1-21-2008 11:15 Kiev

Last night we didn't sleep.  It rained and the entire night we listened to the water hit the elbow in the drain and it sounded like someone was throwing rocks at an aluminum sign outside our window.  Plus our minds were both racing with questions that we knew we couldn't answer until today, tomorrow, or the next day.   When Mike got up to take a shower it sounded like construction workers were in the house using a jackhammer, and I guess I at least got a wink of sleep because at that point I thought- Didn't I bring ear plugs?  Yes.  So I went back to sleep.  

Our beautiful cobblestone historic street has turned into a very wet historic stream this morning.  It has about 6" of water running down it in a constant flow.  Still there are cars and people out and about (the sidewalks are high and dry).  We decided breakfast in was a good idea and Mike ate some instant oatmeal while I was still sleeping.  Apparently oatmeal tastes about the same when made with seltzer water.  Yes, we bought the wrong thing.  But when life hands you lemons, make lemonade, right?  We did.  I had some instant Crystal Light packets and we put two into a liter of seltzer water and voila… some variety of Sprite without the lime.  We used the other bottle to help with breakfast and it seems to be just fine.

I suppose in a little bit we may venture out and get some lunch, but it really is a nasty day out today.  Maybe we will break out another box of mac 'n cheese…  I feel bad for Charissa Urban (sorry, couldn't link to her blog because I don't have internet to double-check the name, but her blog is listed there ☺ ) because today is her first real day in Kiev and it is nasty out.  Yesterday was a very nice day, but today is her one day to sight-see before her appointment tomorrow. Plus, we had hoped to meet up with her yesterday or today but the likelihood of her getting internet yesterday was pretty low.  Maybe today… we shall see! 

Here's another story from yesterday about an unusual person here in the city.  On the corner of our street (a ways down) and the next street that is really a main piece of the city square there lives an older woman.  I believe she actually lives on that corner.  She has a cardboard box with something written on it but I have no idea what.  She also has eight dogs.  Yes, EIGHT.  I suppose that's one way to make sure you are warm on a cold night- to curl up with the pups?  They are all on leashes and last night when we were walking home around 5pm (it was already dark) there were 2-3 people stopped and talking with her and another dog- not on a leash- joined them as well.  Two of her dogs got up to check out this stranger and she raised her hands up in the air and told them to lay back down (I think) and to stop being a bother.  Something like that.  What surprised me is that they DID.  Anyway,  I cannot imagine living outside in a place where the highs are in the 30's and thee is snow on the ground- or rain even.  She either has a powerful drive to live or some sort of shelter elsewhere.  I cannot imagine.

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