January 2006

in english по-русски Check Kultajev mail

JeRom's Live Journal

January 2006

January 29 Aleks and I are getting settled in here in Graham! Aleks is soaking up the sun every day and playing out in the parks--a new word he is readily using on a daily basis. Yesterday evening we went to church--and sat in the back row just in case the sillies, and wiggles and screams decided to make an appearance. Well, I think that Grandma and Grandpa were the proudest of all that their grandson was a great audience and even threw in a couple of Amens. After church, we went to Vetoni's to have dinner--I think that we were a small crowd of 17. Aleks was eating and eating up all the noodles from Grandpa's plate. Everyone had a wonderful time. Today we spent the afternoon out at the Burkett's with their grandkids, looking at goats, cows, horses dogs and most importantly cats! Aleks got to spend some time with people his own size finally--

My My Mom has her web site up and running again! Hopefully she has learned a lot this time around and we will get to se more and more updates on what is going on in Graham, Texas! Go by and see it at www.bristows.net and you can see the photo gallery from today.

January 26 What an exciting day we had today! The Ft. Worth Stock Show (по-русски) is going on downtown Ft. Worth and we went to see the cows cows and more cows. It is amazing what the cowboys do to their cows to 'glamorize' them for the show...it looked like behind the curtains at a fashion show. The cows were being showered, and blow-dried; They use hairspray while combing their hair to style it--seriously! The fashion this year was an up-do. Then the cows rest in their personal dressing rooms--Well,

the bulls get personal dressing rooms, they are the stars...the other cows share 2-3 to a room. Really, the rooms are stalls, but the stalls do come equipped with personal fans, a table of snacks and some had refrigerators full of beer. Then there are also shows for rabbits, goats, sheep and chickens. Aleks was quite fond of the goats, he got to feed some right out of his hand.

He was so excited about the whole event he didn't even get a nap in. When we arrived home, after a semi-bath (he is still on a bath time strike) he was out like a light in 5 minutes. (pictures!)

January 25 Well, Aleks and I are the luckiest flyers in the world. On a solid booked flight, with at least 7 people on stand-by, we were so lucky as to have the seat next to us open! We flew to Texas on a direct flight from Portland, about 3 1/2 hours, in comfort and style. Aleks played with his toys, read some books and enjoyed the take off and landing. At first I was a little frightened because he was screaming and screaming. During the first 5 minutes of the flight a man in front of us was already making statements like "this is just my luck"--apparently he always sits next to awful, screaming kids on airplanes. But when we landed, the old codger didn't give a mention to how good Aleks actually was--and after that first two minutes he didn't make a peep! Since we arrived in Graham, the weather has been gorgeous and we have spent all our time playing outside at playgrounds and in the backyard planting gardens. It is really quiet, peaceful and fresh here.

Sorry that there will be no description on each picture! I don't have all the tools I need with me, but you can not complain! At least I can update the page. So use imagination for creating your own description; Here are some details to add: Grandma and Grandpa are feeling like kids again playing with Aleks--they even ride dinosaurs and blow up rocket balloons. You know that Aleksei gets his passion of water from his Papa--so whenever we see a river/lake etc we run to catch Aleks before he jumps in. It is quite obvious that Aleksei received some of his artistic talent from the Bristow side of the family...He is painting the base for Grandma's next still life.

January 22 This is the final day before we go to Texas. It is happy and sad. We are extremely happy to go see Grandma and Grandpa, but we already miss Papa. We did a little excursion to relax together before being 20 days apart. The weather man lied a little this morning by saying the sun would peek its shy rays out, which it does reluctantly in January. So, after hearing the sun would make an appearance, we started to think where we could go that was close yet natural--with that sweet fresh air. Sauvie Island is only about a 15 minute drive so we called up our weekend warrior friends, Arthur, Lucie and Mimi, put on our mud acceptable clothes and went on the nature trails. We saw a woodpecker, ducks--something that was arguably a stork--some Canadian or Alaskan geese that chose to winter in Oregon and finally a brown bunny rabbit. Aleks was like a little man in training for a marathon or something---he probably walked about a mile on his own. (he was sweating by the time we got back to the car) The sun never came out but we all had a great time-the fresh air was worth it.

January 21 A final clean sweep was made of the apartment today so everything will be crystal clean for

Romka while he enjoys his 2 weeks of silence at home so he can study and read in peace (the third week he is going to be in Montana on a business trip) In the meantime, while I was cleaning like Cinderella, Romka and Aleksei were playing over in Tanner Springs Park. Romka made a little sail boat to float down the creek then to be set free in the pond. Well, these two boys came back to my Clean, clean apartment covered with mud! Aleks had fallen into the creek a couple of times, mud was all over the bottom of their boots...and even worse, Romka had met the land mine of his worst enemy in the Pearl District--the Pearl Pooch. So they tramp back home, put their mud-covered clothes into my freshly scrubbed bath tub then turned on the music and danced around like naked aborigines celebrating the send off of their hand made ship.

January 18 I feel like we had an amazingly busy day--Sometimes I think that it would be less work if I went back to work rather than stay at home and be C.E.O. of the household. (Chief Everything Officer --This idea is from a web-site I read called Family, the most important organization --and Mom is the C.E.O.) Once you think about it--if you choose to be a professional Home Manager (i.e. stay at home Mom) you are in charge

of way more than anyone who runs a major organization must manage. You must be a chef (gourmet, if you are married to Romka--if not gourmet, then presentation is everything), janitor, doctor, financial wizard, professor, mentor, psychologist, special event planner, entertainer and there are probably many things I am leaving out. If you choose to go to work--these CEO responsibilities either disappear--then you would have money to hire a maid and eat out every day--or they get dispersed more equally between husband and wife. So, sometimes I do think it would be less work if I went back to work, but then look what I would be missing out on....Now Romka wants to put in his two cents worth:

Да, мне дали слово тут в конце, так уж разрешите высказаться. Сегодня вечером собрались с друзьями в кабаке у МакМенаминов. Наши дети, результаты любви грека и француженки, вьетнамца и испанки, ну и наш русогерманоамериканец, послушно сидели на коленях у мамаш, посасывая лёд, и лениво послушивая рассуждения взрослых. Мужчины толковали об испанской кухне, о фермерстве в Орегоне и о недвижимости там, в доброй старой Европе... Женщины, как того и следавало ожидать, говорили, что-то об увеличении количества членов семьи... Ах, эти женщины, безрассудные создания.

Ровно через одну кружку пива, дети начали познавать территорию кабака и путаться под ногами у официанток, и мы разошлись.

Как не хочется садиться за учёбу после пива и теплой компании.

January 17 I received an e-mail today from Teri Scheller, a fellow Graham High School Graduate of 1996.

She was writing to invite me to my 10 year High School reunion. This started a conversation about whether or not I should go to the reunion in June--which switched to a conversation on how sad Romka is that he missed his 10 year reunion (He graduated in 1992). Romka did an internet search and he finally found the web-site of his alma mater Kannika Kool. They have a section on the school's web site that has the class pictures from every year the school has been open (Romka's class is 1992b, see if you can find him). We looked at all the class photos from 1991-2005 and it is amazing how different the students of 2005 look compared to the students of 1992.

Ну, Женька, блин, разбередила душу своей предстоящей встречей выпускников. Её школа собирается в Техасе в июне этого года на торжественную пьянку, танцы шманцы, сяси мосяси, тары бары, где будут проводиться неофициальные конкурсы типа Лучший супруг/а, Лучшее дитятко и Лучшая карьера. Я посоветовал ехать, и подкрепил своё мнение тем фактом, что я несказанно расстроен по поводу несостоявшейся поездки на встречу выпускников моей школы в прошлом году. Женя, раскинув карты, деньги и свои подростковые комплексы решила, что не поедет, на что я ответил пылкой и восторженной речью о важности этого события в жизни каждого человека. В ход были кинуты убедительные предостережения, вроде " вот когда тебе будет 40, ты пожалеешь". Для подкрепления слов, я поискал в сети и наткнулся на страничку своей школы №5, или, как это принято сегодня говорить "Kannuka Kool", где оказались фотографии нашего и других выпусков. Как приятно, а сколько милых воспоминаний. На Женю посыпались истории моей непорочной юности, которые она стойко выслушивала. Вытирая слезу умиления, она решила, что поедет на встречу к своим однокашникам.

January 14 Yesterday was Stary Novy God--Old New Year--Which is New Year on the old calendar. So we celebrated with friends, food and champagne. Mainly it was a good excuse at the end of the week to drink Vodka, snack and hang out with friends. And some good news! We got our new dining table--just in time for Old New Year! I think that it was planned that way. Christmas starts on December 24th, Christmas Eve and the Holiday isn't over until January 14th! Tell your bosses and no one should work during this whole period. And if you had to work this year, if we all get together and protest like they do in France, next year your

bosses will give you all a paid 3 week holiday.

Aleks and Romka putting the table together

Click on Picture for Party pictures

А сегодня праздник, опять. Андрей пригласил всех ко мне в гости, отрпаздновать Старый Новый Год, на что все как виннипухи согласились. А у нас, как у того же Виннипуха, не было ничего покушать, ибо Женя в этот день заканчивала цикл месячной провизии и в холодильнике раздавалось гулкое эхо. К тому же в этот день пришёл кухонный стол со стульями (подарок к Рождеству от Женькиных родителей), и всё это Джэн потребовала собрать к приходу гостей, то есть за полтора часа! Что вообще эти избалованные женщины понимают в сборке мебели!? Это ж вам не суп приготовить, тут требуется вдохновление, чувство, толк и расстановка. Но, сын, оказался на редкость толковым малым, понял всю серъёзность ситуации и, вместо своего обыкновенного вечернего вальяжа, взял в руки отвертку и принялся помогать. Кроме этого, на двоих у нас был один полный костюм и работали как одна команда. Конечно же, гадкие малазийцы перепутали детали, и я понял, что без допилки и досверлки дальше одного стула и стола дело не пойдёт. Ну и ничего, гости на полу посидят, решили мы и расслабились. В морозилке нашлось филе лососика, украинское сальце, русская водочка, солёные огурчики, почистили чесночка, насыпали оливочек, народ принес закуски. В общем-то получился стол и было неплохо. Пили, закусывали, болтали, Мэйлин притаранил ещё девчонок с восточного побережья, Шерил оставалась трезвой, Алёшка держался молодцом и свалился аж только в 10. Как-то неожиданно мы пропустили полночь и очнувшись, разлили шампанское за уходящий старый новый год. Выпили за то, чтобы он оказался самым плохим в нашей жизни.

January 13 We have plain white walls in all of our rooms. I made curtains for each of the windows facing the opposite building--that brightens up the living room and Romka's office. For the bedroom there is a dark purple and black sheer curtain that I also made--but the back wall behind the bed was big and empty. According to Feng Shui, there should be nothing hung over the head of the bed--which makes sense, you shouldn't be afraid that something would fall on your head in an earthquake! So, I drew a mural on the wall--she is a resting fairy sending out good dreams to us.

Женька - удивляет она меня своей смелостью! Взяла и нарисовала на стене в спальне размером в полтора метра фею на луне. Якобы, согласно учению фенгшуй, над головой в спальне должно быть ничего нависающего... Теперь у нас там фея.

January 12 Playgroup at the Friendly House is every Thursday. It is a great bunch of morning activities for the kids--we start out at the train table or pretending to cook lunch in the kitchen. Then we all migrate to the bean table where the kids get to bury their hands in a box of beans and fill the dump trucks and maneuver the cows and pigs in the farm. After, we go to snack time where all the kids sit at the table like little adults and fill their plates with crackers, cheese and whatever else the chef thinks up. After snack time we go up to the gym where we get to shake our sillies out and drive cars as fast as little legs will allow.

January 9 Today we celebrate two birthdays. Galina and Patricia. Two young girls that we love very much. We wish them silliness, craziness, happiness, loveliness, and a very Happy Birthday.

Satisfied, pleased, contented,
at ease and comfortable,
curious, inquisitive, inquiring, interested ,
always ready to help.
Energetic, spirited, and determined,
she tackles her trouble.
Tranquil, peaceful and soothing,
her mood in life.
With a spirited mind we think about

her today,

sending love and friendship.

С Днём Рождения, мама! Дай бог тебе здоровья. Любим, мысленно с вами в эти дни. Женька написала тебе и Патрисии стих, попробую его перевести на скорую руку, поэтому не суди строго.

Она самодостаточна, довольна многими и многим,

В общении непринуждённа и легка,

Она внимательна, пытлива, любопытна,

Отзывчива, энергией и воодушевлением полна,

Она утешит и пригреет, всегда размеренна, скромна.

С горячим сердцем думаем сегодня мы о ней,

Слова любви и дружбы предлагаем.

January 8 This morning when I woke up the two boys were still sleeping soundly in our warm bed. Well, Aleks was half-way between awake and asleep--asking for milk in his dreams. I was listening to the morning news on my headphones and the weather man mentioned that the snow level was going to be down to 2500 ft--but the roads were going to be clear. The scent of snow was already wafting into my nose. I asked Romka if he wanted to call up Art, Lucie and Mimi and go touch the snow this morning. They agreed and we fit two families in our van and headed east and up, up, up. I was nervous, as usual, when we got to the snow because for some reason snow doesn't stay in the forest where it belongs--it gets all over the roads too. We have never bought chains and, of course, we don't have winter tires--so after I recovered from my heart attack I went straight to the gas station and bought us some chains. Then we played in peace with giant snow flakes falling from the sky. At first timid, the kids warmed up to the sled--then we played under the trees, which threw giant snowballs at us from up above. We made couscous with marinara sauce and meatballs and beans on the gas stove and had a lovely lunch in the snow.

Click on the picture for more!

January 6 Thirteen days after our December 25th Christmas day, on January 7th, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates its Christmas, in accordance with the old Julian calendar. After the 1917 Revolution, Christmas was banned throughout Russia, along with other religious celebrations. Many people quietly kept their traditions--and in the early 90's people began openly celebrating again. Mostly people gather together and share their dinner table filled with tasty foods and desserts. According to the old calendar--today is Christmas eve.

Susan, the children's librarian, is back from Australia and we are certainly happy. We walked to the library in the rain; (half-way we took the street car) and we walked back home in the rain. Supposedly, we will be walking in the rain all week long! But we have the exercise room, with the ski machine--And I actually got up to use it this morning!

And, at the last minute, we spent this Christmas Eve, which is also

Epiphany, with Arthur, Lucie and Mimi. Lucie made a last minute dinner for all of us--very delicious, and then she worked with Aleks and Mimi to make scones. This holiday season just goes on and on--isn't it wonderful?

January 4 Yes! we are a normal, healthy family again!! (knock on wood) Except now we can't get out of our sleeping late mode. We have a wonderful work out room here in our building that Romka and I are supposed to take advantage of every morning. After almost a 2 week break from any kind of normal schedule we don't get out of bed until 8 a.m. It is so warm and snuggly. We are still recuperating, so I am sure that in the near future we will be working out again. In the meantime Aleks and I went on a three hour walk this morning, downtown-taking advantage of the morning 'dry spell' we had before the oncoming next week of downpour.

January 3 Getting back to normal, thank goodness. Well if normal is Romka and Aleks having sympathy bad feelings for the bad feeling that Mom had yesterday. Yes, first Romka met the toilet up close and personal--then Aleks didn't quite make it to the potty--but instead threw up all over Mama. Now if that isn't sympathy, I don't know what is! But today isn't as bad as yesterday, and I am sure tomorrow will be even better..

January 2 Well, we thought that today was going to be Romka's first day back at work. He ended up spending a wonderful Papa and son day while Mama recuperated from a night of hugging the toilet. It wouldn't have been so bad--but I couldn't even keep water down, so I got very dehydrated--the doctor gave me some nausea quenching medicine and after a lot of water and some rest I felt much better. Beware leftovers from New Year's celebrations! But, as this picture shows, there is always light at the end of the rainbow.

Yes, this is the picture from our window--and I took it--and the rainbow is real too--from today!!

January 1 Happy New Year to Everyone! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and spent

it with the people that they love! We spent our Holiday in Portland--Romka had 9 days off from work.

We relaxed, ate well, played with our new toys and chatted with family over the internet (when it worked)

С Днём Рождения, Рудольф Култаев!