Bits n Pieces

I spent a big chunk of today reading John and Martitia McGowan's blog, (please ask me if you want their blog address, too) about their adoption of a little boy, Maxim, from Kherson. We spent several hours with them over the the month or so they were here, as did other members of our team. It was very interesting to read about Kherson through new-to-Ukraine/Kherson eyes. So many things I take for granted now - I was reminded how new and unusual and sometimes strange or disgusting or weird it seemed to me when I first got here. I think it's good to be reminded.

I scrolled all the way down to their first post here in Ukraine and read up through them. I wish blogger would let people choose to read oldest posts first if they want to. Maybe they do? And I just don't know about it?

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Melinda invited Mel and me and Alys over for dinner and a movie tonight. She made some pretty good spaghetti and garlic bread, fresh veggies and fruit salad. We brought the movie, A Simple Twist of Fate. We've had it for years and enjoy watching it every time we see it again. It always makes me cry, even if it is a 'feel good' movie.

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Mel asked me this afternoon if I wanted to go down to the city center and see the New Year/Christmas lights. I said "sure!" Then he asked me if I wanted to walk down and I said "sure!". Then he asked me when and I said, "uh, I don't know, when it gets dark?" And he reminded me that I am nervous about walking in the almost-dark because I'm afraid of falling. So since I was busy reading the above mentioned blog, I said, "4:00".

And we did - we left at about 3:55 and got to the post office and it was already closed so I didn't get to see if the package my parents sent us had arrived yet. Will have to wait till Monday. But then we walked on down to the city center and went to Supermarket Alf to buy a couple things (when I say in my head "Supermarket Alf" it is always set to the advertisement music we hear on the radio - wish I could share it with you, too. ha ha!)

The we walked over to Ploshad Svaboda (Freedom Square) where in front of the "White House" (Kherson Oblast government buildings) they have a wonderful display this year. Melinda tells me it was there last year, too, but we weren't here last year to see it. It was a first for us here in Kherson.

Wow! I was impressed. Half of Kherson was there. Well, it seemed like half of Kherson was there, but I know in reality it was just a couple hundred people. One was another American woman that I almost went up to and introduced myself, but my introverted nature kicked in and I just did the Ukrainian thing - I stared at her really hard. She didn't seem to notice, however. :) :) :) Here is a photo of Mel standing under lights of his favorite color - blue, blue, blue.

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So far we still have plenty of gas. So far the flat temperature is staying about the same - between 60 and 62 in the morning when we get up, all the way up to 65 or even a heat wave 68 during the day. I took this photo about 3 o'clock this afternoon.

Cheyenne is freezing - is all over me day and night. She has even taken to sleeping under the covers again, down by my feet.

I am happy to report that I am much more comfortable now then I was just a few weeks ago. Makes me wonder if my body was fighting a virus or something that I was so awfully cold. Now I am handling it much better - sweatshirts and shoes on in the house, yes, but my nose takes a lot longer to go from cold to frozen. I'm even sitting here late tonight (or should I say early tomorrow morning since it is almost 1:30 am) in just a turtleneck without the sweatshirt. Cheyenne is, however, velcroed to my shoulder and neck so that is keeping me much warmer than I would be otherwise. Here I am in this photo almost with a polar bear hugging my neck (maybe that's why I look like I'm being poked from behind?) - I prefer Cheyenne, claws and all -. She purrs much nicer than a bear would.

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Ok, by the time I get to bed, it is going to be 2 a.m. now. I'll try to post more tomorrow, late afternoon after church. For now (yawn), I'm starting to get a headache even tho I don't feel very tired. Hopefully, I'll go to sleep quickly anyway (yawn).