Culbert Report

We occasionally attend church services at an Orthodox temple right in the center of Moscow's bustling downtown district, just minutes from Red Square.  One Sunday, as we stepped out of the church and turned to head back toward the metro via Tverskaya Street, Moscow's main drag, we were met by hundreds of people enthusiastically gathered with megaphones, songs, and communist flags.   Oh, so this is the "protest" to which that Embassy notice referred...  "Red rallies" are not at all uncommon here - and very rarely are they in any way dangerous or menacing (this line inserted particularly for grandparents.)  The protesters make an agreement with police and government officials about when and where to gather, typically on this section of the main street just outside our church, and peaceably assemble for speeches, hymns, and chanted slogans resonant of an era gone by. This Sunday, we were particularly struck not with the relatively bi-polar nature...

Daddy, Anna, and Mishie (Teddy Bear,) rocking out together.

"He who drowns will no longer swim in the sea"

The hills were alive here in Moscow from October to June.   A friend and I went to see this spectacular production on its closing week - incredibly impressive.  While it clung very tightly to the American version, there were quite a few unique moments of Russian humor, satire, and a very powerful response to Nazi fascism absent from the Julie Andrews' "original." I quite enjoyed our evening at the theater - and look forward to "Mamma Mia" coming in October 2012!  Imagine, all of Abba's hits translated into Russian except for one line from the song "Dancing Queen."   Stay tuned for a noteworthy review! Before I leave you, allow me to share with you Russia's version of America's version of favorite things to be had in Austria.  Courtesy of google.translate (thus the humorous gramatical errors...)  [Also, please keep in mind that it does actually go with the music when sung in Russian...] Christmas tree in garlands an...

One year!  It's so hard to believe!   Although we still joke that she's still our tiny, 7lb baby, Anna has reached the one year mark at the top of her weight and height classes, full of words and smiles, and brimming with the same simple joy that's held us captive from day 1. Our party was a picnic in the park with friends.  Party hats were required. A close up of the birthday girl and her "cheese," (which is Anna-speak for any kind of food and "yes please I'll have some of that!")    The big birthday present?  A flower balloon - hours minutes of entertainment! Happy birthday, sweet Pea, we love you so much.

It occurred to me a couple days ago at a picnic in a city park: living in a big city does have one incredible advantage.  As I was arranging watermelon slices on a plate, it struck me that through the entire 3 hours of our picnic thus far, I had yet to be bitten once by a mosquito.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I'd even scratched a mosquito bite that I'd picked up in Moscow.  I can't even remember being bitten!  Oh glorious city with your smoggy air, lack of fresh water sources, and chemically inhabitable insect  colonies, how I love you!  It's true, one day I may regret missing out on being cloned with the rest of the human race at this time in history through the petrified remains of nature's blood-sucking treasure, the mosquito.  But not here and not now. -rkc

We're watching our friends' guinea pigs for a couple months this summer.   Anna was thrilled to see some new faces around here... at first.   It doesn't seem that the pigs actually bit her, perhaps just got a little too close for comfort.  At any rate, they've become fast friends since this incident.  Anna crawls over to their cage waving and squealing to greet them each morning now.  We're also learning new words like, "careful," "gentle," and "NO!" while hosting the piggies.  Good times.