2014_04_30 Wednesday

Elise had her #4 doctor's appointment today. She did really terrific all the way through...until it came time for three vaccines. The nurse gave them to her very quickly in her arm; Elise was great with the first one, but less great with #2 and even less great with #3. THEN, she really freaked out when the nurse put bandaids on. And I mean freaked out, which lasted for what felt like forever but may have been 10 minutes (which is still a long time). Did I mention that she was in only underware this whole time. Finally, she calmed down enough to tell me that she didn't like bandaids. So I told her that if she could get dressed, we could take them off. So she did, and I did. Man alive! Seems like that was a mole hill sort of event!!

But, she's about 50% for weight and about 20% for height. Had great hearing...hmmm...that's odd....

2014_04_29 Tuesday

From Elise's school:
We had such a fun day today!  Elise brought sprinkle cookies to celebrate her birthday.  X chose a great place on the front steps for us to sit and eat them, saying, "This has a really good view".  As we were eating, X said, "I am savoring this cookie."  At circle time X told us that April is almost over.  She said, "After April comes May.  May 6th is Molly's birthday."  We had a big day weather-wise.  X gave the weather report.  Then she explained that storm clouds are coming tonight and there's gonna be thunderstorms with lightning. X warned that we should play inside if there's a tornado.  X explained to everyone what a tornado is by acting it out.  She's a great twirler!

2014_04_28 Monday

Happy Birthday to Ms E!!!!! hard to believe she came to us like a storm four years ago today!

From school:
We explored the arctic a little more today.  X did a great job of explaining igloos to everyone. X thinks she would shiver the whole time if she visited the arctic.  We practiced some "snow owl yoga" and Elise turned her head REALLY far.  X practiced moving slowly as he placed feathers on his snow owl.  X and X took turns and made some cool shapes on the whiteboard. X engineered a perfect circle with all of the skinny triangles in math shapes.  X returned from vacation and reported that she got to see real wetlands.  X was helpful and cooperative, and had on listening ears ALL DAY.

2014_04_27 Sunday

Today was Jonathan's school's #5 birthday bash, which they called May Day. Although it was hot out, we were there for almost the entire time. The kids did almost every event: bounce town, dunk tank (J dunked a 5th grader at our bus stop!), E rode Dazzle the Pony, J panned for gems; E went to the petting zoo (and did not appreciate the odoriferous pig); J waited patiently to do a trampoline/bungee jump where he flipped almost the entire time; both made sand art that promptly mixed together; and both got their hair sprayed with glitter (oh joy). We saw lots of friends, shared popcicles, and had a couple of other treats -- including birthday cake! -- before we ran out of $ and energy. Good day!!! yawn!

2014_04_25 Friday

From Elise's school:

X started my day so nicely with a beautiful card.  She wrote her name AND MY NAME! on it.  We learned about a really cool arctic animal today, the snow owl.  X told everyone that owls can turn their heads all the way around and look behind them.  X thought their feathers were probably white because everything is white in the arctic, and they probably have lots of feathers to keep warm. X said he would wear a big arctic hood, a jacket, a backpack and a camera if he went to the arctic.  In centers, X did an excellent job writing his name.  X created a rainbow with the cubes and taught some friends about the word "violet".  X approached Elise and very nicely asked, "Can I play with you?"  Elise replied, "You can play with me and you don't even have to ask.  I'm all yours mister!"  

2014_04_23 Wednesday

I got home from my trip late tonight. Here are the photos. What an incredible trip I had.

2014_04_21 Monday

From Elise's school:
We began learning about the wetlands today.  X liked how the ducks could swim through the grasses because of their "teeny tiny feet".  X liked the alligators, lily pads and "people that sink".  X and Elise spent lots of center time tracing letters and I must say they look beautiful. At lunchtime, X helped X remember why we don't swing our arms at the table - we'll spill our water!  Big congratulations go out to X for being a BIG sister!  X shared that he was excited about being a big brother soon and wants to name his little sister Baby Molly. 

From my trip to Budapest:

I've totally lost track of the days now. Buuuuut, today was purely touristy stuff for me. I had a massage here at the hotel in the morning. It was very nice and not entirely different than US ones, although I wasn't entirely relaxed since I'm really on unfamiliar turf in Budapest. But, it was a really nice treat for myself. I did discover a sauna that I may try to visit tomorrow night.

Then I popped out and got a Hundog, which is that bratwurst-like hotdog I had earlier this week. There's a bread snack (I think it's may be dusted with cinnamon and wrapped around a stick and cooked over an open fire) on my "to try" list still. As I finished off my Fanta, I strolled to the bus stop since I wanted to spend some time in Hero's Square today. When I went to take a picture on the way, I realized my battery apparently discharged rather than charged so it has no juice. ugh! I got up to the square, and there's a huge castle behind it, so I mozed around there. They had lots of stalls here too and beautiful parks. So, I followed the crowd -- finally saw my first viszla dogs! -- and ended up at a kids dance party...in Hungarian. They had a stage where one guy was leading a dance party. Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style were the two that I recognized. The rest were Hungarian rock songs, I guess. It made me laugh out loud to see their dance moves. I also popped into a church, seeing that it is Easter. And, then I aimed for the Budapest Zoo. Didn't find it, but I did find a circus that I had read about! It was $15, 2 hrs long, and I was in row 6! Amazing. They opened with 4 tigers, followed by a elephant that could do crow pose on a spinning platform, and 11 horses (PETA probably would not approve). They had the regular goofy clowns and magic show, acrobats, wheel of death, tight rope walkers, and a girl who balanced a sword on her forehead (like we saw in MWD). Then, a guy in a spiderman bodysuit climbed up a rope and did his whole routine on the ceiling WITHOUT a security net or rope! He did the monkeybars with his feet, so it looked like he was walking on the ceiling. He even did some Spiderman-esque acrobatics up there. It was awesome.

I caught the last bus out of there and was hoping I could transfer to another sightseeing line, but because it's Easter, everything shut down way early. So, I missed that opportunity. Road the same tourist line from yesterday again and got to hear Hungarian history again.

Then, my friend in Kyiv had recommended her favorite gulash place, which happens to be a few blocks from my hotel, so I gave that a go. Bean gulash was ok, a little thin/watery for my taste, but certainly not bad. I also saw my first Puli (that's the mop-looking dog) tonight too. had a 1/2 liter beer (light but local), olives, pretzel nubs, and the soup (with bread) for $20. nice. I was going to try local ice cream, but it's actually pretty cold here, so I skipped it.   

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is back to work, oh boy.

2014_04_19 Saturday

From my trip report in Budapest:

I left Kyiv this morning at 4am; my flight was at 7:20. Ouch. I had a very strong coffee and some cereal with yogurt while I waited for me flight. I slept every minute of the flight; didn't see a thing. It was a nice change of pace to swing through Vienna and hear some German for a short while. We had to go through customs and then back into the int'l terminal. I'm assuming that was the case because Ukraine (and Canada had a flight arrive too) is not part of the EU; nothing else made sense. But, it felt good to be able to help some non-German speakers get to the right place after so many strangers have helped me in Italy and Ukraine. Shockingly, the flight to Budapest was delayed in Vienna -- so unlike them. But, it was about a 40-min flight. Everything was fine; Hungarian is another language that you can't fake; at least the letters are in Latin, but I don't think it's like any other European language, so I can't just guesstimate here either! I got a shuttle service to the hotel, which is equally astoundingly beautiful. I have a chandelier in my room and a desk and a love seat. It's 1pm here, so I think I'm going to venture out to find some gulash or something. And, I plan on arranging a Danube river tour too.

Back home, I am on the slate for the PTO. Voting is open now for 7 seats, not specific roles, so I'm even more happy about that!

Greetings from Pest...not Buda (that's on the other side of the Danube river)!

The money here is the Forint. It's about 2x the US dollar. So, you'll see a Coke for 600F or so, which is hard to swallow at first.

My hotel is amazing, and there's an Easter market going on directly behind it, so I strolled around there for a bit to explore. had a Hungarian hotdog, which looked and tasted remarkably like a bratwurst with mustard. hmmm. The market area reminded me a lot of a German holiday market with semi-permanent stands selling seasonal and artisan crafts and food with local musicians tooling around too. 

Then, I met up with my friend. She walked me around a little to see St. Steven's Basilica and then we took a 1-hr boat tour up and down the Danube (for 1900F). We passed under a yellow and red bridge while listening to the tour guide in English und auf Deutsch! She also showed me the city's largest market, although it was closing as we walked in. There's a terrific statue of a woman holding out an olive branch that the citizens erected during WWII to call for an end of the war. Lots of other Soviet statues and religious icons; that's a very strange combo since Soviets were anti-religion.

She is "directionally challenged," so we worked together with ME getting her back to something SHE recognized!!! I had been here for less than 6 hours. Then, we got into her second choice for Hungarian dinner; I had a mushroom broth soup, pork chunks (? I think it was fatty pork, like thick, undercooked bacon??) with fat ladkes and sour cream. And, I tried the national liquor: palinka in plum flavor (it comes in lots of other fruits). After two small sips, my whole body was reacting. It was a little scary, actually. I had pins and needles in my hands and lower arms; sweating profusely down my neck and face; and felt hot enough to take off my cartigan (and it's chilly here). it's like drinking gasoline! She is an EMT and jumps on medical issues -- thinking I could have been having a heart attack (what!?). After 2 bathroom visits and a glass of water, it passed totally. I didn't think it was the booze, since the reaction was so quickly afterward; who knows. It was so strange. We stopped by a strudel shop for sour cherry strudel and a melange (coffee/chocolate) and watched the head baker make these strudels with apples and cinnamon; cherries; peaches; poppy seeds (which apparently is as common as dill in Ukraine!). He would spread his dough so thin and then tuck it around the edges of a table, spread the filling in one straight line, and then roll it up with the table cloth! it was incredible. Then, some CA tourists cornered us for a chat; they were here for "dental tourism" -- yes, lots of Americans come to Hungary to see the dentist and have work done here. 

I walked back to my hotel. Streets are darker than I would like, but I don't feel unsafe at all. It's a little disheartening to AGAIN not be able to figure out the language. But, at least it's not in Cyrillic, so I have a chance this time.

I have some free time tomorrow to seek out some goodies.

2014_04_18 Friday

From Elise's school:
As we approach earth day, we are talking more and more about all the different parts of the earth and how we can care for it.  X takes care of the earth by "mowing the yard and getting the dust out of stuff."  While reviewing ocean and jungle habitats, Elise decided she would rather live in the ocean so she could swim with the mermaids.  When we compared our earth with other planets, X and X were a wealth of knowledge.  X told us that "astronauts bounce on other planets" and "mercury is hot!"  X told us that "pluto is not a planet anymore."   X used excellent manners at lunch and reminded all his friends to keep their hands in their laps until we said, "bon appetit".  X got to "finally" put eyes and fins on his puffer fish and he is excited to take it home today.  In centers, X figured out some tough beading patterns and taught them to X.  Have a great weekend!

From my trip report in Kyiv, Ukraine:

My computer ran out of juice and I didn't have the energy to track down yet another European plug converter. I have 5 or so, but I needed one with a three prong US to a 2 prong EUR and didn't have that. ugh! 

I spent the morning in meetings to understand what issues they are dealing with or where we might be able to support them and vice versa. My two colleagues were just too busy to escort me around, but that was fine. I managed. I did sit with the lead for about 15 mins to let her know how much I appreciated her time and attention to my work and that I really have enjoyed our relationship and that she was willing to host me. She flattered me with compliments on my presentation and seemed equally happy to be working together. Great news! The cabbie took me a totally different way, so I thought he might be taking me to the wrong hotel, but I used it as a sightseeing opportunity, and in the end he was avoiding traffic and got me to the right one without issue. Then I roamed around Kyiv alone. I did some shopping/bartering with street vendors (mostly of whom spoke decent English) and saw a couple of the church/cathedral/monuments. Took lots of pix. 

I was met back at my hotel and took the subway (talk about Soviet...and super stinky!) to the Maidan. That place is incredible. While all the protests took place in Feb/March (started in Nov), it still has a lingering burning tire stench. There are memorials with candles and flowers where each of the 100+ people were killed. It has become a monument/memorial, and it's unclear what the country is going to with the space. TV does not do justice to how big the square actually is. And, we also went down a parallel road where more of the people were killed and saw the burned out apartment building (accidentally burned) and the soccer stadium, which has been repainted within the past few days so you can't actually see the ashes anymore). There are barricades of tires, pieces of wood, cobblestones, garbage, whatever they could find that are taller than me, and there are lots of men and women in fatigues still 'occupying' and protecting Maidan; they have battlefield canteens and tents erected where they live. Everything is peaceful and solemn. She showed me where the gov't snipers were and where the Molotov Cocktails came from. The stage where Sen. McCain (and many others) spoke is still up and and is used by passing musicians and whoever else wishes to. She also showed me a memorial and church built by volunteers to commemorate the 100th Brigade (the holy 100 who were killed). The whole place is certainly eerie and basically a living memorial. It's very powerful.

Then we went to a 'fancy' Ukrainian dinner. Same stuff we've been eating but better ambiance. We had honey wine, borsht, wild mushroom soup, "surprise" varenyky (pierogies with whatever inside they felt like giving us: some meat, some veggies, and some fruit), and what they called a pancake but was more like a crepe tied up with chicken and mushrooms inside. Pretty amazing food. When it came time to pay, I thought it was 660 hyrivnia (pronounced grivna) each, but that was the total -- it was just under $30/head. I gave her all my money (minus taxi to the airport), which was 4xx hyrivia, since it wasn't really worth converting back and it felt like the right thing to do.

I have a sinking heart about leaving Ukraine. I wonder what will happen to the young people who I met. They are all fearful and they all are anxious about any new government coming in and being as corrupt as every single administration they've ever known. So, different leader, same problems. The country has so much potential but it seems to go into the hands of a few. One of the presidential candidates has a house worth $17M, when most people cannot afford to splurge on something $100.

I noticed two things about society there too: it is an extremely homogenous people, even the tourists. There are on blacks, no Asians, and very few Middle Easterners. I even caught myself surprised to see a black man on the street on the last day of my visit because I just hadn't noticed any non-Caucasians. And, there is no panhandling or begging; there are no homeless people; no one hawking their wares aggressively or without a permit. And, there is no handicap accessibility or people. My friend said that's all a legacy of Soviet times, and all of those groups are simply not accepted as part of the Ukrainian culture. 

2014_04_17 Thursday

From my trip report in Kyiv:

Holy Moly, Ukraine is incredible...if only I spoke Ukrainian it would be that much better.

The people are so proud to be Ukrainian and are quite nice. They try their darndest to speak in English, but communication is tough since their language is based on Cyrillic not Latin (right?).

I spent the whole day working.

I got home around 7, and the stark daylight is really messing up my circadian rhythms. I guess Kyiv is far enough north that the summer days are very long. So, I dropped off my stuff and changed into casual clothes and then did a figure 8 around the blocks of the hotel, taking pictures. There is an insane "intersection" that I took a few shots of. There are no lines on the street; part of it is a parking lot; there are pedestrians, cars, buses, and Soviet trams (I have to get a photo of one!!); the road feels like you're riding on snow tires; and the whole thing looks like a roundabout. It's probably 2 city blocks across and 3 city blocks wide and has a park in the middle. The most ridiculous driving I've seen in a long time. There are also no lanes; what I would think is a single lane is at least a double, and I haven't figured out how you know if it's a one-way or a two-way street yet, and some are wide enough for a tank to drive through (uhh, maybe that's not so funny)!! There's a really neat mix of bland, Soviet concrete-block buildings, pre-1400s structures (churches mostly), more (like 1970s) modern buildings, and greenery. Down one of the streets, I saw no less than a dozen police hovering around their van, smoking and having a grand ol' time doing anything but their jobs. It seems like there is very little trust in the police, although I haven't sensed any hostility or aggression at all (more like resignation that corruption is everywhere). So that's a little sad to see. There's very little in English, although I do see a number of plaques on buildings that have an English translation (often National Bank of Ukraine, etc).

 

When I got back, I had dinner alone at the hotel bar. They had a nice selection of Ukrainian food...and English speaking waiters. I sat at that bar and chatted with Pavel, a pimply busboy/waiter who couldn't be more than 16 (but who spoke decent English) and who had spent many summers in Crimea. One of the country's main dishes is lard, I think, with a spice crust. I tried it -- it made me gag. But, I had pickled mushrooms, cabbage, and pickles (yes, pickled pickles, Jonathan/Elise, can you imagine!) too; then a normal salad with a ring of cukes and tomatoes (YUM!); and a national dish -- varenyky -- that is very similar to pirogies/large raviolis with crumbled meat inside and a light sauce with sauteed onions and sour cream...and of course a local beer (although the pull said Carlsbad and the glass said it in Ukrainian/Russian and the bill says "Carl", so maybe there was an error in translation). Delish!! All of that cost me 209 grivna (which is $15). I just can't believe how flavorful and rich (tasting, not heavy/saucy) the food is in EUR. I guess that's what it's like with all organic, natural, local, and fresh produce. That said, the coffee is crapola.

It was so interesting chatting with another Pavel, who is from Kyiv. He and his friends don't want TV anymore b/c they just don't trust any news b/c it's likely someone's propaganda. There is less a feeling of anger than of disappointment and disbelief that Putin came in and took part of their country (which Putin finally admitted to today) and now occupies more of it. They want him out, and they want to get their country back together and move on with life. But, many local people here don't think Putin is done with Ukraine; many are talking about bomb shelters and go-kits (although the Embassy seemed to think that was a bit overkill, then again, the US would likely evacuate if it got that bad, leaving the Ukrainians behind). My cabbie even asked me if the US would help Ukraine and not Russia (as though I have any say/influence). Oh, and on my ride, we listened to Ukrainian rock music with English words!!! Anyway, Pavel said that many of his friends' families have been torn apart by this because many of the older generations still live in Russia, and now families cannot/will not talk to each other. He says that people in Crimea are now fed Moscow's propaganda so that they stay loyal to him (which reminded me a little of Nazi Germany). I also saw more of those military posters today; will try to photograph them.

2014_04_16 Wednesday

My trip report from Milan, Italy and Kyiv, Ukraine:

I had one last Italian coffee this late morning, jumped into my ride, and headed back to Malpensa airport in Milan. I ended up having to be another overage fee for the folders/pens/brochures I've been carrying (and maybe a couple of new items), but work will pay for that. Italian airports are not like US. I got into the Ukrainian Airlines line and got checked in but then had to hussle to the other side of the airport to pay the fee; then return to get my boarding pass; then hike back and wait in a HUGE line to get through security/passport control. You don't have to take shoes off, but ALL technology has to go through scanners. I got to the terminal and there wasn't anyone there...and it was less than 2 hrs ahead. Finally, folks started showing, but it was not a full flight. They did all the instructions in Ukrainian and English. I had a window seat. We flew over the Alps for a long time; all still snowcapped. gorgeous. I think we were in Slovakian, German, and Polish airspace for short times. Ukraine is soooo green and vibrant, but then when you see the buildings, they are all Soviet-era concrete blocks (many painted bright colors). Lots of Orthodox churches here too (I think I'll be able to get a painted Easter egg). It is much colder than I had expected (it's farther north than I realized) and it was drizzly today. I had a personal driver here too holding a card with my name on it. so fancy. The city is over 1,500 years old. Kyiv is very spread out across a river; I'm on the right (vs left, not vs wrong) side. I saw lots of Soviet-era statues that the driver said they leave up because it is there history. There's one here that is their Statue of Liberty, who has a sword and shield held high and you can climb up inside. There was one in honor of Kie, for whom Kyiv is named (he had 2 brothers; not sure what happened to them), who was standing on what looked like a Norsk ship. The people, in the city especially, have started speaking only Ukrainian (talk about national pride) within the past 2-3 months, and not preferring Russian, so I'm in biiiig trouble. There's very little English written or spoken here. 

There are lots of advertisements along the highway. One was 3 men in fatigues -- turns out it's the Radical Party leader promising to return Crimea to Ukraine if elected! He's gay, so apparently he doesn't have a good chance of winning here. The other one was an ad full of tea light candles that turned out to be a memorial to the "Heavenly 100" who died in the Maidan protests. Pretty powerful stuff. I'm going to tour Maidan on the 18th. I definitely don't see anything resembling what's on the news about the eastern region; Kyiv looks like a normally functioning European city so far. Will have a better sense tomorrow.

The RadissonBlu is amazing. It's beautiful and could easily be in any US city. I was met at the lobby and went out for a cafeteria-style dinner. I had all sorts of Ukrainian cuisine. It's all delicious. Apparently, dill is THE spice here; it's in everything. I had borsht, cuke salad, paella, chicken (that tasted more like sausage, but ?), a honey cake, and a $1.50 unfiltered beer (Heifeweitzen-style). We chatted for about 2 hrs!

2014_04_15 Tuesday

From Elise's school:
We had a cozy class today and discussed all things "jungly".  X demonstrated a great snake pose in yoga and X led our snake train around the room in a super slithery way.  Elise showed everyone how to move the opposite of slithery.  She balanced all the way to the end of the straight line on the rug.  X and X loved "practicing" for our earth prints by getting elbow deep in shaving cream paint!

My notes from Milan, Italy:

I fell asleep so fast last night!! I left my window curtains open so I could see when it got light out; I'm not trusting my technology these days. I think my phone cord has a gremlin inside and it's gumming up both my cell and BB when I plug it in.

I had a chocolate brioche (which is a crossiont to us) and a smallish coffee for breakfast. Here you pay at one place and take the receipt to the bar and stand while you eat and let the crumbs fall on the floor. Then I took the subway, which has lots of tunnels (like NYC) but is a small system (like DC) two stops up to the Consulate. I got there way too early, so I had a cappacino, which in Italy is a teeeny cup that is 1/2 filled with strong coffee, and you fill it up with milk and/or sugar....and drink it standing (just like breakfast). Also, while I waited I realized how windy Milan is. The weather is beautiful (60s?) but the wind make it feel a lot colder. Plus, maybe b/c the city is cobblestoned, the wind kicks up lots of dust/dirt.

I had my first Post visit today.

At lunch, I had a cured ham and mozzarella panini that was delicious. I'm supposed to try the pesto and boccachino (?) mozzarella, which you cannot get in the States and apparently is a bit more runny that what we know for cheese, for dinner tonight (which is served at 8 or later!). But I have also been invited to a reception tonight. I haven't gotten the official invite but that's the plan, at least for a little while!

I'm going to check out "the castle" now. It's apparently the last king's palace that has lots of artifacts, including a mummy that I think was something from Mussolini's time in Egypt and other things taken around WWII. Not entirely sure, but I've been recommended to go there. It's a walk from my hotel. Will take pix if they allow it.

 

Dave, please tell Jonathan about the blood moon that may have been last night for you guys (CNN was covering it today here). If the telescope is built up yet, definitely take a look. it's supposed to be really neat to see how red the moon is.

So, I made it to the castle, but by the time I got there the museums inside were closing down. There were beautiful gardens and a giant park behind it. The castle had a huge fountain in the front (so many people kissing at the fountain!!! ewwww!!) and a statue of the last king of Milan with the patron saint of Milan higher up from him. I took a few of pix. There are also tons of trams above ground, so you really have to watch when you cross the street b/c they go by fast and they're quiet (electric). The castle also has these enormous, plastic swallows (birds) placed randomly throughout the gardens that people were climbing all over. Swallows are apparently very symbolic for Milan. something artsy about rejuvenation (they keep coming back) and perseverance (they don't hibernate) and something about nesting close to humans (??). So, if I could have made it into the museums part of the castle, I could have bought a plastic Easter egg to contribute to a 'living' nest art sculpture. oh well. but I did get to walk the length of it; it reminded me a lot of the castles David and I saw in Beijing.

I got sucked into an early dinner by a persuasive waiter who asked what my necklace meant. So I sat at the end (facing the entire facade) of the Duomo plaza. I had a 'mini' bottle of chianti and what I thought was an appetizer but turned out to be six slices of french bread 2 with cured ham, 2 with proscuito, and 2 with to-die-for brushetta (I haven't had that flavorful tomatoes in a looooong time), all place around a giant ball of mozzarella du bufalo (which is slightly more creamy/runny than what we are used to) drizzled in vinegar. There is no such thing as non-organic; everything here is and straight from the farm. so flavorful, wowser!!! I do have to say that the "loud American" stereotype is alive and well in Milan; I can't tell you how many times I could hear loud conversations that were always American English. Gesh, don't we know how to whisper or speak in a normal volume?!

 

Then, with 10 minutes to spare, I finally received the invite to the(business formal) private party. The 'house' was insanely huge and museum-quality decor. They did have a lot of personal photos, etc but it sure was a party-host home. They had hired a pianist, an opera singer, and an art history expert to perform. It was lovely, but a bit...existential...for me. The theme was air and how it influences humankind (blah, blah, blah) in a non-meterological sort of way. I hung around for about 30 minutes afterward, said how much I appreciated him putting this party on for me, thanked his wife profusely, had one last proscuito and split. It was just two metro stops away, so I've done the red and yellow lines here. 

Now I'm back in my hotel. I've arranged a car service (which is the same 95Euro as a taxi) to get me to the airport tomorrow. I got an email from a constituent/friend (former boss at OSAC!) who arrived in Kyiv today and is scouting out the social scene for us for tomorrow! ha. sounds like it's not as bad in Kyiv as the news likes to portray the east to be. rest assured, I will be very far away from all of that.

2014_04_14 Monday

From Elise's school:
I got great reports all around from spring break.  X loved Thunder Mountain!  X went all the way into a rock and saw a waterfall coming from the earth.  We discussed, created and even acted like snakes today.  X made "the biggest snake in the history of fire" with sticky sticks.  Elise led us in moving around in a "wiggle waggle" way, and X had a fierce "S" sound.  X chose a funny tongue and sparkly pink eyes for her snake puppet.  X chose purple eyes for her snake because they "make him look interesting".  X and X used great cooperation and teamwork on an animal puzzle.

My notes from Milan, Italy:

Just had a chianti and pizza with proscuitto, which is actually thick ham slices, and fungi that cost me $30, but I was sitting right next to the Duomo and I took my sweet time and there's no tip and I was serenaded by a sax player somewhere off in the distance. I love how open air in is here, but I don't love how many people still smoke. P.U. So many people are on bikes too even on cobblestones. There are so many different people, but I sure do hear a lot of English. I've been Italish-ing iwth things like: "un pizza with fun-guy. grazie!' and of course, they answer in so-unimpressed English. at least I'm trying. Off to bed soon. Going to try the metro tomorrow since I won't have my suitcase.

2014_04_04 Friday

From Elise's school:
We had a fun, fun day and learned a lot but we are all EXCITED about spring break!  Here's an update about everyone's plans: X is going to Florida to play in the water park that has cannons. X is going to Chattanooga to get a tattoo. X is going to a forest to see some zebras. X is going to the backyard to play toy trucks with Y and Y. X is going to the beach with Mommy and Y and Y and Y.  She is going to build a sand castle and pick out something to wear. Elise is going to Chicago to stay in a hotel that has a pool. X is going to Chattanooga to stay in a hotel that has 6 bedrooms.  She is gonna play with her cousins and all have dinner together. Have a great time everyone!  See you soon.

2014_04_02 Wednesday

We are missing floors in most of the downstairs now! They've ripped up the floors in the hallway, the keeping room, and the kitchen. The kitchen looks enormous now. We ran into one small hiccup, but our awesome designer came by today to help make the right decision so we are gaining more cabinet space instead of opening a wall by three feet. The guys are still working on knocking out plaster and dry wall and opening up the doorways. It's sooo dusty and grimy; I feel it in my mouth. But, the end of that is in sight.

2014_04_01 Tuesday

Wow, our kitchen is GONE! The guys were here until about 3 and knocked out a ton of cabinetry, old appliances and cruddy walls. The entire house is insanely dusty, but we are through the worst of it, so they say.

my disgusting kitchen is gone!

From Elise's school:

We had such a special day today with a visit from the Reptile Wrangler!  X liked the orange and black lizard best because it was so cool when it crawled around the playground.  X liked the little lizard best, saying, "I liked how little he is".  X liked the lizard with the spiky tail because it's tail was like the puffer fish she was working on with the "stick pokey things".  X told us that puffer fish use their spikes to protect themselves and they are "very poisoned up".  Elise thought it was odd that puffer fish are poisonous, but don't have triangle heads.  At lunch, X made up a game where she spelled out names and had everyone guess which one was theirs.  Afterwards, X helped me read a book that he brought called, "Thump, Quack, Moo". Thanks X!