This morning we woke up to find Ryan, Ben's missionary trainer, asleep in the next room. Ben went out and got breakfast for us while we let Ryan sleep. He arrived a day later than we did. For breakfast we had some bread, an orange and a bottle of drinkable yogurt.(actually very good).
Even though we use the metro, buses and trains we end up walking quite a bit. This morning we took several subways and ended up at a large cathedral that didn't open until 1PM. We had a couple of hours to kill so we decided to visit the museum nearby but of course it is Monday. I think the UN passed a resolution some time ago that all Museums were to close on Monday. We wandered around for a bit and took pictures, bought some fruit for lunch and worked our way back to the cathedral. As we were standing in line an old gentleman came over and told me I could not take my backpack inside because it was too large. Ben and Ryan also had backpacks but were apparently within regulation however, Ben was wearing shorts. He was speaking Russian so I understood none of it but the gentleman told Ben he should take my backpack and get out of here.
Obediently, Ben took my pack and found a bench to sit on while Ryan and I went into the cathedral. Oddly, it was like looking at a 1929 Ford Roadster replica. Impressive but not real. After having been through many of the most impressive old cathedrals it was really strange to see one that had been recently constructed. It looked like the old ones but everything was new. All the floors, furniture, murals and icons were new. It just didn't seem right. They had an icon very similar to one of mine with St. Peter holding an open book. When we came out I offered to change pants with Ben in the public square but he declined. For 400 ruble each we took an hour and a half ride on a tour boat around Moscow. I'm pretty sure we took the same ride 17 years ago. We went past the Olympic venues, the Kremlin and Red square. We stopped at the train station and bought tickets to St. Petersburg. 2900 Rubles/$100 round trip for both of us. We will take the sleeper train at night.
I told Ben I was going to the WC but changed my mind when I found two large Russian women guarding the entrance. I didn't ask what they wanted but suspect it was money. I just turned and walked away. Ben had arranged for us to go back to Leningrad to stay with some members. They were to meet us at the train stop at 6 and of course we were there at 6:30. We hopped into his van and drove to the apartment.
On the way to the apartment Boris mentioned that he had got Ben's invitation and wondered if he was married. Delighted to hear he was not he offered Ben a cow to marry his daughter. At the apartment we got out and Boris began handing us bags of groceries. He had obviously done a lot of shopping for us. His daughter also remarked how it was enough food for 20. Ben tells me Boris was an Olympic greko roman wrestler and he looks like it. Boris now drives for the mission president. He was just told the president is going home in July and he will be out of a job. As Ben visited with Boris and his wife in Russian, I talked to the daughter in English. She served a mission to Siberia and has a research degree in food processing. Specifically cheese. I told Ben he should at least see how high he can get Boris to raise the offer before he turns down the deal.
She is a very nice girl and cute. They brought the subject up several times during the evening. When they told of another Russian girl who had married a returned missionary and was living in Rexburg, Ben leaned over and commented how they thought that was wonderful but he is opposed to such things. I have always been opposed too but may want to reconsider.We had dumplings and cabbage sandwiches. When they offered tea I declined so Ben told them to give me ????. I'm sure it was similar to the fermented mares milk from Mongolia. When I asked if it was fermented Ben insisted it wasn't but after some discussion in Russian told me it was 1% alcohol. It said 1% on the box so I suspect this was accurate. I could only take about half the small glass. It seems they always serve candy here for desert. I'm really beginning to like this place.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Kay and Ben in Russia #1
Sunday morning we got up and left with plenty of time to get to 11am church early. After a subway, bus and mashutka (van that has a route) ride who to knows where we arrived in Zellenongrad (green city) at the church 15 minutes late. Ben figured it should have taken one hour. The trip back took 3 after standing at the mashutka stop until we decided it abandoned the last pickup of the evening. We ended up taking the train to Moscow and 3 subways.
Church was entertaining even though it was in Russian. The youth speakers microphone wouldn't work so people were running back and forth into another room. It would squeal occasionally but was off most the time. I think they fixed it 3 times and messed it up again. They finally got it working in time for her to finish the talk.
They called Ben up to bear his testimony. Everyone told him his Russian really sucks now. By the end of the day he was feeling much better about the language. Sunday school started with a list of material necessities we had to have to live. The list started with food, shelter, transportation and ended with most of the time being spent arguing if documents should be on the list. They finally agreed, in Russia you need documents.
We will have to go to the post office today to get our registration papers to go with our passport, visa and immigration form.
Eating: Saturday night we stopped at a kiosk near the hostel and bought a baked potato and toast/pita bread thing. Sunday morning we bought a pita bread with meat in it. After church we visited several members. The first fed us a bowl of mushroom soup with sour cream in it and the second gave us rice and corn. Both were good. I'm hoping to lose weight while here.
The first visit was a single woman whose husband died of brain cancer in Feb. We spent most to the afternoon visiting with her, in Russian. She lives in a very small apartment with her cat that looks like Lucy. The second family had two kids at home, a dog and a cat. They also lived in a very small apartment. Not much bigger than our bedroom. I thought their master bedroom was about the size of our master bath. I was starting to feel like a missionary that couldn't speak the language. I played with the dog as Ben spoke in Russian. The whole missionary feeling was sealed when, without warning the dog bit me on the back of my hand. Ben told me not to let the lady of the house see the bleeding but it was too late and couldn't have been hidden anyway. I thought he was trying to keep her from getting upset but it turned out he was just trying to avoid me having to wear a badge of iodine on my hand. Too late. She brought out a bottle and cotton pads and liberally applied a green patch on my hand that will probably still be there when I get home.
We made it back to the hostel just after midnight and slept well until 8am. We heard Ryan D.is asleep in the other room but don't dare wake the fellow.
We exchanged money at the airport at 33 to one. I got 9900 rubles for 300 dollars. We ended up buying 20 subway passes for 380 rubles. About 12 dollars. The baked potato was 48 or about a dollar and a half. I had to buy dental floss for 112 but the toothbrush was only 14.
There is a computer in the hostel but this will probably our last night here. Kay
Church was entertaining even though it was in Russian. The youth speakers microphone wouldn't work so people were running back and forth into another room. It would squeal occasionally but was off most the time. I think they fixed it 3 times and messed it up again. They finally got it working in time for her to finish the talk.
They called Ben up to bear his testimony. Everyone told him his Russian really sucks now. By the end of the day he was feeling much better about the language. Sunday school started with a list of material necessities we had to have to live. The list started with food, shelter, transportation and ended with most of the time being spent arguing if documents should be on the list. They finally agreed, in Russia you need documents.
We will have to go to the post office today to get our registration papers to go with our passport, visa and immigration form.
Eating: Saturday night we stopped at a kiosk near the hostel and bought a baked potato and toast/pita bread thing. Sunday morning we bought a pita bread with meat in it. After church we visited several members. The first fed us a bowl of mushroom soup with sour cream in it and the second gave us rice and corn. Both were good. I'm hoping to lose weight while here.
The first visit was a single woman whose husband died of brain cancer in Feb. We spent most to the afternoon visiting with her, in Russian. She lives in a very small apartment with her cat that looks like Lucy. The second family had two kids at home, a dog and a cat. They also lived in a very small apartment. Not much bigger than our bedroom. I thought their master bedroom was about the size of our master bath. I was starting to feel like a missionary that couldn't speak the language. I played with the dog as Ben spoke in Russian. The whole missionary feeling was sealed when, without warning the dog bit me on the back of my hand. Ben told me not to let the lady of the house see the bleeding but it was too late and couldn't have been hidden anyway. I thought he was trying to keep her from getting upset but it turned out he was just trying to avoid me having to wear a badge of iodine on my hand. Too late. She brought out a bottle and cotton pads and liberally applied a green patch on my hand that will probably still be there when I get home.
We made it back to the hostel just after midnight and slept well until 8am. We heard Ryan D.is asleep in the other room but don't dare wake the fellow.
We exchanged money at the airport at 33 to one. I got 9900 rubles for 300 dollars. We ended up buying 20 subway passes for 380 rubles. About 12 dollars. The baked potato was 48 or about a dollar and a half. I had to buy dental floss for 112 but the toothbrush was only 14.
There is a computer in the hostel but this will probably our last night here. Kay
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Kay is in Moscow ...Russia, Not Idaho
When I called and told Frances dad made it to Moscow she was out of the loop and wasn't sure if I meant Moscow Idaho or Moscow Russia.
Our nephew Ben works with Kay in Omaha. He was a missionary for our church in Russia and has been home a little over a year. He has wanted to go back and found a killer deal. For just under $400 dollars they flew round trip from Omaha to Moscow Russia. They made the reservation almost 3 weeks ago on April 6Th but needed visas. I happened to have 3 passport pictures of Kay a few years old ("not to be more than 6 months old") but hey, he hasn't changed.
We found a middle woman and sent in the signed paperwork (signed in the Chicago airport on our way to New England) but the paperwork was sent back, the prices went up so Kay went and got another check (about 350 total) and was going to send it in again when the middle woman said she had arranged for him to get the old price and to send it in again, which he did .
We had only paid for the 3-5 day service to start out with and found out 2 days before leaving he would not get his visa but apparently Ben called the consulate and asked them to slip Kay's into Ben's packet. We didn't know if they actually did this so we were on hold. a day before they left, Ben's and Kay's passports and visas arrived in separate packages (go figure?) and the middle woman, after that, emailed Kay to apologize for him not being able to go on his trip. He would have lost all his money he had paid for the flight and the visa.
Anyway, they made it. They each took a 15 lb back pack and are meeting Ryan Dalrumple, who worked for Kay last year and was Ben's favorite missionary companion, there tomorrow.
Because it was on Vayama and maybe so last minute, we couldn't get them seats on-line so some how they got seats on the plane. Here is what he wrote:
"The flight was surprisingly good. I think we both got enough sleep even though we were in coach and restrained to one seat each. We got into Moscow in the evening and took the bus and metro to the hostel. It took about 30 minutes to figure out the hostel was around the building numbered 49, then through an alley and hidden in a corner. Once we found it they did not have our reservation. Ben showed them a confirmation email and he sent us to another hostel at least a 30 minute walk away. We finally got checked in a little after midnight. The hostel was about half full. 7 bunk beds in our room. I slept quite well until 8am. We just showered and are on our way to 11am church."
Kay asked if I wanted to go? Been there, done that, no thank you. Russia is a dank, dark, grey, Godless country in my ever so humble opinion. I loved being on a tour there, going on a boat (not as ship) with a cafeteria, I loved visiting the small villages but this trip is "off the seat of their pants" Maybe hanging around members of the church with hope would be OK but "no thank you." Kay likes adventure and no plans.
As I remember our last trip to Russia about 16 or 17 years ago. People would stare at him and we decided he looked very Russian. He needed to keep his mouth shut. we even had women come up to me to tell me how handsome my husband was. Kay was shocked! Never in his life has anyone told him how handsome he was (except me). He just couldn't understand it. Even teenage girls said it....... hummmmm, maybe I should have gone.........
Our nephew Ben works with Kay in Omaha. He was a missionary for our church in Russia and has been home a little over a year. He has wanted to go back and found a killer deal. For just under $400 dollars they flew round trip from Omaha to Moscow Russia. They made the reservation almost 3 weeks ago on April 6Th but needed visas. I happened to have 3 passport pictures of Kay a few years old ("not to be more than 6 months old") but hey, he hasn't changed.
We found a middle woman and sent in the signed paperwork (signed in the Chicago airport on our way to New England) but the paperwork was sent back, the prices went up so Kay went and got another check (about 350 total) and was going to send it in again when the middle woman said she had arranged for him to get the old price and to send it in again, which he did .
We had only paid for the 3-5 day service to start out with and found out 2 days before leaving he would not get his visa but apparently Ben called the consulate and asked them to slip Kay's into Ben's packet. We didn't know if they actually did this so we were on hold. a day before they left, Ben's and Kay's passports and visas arrived in separate packages (go figure?) and the middle woman, after that, emailed Kay to apologize for him not being able to go on his trip. He would have lost all his money he had paid for the flight and the visa.
Anyway, they made it. They each took a 15 lb back pack and are meeting Ryan Dalrumple, who worked for Kay last year and was Ben's favorite missionary companion, there tomorrow.
Because it was on Vayama and maybe so last minute, we couldn't get them seats on-line so some how they got seats on the plane. Here is what he wrote:
"The flight was surprisingly good. I think we both got enough sleep even though we were in coach and restrained to one seat each. We got into Moscow in the evening and took the bus and metro to the hostel. It took about 30 minutes to figure out the hostel was around the building numbered 49, then through an alley and hidden in a corner. Once we found it they did not have our reservation. Ben showed them a confirmation email and he sent us to another hostel at least a 30 minute walk away. We finally got checked in a little after midnight. The hostel was about half full. 7 bunk beds in our room. I slept quite well until 8am. We just showered and are on our way to 11am church."
Kay asked if I wanted to go? Been there, done that, no thank you. Russia is a dank, dark, grey, Godless country in my ever so humble opinion. I loved being on a tour there, going on a boat (not as ship) with a cafeteria, I loved visiting the small villages but this trip is "off the seat of their pants" Maybe hanging around members of the church with hope would be OK but "no thank you." Kay likes adventure and no plans.
As I remember our last trip to Russia about 16 or 17 years ago. People would stare at him and we decided he looked very Russian. He needed to keep his mouth shut. we even had women come up to me to tell me how handsome my husband was. Kay was shocked! Never in his life has anyone told him how handsome he was (except me). He just couldn't understand it. Even teenage girls said it....... hummmmm, maybe I should have gone.........
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Spring Break 2009 New England
The group Easter Basket
Janae's birthday at Nathaniel Hawthorne's house. This is the only gift I got. A piece of cake. I don't eat sugar.
For those of you that want the scoop:
We had fun in New England for Spring Break. Our timeshare condo was in Jamestown RI, a small island across a toll bridge. By the end of the trip we think we paid for one of it’s toll booths. Kay, Lauren, Janell and I went.
Before we left I bought two Entertainment coupon books for Boston Area and two for Rhode Island area, w
e have used them well. Each restaurant was found from the “buy one get one free” books and with four of us we were able to use the books for food and activities. They will start selling the new books in about 4 months, ours are considered at the end of their time and were half price themselves. A few restaurants were closed. The price you 
pay for going mid- book- season.
Saturday was a cold blistery day for a freedom trail walking tour.
Sunday we attended Church in a nearby town and went into Newport to walk the cliff- walk behind the Newport Mansions.
This is the great and spacious building we saw on the way to church. It says "slots" on the front.
Monday we returned to Newport to tour the Mansions built in the guilded age, 1890’s. NY socialites built “cottages” (castles) to entertain friends for 6 weeks a year. “over the top” is nothing compared to these mini Versailles castles. We had a behind- the- scenes tour and returned a few days later to visit the rest. One of them, the Rosecliff is where the Great Gatsby with Robert Redford was filmed. It was the least impressive but because of some water damage is the one that allows film crews and weddings.
Tuesday we went to Salem Mass and were disappointed. Salem is trying to educate people (of all things) about the truth of witches. We wanted to see witches! The one museum didn’t have one artifact and at the end compared the witch hunt with the Japanese in the internment camps and the McCarthy era (we agree), which is fine but then put the gays into that! Oh well. we got a picture of Elizabeth Montgomery statue and saw some really old houses
including a tour of Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of seven Gables. After that we went to Concord and toured Louisa May Alcott home to get the bad taste out of 
our mouths. .
Wednesday was our John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library day. It told the history of the 35th US President until his assassination. We very much enjoyed this and recommend it. Wednesday was also US tax day when all the years taxes are due...so we drove to Boston Commons and participated in a tax demonstration. The news called it
a "Modern Day Tea Party" When we arrived Kay found us signs in a nearby garbage can so we could look the part. We took some pictures and when we left, gave the signs away to a demonstrator who said he would pass them around. 
Our next stop was Plymouth where we visited the museum and the rock and drove around the city to see the sights. We then drove down to the cape for dinner.
At the restaurant on the Cape we were the only ones there for most of dinner time. The host was a retired school principal from NJ. When he heard we were from Utah he told us about a book he was reading about the Mormons and he said if we were Mormon we probably wouldn’t like it. The author didn’t like Joseph Smith or some of his teachings. He recommended it for our knowledge of what people are saying about us. We had a great conversation with him. We said we had heard it all and didn’t need to read it. Kay uses the statement “If you want to learn about Toyotas do you go to the Chevrolet dealer?”
We told him about our church and how Caleb is on a mission and he has to do community service every week. We told 
him about the great community service we all do… and what our humanitarian center has done for the world. He kept saying “I didn’t know that” At then end he asked if he could read a book about the other side’s view. We recommended the Book of Mormon which he said he had but it was confusing so he gave me his address and email for a suggestion of something to read. I am taking suggestions if anyone has 1 book he could read. There are so many. I think I will send him "for the strength of Youth" pamphlet and "our heritage".
He ended up slipping us a coupon for the restaurant, gave us a local newspaper and a map of the best beach on Cape Cod where we walked on a board walk. It was a hour and a half drive home and a very full day.
For our last day we got out the coupons and stayed around Newport visiting the Tennis hall of Fame, we are not tennis enthusiasts but we thought of our friend, tennis pro, Eddie in Hawaii when going through and enjoyed the exhibits and the rest of the Newport Mansions.
I think it is rule in New England that you must be able to see the next Duncan Doughnut shop from the one you are standing at. Kind of like our churches.
Janae's birthday at Nathaniel Hawthorne's house. This is the only gift I got. A piece of cake. I don't eat sugar.For those of you that want the scoop:
We had fun in New England for Spring Break. Our timeshare condo was in Jamestown RI, a small island across a toll bridge. By the end of the trip we think we paid for one of it’s toll booths. Kay, Lauren, Janell and I went.
Before we left I bought two Entertainment coupon books for Boston Area and two for Rhode Island area, w
e have used them well. Each restaurant was found from the “buy one get one free” books and with four of us we were able to use the books for food and activities. They will start selling the new books in about 4 months, ours are considered at the end of their time and were half price themselves. A few restaurants were closed. The price you 
Saturday was a cold blistery day for a freedom trail walking tour.
Sunday we attended Church in a nearby town and went into Newport to walk the cliff- walk behind the Newport Mansions.
This is the great and spacious building we saw on the way to church. It says "slots" on the front.Monday we returned to Newport to tour the Mansions built in the guilded age, 1890’s. NY socialites built “cottages” (castles) to entertain friends for 6 weeks a year. “over the top” is nothing compared to these mini Versailles castles. We had a behind- the- scenes tour and returned a few days later to visit the rest. One of them, the Rosecliff is where the Great Gatsby with Robert Redford was filmed. It was the least impressive but because of some water damage is the one that allows film crews and weddings.
Tuesday we went to Salem Mass and were disappointed. Salem is trying to educate people (of all things) about the truth of witches. We wanted to see witches! The one museum didn’t have one artifact and at the end compared the witch hunt with the Japanese in the internment camps and the McCarthy era (we agree), which is fine but then put the gays into that! Oh well. we got a picture of Elizabeth Montgomery statue and saw some really old houses
including a tour of Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of seven Gables. After that we went to Concord and toured Louisa May Alcott home to get the bad taste out of 
our mouths. .Wednesday was our John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library day. It told the history of the 35th US President until his assassination. We very much enjoyed this and recommend it. Wednesday was also US tax day when all the years taxes are due...so we drove to Boston Commons and participated in a tax demonstration. The news called it
a "Modern Day Tea Party" When we arrived Kay found us signs in a nearby garbage can so we could look the part. We took some pictures and when we left, gave the signs away to a demonstrator who said he would pass them around. 
Our next stop was Plymouth where we visited the museum and the rock and drove around the city to see the sights. We then drove down to the cape for dinner.
At the restaurant on the Cape we were the only ones there for most of dinner time. The host was a retired school principal from NJ. When he heard we were from Utah he told us about a book he was reading about the Mormons and he said if we were Mormon we probably wouldn’t like it. The author didn’t like Joseph Smith or some of his teachings. He recommended it for our knowledge of what people are saying about us. We had a great conversation with him. We said we had heard it all and didn’t need to read it. Kay uses the statement “If you want to learn about Toyotas do you go to the Chevrolet dealer?”
We told him about our church and how Caleb is on a mission and he has to do community service every week. We told 
him about the great community service we all do… and what our humanitarian center has done for the world. He kept saying “I didn’t know that” At then end he asked if he could read a book about the other side’s view. We recommended the Book of Mormon which he said he had but it was confusing so he gave me his address and email for a suggestion of something to read. I am taking suggestions if anyone has 1 book he could read. There are so many. I think I will send him "for the strength of Youth" pamphlet and "our heritage".He ended up slipping us a coupon for the restaurant, gave us a local newspaper and a map of the best beach on Cape Cod where we walked on a board walk. It was a hour and a half drive home and a very full day.
For our last day we got out the coupons and stayed around Newport visiting the Tennis hall of Fame, we are not tennis enthusiasts but we thought of our friend, tennis pro, Eddie in Hawaii when going through and enjoyed the exhibits and the rest of the Newport Mansions.
I think it is rule in New England that you must be able to see the next Duncan Doughnut shop from the one you are standing at. Kind of like our churches.
Monday, April 6, 2009
2009 first Annual girls weekend
We had our first Annual girls weekend. My four daughters and I decided we needed a get-together. Lauren and Rachael flew in (Rachael pretty much blew in as she left Omaha at 7AM on Saturday and arrived back at 11PM on Sunday). Rachael brought baby Chester aka Aaron and Frances had her two babies there. Frances's other sister Melanie (her sister-in-law) was there for Saturday. Wow we were glad Melanie came as she supplied the amazing photo crafts and provided a gourmet lunch for us upon arrival. We cooked and talked and listened to LDS General Conference. It snowed terribly up there in the mountains, only 15 minutes from no snow and spring flowers springing. Thanks to the husbands who put their lives on hold so their wives could play.
Janae, the queen bee, Rachael (mother of 4) Frances (mother of twins) Lauren, and Janell
22 random pictures- Lucky you I cut out 150 pictures:
8 Almost snowed in at Emigration Canyon Utah:
Janae, the queen bee, Rachael (mother of 4) Frances (mother of twins) Lauren, and Janell
22 random pictures- Lucky you I cut out 150 pictures:
8 Almost snowed in at Emigration Canyon Utah:
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Cinnamon rolls
Janell has been craving cinnamon rolls so here is her first attempt to make them. She did everything perfect from scratch. Notice how she is cutting them with dental floss, like a professional. I remember Lauren's attempt to make her first cake where she brought the bowl with the egg, oil and water to me and asked what was wrong (the cake mix was missing). Cinnamon rolls are a treat and when I had 2 high school girls, they wanted to go to cinnabon to buy cinnamon rolls. I freaked out and offered to make them saving them hundreds of dollars (kidding). They learned to do this (tell me they were going to cinnabon) a few more times knowing that was the way to get me to make them. I finally wised up and one of Lauren's first things to make from scratch was cinnamon rolls. If you can make cinnamon rolls, you know how to cook. Why not start with this so you know you can cook. Even Caleb makes cinnamon rolls. Roller coaster
Janell had to build a roller coaster out of card board for her physics class, having a tennis ball make hills and a loop for extra credit. She could do it alone or in a group. The groups were taken so she decided to do it alone. This is what I would call one of the easier physics projects. Good thing Kay was home for the week, while I started his mom's taxes he went from me to Janell helping where needed. As I remember all my kids had their dad "help" them do their physics projects..... Kay is a natural engineer. I remember the cardboard boat Rachael and two friends had as their project they made. Teams competed in a real swimming pool. They had to get in the boat and paddle across the swimming pool. Kay had them practice getting in as they made it on the grass in front of our house. The three girls held hands and counted slowly together as each foot went into the boat, slowly, slowly. The lesson did them well as theirs was the sturdiest and stayed afloat the longest. Some boats capsized upon entry. The girls watched and helped as Kay built it. I remember the pumpkin launcher the size of a small truck and the robot. Kay is a good one to have on your team.
Pete: expect a call to find out how to figure the calculations!
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