Visitors

Garry drove to Kiev Monday to meet retired Manitoba dairy farmer Louis Balcaen and his friend from Belgium, Alphonse. They spent the day on Tuesday touring the sights in Kiev with Sasha (son of our Dnepro friend Tanya) and said he was a wonderful tour guide answering all their questions, and spent more time with them than planned (they say they weren't as fast as walking as Sasha.) Garry had a bit of a cold coming on when he left home, and spent so much time talking to Louis on Monday that he lost his voice- he says it has been getting better for the last two days, but he still sounds hoarse. They drove back here on Wednesday, arriving in the village around 3:30 and went out to check out the barn. I made chicken noodle soup and brownies for dessert (Garry drank lots of tea.)We had no rain here after Monday's muck fest until after they arrived Wednesday- the hole digging boys did some more digging that afternoon (still no alfalfa seed planted).






Yesterday it rained off and on - the rug I hung out on Wednesday afternoon is still out there- getting well-rinsed. Garry took his visitors to see two dairy farms in the area and then to Zaporosia. They got to visit a shino-montage when the car had a flat tire when they came out after lunch at McDonalds. A rock had cut the tire. They also visited the museum and fort on the island and checked out the dam- I recently found out that it was once considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world.


Friday morning and it's raining again...and I am all alone. Garry is off to Dnepro with his visitors and took Seth and Jonah with them as they have a dentist appointment for the monthly braces adjustments this afternoon. I think they are going to drop off the weekly milk delivery for the other dentist office, then go to the central market (I told the boys to look for a balloon for their chemistry experiment) and since its raining- the history museum. Maxim picked up his father- who has been working in Moscow- up at the train station in Dnepro this morning, and after a tour of the farm and tea- is driving his dad back to their home village...


so I really am all alone until later this afternoon when Garry returns with everyone one for pizza night (Max will be back tonight) except Garry phoned to say that the DeLaval guys are at the barn to hook up the pump (for getting milk out of the tank)...and they will be knocking on the door for money. Garry just phoned again while I was working on the post- raining steadily as I went out to the milkhouse splashing through the mud to bring the milk tank weight chart out to the guys working on the tank. I got a thank you in English and shut the door to the house before Mooshka could sneak in (she thinks the kittens do not need her as much as she needs to get back in the house- even if she did chase a stray cat out of the shed Tuesday.) After two more trips out for hot water for something--- I am not feeling quite so free and easy ... I can't even get this blog post finished. Strawberry jam to make before I know it.