This week the grass is turning green, the ground is dry, and Garry was able to break ground for the barn in the village. On Thursday a big payloader started moving dirt to level the site, behind the house in the garden. While that was happening the rest of the garden was being harrowed by a man with a horse.
On Friday he started digging trenches with some guys from the village. We had to head for the dentist for the boys noon appointment to get their braces (both are having trouble eating now.) Unfortunately, he discovered on Saturday afternoon that he was off a few inches so that they had to dig a little more to the side in a few places so the pilings will be in the right places to anchor the framework of the building.
Starting today they will be making cement to build those piling so that next week the guys from Kerzum can come weld the sections they have built in the factory together on site. That way when the team arrives on the 18th of April we hope to be ready to do the finishing work inside.
Garry and Victor got a permit from the village mayor, but the former mayor started a petition this week to stop us from building. Four people signed so the mayor is going to arrange a meeting with them and Garry and Victor so we can address concerns. It seems some may be worried about cows in their garden, so we will see what happens. Meanwhile the other neibours are happy to be working on the barn, as jobs are scarce in the village.

Spring is here!

Spring has finally arrived here in Ukraine. It was 10 degrees C on Saturday, and Sunday afternoon was warm again. It was 7 degrees at 7 am this (Monday) morning and the forecast is for 15 mid-week. We were a bit worried the week before when snowflakes were falling every morning and the snow was melting in Manitoba! Garry put some pea and spinach seeds in the garden this week, some of the neighbors were working in the village gardens yesterday.
We are off to Dnepro for an appointment for the boys’ braces this afternoon. Garry and Victor were in Zaporosia this morning trying to deal with paperwork about moving the gas line so we can make a driveway the milk truck can enter, and another piece of land they are trying to get a rental agreement for. There was a chance of rain today and big drops were banging the windows mid-morning, but it didn’t last long. The sun is trying to break through the clouds now. If it becomes dry enough, Garry hopes to start on the barn footings this week. He is going to hire some of the local young men to dig. We will see what is done by next week.
As you can see the boys’ new puppy has become Garry’s lap dog and discovered a new game-“attack Garry’s ears”. She likes it as much as chase the cat (the cat escapes by jumping on furniture- the puppy is too short.) It looks like she is going to be a small dog, but not in her mind, as she is ready to take on anything. The boys walked to the store with her last week and she thought she would chase the German shepherds barking at them. The boys had to carry her as they did not think it was a good idea.

two week summary-

I had some computer problems last Sunday, so didn't get the post I had prepared up- this week we couldn't get online with either computer at Dafi- so I had to upload this at home where we pay by the byte! I'll add photos to it next time.
Sunday February 28th we went to church at Morningstar, and Daryl Porter was preaching there on his last Sunday of his and Molly’s two week trip to Ukraine. The verse for the sermon—verses, were from Exodus, Psalms, John and many of the letters of Paul—nine points about how we are to live as Christians. Afterwards we joined them and a number of church members (most of whom attend Summer Institute) for lunch at Puzata Hata. We had such a good time that arrived home at 5 pm (before dark!) The Ukrainian Olympic coverage was showing the figure skating gala when we got home, then showed the entire 50 km men’s cross country event , even saw at least 35 guys cross the finish line, but no hockey game! So we had to check facebook and the BBC news for updates, where I heard at one in the morning, after a documentary about the Rise of Stalin, that Canada had won in overtime.
On the first we had a trip to the city again, to start the boys’ braces with x-rays and molds. We are getting some preliminary things done on the 16th of this week. Seth's teeth are similiar to brothers Micah and Matt, they had braces also. Jonah has a different problem, but in two years they should both have more perfect smiles...
We are excited about the mission team from Emmanuel that will be arriving on April 18th to help build the barn. They are having a fundraising lunch at the church today (March 14th) and we hope everyone enjoys the farmer sausage and verenikye! Garry hopes to have the coverall-like building up before they arrive, so they will be able to work inside making it into a barn, plus building the milkhouse. He made another trip to Kersum to check on the progress and it looks like they will be ready by the end of the month, all we need is warmer weather so the concrete can get poured for the footings. That way by July when the Summer English Institute happens there will be cows in the barn.

Quick Hello

I had a post ready to go on my computer but it is having connetivity issues and does not want to get onto the internet (HELP Noah)
Any way we are at Dafi- and Garry and the boys have just returned from their walk with a free puppy (who knew that there is a humane society in Ukraine?) and now they are off to get puppy stuff at the pet store. Jonah is carrying him, he even has a big green bow tied around his neck. He may be noisier than the hamster- Mimie just runs on her wheel at night. Garry has thought a dog to bark might be a good idea since Seth's bike walked away from the yard in the fall. Jonah and Seth like the idea of more pets.
We only had one flat tire this week- the dental appointment ran late and it was dark when we left the city and hit one of those foot deep three feet wide four foot long things called potholes! Garry and Seth quickly changed it and now Garry has 2 spare tires- just in case. Seth and Jonah are starting braces in a week- its a two year program so I guess we are staying here until then.
We had an inch of snow overnight, the roads were a little sloppy, after the crews moved some of the snowbanks away so that our four lane road is almost back- now they just need to fill a lot of holes.
We are looking forward to the arrival of the EEFC work team on April 18th for two weeks, Garry hopes to keep them busy building in the barn.

Driving in Ukraine

Driving is always an adventure in Ukraine, and the snow has brought new challenges. The nice 4 lane highway from Dnepropetroesk to Zaporozia that we drive the most, since the village is off it, has some places where it is only one lane because the snow is not removed, or more like one and a half mostly, so passing slow traffic and being passed by the fast black cars is a little scarey at times.

Garry has had a few exciting moments driving this week. Last Sunday we drove into Dnepropetrovsk to go to church in the fog, thinking that it would clear up by noon. Surprise it was even foggier when were driving home at 3 PM! I have included a few photos taken from the passenger seat to illustrate this post.
On Monday afternoon he drove in to the city to go to the bank and get the money so he and Viktor could drive to Kerzon and make the first payment on the barn building so they could start making it (it is supposed to be ready in a month) It was dark before he drove home and the road got icy, so he followed a salt truck most of the way on the highway. There have been a number of accidents and close calls in the last month in the spots where the 2 lanes suddenly become one, and some driver tried to pass, but were unable to see ahead. It has been warm and the snow is melting this week but these spots where the drifts have become as hard as dirt are still there, and a definite hazard. A white car flew by him at one point and a few miles up the road, there was the white car in the middle of the meridian on top of the snow. Cars in the other side of the road had run into each other in the confusion and traffic was stopped over there, but Garry could still get by to come home.
Tuesday the drive back from Kerzon was long, with two flat tires, from hitting potholes in the dark, and bending the rims. It wasn’t so bad in the daytime as they could see the holes coming and swerve around them, or slow down for the really bad sections of road. They got the first flat tire fixed at the little tire shop along the road at 9:30 at night, which was good, since they had to put it on an hour later. When Garry brought it into the shop on Wednesday (the sheena- montage, they put your tire together) the man took off the rim and announced it was square. Since they charge by the number of dents they bang out of the rim it was cheaper to get a new one.
On Wednesday Garry went into Dnepro to have a root canal done (and get the tires fixed) and saw another near accident. A transport truck tried to pass a semi just as the lane disappeared into the snow, Garry slowed down and watched as the truck hit the snow, lost control, but amazingly managed not to hit the semi and ended up on top of the bank of snow, tires spinning.
Thursday we went into the city to be guest English testers for a class and hit a bad hole on the highway near home. The tire was flat in the morning and Garry banged out the rim on his own, got the tire pumped up so we could head into the city Friday to go to the Bellamys for a delicious spaghetti dinner with them and the Porters who are very busy trying to get to see different members of the team here in Ukraine, in spite of the roads. They had a flat getting back to the city that day, as darkness fell.
We had a close call with a black Lexus SUV at one of those sudden merges because of snow when he flew around us and pulled in front of us on the right, inches from the front bumper. Garry braked, blew his horn, swerved and hung onto the road (my hero!) and once again we arrived safely. Did I mention that to main rule of the road in Ukraine is the right of way belongs to a) the police and b) the one who has the most expensive (often black) imported car!
When we got to the city I saw a car with a license plate frame that said (in English) In God We Trust- a good motto for Ukrainian drivers and passengers! We are planning to avoid night travel as much as possible until the patching crews get most the holes filled.

Sunday in Dnepro

We are hanging out at Daffi Sunday afternoon with the free wi-fi. Garry is checking out Olympic coverage and I am writing this. We haven't been able to get the Olympics on tv, much to his disappointment, but we find out some of the medal winners on the news. Seth and Jonah are eating lunch at Pazata Hata (chicken kiev and kartoshka verenicki- potato perogies) right now, and hope to get a hamster later.
Morningstar church was 2 hours and 50 minutes, Jonah reports (he checks his watch) Last Sunday there was a church family lunch, that lasted until 3 pm and the Sunday before we went to see the circus, so it's the first time we've been here since returning from Canada. Next week we look forward to hearing Daryl preach. I am attaching a little circus video if you want to check out "the best thing in Ukraine" according to Jonah.

Making progress

Yesterday Garry and Victor drove about 300 km to a place where they make canvas covered barn structures to check if they have what he wants for the barn (rather than the namebrand ones he priced getting from England or Canada- it starts with a C- all) He was pleased with what he saw, they toured the place where they make them. They are supposed to have price including set up on site soon.
It was above freezing yesterday, making puddles around the trees in the snow in the yard and causing the ice from the freezing rain a couple nights ago to fall off the metal roof in loud rattling avalanches. The driving was not good, their trip took about 15 hours- 6 to get there over a bumpy, snow packed and melting washboard road. They came back home a different and better way. Thankfully, God has been watching over us when the roads have been less than ideal for travel since we returned home.