wheels up party, anyone?

Well, tomorrow's our last day in Russia, and it's really too bad, because we just found THE COOLEST swing in a nearby playground. And we're going back in the morning to make a video of ourselves on it, because it is that cool.
Charles has this theory that the playgrounds in Russia are created with a purely Darwinian theme in mind. Survival of the fittest kid. The one who doesn't knock his own head off on a playground swing (like the aforementioned) is the one who survives to maturity and the rest... well, they had it coming.
There was this swing in Turkmenistan that was actually created for just this purpose. They would light a fire underneath it, and pile their kids on it, and if their kids fell into the fire, that kid wasn't meant to grow old.
you'll see what I'm talking about when we post the video. For now, I hope you're satisfied knowing that we lived through it tonight, and we're coming home tomorrow!

During the Olympics?

So, we found out this morning that Russia has declared war on Georgia. It shouldn't be a problem as far as being deported or losing our visas or anything. We're leaving on Thursday, anyway. I'm just a little shocked that we didn't even know for a few days, because we haven't had internet and we don't watch tv here.
Rather, we thought we didn't have internet. At least, we didn't pay for internet for August, so it should have been cut off on the first of August. So we've been eating a lot of McDonalds, and checking our email and stuff every night at McDonald's. Tonight when we were watching the Olympics, however, we realized that Russia had declared war, and since we didn't want to go to McDonald's on a Sunday, we plugged in the internet cord just to see what would happen. And we've had internet all along. Duh.
So, we've had a nice relaxing sabbath afternoon, applying for jobs and checking the news. I have now applied to approximately a zillion jobs. No offers yet. No interviews, even. Maybe I was overly optimistic when I started this search. I'm applying for everything I'm qualified for. I even applied for a cooking job for a women's shelter. I'd actually really like to get that one, except that it's part time, so I'd need to find a job that would let me have funky hours for the rest of the time. Not likely.
Anyway, if any of you Utah people hear of any receptionist, editing, writing, cooking, whatever jobs, let me know! I want to work!

no place like home

Just a quick note for our moms and fans. We're home safe, and we're well rested and happy and healthy. And we have an apartment to come home to, and from the sounds of it, it's awesome. Only four more days in Russia. Tomorrow's our last shot at the market!

i.love.st.petersburg.

My favorite thing about Russia:

ST. PETERSBURG. I love it here.

Moscow's ok. It's a little scarier than I thought it would be, and lots dirtier. But St. Petersburg is so relaxed and peaceful, even in the crowded places. It's just cleaner, slower, and friendlier. I love it here.

We arrived at 8 this morning, and then walked all of a block from the train station to our hotel. It was a very good night's rest. I recommend traveling by train at night! So comfy. We were supposed to be sharing a compartment with two other people, but we got the handicap compartment instead, so we had it all to ourselves. We were totally spoiled. Trains are much quieter than planes, and the attendants don't wake you up every twenty minutes to ask if you want three potato chips or a half sip of coke.

This looks so Hogwarts Express to me. I couldn't help but yell out "Alohamora!" at our door. But it wasn't locked, so who knows if it would have worked.

We were a little worried about our hotel, because it was a last minute deal, and it's cheaper than the hostel where our friends are staying, but I don't know why it's so cheap. It's so nice. Free wireless, a real bed (the first we've slept on this summer) and a whole living room and bathroom to ourselves. I didn't realize how tired we were of living with someone else until we got here and we could adjust the temperature (nice and chilly.) and walk around in our underwear and take a nap in the middle of the day and go outside without a coat.

Speaking of coats, it's chilly here. It feels like Yellowstone in the summer, but it's at sea level. It's really nice. I. love. st. petersburg.

So, we got to our hotel, and they told us to drop off our bags until checkin time, and we went out for some hot chocolate for breakfast. There's a coffee house right across the street from our hotel, so we got fresh squeezed orange juice, hot chocolate, and some croissantwiches. It was a little early for me to be alive and I was a little jealous of all the coffee drinkers, but it was nice and warm and relaxed in there, so we hung out there until checkin time.

Then we took a little nap, and then met up with our friends for food. We went to a brewery, which was a little silly for us, because the only "beer" we ordered was nonalcoholic. The waitress didn't seem too impressed with us. But I wasn't impressed by her either. Her shirt kept popping open when she reached across our table to take our plates. How embarrassing for her. Anyway, Charles and I had some pretty good soups, and I was jealous that his came with sour cream, but mine was already cream of mushroom, so I guess I had enough cream.

Then Charles and I took a short "night tour" around the center of town, following the map the hotel gave us. I. love. st. petersburg.

It's so pretty here. And they have canals all over the place because they use the river as transportation too. It reminds me of Venice, but not so dirty. It was funny that we were technically taking a night tour, but the sun stayed up for us. All of these pictures were taken around ten pm, and the sky was gorgeous. That's something I've really appreciated about Russia this summer. The sky is so...huge. It's vast. I don't know why it doesn't look this big in Utah. The mountains? Anyway, I love the sky here the most. These pictures don't do it justice.

So, now we're just taking it easy for the night. Charles is taking a bath in our (personal! very own!) jetted tub, and I'm blogging in our (personal! very own!) bed. I. love. st. petersburg.

And Dad, this is for you. I thought you'd get a kick out of it.

Oh, and tomorrow we're going to the ballet. And yes I'm giddy about it!

The Importance of Appearing Earnest

So, this week we're taking off to St. Petersburg! As Charles put it this morning, "You realize that if we go to St. Petersburg, I'll have seen all there is to see in Russia, and we may never come back?" I think I'm willing to take that risk. Although I do find it a little disconcerting that the guidebook we're using takes care to warn travelers not to linger under unstable, child-size icicles. Since we are traveling in the month of August, though, I think we'll be ok.
Our train (yes, train!) leaves at midnight tonight, and I've been packing and repacking all afternoon. I even ironed my shorts. But then I thought that was silly and crumpled them up again. Ok, I didn't even iron them to begin with, but that would have been very silly of me, eh?
I just have to say that I love the idea of traveling through the night by train. It's very victorian sounding to me, and I shall be sure to drink loads of (herbal) tea and remember to follow Maggie's example: "Pinkiezh up, ladiezh!"

(for those of you who care to know, we'll be back in Moscow on Friday morning, and we're traveling with another mormon family, and we'll be sure to remember who we are. That's for you, mom.)

insomnia sleeps for no man...or woman.

I wonder how many of my blog posts have been written during the wee hours of mornings because I haven't been able to fall asleep? I'm willing to bet at least half, if you include the ones from my first blog. This one is read more frequently by family members, so I try not to post anything that would alarm my mother, and it seems that I have my most alarming thoughts in wee hours. So I try not to post here without a good night's sleep.

Obviously, this is an exception.

I've been online looking at job prospects and housing prospects, and I have to say, things are looking much better for me as a college graduate than they did when I got married two years ago. I'm sending out resumes right and left. And up and down. I'm only worried that I'll miss deadlines, because I'm sending them out for job listings right now, but I'm not getting back until late August. And I've found some very charming looking apartments, but I know from experience that apartments look much different in real life than they look on ksl.com. And I hate finding good ones and then having to wait until night time to call about them, so I'm not waking home owners in wee hours. But I'm up anyway, so I might as well.

The cool thing about insomnia is that I have dirt on everyone I've ever shared a room with. People do strange things in their sleep. I love collecting quotes in wee hours. Here are some of my favorites:

"GOLLYGEEWILLIKERS!" (this was shouted, nay, screamed. It was alarming, to say the least.)

"Please pass the chicken salt." (as opposed to the turkey salt?)

and my all time favorite:

"We were going to storm the castle, but Mika was already there!"

That's what happens when you fall asleep with headphones on, I guess.

Sweet dreams to all our readers.

Oh good laugh, there was sing.

Such a poetic line, from "Suessical the Musical." At least, that's what I thought the line was. And I was so jealous that somebody else had thought it up before I did. I didn't know what it meant, but it sounded so cool to me. Then Cecily told me that the real line was "Oh, could that fella sing."
I am just that cool.
Charles had a similar experience as a teenager when he mistook the words "dangerous liason" for "dangerously hazel." He felt silly for telling me my eyes were dangerously hazel, because, he admitted, he'd heard that phrase in a song and thought it was cool. But he really didn't. He made it up all by himself, and it still makes me feel giddy. Teehee.
He is just that cool.

Thank goodness for fuzzy speakers and bad listening skills.