Family Photos

 Yesterday we had a BBQ/Shashlik with all of our Zhovti Vody family here except Lena's Mom.  We finished supper and then were driven inside by wind and rain so at least it held off that long.  Problem with photos is people shooting the pics who are unfamiliar with the camera.  For the entire group, Ky set her camera up on a high stool so that pic turned out the best.

The whole family including Baba Galya (Masha's Great Grandmother) and Baba Natasha (Masha's other Grandmother) and Maxim, of course who is where ever Masha is whenever possible

Ky, Tanya, Lena and Bronwyn and of course Masha

Ky, Roman, Andrei, Bronwyn

Party Time

We are having a BBQ/Shashlik party today for the whole family from Zhovti Vody.  Tanya and the girls are busy getting the food ready.  The girls are making hamburgers and Tanya shashlik.  Roman will be in charge of cooking, starting about 3:00.  Masha's Baba Natasha and Baba Galya will come too and I hope, Lena's mom.  Bronwyn has not met Roman and Lena yet but Tanya and Masha came with Andrei to pick us up at the station on Saturday night which was really nice. 

The girls have been playing with the dogs.  Ky has trained them both to sit on command.  The other day we were walking them and came across an abandoned two month old puppy who "followed us home".  Lucia's dog is so old, we persuaded her that she needed a new dog and of course her grandson Maxim fell in love with the puppy immediately. I hope when Zhenia gets home from his holiday that he likes the puppy too. (Yes, they take separate holidays.  When you have garden and animals - chickens, pigs, turkeys - someone has to be home.)

Yesterday we went to Dnipropetrovsk to shop.  Bronwyn has her international licence so she could drive most of the way there and back, with Tanya coaching.  Both enjoyed that but I enjoyed it more than they did. The girls bought souvenirs, clothes and handbags.  I "looked" for summer runners and a hat but couldn't find anything that fit.

Right now I am working on two consulting projects - one to finish and a new one in Siberia pending.  We may get to see Tanya's family this year after all.  Good thing Luda is putting in water, sewer and an indoor bathroom because I warned Valerie that if they didn't, the next time I came I was setting fire to their outhouse to force the issue. He is never home (trucking coal 400 km across the mountains to Tuva) and Luda is a good general contractor like her sister, so it is actually getting done.

Now I better get busy so I am finished something when it is time for people to arrive.

It's the Rules

I bought Roman a new keyboard yesterday for his birthday as his old one had a broken wire.  He took it home and it didn't work so today we took it back to the big electronics shop where we bought it.  The same girl was at the till and knew who we were.  We had the receipt and the MC slip.  They needed a passport.  Mine or Roman's.  Didn't matter but to return it they needed a passport with positive identification.  We went and got Roman's passport and got the amount credited to my MC.  I was so proud.  I had mastered enough Russian to tell them their service was terrible and that I will not buy anything from them again.

We went to a little computer shop "Mir" and got excellent service, a 5% discount card and the knowledge that problems would be dealt with immediately with no red tape.  I like small shops.

This afternoon Tanya, Ky and I drove to Krivii Rih to get the 75,000 km oil change done on the Kia.  That cost us about $120.  For an oil change.  The next one is due at 90,000 km and our warranty runs out at 100,000.  I can get it done locally by a mechanic I trust for about 1/3 that so I think we will skip the last oil change at KIA Motors.

We had a couple hours to kill while we waited for the oil change, so took a taxi to our favourite store to shop and have tea.  We got in line at a till and Tanya told Ky and I to go ahead to the on-site restaurant and wait for her.  We slipped past the other customers in the line and we hauled up sharply by the sales clerk who informed us we could NOT exit there, we had to go back to the place marked EXIT.  I thought Ky would hurt herself laughing.  She is learning about Ukraine.

Sofiyivka Park

Sofiyivka Park is located just outside of the town of Uman (ooman) which is two hours (200 km)  south of Kyiv on four lane but 5 hours (324 km) from Zhovti Vody on something a little less.  We consider it a day trip and left at 6:00 am to prove it. Lena went with us as she had never been.  Lovely day, no more than 20 to 23C all day.

The park was built 200 years ago by a Polish noble in honour of his wife Sofia, one of THE most beautiful women of her time, well known in the courts of Europe and very much a character in her own right.  There is a full history on the official website linked above.

 The serpent fountain is the most recognizable symbol of the park.  

There is no pump involved, the water comes from the upper lake.

Gazebo on the "Island of Love" in the upper lake.

One of the waterfalls from the upper lake cools this grotto.

The three story house on the right is the original mansion.  

Greenhouses were added to each side

Everything is so green.

 A family of swans

 We enjoyed the huge trees and the cool shade. 

Eau de Poo

The heat has been really hard on the dogs.  We have been currying them every day for the last while trying to get their fine insulating winter hair off of them.  There seemed to be no end of it, day after day of combing. 

Tanya felt that after gaining experience cutting my hair she was prepared to tackle the dogs, so with Ky's help they got a hair cut yesterday.  Between combed out hair and cut hair there was enough to start another two dogs.

Ky, Masha and I took the dogs for a walk last evening when it sort of cooled off to 30C.  They are very good on their leashes now.  We took a different route, a path on the east side of the marsh/river, angling up to a road which we double back on to go home. 

As we started up the path Bobik hit the ground in absolute ecstasy and began rolling.  Something smelled bad about this situation.  About 10 feet away were five or six wheelbarrow dumps of fresh wet pig manure.  Both dogs headed straight for it but thankfully they were on their leashes.

Bobik slipped his collar.

Hotter'n the Hubs o' Hell

For the past several days it has been hot.  Thursday was hot.  Friday when Ky arrived it was hot.  Saturday when we set out to see some of Kyiv it was Gawdawful hot.  We had breakfast with our friend Natasha who is Lyn's age and the three of us set out to see the big botanical garden, arriving about 10:30.  The lilacs and peonies were done of course (the first two weeks in May are optimal for them) and we never did find the rose gardens because it was too hot to look. We would walk and rest in the shade, walk and rest.  And drink water. And sweat (or perspire if you were female).

We did climb the hill overlooking Vidyubetski monastery.  In this view you can see the Left Bank of the Dnipro River.  It is all high rise apartments, making morning and afternoon traffic on the bridges insane as businesses are on the Right Bank.

From there we went to Pecherske Lavra Monastery and went through a number of the buildings.  The two girls went into the caverns which were the original monastery 1000 years ago, to see the mummified monks.  I've been once and am afraid to go back as it is small and cramped.  I am afraid that I'll get stuck like Winnie the Poo at Rabbit's after eating honey..

We said goodbye to Natasha and caught the Express at 5:45, arriving in P'yatikhatki-Stikova at 10:00 pm.  Andrei met us at the train and said it had been 40C (104F).  Which might account for the number of liters of fluids we consumed.

We were at the house by 11:00 and Tanya had a big supper waiting. 

I am a weary and a lonesome traveler

Ky arrived at Boryspil Airport dead tired but game to go.  I was so glad to see my girl, you wouldn't believe how good it was.

Our man Kostia couldn't meet us at the airport but his friend Sergei did and took us to our flat near the railway station.  Ky slept for three hours then we went for supper and walked around the City a bit.  She did "Walk-By Shootings" of The Golden Gate, St Sofia's Cathedral and St Micheal's Church, as of course nothing was open at that hour of the evening.