Where do YOU work?

I don't know if you can see me in this picture but I'm on the far right in front of the gong.

Easter

So, I promised an Easter blog to Mrs. T... so here it is. Dyeing eggs is also traditional for Ukraine (almost MORE traditional I would say judging by the amount of painted-egg souveneirs that are sold all year). But, as "seen" in the second picture... they bang them together. I'm holding the orange egg and Dasha is holding red egg. As tradition goes, the one who's egg cracks has to do whatever the other person can think up. For those interested in who won:

I started counting (to three, obviously) and Dasha false started and cracked mine slightly. I called foul (I am an award winning demander of fairness {just ask Jared and the American Ledger}) and turned my egg around, counted to three and made her the crack-ee.

In the first picture is a gluten-free Paska. Real ones look a little different... they're a little bulgy and not caved in. But everyone buys these thingys and gets them blessed in orthodox churches...

There it is, Mrs. T. In a nutshell.

Happy Birthday!

It was yesterday (the 27th). But no time to post....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DASHA!!! 

Kyiv Cars

Vadim said it best: "It's a poor country... but there sure are a lot of rich people in it."

According to ukrstat.gov.ua, the 2005 average monthly income was approximately $140 a month... where are these cars coming from? 

Palm Sunday

So.. there was a request from Mrs. Taylor for a Ukrainian Easter blog. First things first: Ukraine celebrates all religious holidays by the Orthodox calendar. This past Sunday was Palm Sunday.

Ukraine doesn't have any natural palm trees (some have been shipped in to southern beach resort areas)... but they sure do have a lot of these things.

The first picture is in our church. As you can, the willow branches are in the vase. I don't know why they use these other than that they don't have palm trees.

The next two pictures are in front of St. Vladimir's cathedral. As you can see, the willow branches are sold in front of all the orthodox churches.

And the last picture is of Dasha with our 'thingys' (bought after church... mainly for the picture). Apparently, in the orthodox church, you are supposed to get the branches 'blessed'.

So... there it is, Mrs. T. Ukrainian Palm Sunday at a glance. 

Well, well, well... It's exactly four weeks until "Big Shelton Summer Wedding Number One". Still working on hitching a ride over for a week and a half.

Our best schemes so far have both involved Ben highjacking a plane and picking us up... (peacefully returning it, of course). I think Ben would do it, if he could somehow hide it from his parents (not that I condone that).

That's about as far as planning has gone...

P.S. At Vagabond Blog all major credit cards are now accepted.

Just when you think you've seen everything... 

A Tribute

 

Munchkins

Here are some pictures from the car ride to church with Dasha's parents and her foster brothers and sister.

Bob Dylan: American Poet

You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says "It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God, Am I here all alone?"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feelTo be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"As he hands you a bone

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To just give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations

You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat backThanks for the loan"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milkOr else go home"

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones

Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is Do you, Mister Jones?

Happy Birthday to ME!

There it is... Dasha's present to me for my upcoming birthday! I love the hamster cheek design!