bearshorty: (Default)
Happy Birthday, Misha!

Papa bought the tastiest bagels this morning – very crispy.

I finished Stephen Fry’s autobiography. I really enjoyed it. Mostly because of his humor and because he actually tells of less than good stuff that he did as a teenager – he did spend a little time in jail over stealing a credit card. And I do enjoy reading about people’s childhoods. I’m actually looking forward to the next bit – ages 20 to 40 – that he is writing now. I need to get that when it will get published. Now, I think, I will get back to the biography of Catherine the Great or at least the next section of the book before I break with some fiction.

We went to Brooklyn for half a day. First, Papa and I went to visit my grandparents where I helped set up their emergency cell phone. Then we joined Mama on Brighton and walked around a bit on the boardwalk. It was such a sunny day with lovely blue skies. Mama was in a snit, though, so the walk was not as enjoyable as it could have been. We did have a nice lunch. I had a very delicious chicken with vegetables and tomato juice.

In the afternoon, I finally started a new cross stitch project called “An Interesting Book,” which is a small cross stitch of a bear sitting on a toilet with blue underpants around his ankles and wearing pink slippers and reading a book. Hee. Hee. I bought it in June at a book market in Minsk. It really amuses me. I’m not ready for a big project yet, I’ve been doing smaller ones for a year and a half now.

I also went rollerblading for 45 minutes today, which makes me feel good. I need to make more effort to work out even if I don’t get to the beach to rollerblade. I do have an exercise machine in my room, maybe I should use it. I did break out my little free weights and did some stuff while watching “Real Time with Bill Maher.” I didn’t even realize that the show premiered on Friday. Usually I watch it a week later with weekend breakfast but I caught it today. I think because the media gives so much coverage to the tea party, it seems like the country gone insane. But I do hold hope that most people are actually sane and the minority is just loud.

Laura just came over because she needed her nursing paper proofed. It is much easier to edit someone who at least has intelligent points to make. She was looking at my cross-stitches and thinking of trying something like it. And getting the Kid into that too. That would be cool.

I need to get some grading done tonight. I think I will start with a paper that I know will fail. I usually pick up speed and desire to grade the more grading I do. Like a snowball.
bearshorty: (Default)
I like waking up in the morning and just reading whatever book is currently on my bedside table. (Right now it is a biography of Catherine the Great). Before my day starts I can just lounge a bit. I also started the July issue of "National Geographic".

I watched the latest episode of ‘Burn Notice” with breakfast. I love having onDemand and the ability to watch an episode whenever I want. I do like the new addition to the team and the story arc this season doesn’t grate. Perfect summer offering.

I also looked at some things online before Bear came over. Here is a link I found interesting: some of our decisions are unconsciously made , like holding a warm cup of coffee makes us friendlier to a person we are talking to.

Bear and I had a terrific day together. We went to see “Toy Story 3” in the movie theater. (I can’t believe the price of the movie ticket now – it is definitely a treat now to go to movies.) The movie itself was wonderful and amazing. I cried at the end, that was one effective ending. I think, this movie is my favorite of the trilogy. The escape scenes were intense, and very creative. At one point, I wasn’t even sure where the story was going with characters in such peril. They created fabulous suspense there. But they also did signal what will happen, they just distracted the audience to forget about it. Pixar doesn’t disappoint as usual. Now, they just need a movie with the main female character.

After the movie, we went to the Indian restaurant that we like and had a delicious dinner. I got chicken tikka masala today. They have a buffet on weekends and I keep forgetting about it.

After dinner, we briefly stopped by the comic book store where I checked on the new Wonder Woman issue that is getting such press for changing the costume and story. I actually like the new costume, but it is not like I’m attached to the character or anything.

Bear and I capped our date with fireworks. A lot of places are having fireworks today, on July 3, instead of tomorrow, since tomorrow are the main New York fireworks that many want to see. We drove about fifteen minutes to a park where there was a concert (US army band) and fireworks. It took us a while to find parking and walk to the lawn where all this was taking place but then we settled down on the grass and waited for the fireworks to start. There were lots and lots of people. First, we saw some displays across the water (probably in New Jersey) and then we got our own show, set to some fairly patriotic songs. The fireworks were very pretty with lots of colors. My favorite fell down like golden ivy. They went on for a while too. I like the ephemeral nature of fireworks – they are only there for a moment and it is only really impressive live and not on TV.

We got turned around walking out of the park, since it was pretty dark, so we had to walk with a crowd for a while before orienting ourselves of where the car was. So we walked more to get to the car. But it was a very nice night and extra walking was actually a bonus. I did walk by some poison ivy so I was worried that I got some on my leg. I washed my leg at home and it looks like nothing really happened there. But other than that, the whole day was rather wonderful.
bearshorty: (Default)
I started “Catherine the Great” book that I got for my birthday. The intro is meh but first chapter is really good, lots of quotes from primary sources. One thing- no genealogy chart anywhere in the book and that Russian tsars and tsaritsas were very tricky – the genealogy is a bit complicated with cousins, half-siblings, wife’s – I really had to look that up. Internet can be a great thing, the research is so easy.

There was a fair at the beach this weekend and we went for a few hours this late morning. It was really hot with little wind, so Mama couldn’t take too much heat. Still, I managed to see every stall. I got myself a blue anclet. I found a funny t-shirt for Bear but they did not have his size, unfortunately. It is a tea-shirt of Stewie with a quote “I’d love to stay and chat but you are a total idiot” It was only $5 there – I found it online later for $18 Arh. No t-shirt for Bear this time. I also bought Italian sausage.

In the afternoon Papa and I watched the World Cup (USA vs Ghana) while I was cross-stitching. I was mostly cross-stitching and looking up when there was excitement in the air. For the first half Americans were asleep. They are not even playing with the ball there, just defending. Second half, they kept the pressure on and did much better. Finally. It was exciting with Donovan landed the penalty shot. I have much respect for Ghana’s goalie who saved so many shots. It’s too bad that we didn’t make it. Second half and overtime was good soccer.

Doctor Who S5E13 )

Doctor Who S5E10 )

There was a bit of drama with NH vacation, but it was sorted, I think, because it is really hard to reschedule five people – it was hard enough to find the time in the first place. So no rescheduling.
bearshorty: (Default)
Happy Birthday to me!

It is my birthday – my favorite day of the year. And it was truly a very happy birthday. I couldn’t fall asleep last night since palpitations decided to make themselves known and, I guess, I was a bit worried for today, but they were manageable again by morning and it all turned out well. And the weather started out rainy and by 11am for all blue skies and sunny and about 28C (82F) and very hot, just my kind of weather.

I woke up and read a bit until my parents woke up, pulled my ears and gave me lots of presents. Mama got me a pearl necklace from Novica, the same type as I got Sveta only in my stone. Papa got me a Russian biography of Catherine the Great and printouts of the presents waiting for me at home including a Soviet Moscow Olympics coin for the year of my birth, W. Somerset Maugham’s “Theatre,” soundtrack to “(500) Days of Summer,” and Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution Cookbook” (Uncle Tolya mentioned that he is on TV in Belarus too). I also opened Bear’s card, that he gave me before I left, and it was perfect: he found one with a polar bear holding flowers with a big heart and inside Bear wrote a mushy message.

In the kitchen were three white-pink roses with a card and diamond-shaped pendant with a blue stone from my Aunt’s whole family. I wore it today with my violet summer shirt.

picture of my roses )

After a breakfast of omelet, we left under umbrella’s for Katya’s to pick them up to go to Park Gorkogo or Gorky Park. That part has lots of amusement rides for kids and it was always a favorite of mine. Not to mention the trees and woods are pretty too. So I saved the excursion there until my birthday. And that was loads of fun. We walked to it along the river back first and through another leafy park. Rain stopped by the then and it was a lovely walk with not a lot of people around. We got to Gorky Park right after 10:30, walked toward the rides and waited until 11 for the rides to open (you pay per ride). This is what we did:

• Bumper cars – I was going pretty fast there. Papa skipped this time. Still this one is always fun
• Ferris Wheel – not as scary as it used to be since the cabins are now fully closed. Well, one can go in one where you are just strapped in and your feet dangle but that is too scary for me. I’m not great with certain heights. Was still a bit scary going up even in a closed cabin, not as much going down. The view was amazing, though. Mama skipped this one.
• Swan ride – Mama and Lenya went on this one. A circular ride and you control how high the swan goes.
• Helicopter ride – Katya and Lenya this time. Same principle as the swan but smaller.
• Shooting range – Mama, I, Katya and Lenya all shot from this shooting rifle. We all had five shots, Mama a bit more. I missed all. Mama hit at least three targets, Lenya hit one and came close a few times (and that is with his not brilliant vision).
• Toilet – fun ride into Soviet times with a hole in the ground design and the privilege of paying for it.
• Fun house – Katya, Lenya and I went in a small room filled with fun mirrors. We had an awesome time. I liked the abstract mirror and skinny mirror.
• Soap bubbles – I used to love it as a kid so naturally I got me and Lenya some. We both had loads of fun with it. I got big bubbles out of it and we would try to catch some too.
• Lunch – pancake with mushrooms – a light lunch because of the café later and anticipation of tons of food.
• Boat ride – Mama wanted to go so we all went. Saw baby ducks and some views.

view on the river )

At the end, around 2pm, we stopped by the tall Victory Memorial with the eternal flame outside the park and were trying to figure out how many hero-cities there actually are. We were counting too many on the display. ( I just looked it up – there are 12 plus Brest has a title of Hero-Fortress.) Then we all caught the metro home. Papa and I got out a stop early to exchange money and I stopped by “Thumbelina,” my childhood toy store. Then we walked home lamenting the heat.

I checked my email – Bear sent me an e-card as well with flowers, hug, cake and love and with a bear in it. I also chatted with Tjamke on Skype, which was fun.

Then I had to take a shower and get ready for the café and my party. My black dress that my parents gave me earlier is just awesome and very pretty. I wore my hair in a sort of low tail and put on my new pearl flower necklace, tan, stockings and heels. We left for the café a little early to find parking and we walked around the area a bit.

All guests arrived rather promptly at seven, which was surprising. We had ten adults and three kids. Tanya and Misha gave me a glass flower and an awesome book on history of Minsk. (The kids and I were examining it later – Lenya and I have love of books on common and it was great to relate to him looking at the book). Sveta gave me another beautiful set – a silver tray with a milk and sugar bowls, which I opened later at home.

The café itself was very nice. The food was very good - I got a steak – the music was perfect in that it wasn’t loud and we could have conversations, and our waiter Julia was lovely. I played with Lika a little. We took lots of pictures and stayed there for four hours. Misha sang for me and Lenya played a song for me on the piano. I has a really excellent day. If Bear were here it would have been perfect.

Oh, and something I didn’t anticipate: instead of marriage questions, I got all sorts of wishes to procreate and give me parents some grandchildren. (which would also solve their hovering problem, according to Katya). They all skipped the wedding part. Maybe I should have had a game about that.

Two more days here, I’m ready to go home. I think packing starts tomorrow. This is turning out into a really good vacation but I’m ready to go home to my life.

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