It is almost midnight, my Hub asked me to skype him after
12.. It is really hard keeping up with each other, working out where he is in
the world, I had him in Spain, when he was in Canada a couple of weeks ago,
then just got used to the idea, he went to America, and now in Thailand? He was
six hours behind the U.K then five, now seven hours ahead of us? So I say
goodnight to him at tea time, and at what should be my bedtime, I say good
morning?
My dogs have been out to their garden and now tucked in
their beds. Black beauty, is snoring like there is no tomorrow? Long chops, is
dreaming as ever. Loud and without any rhythm.
I had a good night on
facebook, whilst watching our T.V show, Jungle. My FB friend and I play along
with the game, she is so funny and we write to each other the craziest things?
Without her and my BF, I would not have done this month with my Hub being away? I will be eternally grateful
to them.
So plans for today? Church first thing. Let’s hope I make
it? Then put on my C.D’s and iron to the beat.
But first will give you an update on my friends Husband in Alaska? The
planes have found a burnt circle, where a fire was lit, so though there is nothing
around to say he was there, it is the best sign they have had so far? There is
a cabin not far away he knew about too, so he may have gone there? Oh God, it’s
just too painful?
Well now for my story! After not going to Russia for a
couple of years for eye treatment, I decided to go and see friends over there.
To have a visit without treatment would be odd also it was the first time I had
been since Russia had become free with Perestroika.
I did not like the changes in the city. There were awful
flags strung from beautiful architecture and bronze statues of past hero’s. And
cheap and nasty food chains from all over the world were in what were the once
quaint avenues, with the bright tacky strobed lighting, pushing ads out at
everyone who passed to visit the culture Moscow had to offer. The two just did
not mix. Russia still had its unique quality of rich red romance, which did not
belong to the modern world. The people expressed greed upon their what was once
kind an yet serious faces. Wise, wisdom, was not passed on from the west, to
the east. But one thing that had not changed was the beautiful friendship I had
with my lovely sister friend Olga and her beautiful family. Little D, who was a
new teen at the time, I had known since he was eight. Then a thirteen year old, and ever so serious.
His long blond hair fell into his huge brown eyes of a sad soul. My teen so
much reminds me of him. Caring and compassionate, an yet has a spark in his
belly. Just needs someone to light the spark. There was Tiassa too, she was
Olga’s Mum. Then, her brother Nik and the latest blonde he had, then of course,
Uta. Uta, was the pit bull…I was terrified of her. It was the time when those
dogs were getting so much bad press in the U.K.
On our way to the dacha, which is a country
house made from wood; we stopped and bought what we could to make curtains at
the house in the country. I was so excited, I had never stayed in a dacha
before and when we passed them before, we were fascinated by them. We drove for
over an hour and the narrow roads with the beriosky trees allowed a pathway to
where we needed to be. Tall white trunked trees stood almost bare, with finger
like branches, poised in a formation, like the Russian ballerinas, high up on
tip toes, tall to the sky.
The weather was red
hot, it was August and our car pulled up, Olga drove it. Little D ran to the
car, he was so pleased to see us, but only half as pleased as I was to see him.
The smell of the forests met with our senses and the fires burning in the
distance left the fragrance of cooked food. The walk to the dacha, was old and
rickety, an yet so homely and cosy. Fruit bushes framed the street and the home
made gate opened to allow us access into the grounds on which the Dacha was
built on. It had a couple of outer buildings, to which I would learn what they
were for later. The garden looked overgrown, but was just so packed with every
kind of flower you can imagine. Most people in Russia use the land for planting
food. We went up the wooden steps. The smell of the warm wood was so welcoming.
The sun beat against the house that was to be our home for the weekend.
Mama T, met us at the door. She was such a character. So dry
and witty. Brother Nik introduced us to his latest flame and then Uta, she jumped up at me, I froze and she put
her huge feet upon my shoulders and licked my face so gently…..
Olga took the check table cloths and hung them just as they
were! Pinned them to the windows, to
give me privacy, as we slept. We were to sleep in the living room, on sofas
made from straw and the rest of the family were to be spread all over. It was
an open plan from the living room to the bedroom that had Olga, D and Mama T
in. Then the brother told us he slept upstairs with the blonde and Uta. The
upstairs, was a loft, where wooden ladders, fell from the ceiling for access.
Then friends of Niks came. There were three of them. God,
where would they sleep? Answer? In the kitchen, and in the “bath house!” At the
bottom of the garden, was a beautiful pine cabin. It was a traditional Russian bath house. With leaves to beat with
hahaha and red hot coals with solid pine
slatted beds to lie on. The room got sooooo hot. Then there was an
outside toilet!!! You went up some steps, into the little wooden shed. Why up
steps? Stupid me needed to know this question? I also am blonde and some things
don’t come easy to me? Ha-ha
Well I learned, so the large bucket under the shed, would be
able to fit under so what we ate, could drop into there through what we sat on…
A toilet?
Who would empty it? OMG?
We had a barbeque in the evening for our supper the meat
cooked as the men took to the bath house. The ladies chatted and the feeling of
warmth fell through the little wooden retreat. I was so happy and loved every
minute I spent with the most beautiful
people. Darling little Dmitry, actually gave me away, when I married my lovely
husband. That absolutely made my day, as there was no one else, who could fill
those shoes. I wanted that day, to be the best day of my life, and it was, I
wanted us to love everything about the day and we did. Sweet adorable D, made
my dream come true by walking me to my now Husband!
Memories of the weekend at the dacha, will live with me
always. Simple songs we sang, Dmitry playing the piano, in a way only he can.
Dry jokes and sincere wealth of care and friendship.
No comments:
Post a Comment