Daily Update

Hi guys,

Not much happening here today. Pam did some cleaning this morning while I worked on my Russian for a while. (Yes, I am avoiding housework even here.)

The phone rang about 8 times so far today, but most of those calls were people wanting to look at the apartment, I believe. They used the word "kvarteera", which is apartment. I didn't understand the first guy who called and he just hung up on me. In fact most people hang up on me when I ask them if they know English. A few I've directed to the owner's mother's number. I hope the apartment isn't going to get rented out from under us.

We've got a big shopping list today as we are out of about everything except some frozen vyriniky. The meat in that batch is a bit funky even for me, but I guess I'll survive a second serving.

In my Russian studies today, I found a useful phrase, "Ja hachoo pateet..." That's basically, "I want to buy..." It's my first time using a verb plus an infinitive and I can't wait to add that to my point and grunt repetoir. Honestly, it's not too different from the ".... pajaloosta" that I've been using, but it's probably going to be more polite.

The life in the apartment is kind of getting old. Both of us are bored and just waiting to get back to the NAC and get down to some serious business. We are enjoying the e-mails and replies to the blog, so please keep them coming. If anyone by chance is just checking the blog and doesn't have our e-mail addresses here's what we are using. Pam is pjstephens@verizon.net, while I am using raymond.stephens@gmail.com for mine. I find the web based e-mails esaier for traveling. Send us some notes, we are looking forward to hearing from everyone.