Anniversary Waltz

Today, Tanya and I are married three years.  We've been together as a couple three and a half which was June 2006 when she agreed to marry me.  She won't tell me the exact date and I am in some trouble for not knowing it as she counts from then while I count from the wedding.  To her a wedding is "signing some documents", the commitment was made when I asked and she answered.

At any rate we celebrated by going into town for groceries.  Figured it was time.  The fridge was so empty, when we opened the door the vacuum sucked the cat in.  $150 worth of groceries later we are ready for Christmas with at least enough food for triple the number of attendees to dinner.  The turkey came out of the freezer today, too.

At 3:00 Andrei drove us to Krivii Rih (his second trip of the day) to buy Tanya her winter coat.  We had been in last week and nothing fit.  There are lots of Babushka's her size and shape but apparently they have either already attracted the money to buy a leather and fur coat or never will. The shops in the mall had many beautiful expensive fur coats to fit the tall leggy luscious blondes that are attracting new money but nothing for my gorgeous blonde that got a late start.  One shop had called to say that they had a couple of coats in that would fit her so back we went.

Of course she had to try on coasts and dresses in several other shops first.  The two coats did fit and then it was "chocolate or vanilla".  One was a street length black leather suede coat with fur trim around the hood and sleeves, the other was car-length black suede with a fur collar and trim.  She looked like a million in either one.  She finally settled for the longer coat and promised she would buy the short one for next winter.

I had to go to a bankomat to get cash.  When I brought it back, I said to Tanya, "Happy Anniversary, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentines Day, Happy..."  The sales lady cracked up as she understood enough English to follow the conversation.

Then Tanya dragged me back to a dress shop where she had found a beautiful classy dress for about $250.  I said you can have it if they take MasterCard.  A safe bet, thank God, as they didn't.  Neither did the store where we bought the coat.  Cash only and no cash register.  This is 2010 and stores that sell clothing in the $250 to $2500 range don't have cash registers or bank card terminals.  And some guy commenting on an article in The Economist complained because they are referred to as "post-communist" countries after 20 years.

Tanya bought my Christmas present today too. Just down corridor from the coat store was a music store with not bad guitars for not bad prices.  Furthermore the store had electronic tuners for guys like me who cannot tune a guitar to save their soul. It has been 35 years. But I will practice.  My fingertips are so sore right now, but not bleeding yet so no complaints. 

Oh, the guitar shop had a credit card terminal.