon as we kept hoping it would get warmer but finally just had to go. We stopped at the "fast food" restaurant for a "shashliek" today – a chicken shish-ka-bob. It was quite good – MUCH better than those horrible hamburgers we had there! LOL We then ventured into the market.

Brian has done more grocery shopping with me in the past three weeks than he has done in 12-years of marriage – he says he's about had enough but until I get my car again he's my grocery carrier so he has to come along! We had fun buying the groceries at the market – they would try to tempt you in with samples in some places (meat – cheese). We bought some bacon and wieners, pork chops, chicken breasts, cheese, sour cream & butter, tea bags, lots of fruit & vegetables (including onions and potatoes), raspberries, strawberries, mushrooms & bread. Everyone was quite helpful and the prices, for Russia, reasonable. Then we went to the "meat market" as I call it (the market under the stadium) and bought ground beef and beef stew meat. We have lots of meat now! We carried this all back to the apartment as we were overflowing by then!

A brief rest and warm up and we headed back uptown (downtown?) to the regular supermarket. There were a few things I wasn't exactly sure how to get at the other market but in retrospect we probably would find – maybe when we have to restock. We got eggs, milk, hamburger buns!, applesauce, kids yogurt, juice, tomato sauce, Pepsi, noodles, rice and some of the cookies I like. We also got some peelmeni (like tortellini but the Russian version). I've been hesitant on buying as I can't read what filling is in them but we picked a bag that has a drawing of a smiling young boy on the front so I told Brian I was sure it said "kids like this!" We can only try! Then we carried that all back to the apartment. We maybe didn't walk long today but we did get our exercise!

Back at the apartment I divided the chicken and ground beef into meal size portions. Then I can just pull out what I need for the dish. I have a tentative meal plan but always subject to change – but I know we have ingredients now! Our cupboards and refrigerator are full!

So, what did we do for dinner then? We went out! We figured this was our last chance at a "nicer meal" as we should be getting Nathan tomorrow. We finally went to the place I wanted to try the last two trips here – the Russian Tea House just around the corner from the apartment. Their sign is in Russian and English so we hoped for an English menu. I have learned how to ask now if they have a menu in English and they sure did – even multiple copies! Some of the translations are funny and some items we have NO IDEA what it could be but overall it was the most extensive English menu (other than the Beer House) that we've seen here! The prices were comparable to the Beer House but the portions were much larger! We posted pictures of our entrees – mine was ½ a chicken! Brian started with Pea Soup (had ham and veggies in a clear broth) and I had Cheese Soup that had corn, carrots and onions in it also. Both were quite good serving sizes and tasty! Then I had the Chicken Takasa which I pictured as a chicken breast but as mentioned was ½ the chicken! I brought the leg and thigh home for a future lunch! Brian had the Pork Chop battered with egg, onion and salsa. He said it was very good (which is high praise from him!). I had sautéed veggies as my garnish – carrots, red peppers and cucumbers in butter (yum!) and Brian had French fries and he said those were good too. The fries here, for the most part, are like the ones from 5-Guys or In n Out – yumm-o! We were very pleased with the meal and service and recommend this place! One thing we thought of tonight we've been forgetting to comment on – at every "sit down" meal we've had (just not for like tea breaks or the fast food place) we get sticks of gum with our bill. Like in the States you might get a peppermint? Here you get Wrigley's gum of some sort – nice touch!

JJ called tonight. Our webcam session this morning didn't work too well but he was able to "see" us for awhile so that made him happy! He has a problem when talking on the phone @ my parents as he keeps hitting a button and disconnecting us so then they have to dial back. I said to him "JJ, you have to be careful not to hit that button!" He replied "that's why you need to come home, so I can just TALK to you!" LOL I said we're trying and every day is a day closer! He said he knew and took it very well. He's maturing quite a bit through this all – and that is a good thing! He's busy watching You Tube so he can tell Brian different things about the Mario game when they talk – good bonding! I hear he also got a haircut so looking forward to seeing a picture of that! (hint, mom!)