After a couple false starts, wherein Jeremy flew back to Moscow alone in mid-November and then returned to DC for 48 hours over Thanksgiving weekend to pick us up, we are all back in Russia.
Also, it is ridiculously cold here. It was about 50 degrees when we left DC on Saturday. Today it is 7 degrees. And that's without windchill.
Our flight from DC to Moscow went about as well as we could have hoped. No one was forced to pose for nude photographs or groped during our trip through security. The TSA agents were very polite. The flight was half-empty and Zoia slept almost the entire time. Natasha didn't sleep much but only screamed for about 10 minutes. All our luggage arrived and nothing was broken. All in all, a successful trip.
This morning our layette shipment arrived. Then Jeremy left for work. I am proud to report that I did not grab him by the leg and plead him not to go, though I admit that I was afraid to be left alone with our daughters for the first time. About an hour later, I decided that we were going to take a short walk, despite the fact that it was 7 degrees outside. I figured that if I didn't do it now, I would never conquer my fear of taking them out in the cold and we'd be stuck inside for six months and this would officially be The Winter That Masha Went Insane.
First I had to get everyone bundled up. That took awhile. When I was sitting outside on the steps, wearing Zoia on my chest, trying simultaneously to put my boots on and preven Natasha from running off, tripping over her too-big boots and cracking her skull open on the concrete, it occurred to me that I need a better system. Winter is going to be long, so I'll get a lot of practice.
We walked to the produce stand, which is only five minutes away, and which, I was delighted to find, is open even when it is ridiculously cold. I bought a pound and a half of mushrooms, two heads of lettuce, four cucumbers, two zucchini, two enormous pears, two persimmons, a pound of mandarins and a pound of grapes. It cost me $30. I didn't even care. I was just grateful that I didn't have to walk a mile to the Ramstore.
Jeremy should be home in about two hours, and there have been no catastrophes.
A good first day back, I'd say.
Good for you for conquering the cold! Who knows...by the end of winter you might actually like it. But for today, you showed the cold whose the boss. Congratulations!
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