13 November 2010

oh, the glamour

Let's dispel any lingering illusion of glamour that may be hiding in the corners of this blog.

The big news around here is...the pink grocery store, used-to-be-Parnas, has now had, consistently, Green Giant green beans AND peas AND corn. Ho, ho, ho. That's big. That used to be at least two different stores, about an hour apart.

They do not, however, stock our milk.

Stockmann's opened and they might have Campbell's tomato soup. There are days when $8 for a can of soup seems entirely reasonable. Campbell's soup has started showing up in bags on store shelves...but only weird flavours. Stockmann's, at least until proven otherwise, is the the hope fluttering in many an ex-pat's heart. They have vanilla, too. Probably.

I have a battle waging with my third toe on my left foot. It's testing me to see how short I'll cut the nail to avoid it in-growing.

It's raining. Still. And the puddles are all the color of pollution. And so are the hems of our pants, our boots, the car windows and any nasal discharge (either our own--sneakily peeked at in a tissue to see if a sinus infection is lurking--or others' discharged onto the street). Yes. Disgusting Glamorous.

The other morning someone parked so close to me and at such an angle that it took five minutes, easily, to unpark. Which made me late. And not best pleased.

Today I went to do a voiceover for a film. I was practically giddy over the opportunity to ACT --even for a couple of lines. I'd talked a friend into coming too, because they needed two American women and a little American girl. Turns out, they really only needed one woman. The second (me, because her daughter was dubbing, too, and so they went in together first) was just in case the first bombed. They didn't tell me that part. She didn't bomb. I uttered nary a word...in English. I uttered a few disgruntled ones in Russian.

My parmesan cheese molded and had to be thrown out. Cheese is ridiculously expensive here.

My cat is now so overweight that she cannot properly wash herself and needs baby-wiping and bathing of her back end. (Nope. Not overfed. I suspect depressed and bullied.)

Let's not even talk about my weight.

I don't think I have enough otc prescription-strength deodorant to last through the year and combat the toxic sweat. Go ahead and blog-search that one. It's been blogged about for a looooong time.

The cashier at the pie restaurant downstairs tried to cheat me out of 200 r. The charge was 280, I gave her 500, she asked for 30, I gave it to her, she gave me 50. And started helping the next customer. I picked up the receipt, showed her it and loudly told her she only gave me 50 r. She just looked sullen. I got the hostile "you're an American" look because I didn't let her pocket my 200r. I am so sick of cashiers doing this! The last time it was at a BANK. I do know how to count, thank you very much. Give me my correct change.

I can never spell restaurant without thinking. And second guessing. And spell checking.

Light bulbs last about four days. (This time frame might be slightly exaggerated.) And they're too tall for me to reach, even on our ladder. So the landlord has to send someone with a tall ladder to do it. But, they don't come every four days. So...it's a little dark.

It's a little dark. The sun comes up after we're in school and goes down shortly after we get home. And it's still November.

The drains in our bathroom often are odorous. It is not my fault. Neither is anything effective in eliminating this problem.

I gave away so many clothes last spring that now I've got SERIOUS wardrobe problems. Serious. And France was way too expensive for me to shop.

The drunks at the produkti below us are shouting at each other outside my window.

And that's just the beginning of the glamour. ;>

16 comments:

Lindsay said...

Green with envy :)

And was eating (chocolate filled plastic 'croissant' no less) when I got to your nasal discharge issues. Won't be doing that again for a while!

Barb said...

You seriously crack me up. Glamorous. Love it. I can't spell indefinitely right the first time. ever.

julian said...

I'd still take it if only for a year or two!

Tina in CT said...

Yuk! I bet you can't wait to move back home to the US.

$8 for a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup. Robbery. I don't eat it that much so I don't think I'd miss it enough to pay that price.

I had someone box me in at the parking lot connected with the Science Museum in Boston. A man passing by guided me while I got the car out. It seemed like it was taking forever.

I know what you mean about the hot buildings. I like my house at 65 so I melt when I'm at my daughter's in Moscow. I also am amazed how all the Russians sit on the subways with all their heavy outer clothes on. The minute I walk into the subway, I take off my gloves, hat, scarf and down coat or I'd just die. I must be part penguin.

About your cat, overfeeding him?

Anonymous said...

ok, so maybe it's not ALL glamour all the time. what's up with the lightbulbs being so short-lived?

Signe said...

Wow!
ummmm,
my dog toots in his sleep AND my both he and my daughter snore reeeeaaally loudly..... does that help at all??
xoxo

Craig said...

Hello, dear Kate. I have good and bad news. Stockmann's does indeed have Campbell's tomato soup. However, I seem to remember the cost being more than $10 a can. I was very excited to find Pepperidge Farm cookies and Smuckers grape jelly as well!

Rachael said...

Boo on the voice-over axe!

I always second guess restaurant too. And glamour! Glamor? Thank god for spell check. (Which I sometimes still second guess.)

Nice to hear from you though. I miss my blog friends now that we all seem to be blogging less and less.

ALPAL said...

Please come home. I can't spell restuarant, either. See...

We live in a very small, rural town, and I can't find decent deli meats, any of my favorite cereals, and fresh produce much of the year. Not quite the same as you, but I can sort of relate.

Lindy D. said...

I hope this is your last year in Russia. BTW, have you taken Lexi to see St. Isaac's Catherdral? It was my favorite site in St. Petersburg. I loved the lapis and malachite columns. Just amazing.

Team Bedzyk said...

Can we send you some soup? Maybe we can bring it in person early 2011, have a feeling our referral for #4 is coming soon!

Amy...who wanted 4. said...

That sounds simply dreadful.
I was bribed/blackmailed at the St.Petersburg airport by the lady at the counter.
I know the frustration with that.
I am on day 6 of antibiotics for a sinus infection.
My dog is also fat.
Maybe I could sign my name at the end of your post too.
Nothing glamorous about being a mom.

Dawn said...

Sigh. Hope venting a little helped.

The Accidental Mommy said...

Well it all looked just lovely on The Amazing Race. When the show came on I excitedly announced that I know someone who lives there. The girls asked me who and I was like.... um,... just take my word for it. Dang kids with their questions!

Matt and Carla Morgan said...

Girl - you really make me appreciate my convenient life!

cm

beckyww said...

ROFL!!