This Week

Monday from 4-8 (ish) we go to New Hope Center for a supper club (that's what we personally have been calling it). There are three Americans and one Ukrainian in charge and we take turns cooking - one week they cook, one week we cook. We usually feed between 5 and 20 people and meals are usually things like tacos, stew and biscuits, quiche and zucchini bread (don't knock it, it was amazing!), sloppy joes. This next Monday will be our turn to cook again so I'm thinking empanadas. We usually play games (Uno, Foosball, Ping Pong, Darts) with the kids and with supper one of the Americans, Joel, usually does a short message and then after supper we clean up and go home. 

August playing ping pong. 

It's been a lot nicer outside - the temperature usually hovers between -1 or -2 at night to between +2 and +6 during the day. There is no snow (hasn't been since ??? mid January) and everything is grey and brown. It's usually cloudy but every once in a while we've had one amazingly beautiful day that is brilliantly sunny. Dez's birthday was one of those days. 

 The entrance to our apartment building. 

We got a package in the mail this week! We were all very excited, Steve and I especially to know that mail does actually get here! There is only one thing in the mail somewhere between Canada and here that hasn't made it yet and should have. I'm still holding out hope that it will arrive. 

Christmas presents!! 

We hadn't ventured to any restaurants (besides McDonald's and it got old) since being here but finally this week we went out with some friends who recommended a Georgian restaurant. It was all shashlik (barbecue) so we tried a few different kinds of meat (beef tenderloin, beef and lamb) as well we had this amazing bread with cheese baked in the middle and Steve had a pork steak with fries. We already have plans to try another restaurant with these same friends so although we rarely go out it would be nice to know of a few places to go if an occasion did come up. 

Lamb Shashlik 

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 we are still having our Russian lessons. They are going well, some better than others of course but we still feel like we are making some progress although it is slow. Our Russian teacher is a great lady - strict in learning but sweet to talk to! She brings gifts for the boys every time - candy, chocolates and sometimes colouring books.

Steve has still been attending Young Life on Fridays and he has had several meetings with some of the Pastors from the Baptist church. They are the church affiliated with Young Life and we have friends that go there and therefore have been there a few times ourselves. The Pastors are really excited that we're here and we're hoping it works out to partner with them to see our vision come to life. They have the same hopes and dreams so we're in the process of working out what it would all look like. 

Quirk of the Day: 

Another manhole cover replaced in an inventive way. This one is across the street, right outside our entrance.