The Comforts of Home!

Nope not home yet....I wish...but second to that is having Cindy arrive here today. So great to see her and have someone I can practice my English on! With her arrival came some nice amenities...#1 is Extra Mint Chocolate Chip flavored gum! Oh yeahhhh! I am chewing some as I type this and it is AMAZING!!! She also brought M&M's and if you know me you know that I love M&M's....the bad news is that I gave up chocolate while observing Lent. So I will resist the urge and let her eat them and maybe they will be the next new treat for Sy (I hear they might work well for bribery, err I mean rewards). It could be a long plane ride and this could be my ticket. So glad to have her here......On a separate note you will be happy to know that I braved the meat section in the local grocery store and purchased what I hoped was salami. I also attempted to purchase mustard and thank goodness for the distinguishing color and a small label on the packaging that said "real mustard". Score for both. I haven't been sick yet so it looks like I may have found a winner in the meat section. Cindy and I branched out today and bought ham, but we have not actually tried it, so wish us luck! I can only describe the experience of shopping in a Russian grocery store as the experience I have had when our family would get a box of Seas chocolates. There were only a few that I would like and each time I picked one out of the box, I was taking a chance. Sometimes it was coconut...yuck. That has been my luck at the store. Cheese is a good example...tried to buy the same kind that Dean had and ended up with something a little different...not so good. But when all else fails I know exactly which type of ice cream to buy and you never have to worry that I might starve over here! (You were worried weren't you?) ....Last night I met up with the Park family as they are on their ten day waiting period as well. I went over to their apartment for a game of Catan. Any one ever play that? Well I hadn't, but it was real fun and I WON!!! I think they were being awfully kind to me and don't think that they will be so generous if we meet up again! A great family that I am happy to have met here in a strange land. Between them and the Looman's I have managed to pass the time so quickly. Thank you thank you thank you!............Cindy and I went down to a local market and walked around. It was crazy, there were clothes, hats, shoes, doors, shovels....you name it they have it there. Picked up a few souvenirs there. So all and all it has been a good few days. The weather is beautiful and we are heading out later.....On a separate note, my son Jake broke his arm yesterday apparently. Boy did that make me want to go home! Apparently he and Cindy (the horse) went one way and the rope that was hooked to Pidgeon (the horse) went the other. Kerplop....tried to catch himself on the way down. Supposed to be getting it casted tomorrow. Mom's are supposed to be there for that stuff! He doesn't apppear to be too worked up over it. Perhaps I am more so than him. This is just the beginning of the doctors visits in he and Sy's life I am sure!