fall break

How is it possible it's nearly over?!??!

Monday--I have no idea what I did. None.

Tuesday--Met up with a family from my agency who had just collected their daughter from the children's home. She did not like me speaking Russian to her. She froze--seriously, did.not.move--when I did. One time it sent her to the corner to hide. Very, very unsettling. So much for learning Russian to ease the transition. She was two in July and is SO cute! Once she settled in, we had a good time and I got lots of giggles and grins.

Wednesday (aka TRAFFIC DAY)--I left the house just after 9 a.m. to meet with the family mentioned above. They'd borrowed a pack 'n' play and a few toys for their stay. I didn't make it to their flat before they left at 9:30 a.m. It takes about 20 minutes to walk there, but took about 25 minutes to drive.

Then, I went to pick up my Russian teacher to take her shopping. I waited at the pre-arranged meeting place (and walked up and down in the mistiness) for half an hour. She didn't show. So, I drove home (another 20 minute walk--right by the Angleterre, Ann Marie--and a 30 minute drive) and called her. We arranged another meeting place and I headed back out.

By the time I picked her up we were low on gas. We went and got gas and then went back to pick up the baby gear (you don't even want to know how long that took...and I've blocked it out). THEN we went to Mega. We arrived there at 1:45 p.m. (trip to Mega takes 20 minutes with no traffic)

After shopping (I got the bins missing from the bookcase, a grey flokati, some vanilla candles for Friday's visit and some bits and bobs from the French grocery store, Ashan. Galina LOVED Ashan!! She kept comparing this trip to shopping during perestroika. While prices are HIGH on products at Mega, there are products to be bought.) we headed home. I got back after dropping Galina off and getting totally turned around (no surprise--but I did manage to have a happy, peaceful heart and was thankful for maps, that I could read, that I recognized a street, that my car still had gas...) I arrived home at about 9:45 p.m. Loooong day of driving.

Thursday--A school secretary came over to learn to make pumpkin pie. It was nice, but a little uncomfortable because of the glaring difference of my flat/lifestyle provided by the school and hers. I did my best to describe the darling little studio apartment I had in the US that I was so sad to leave (it was in a turn-of-the-20th-century school and I LOVED it) and to be very grateful for what I had now. Still...

Friday--I dropped off the pie at school and then went to meet a friend at the consulate. (We saw some verrrrry interesting political signs that I want to take pictures of...but I've got to be careful.) We walked to her flat and then I spent the afternoon with her and her children (one of whom I taught last year) at her flat, in the car (welcome to life in st. p. apparently, the mayor made a speech ranting and raving about traffic problems. when i asked what she proposed to solve the problem, my question was met with great surprise. the mayor had no proposals. she was just complaining.) and at the Oceanarium. They're a really nice family with whom I always enjoy spending time.

etc (edited to clarify): I didn't ask the mayor what she proposed. I asked the person telling me the story what the mayor proposed.

Today--woke up with a cold and just lounged around. I took some airborne (twice) had tea and toast, read the latest Shopoholic book (can you believe i bought it in hardcover?!! this is why i miss libraries...), watched a Northern Exposure epi, did a some messing around online...

Now there's just tomorrow and Monday (National Day of Unity...whose name makes no sense since Russia and the former Soviet republics are LESS united than the Soviet Union was...) and then I'm back at school. Of course, it'll be a very short work week since I've got my home visit on FRIDAY! I haven't received permission to take that day off yet, but am hopeful...

It's all a blur. And not a very interesting one. I'm sorry for all our sakes!