16 Sivan/29 May, 2010
May. 29th, 2010 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyPapa and I woke up early all ready to go to the book market. Sasha was supposed to pick us up at 7:30 but he was late and not answering his cell phone. Papa said immediately that he was asleep after having a bit to drink but Aunt Vera was adamant that he was always punctual and doesn’t drink too often. There was a bit of a worry panic between Aunt Vera and Katya as more and more time passed. They called his friends including a cop friend of his. Finally, after an hour Sasha called. Papa was right. He had a little to drink and went to sleep late and missed twenty two phone calls right by his ear. Finally, at 8:45, he picked us up and we drove to Katya’s where we picked up Katya and Lenya and went to the book market. (Sasha got to hear many lectures the whole day on not stressing his mother and sister).
As soon as we got to the book market, Papa immediately met a classmate of his. I found Kir Byluchev’s (my favorite sci-fi writer) early Alice stories for about $3 and got two copies – one for Misha and one for Lika. I also found an encyclopedia about animals for Lika and a children’s fairy tale book for Bear that includes “Masha and the Bear,” a tale of slavery and outwitting your captor, and “Three Bears,” a tale of a break-in and the thief and wrecker of furniture not being punished. Papa bought a bunch of books for himself and three for Lenya. Lenya is obsessed with the War of 1812 (the one where Napoleon invades Russia) at the moment.
After the book fair we went to Misha’s ‘lineika.’ This is a ‘last bell’ ceremony for 11th graders (last grade in Russian schools), some 9th grades (who can go to technical schools after exams and not to 10, 11 grade if they want) and where first graders are present for contrast. Misha just finished first grade. It was all pretty cute. I can’t believe that this graduating class was born when I left for America. There was a little girl dance group that was very age appropriate (unlike that “single ladies” video storming the internet), I gave Misha his book as a present.
Then we picked up Katya again (we dropped her at home to get some chores done), and left for dacha. We bought some ice-cream on the way. We had a delicious lunch, once we got there, of potatoes with mushrooms and salad and delicious shish-kebabs that were even better than last week. We then relaxed a bit as I finished the monkey cross stitch and Katya was making something with a hook.
Later Sasha, Katya, Lenya and I went to Kurgan Slavy (Hill of Glory, a WWII memorial – where four soviet armies joined before driving Germans out of Belarus). When we parked, some guy named Misha asked Sasha for a ride to check on order for some sort of party going on there. He left us his documents for security (he is a border guard at the airport). Sasha makes friends at the strangest places. After he got back (we passed the time with the tanks at the bottom of the hill), we climbed up Kurgan Slavy – it was drizzling a bit and windy, but the view on top is awesome. We counted about 250 steps.
We stayed at dacha until 7:30pm, relaxed, went for a walk in a real forest. The air there is just so rich and a bit wood smoky. Really wonderful air. We got home by 8:30 and it was still bright outside – at this time of year the sun rises very early and sets really late, we are north enough for a very short night. We called grandparents. Then we watched a little of Eurovision – about nine songs before we went to sleep. Eurovision is so popular in Europe and it is hard to believe that America really doesn’t know or care about it. So far out of nine songs, I like Spain. Belarus was ok - voices and costumes were really good but the song was a bit boring.
As soon as we got to the book market, Papa immediately met a classmate of his. I found Kir Byluchev’s (my favorite sci-fi writer) early Alice stories for about $3 and got two copies – one for Misha and one for Lika. I also found an encyclopedia about animals for Lika and a children’s fairy tale book for Bear that includes “Masha and the Bear,” a tale of slavery and outwitting your captor, and “Three Bears,” a tale of a break-in and the thief and wrecker of furniture not being punished. Papa bought a bunch of books for himself and three for Lenya. Lenya is obsessed with the War of 1812 (the one where Napoleon invades Russia) at the moment.
After the book fair we went to Misha’s ‘lineika.’ This is a ‘last bell’ ceremony for 11th graders (last grade in Russian schools), some 9th grades (who can go to technical schools after exams and not to 10, 11 grade if they want) and where first graders are present for contrast. Misha just finished first grade. It was all pretty cute. I can’t believe that this graduating class was born when I left for America. There was a little girl dance group that was very age appropriate (unlike that “single ladies” video storming the internet), I gave Misha his book as a present.
Then we picked up Katya again (we dropped her at home to get some chores done), and left for dacha. We bought some ice-cream on the way. We had a delicious lunch, once we got there, of potatoes with mushrooms and salad and delicious shish-kebabs that were even better than last week. We then relaxed a bit as I finished the monkey cross stitch and Katya was making something with a hook.
Later Sasha, Katya, Lenya and I went to Kurgan Slavy (Hill of Glory, a WWII memorial – where four soviet armies joined before driving Germans out of Belarus). When we parked, some guy named Misha asked Sasha for a ride to check on order for some sort of party going on there. He left us his documents for security (he is a border guard at the airport). Sasha makes friends at the strangest places. After he got back (we passed the time with the tanks at the bottom of the hill), we climbed up Kurgan Slavy – it was drizzling a bit and windy, but the view on top is awesome. We counted about 250 steps.
We stayed at dacha until 7:30pm, relaxed, went for a walk in a real forest. The air there is just so rich and a bit wood smoky. Really wonderful air. We got home by 8:30 and it was still bright outside – at this time of year the sun rises very early and sets really late, we are north enough for a very short night. We called grandparents. Then we watched a little of Eurovision – about nine songs before we went to sleep. Eurovision is so popular in Europe and it is hard to believe that America really doesn’t know or care about it. So far out of nine songs, I like Spain. Belarus was ok - voices and costumes were really good but the song was a bit boring.