Waxing Philosophical

I’m imagining myself as an ersatz Ernest(ine) Hemingway, sitting in a small attic room in Paris, far away from my home, thinking about the world and its meaning.  Why are we here?  What cosmic forces came together and created this time and this dimension?  Why of all the millions of people on this planet, are we and this small Kazakh girl put together as a family?  It boggles my mind sometimes.  Today I looked into her little raisin eyes and watched her starting to come alive, as a result of some mere kisses and cuddles.  It amazes me that a child, yes, needs food and water, but without a simple thing like love and attention, she will not grow.  

 

Waxing philosophical here, I guess.  Apparently 50% of the town of TaldyKorgan is suffering from some kind of virus.  Poor Aida showed up this morning with a surgical mask on her face, and she sounded quite ill.  The children, however, don’t seem nearly as sickly as yesterday.  I felt so bad for Aida, and kept trying to ignore the tickle in my own throat!  I’m not getting sick…I’m not getting sick …oh … and we’re back to no hot water.  No big deal!

 

Last night we watched a movie on the laptop, and were pretty late getting to bed.  Partly because there is a restaurant behind our apartment, and they were having some kind of big hoopdy-do party.  The music was blaring and the people were laughing and carrying on.  Thank goodness for earplugs! 

                                                      

We had our usual visit this morning, in the courtyard.  There were more clouds in the sky today, and the forecast is calling for some rain.  It was chilly all day; I think their Indian Summer is over.  While we were sitting on a little bench, Melanie leaned into me and started humming to herself, while I instinctively starting rocking back & forth.  Before I knew it, she was fast asleep, all curled up in my arms.  What a sweet moment.  Of course, I knew that this would screw up the sleeping routine, but I just couldn’t bring myself to wake her up.  The caregivers had told us that she was so spoiled now, and that she wouldn’t do what she was told.  This morning she woke up at 5 am and sang in her crib until 7.  No wonder she crashed! 

 

For our afternoon visit, we took Melanie in the car to a small park with a river running through it.  We walked over a rickety suspension bridge to the other side of the river and sat on a blanket eating cookies and chocolate.  The birch trees are losing their yellow leaves.  To get there, we drove past small “dachas” or country houses (more like sheds) where people go to tend small vegetable gardens and just get out of the city.  Here and there we saw a scruffy looking dog or two.  All in all, very relaxing.

 

For dinner we are having some sausage and eggs that we picked up at the little store near our apartment.  Right now we’re enjoying a cup of tea and listening to the children playing outside.  David says they’re playing something that is a cross between baseball and cricket.  Hmmm….Not quite sure exactly what the rules are, but they seem to be having fun.  (Of course, there is a lot of arguing going on as well…so maybe there are no rules?)

 

Signing off for now!!  Da zaftra!