I decided that since I haven't posted anything for 2 weeks, I'd better finish BIG.
I left off at the Christmas program. The next week we had school, but not typical days. On Thursday, we had merit store for most of the afternoon. On Friday,we only had school till 12 and for the last hour we celebrated the birthday of one of our students. I've already described how those events go, and this one was no exception for good food and fun. It was also another day of 'gifts for the teacher'. I received the usual bountiful supply of chocolates, plus perfume, 2 shawls, a 12 piece tea set, a glass dish, a tin of cookies, and some shower gel. Fabulous! ♥
Sat.(Christmas Eve)was a relaxing day and in the late evening my friend, Julia, picked me up and took me to her dacha for the weekend. Christmas day we got up and left to drive to Tula, a city outside Moscow region, about 2 hours. I think it was the coldest day we've had. There we met a friend of hers who gave us a tour of the city, mostly by car. We did stop in the center and walked around inside their Kremlin. We also walked to one section that has very old buildings, sometimes used in movies of the Stalin era. He also showed us the building that was used for one movie in which he got to play a guard with his German Shepherd. Tula is famous for the arms factory, the making of samovars, and cakes called 'pryanek'.
Because of limited time we bypassed the museums of arms
and samovars. We stopped at the factory for cakes and bought a few.
Then we drove outside the city to Yasnaya Polyana, the estate of Leo Tolstoy. The park is huge and must be lovely to spend a day in strolling around.
As I mentioned, however, it was a bitter cold day so we quickly hustled up to the house,
which I photographed along with a few other buildings.
That's Julia in front of a coachman's cottage. I remembered having watched a movie called "The Last Station" before I came last summer. It was the story of Tolstoy played by Christopher Plummer and his wife, Sophia, played by Helen Mirren. Now that I've been there, I hope to see it again sometime.
After that we drove back and had supper with Christmas movies-"White Christmas", original "Christmas Carol" (b&w), and "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase.
Monday we just hung out and enjoyed a little snow.
Julia works with dog rescue in Moscow and at present has 5; Nola-i n her arms, Zara-who walks with a 'wheelchair' (I don't know what you call those rigs), Rada-who I met when I was here in 2003, and 2 males, whose names I forget.
On Tuesday morning we took the train into Moscow to return to our jobs.
Wednesday was a half day for us, followed by the staff party, which took the form of something like a dinner theatre with all of us involved, and many in costume. I belonged to the table of thieves and robbers so I went as a cat burglar. I was hoping that Mr. Len would have posted pictures by now but you can see a short video compilation at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyzJe8wqC5c&feature=youtu.be
That's Mr. Len as a raven. That's his oldest child, the money bag doing the photography and that's his youngest walking around with his hair spiked up.
I'm at the table on the left and occasionally you can see my ears. It's always an interesting time trying to figure out what's going on when no one remembers to translate for you. I guess it was loosely based on a story written by Hans Christian Anderson called "The Snow Queen". It was a lot of fun.
Thursday the saddening news began to arrive that they were demolishing my high school. I knew there were renovations planned but had no idea that was how it would come about. I watched as pictures kept arriving in stages.
River Hebert Rural High built in 1946-47 is no more and in its place will be a new school. The part that is left is newer and will be added to.
Friday I was just relaxing in the afternoon when Liz came in to say that Olga had surprised us with tickets to "The Nutcracker" and we needed to get ready right away. It was a fun performance rather than dignified. There were cute little children in the cast and dances done by a number of different age groups. It was presented at the
Novaya Opera Theatre where I'd been to see "Rigoletto" opera in the fall.
Well I guess that brings us to today, the last of 2011. Tonight we will celebrate with the Stolyarchuks, but we are planning to be on Red Square for midnight and then go back to their place again afterwards.
I wish you a Peaceful and Meaningful Happy New Year and a year ahead to accomplish all God has given you to do. Love to all my family and friends far and wide from the great city of Moscow. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I left off at the Christmas program. The next week we had school, but not typical days. On Thursday, we had merit store for most of the afternoon. On Friday,we only had school till 12 and for the last hour we celebrated the birthday of one of our students. I've already described how those events go, and this one was no exception for good food and fun. It was also another day of 'gifts for the teacher'. I received the usual bountiful supply of chocolates, plus perfume, 2 shawls, a 12 piece tea set, a glass dish, a tin of cookies, and some shower gel. Fabulous! ♥
Sat.(Christmas Eve)was a relaxing day and in the late evening my friend, Julia, picked me up and took me to her dacha for the weekend. Christmas day we got up and left to drive to Tula, a city outside Moscow region, about 2 hours. I think it was the coldest day we've had. There we met a friend of hers who gave us a tour of the city, mostly by car. We did stop in the center and walked around inside their Kremlin. We also walked to one section that has very old buildings, sometimes used in movies of the Stalin era. He also showed us the building that was used for one movie in which he got to play a guard with his German Shepherd. Tula is famous for the arms factory, the making of samovars, and cakes called 'pryanek'.
Because of limited time we bypassed the museums of arms
and samovars. We stopped at the factory for cakes and bought a few. 
Then we drove outside the city to Yasnaya Polyana, the estate of Leo Tolstoy. The park is huge and must be lovely to spend a day in strolling around. 
As I mentioned, however, it was a bitter cold day so we quickly hustled up to the house,
which I photographed along with a few other buildings. 
That's Julia in front of a coachman's cottage. I remembered having watched a movie called "The Last Station" before I came last summer. It was the story of Tolstoy played by Christopher Plummer and his wife, Sophia, played by Helen Mirren. Now that I've been there, I hope to see it again sometime.
After that we drove back and had supper with Christmas movies-"White Christmas", original "Christmas Carol" (b&w), and "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase.
Monday we just hung out and enjoyed a little snow.
Julia works with dog rescue in Moscow and at present has 5; Nola-i n her arms, Zara-who walks with a 'wheelchair' (I don't know what you call those rigs), Rada-who I met when I was here in 2003, and 2 males, whose names I forget.
On Tuesday morning we took the train into Moscow to return to our jobs.
Wednesday was a half day for us, followed by the staff party, which took the form of something like a dinner theatre with all of us involved, and many in costume. I belonged to the table of thieves and robbers so I went as a cat burglar. I was hoping that Mr. Len would have posted pictures by now but you can see a short video compilation at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyzJe8wqC5c&feature=youtu.be
That's Mr. Len as a raven. That's his oldest child, the money bag doing the photography and that's his youngest walking around with his hair spiked up.
I'm at the table on the left and occasionally you can see my ears. It's always an interesting time trying to figure out what's going on when no one remembers to translate for you. I guess it was loosely based on a story written by Hans Christian Anderson called "The Snow Queen". It was a lot of fun.
Thursday the saddening news began to arrive that they were demolishing my high school. I knew there were renovations planned but had no idea that was how it would come about. I watched as pictures kept arriving in stages.
River Hebert Rural High built in 1946-47 is no more and in its place will be a new school. The part that is left is newer and will be added to.
Friday I was just relaxing in the afternoon when Liz came in to say that Olga had surprised us with tickets to "The Nutcracker" and we needed to get ready right away. It was a fun performance rather than dignified. There were cute little children in the cast and dances done by a number of different age groups. It was presented at the
Novaya Opera Theatre where I'd been to see "Rigoletto" opera in the fall.
Well I guess that brings us to today, the last of 2011. Tonight we will celebrate with the Stolyarchuks, but we are planning to be on Red Square for midnight and then go back to their place again afterwards.
I wish you a Peaceful and Meaningful Happy New Year and a year ahead to accomplish all God has given you to do. Love to all my family and friends far and wide from the great city of Moscow. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
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