Ok! Cleaned all but the little fortichka window. Can't get to it with the desk in the way - my arms aren't quite that long to reach over and up. I should have taken before and after photos, but didn't think of it until it was too late. Here, however, is an after photo showing the little fortichka.
The fortichka (or is that portichka??) was the cleanest of all of them before I washed them. The far left window looked like someone had sprayed it with heavy dust and then raindrops - several times! The cleaning rag is black from all the pollution. The horrible thing is that the worst black was inside, not outside! Gives an idea of what we breath all the time. (this has been true for me no matter where we have lived - here or in the States. It's not a "Ukraine thing".)Three days, almost 3 loads of laundry. I've got a load in the washer right now, but it's only partly finished and the water is off. Therefore, I need to wait until the water comes back on so I can finish it. Can only wash one load a day in the winter because I can only dry one load at a time. The old "solar dryer" is not working too well :-) and the drying rack only holds one load. I should be caught up, though, by tomorrow afternoon. That is a wonderful feeling. Still easier to go to the laundromat. haha
The ravens are flying around like crazy this morning. Seems like my whole year has been dominated by ravens. They roosted in the trees around my parents place a good part of the summer. Very unusual. It's normal to see them here like this. In fact, I associate the sound of cawing ravens with Ukraine now.
This past year was not a good year in many ways. One of the most stressful I have ever lived through. It had very wonderful highlights, to be sure, but mostly I am very glad that 2010 is over. I really hope 2011 is better. Really, really.
Someone just came to the door. A couple younger teenagers. Mel asked what they wanted and after several tries, he finally told the young men that he was a foreigner and didn't understand. As he shut and locked the door it finally dawned on him that they wanted to throw rice (or wheat?) on the floor and say poems and then we would give them candy. It's a Christmas tradition here, a very old one as I understand it. Unfortunately, we have no candy to give. And I really don't want to clean grain off the floor for the next week. :-) We may have more kids as the day goes by. Interesting - it's not even noon-thirty and they were here. Usually this is an evening thing. Maybe because it's just not safe any more to do it after dark??
Speaking of which - the sun is already to the far right of the building and is getting low in the sky. Wow! Daylight goes quickly this time of year.
Andrew posted on facebook last night that my parent's old dog, Eagle, died. He was 15 and a Chow/German Shepard mix. He had a very long and healthy and good life. Still, it's so sad. Wish I could be there to comfort my mother over the next several days. I think in many ways she is identifying with her old pets. (Mandy is 13, I think, and also a large dog, and is senile.) She talked often about how both Eagle and Mandy were going to die soon and that we needed to treat them carefully and with patience because they were old. After her stroke 18 months ago and then the surgery this past year that wiped her out for several weeks (I think it was reaction to the meds they put her on) - Mom has been very fragile. That, and the family blow-up that happened this summer. I know both she and Dad have had a rough year. Now the older pets are dying.
We had a discussion just a night or two before Mel and I left. Mom and I talked for 2 or 3 hours and death was one of the things we talked about. She and Dad got their wills in order after the blow-up, making sure things were exactly as they want them to be. I don't know all the details, just a few highlights, but I am pleased that they did what they did. Death is never easy to contemplate, but we need to do so. No one lives forever, at least not on this earth!
Got an email from Kara today, telling me she didn't know how Stirling was taking Eagle dying because he found out just before he left for school. She did say that both Eithnee and Stirling are missing us a lot. Eithnee maybe more than Stirling at this point because I held Eithnee so much, nuzzled her neck, bounced her on my knee, hugged her, fed her and loved her to pieces. Funny - I spent a lot more time with her, but I miss Stirling the most.
Can't go there right now. No - can't go there. Already have tears in my eyes.
All for now.
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