Save it for a rainy day

Today's a rainy day, and Charles stayed home sick. He caught my version of the plague, unfortunately. This is him on our balcony, next to our laundry that somehow manages to dry amidst all this humidity. Luckily, last night before we went to bed we went on a candy run and bought all kinds of different chocolate. So we're well stocked for a rainy day. We also have my homemade potato soup in the fridge, and the ingredients for my homemade tomato soup. Too bad Charles eventually has to go back to work, because we're having a lovely day laying around and fighting internal battles against our germs.

So, Charles decided on his internship, and he's going to be working for a capitol investment firm. There aren't very many in Russia, because they're just now redeveloping an upper class who has capitol to invest. This particular firm has only been in business for about six months. It's more than doubled its funds since then, so they seem to be doing pretty well. Charles' job there is to research various commodities and services to invest in. He may even be doing some pitches to companies when he finishes researching. It's very exciting to him, and the job's pretty much tailored just to him. He may even be paid to fly to America a few times! He actually won't be speaking too much Russian, which ironically is a selling point for him. He wanted to spend time in Moscow, but he wasn't as thrilled with the Russian speaking aspect as the rest of the people who are in his program. They're all Russian majors, and he's a public policy major.

For now, though, we're just trying to survive this evil bug, and having internet in our house is helping alot!

Oh, I forgot to mention that we don't have any hot water yet. Most of Moscow doesn't have hot water right now, actually. Apartment buildings don't have their own water heaters here, because the city heats water and pumps it directly into the buildings from central heating plants. That means you never run out of hot water, except for during the summer when they shut down the plants for maintainence and stuff. Then you don't have water for anywhere from two weeks to a month! Luckily, we're in a very new area, and all of our pipes are very up to date, so it's just two weeks for us. And it turns back on tomorrow, thank goodness! Charles has been heating up water for me in the mornings for my shower, because Valya has this electric teapot thing that heats your water to boiling in less than two minutes. I heat water for him, too. We take turns doing it. A couple teapotfulls is good for a semi-cleansing shower, but I always use the actual shower head with cold water for my hair, because I need that water pressure to get all the shampoo out of my hair. Shaving is a nightmare. I can't wait for my hot shower tomorrow!