Bookshelves!

I have a long history of putting up bookshelves over my desk in baches where I've stayed various places in Europe.




The tradition lives on. And true to the spirit of repurposing household items, my shelves also have a history. They came from the upper regions of the bathroom.




They used to be mounted above this cabinet here. I removed the doors which was lots easier than drilling holes with the boys' jackhammer drill into these concrete walls.
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How to make Shashlik

Shashlik is the Ukrainian version of what we know as Shish Kebab in the west. Traditionally it's made with lamb, but we aren't very picky that way.  We salted and marinated the meat overnight in mayonnaise; makes it really delicious!

From Tarakaniv fort

Our team was busy skewering the meat onto the shampuri while the fire-builders were in action getting things going in their department.

From Tarakaniv fort

From Tarakaniv fort

and in the meantime the rush is on because it still feels stormy

From Tarakaniv fort

Now the coals look ready.

From Tarakaniv fort

Doesn't take long and they're cooked!

From Tarakaniv fort

an amazing little Drummer Boy

Dedicated to Anita who doesn't want a smart phone...

So you have to click on this and then it will play the video. It's from the 1920's, so not much action...

EVE'S WIRELESS

more spring rains!

When you go on a picnic in the rain, you got to go with the right crowd...

From Tarakaniv fort

From Tarakaniv fort

From Tarakaniv fort

When you do it like that it's lots of fun!

How to make a flaming torch

If you want to make a torch you need to ask a friend who has made one before, because you can't find out on google, unless you read this post.
My friend who knows how to make torches gave me all the necessary components:

• a used pop bottle of gas mixed with oil.
• old rags, like towels, raggedy old pants
• wire

That's all he gave me, he said we need to find a good long branch to use for a pole.
Well, I had my bag of goodies with me and handed it all over to our fearless leader who set about to constructing 3 torches.

From Tarakaniv fort

Which were given to the three torch bearers

From Tarakaniv fort

From Tarakaniv fort

As we explored the old, murky fortress in Tarakaniv.

From Tarakaniv fort

computer diagnosis of a plumbing problem

Right after Sven and Laurie left the toilet starting acting up, so we had an online diagnosis using skype and a webcam!

From Rivne stuff

Second hand shop

I always like it when I see a Norwegian kofte here in Ukraine, must be a treasure from the second hand shop.

paper houses and fun friends

A couple of weeks ago Eleanor and I went to visit some old friends of hers...

From village life

Tolya met us at the bus with his bike so we could ride our bags and not carry or roll them through the mud.

From village life

We had great fun with the kids, we played inside for a while...

What did we ever used to call these things we'd make in elementary school? From village life

From village life

Close up picture of our folded paper village. From village life

From village life

We played some more outside.

From village life

And we got to hold the bunnies!

From village life

From village life

Their little home always reminds me of a jewelery box because of the precious things inside of it.

From village life

Unlike some of their fly-by-night neighbors

From village life

Clean Laundry!

I have a thing about fresh laundry, especially if it's all fresh and clean smelling from being dried out on the line. I like these bright clean multicolored button-down shirts in contrast to the dirty blah-gray buildings here.

spring rains and showers of blossoms

From Sunday shoes and allergies

Why do we have allergies?

From Sunday shoes and allergies

From Sunday shoes and allergies

But spring sure is beautiful in spite of how it affects a persons sinuses.

From Sunday shoes and allergies

Walking to our friends' place.
A shortcut across the railroad tracks...

From Sunday shoes and allergies

Through the mud in my Sunday shoes.

From Sunday shoes and allergies

Beautiful Spring

On my way from the university today I saw something that made me retrace my steps and take a picture:

It was grandma and the baby, she sat up and looked around though after I got the picture, so she was not peacefully asleep as I had assumed.

Where the Sidewalk ends

Some things are just too painful to talk about until after the fact...
like the time when my brother and sister-in-law came to visit me in Ukraine and the second day they were here I sprained my ankle in a big way.

I never knew your toes could get bruised from a sprained ankle.

And I never knew you could sprain you ankle from bumping your head on a low hanging balcony.
As Angela pointed out the pavement ends right here at the edge of this balcony.
Anyway my foot's much better now, less sore and less blue.
Some times it's not enough to just watch you step, you also have to watch your head as you round the corner of apartment buildings.
Thanks mom for the title for this post!

pretty geeky

I am curious about the iPad, but because of Apple's proprietary approach to their electronics, I probably don't really want one.  But that doesn't mean I don't find the iPad very interesting; this 100 year old lady using the iPad as her first computer is pretty cute: