Satisfied

No pictures again today- just call me the boring blogger!

For those of you keeping up with my resolution, I would just like to say that I do have the current photo album up-to-date, but I have had a little wrist issue and have been trying to stay off the computer so I don't aggravate it more. Party photos coming soon. {My 3 albums came the other day, and I'm so pleased!}

But today I just had to pop in to tell you about my uber successful morning. Here in Ukraine, the rule of thumb is that everything is a process. If one can remember that, then expectations will be met and frustration can, at the least, be kept in check.

To say one is "running errands" here is misleading. It is more accurate to say, "I'm going to go out and try to get this one thing accomplished." {See? Low expectations.} And then after being out for 2-3 hours and perhaps seeing that errand from start to finish, a person comes home and just feels like taking a nap. I am dead serious about this- no exaggeration whatsoever. Life is really different here.

Anyway, it's been freezing here (like I am wearing long underwear in my house all day) and I haven't wanted to leave to do any errands. My phone was out of minutes, we had no fresh fruit, we had no paper towels, and I need to mail a letter within Ukraine (not sure where the closest PO is here) among other things.

But, Sveta was coming today and I really needed to use that time wisely and dash out. Again, dashing is misleading....it finally snowed here a couple of weeks ago and if the sidewalks got shoveled, it was with something that looks like a giant wooden paddle for pizza ovens - or simply a sheet of plywood. {Again, no, not even kidding.} So, it's really like chunky ice that I had to walk on for the 10 minute walk to the metro after I bundled up in layers because it was 0 degrees F today.

Despite the frigid temps, I got to the metro and was able to buy more minutes from the poor minutes guy who had to stand outside at his little stand all day to work. I needed tokens and there was no line- got 20 and the lady was nice to me (anyone here knows that is certainly something!). I was able to put my minutes on the phone when I was on the second escalator in Pecherska metro. The metro came quickly and I was able to get in a non-crowded car which was great because the guy behind me had a bad case of B.O.

Sergey was in his studio and I was able to pick up the kids' formal birthday portraits (I took the older two a couple of weeks ago - we do these once a year on their birthdays or close to it). I needed copies for school, and the copy lady at the bottom of the same building was able to get it all done. We had a lovely chat while she copied. She was even able to put on one of those nifty plastic bindings for a recipe book I have that was falling apart. I asked her where a post office was, but she didn't know and told me to keep asking around. That's the way you do things here- stop and ask someone {but beware- locals are known to either give you the shoulder shrug or simply make something up}.

I ran back down into the metro and entered the underground mall that goes for blocks and blocks. There is an embroidery store I like and the lady there is super sweet. She wasn't able to do what I needed to have done, but she told me which block to go to where they could. Then she wanted to know how to say "table runner" in English so we had an impromptu lesson. On the way to the next place, I stopped in the stationery store and bought the kids art paper. I almost bought a little pencil sharpener for Big Girl, but 50 UAH ($6+) for a $2 thing in the States was more than I could stomach. I do have principles.

Down on the 12th block, the lady in the emboridery shop was very helpful and helped me pick out the pattern I wanted and the colors of thread for a little AG doll apron. Big Girl has Kirsten and she was retired. I saved all the magazine pictures of her items and my mom's friend made copies of all of the clothing. This little apron needed some decoration and I dare say it'll look 500x better than the one the company sold because the embroidery work will be the real deal and not just stamped on the fabric. Paid and can pick it up tomorrow.

Another blessing- I was near the exit I needed to catch the marshrytka back up the street to our building. I didn't have to stand too long in the cold, I got a seat where I could look out the door to know where we were at each stop (the windows were totally iced over), and made it back by 12:30 p.m.

All that in 2 hours, the kids finished all their lessons, Mr. YH came home for lunch, the house is clean and the ironing done, the kids are having their rest time, and Mr. YH's bread is in the oven. I feel like I won the lottery!!!!!!

How about you? What's "made your day" lately?