Major Remont

I love that word: remont. It's Russian for 'remodel' or 'reconstruction' or 'fix up your flat' or 'get rid of the cracks in the facade and paint the building again.' And lots of other things, as well. I've heard it used in a variety of ways. I use the word all the time, mostly because it's so easy to say. Reee-mont.

A few weeks ago I wrote that the neighbor across the landing from our flat died. Well, whoever owns the flat is now doing major remont to it. It started yesterday morning at 9:00 and went on all day long.

BANG! SLAM! CLANG! BANGBANGBANGBANG! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Way into late evening.

I noticed sometime during the day that another toilet had flushed it's last flush and was sitting all dejected out by the dumpster.

Mel left and a few minutes later he called me on his mobile phone to tell me that it wasn't just one floor in our podyezd doing remont, but at least two floors. Remont in the toilet room at least, and maybe in the bathroom as well. We aren't sure.

They are at it again this morning.

(read the loud words in bold print a few sentences above for sound effects.)

But this time when I look out the window, this is what I see! Three floors are getting their toilet rooms remonted (I even past tense the Russian verb in English). As is my want (is that how that phrase is said?), something immediately came to mind:
"Down by the station, early in the morning, see the little puffer bellies, all in a row." Now that song is stuck in my head. The song has absolutely nothing to do with toilets sitting out beside the dumpsters, but it does at least connect in that they are sitting out there early in the morning all in a row.

Sometimes I wonder about me.
And then I laugh and say to myself, at least I am interesting to myself and don't bore myself to tears!
ha ha

As I was busy taking photos from the kitchen window, which has a better view than the balcony but needs to be washed and makes the photos a bit blurry, this guy came by and I just had to take his photo. I think it's just inevitable - there is a toilet, he's a boy (ok, an older boy, granted), he must put something in it. :)
And last, but not least, a little flock of sparrows sat on our balcony cage and grapevine and watched him. Here is one little guy, just before he flew away.