Getting Caught Up

We took our time getting to the cafe but were there before 10:00. I got right to business and began blogging. The "cafe American" tasted good. I noticed 4 men sitting at the tables that Kevin and I usually take, speaking English. Then I recognized John, the pastor of the Canadian church. We acknowledged each other and he stayed engrossed in his discussion. Before he left, however, he invited us for a meal together with his wife. I remarked that it is difficult for Kevin to leave for an evening meal because he is working on USA hours, so John suggested breakfast. I thought that was a great idea and he said he'd talk to Evelyn about it.


I continued blogging and was able to catch up the day I missed because of court. Evelyn called and we arranged to have breakfast the following day. How lovely! Nancy Hathaway called from Berdansk. She was on her way with a group of people to Zapporhyzia. They were to have tea at 6:00 and dinner at 7:00 at the church Center that is near the orphanage. She thougt it would be nice for me to be there. I thought so, too.

Kevin and I got back to the apartment at nearly 1:00. I called Marina and invited her and her husband on our bowling expedition on Saturday afternoon. She was happy to come. Then I called Jessica to see if she wanted to go with me to meet Nancy Hathaway and if she would be free to go bowling. She said yes to both and we arranged that I would meet her at the orphanage at 5:00 when she finished teaching computer class.

With 3 and a half hours to kill, I had something to eat, rested, did a crossword puzzle and cleaned the apartment. I still can't figure where all the dirt comes from. Jessica called to say that she didn't get to teach her classes because they had another concert and a birthday party for all April birthdays. She decided to go back to her apartment. We arranged that she would meet me at the last bus stop near her apartment at 5:30.


I was a couple minutes late and Jessica was there waiting. It was a cold and drizzly day. We walked to the church Center and could smell the food cooking. We met the pastor as he left to meet Nancy's group, I think. All kinds of people were entering the building and we wondered how big a shin dig this was going to be. Jessica remembered that we should probaly make reservations for bowling and she called a friend who gave her the number for the bowling alley. She called Marina to tell her that we were meeting at 2:00 instead of 3:00 tomorrow and would she please call the bowling alley to make reservations. With 6 kids, me and Kevin, Anya and Jessica, and Marina and her husband, that makes 12 people. Wow, how did the group get so big all of the sudden! It was a good thing she called for reservations. We asked for 3 lanes and couldn't get them until 4:00. We reserved for 2 hours. I hope it's not terribly expensive.

It was 6:30 and no sign of Nancy and the crew. Jessica and I were getting bored and very hungry so we decided to leave and go out for dinner. The only restaurant I knew around here was the Horseshoe place I'd been to twice. So we hopped on the bus and were there in no time. I think I am officially a "regular" there now.


The place was hopping, with music playing loud and disco ball spinning light-freckles everywhere. Most of the tables were taken and we got one near the door. Jessica read the menu for me and helped me order. We got the crab salad I'd had the day before. Then I got Chicken Kiev and she got a chicken with bacon and mushrooms thingy. We both had potatoes with mushrooms. They do mushrooms really well here. The food was excellent. Jessica had 2 cappacinos and I had wine. We talked and talked (well, mostly I talked I suppose) and we had a grand time. The meal came to about $30 with a big tip.

Jessica and I got on busses going in opposite directions and I put on my iPod and began to rock out to praise songs. I danced in my chair the whole way home, happy for such a blessing as Jessica and happy for what God is doing (What the HECK is He doing????). Then I had an epiphany. Jessica and I need to worship together!!! Oh, for crying out loud, why hadn't I thought of that before! She plays keyboard and has played on worship teams......I am missing my team back at Grace.....there is a keyboard at the orphanage.....what's to stop us?? I was so excited about the idea that, as soon as I danced my way home, I called Jessica to run it by her. She was as excited as I was about it and that made me glad.

Kevin had gone to the grocery store and bought me a beautiful box of little chocolates. He bought himself some of those nasty salted fish. I happily ate my chocolates and they were better than anything I'd ever had in the US. I played Scrabble and then we watched "Jordan". I went to bed by 11:00.