We don't fall down!

A mass of humanity pours out of the metro cars and it's only 6:45 in the morning and not even rush hour. As individuals we decide which direction we want to go but in reality we surge forth. There are several choices of which direction is needed to go to reach your destination but I am one of many who need to move up a staircase towards a transfer station. We walked up the stairs and reach a platform where several other staircases meet and in mass we begin to sway, step, sway, step like "weebles" wobbling to and fro to the one escalator that goes down. I smile because we wobble but we don't fall down. This is just a phase of my daily journey to work on public transportation.

Salad, anyone?

Walking past a gauntlet of babooshkas (grandmas) selling their fruits, vegetables, apparel, etc. I noticed a basket of leafy greens. "Hmm, a salad would be nice for a change." Too bad I am on my way somewhere that stopping to purchase veggies would be a problem. As I look a few steps closer to the granny I saw that she was taking a sip from a bottle and then when I was directly next to her she proceeded to spit all over the lettuce I had been admiring. Why, just why??? That was just sick and wrong. I wanted to yell - Woman, sprinkling water on the veggies is alright, but don't spit. Now it may be a bit longer before I get to enjoy a salad.

Crunch!

I walked along a leaf strewn sidewalk on the way home and was so thankful for the sunshine. I love the sound of the dry, brittle leaves as I step on them. And seeing all the different colors and variety of leaves.
This morning I walked in the rain to the bus stop and I had thought it was going to be a gloomy, dreary day. I am glad I was wrong! Thank you, Lord for a beautiful day.

Pass the Salt!

The other day I was eating my lunch in the teacher/staff lounge and someone asked me to pass the salt...and I did. Doesn't sound too amazing, except I was able to hold and pass the shaker with my left hand. It is wonderful when I realize that I can again grip something and not have it get away from me. Not to long ago I wasn't able to hold a sheet of paper in that hand.

Observations of the day.
Ukraine just had a political election and I don't know who won but I am amazed that all the signage is gone regardless of the party. I remember in the States seeing billboards and worn signs on fence posts long after the election.

I saw a fuzzy caterpillar today inching is way down the sidewalk this morning. I hadn't seen one in a long time. It was all black. I remember the distance between the stripes was meant to predict the winter. So what does no stripes mean? A Long, Cold Winter? I better get buttons sewn onto my wool coat and locate all my scarfs and gloves, just in case.

The metro car I rode in today was decorated with chocolate & dessert advertisements on the outside. This is unusual because they are generally painted blue with yellow or gold trim. The funniest thing was that I didn't notice when I rushed to get on at Maidan but I did when I got off at Petrivka and it was pulling away.

I have been seeing a woman everyday at the bus stop in the morning. Well, the other day I saw her in the afternoon and she was coming into my building - she is a neighbor! I learned that her name is Sveta and I look forward to our building a relationship even it is only briefly to say, "Good morning" (dobraye ootra); "See ya later" (pakah) or the phrase for the day...oodachyee! (Good luck & best wishes). I am looking forward to being able to tell her about my Savior, Jesus. Because of Him I have something much greater than luck. da sveedaneeya