The Dog Ate My Homework

Actually, the bank machine ate my bankcard.  Last night at 6:00. It jammed when the ATM tried to spit it back at me before it gave me cash, so it kept the card.  And the cash.  So this morning we had to go to the bank and get the card back. No problem.  Took 40 minutes from when we walked in the bank until we walked out. Trying to explain what had happened was futile.  The bank lady said "Their bank didn't handle foreign bank cards anymore".  Yeah, right, with Cirrus?  I don't think so.  She was just making it up.

We leave tomorrow morning.  Tanya has been slowly packing us for a week.  We are traveling light.  Since we were last there, her sister has indoor plumbing and an automatic washer so we can wash clothes easy enough.  Too bad she had to wait until she was in her late 40's to get something she could have had years ago.  Sometimes we are so busy cutting trees we don't have time to sharpen the axe.

I have been busy backing up computers and transferring files to my notebook, just in case I need something.  Tanya put the last bedding plants in, the rest will wait until she gets back, I guess.  Yuri and Katya were here for an hour getting instructions.  Yuri will run a new sink drain while we are away.  Kata will keep an eye on the place, water the plants and feed the animals.

Spring finally arrived and we are already into late spring.  The days are over 20C. The cuckoos are back as of Sunday.  The storks have been back for a week or so and the mourning doves a week before that.  The grass is green everywhere and 6" tall.  The cows and goats are out grazing, thankful to be free from their winter stalls and coarse over-ripe hay. All the trees are showing green, some are in half leaf already.  The fruit trees are starting to bloom and everywhere are pink and white blossoms.  This spring seems to me more special, more wonderful, to see all things growing again.  It has been a long grey winter.

Tanya's flowers are bursting into bloom, just as we leave, so we will miss the early flowers - tulips and lilies.  The peonies will be blooming shortly after we get back, I think. Tanya loves her flowers and the least I can do, since I can't "help", is be proud of her work.  And I am, in case you hadn't noticed.  More pictures...(And just wait till I have grandkids - I should live so long?).