I don't think I've ever gone this long without blogging when I've traveled. Usually if a few days goes by and I haven't posted, I start feeling a nagging inside that says "write!". Well, I had the nagging but managed to ignore it. Sort of writer's block.
Actually the worst of the slump was over by Sunday last week. I was premature when I wrote on Saturday morning that I was going to go out. I didn't except to the supermarket in the afternoon because I was out of food in my apartment. I've often blessed the local supermarket because they have so many different varieties of stuffed breads that nicely serve as a meal.
On Sunday morning, I woke early, tidied the apartment and washed the dishes and was getting ready to go out to church when my apartment phone rang. It was my friend, Bishop Vladimir, who announced that he was coming around 11 to my apartment with a few of our friends for Divine Liturgy. I walked up to the Cathedral at 8:30, in time for a special ritual for St. Barbara, a 3rd Century Christian martyr who was boiled in oil. Her relics are in the Cathedral and I usually stop to have a visit with her. In her honor, Ukrainians serve varenyky boiled in oil on her feast day. After my visit to the church, I went and sat on a bench outside the cathedral and watched people coming and going. I love how casually serious Ukrainians are about church. There's all sorts of coming and going no matter what's going on in the church. But, for sure, churches are busy places here.
After my friends arrived at my apartment, we had liturgy which lasted about an hour and a half, then we had a snack and then headed out to walk to Saint Sophia, an 11th Century church that is now a museum. Bishop Vladimir got us in free and we spend a few hours going through the different buildings of the complex. The residence of the Metropolitan, now uninhabited, contains some amazing displays not only of church items but also of history. We walked back to my apartment around 5 so Vladimir could pick up his bags - which I call his traveling church. Just as we got back to the apartment, I got a call from a friend to meet him for coffee. We all walked down to the subway, parted ways, and I rode the three stops to Kontractova to meet my friend for coffee. I got back to my apartment around 9. Altogether a day that banished the cobwebs that had formed in my mind. All the walking alone did much to make me feel better. When I got home I sent an email to the apartment manager/agent to tell him that I had accidentally locked the bathroom door, but that it wasn't an emergency. He called immediately to say the handyman would arrive at 10 or 10:30pm. He did. He was a very large cop, very loud, very happy. We spoke German together. He went into the kitchen, got a knife, and within half a second popped the door open. I felt very unhandy and very stupid. I kept apologizing and he kept laughing. He was in my apartment less than 10 minutes. Well, at least I know how to get it open should it get locked again!
Autumn arrived this week. Overnight, the warm days in the 70's disappeared to be replaced by a few overcast chilly days and some rain. I got out every day, did a lot of walking and generally felt that things in my life were going to be all right. The days I didn't go out had increased my lower left back pain to the point that I started out hobbling each time I got up until I got out and did some serious walking which seemed to stretch and relax the muscles. I had a nagging thought that perhaps the cancer had arrived in my bones. I no longer think that because increased walking has reduced the pain almost completely. I can feel it resolving. I think it was the negative thoughts getting stuck in my body. As the thoughts leave, the pain also is leaving.
The high point of my week really was Thursday evening when I spent several hours with a newish friend over a few beers and french fries at a local micro-brewery. They have three brews: silver, gold and bronze. I started with silver but switched to bronze which was dark and hearty. Good time with friends is precious. Easy flowing conversation, laughter and trading stories. We walked quite far to a subway stop after and went out separate ways. I hope to have a few more such evenings before I come home.
I went to Glossary each day for long lunch. The staff there take good care of me. Each day, as I'm getting ready to leave, I ask the waiter "So, what am I eating tomorrow?" He says, "I will think about it." I still start with sparkling water and cappuccino, sit for a while, have cabbage salad and then something different after that. This week I had a variety of things: chicken and a rice pilaf, soup with seafood, pumpkin soup, kidney bean soup. The soup with seafood was the only one I didn't like much. It wasn't very flavorful. They think it's a riot that I have cabbage salad every day. It's not even on the menu anymore. All I can say is that I like it and that we don't have anything like it at home. I had a few desserts this week: tiramisu and lazy varenyky served with sour cream and honey.
The week was a bit lonely because I didn't have as much face to face time with people as I would have liked. I had several Skype calls home. Had coffee a few times with friends. Had a few "business" meetings. Did some writing. Walked a lot. It was a good week. I got up this morning at 5:30, hoping for a skype call with friends but I don't see them online. I'll repeat part of last Sunday's routine, tidying up and going up to the Cathedral. Not sure what else I will do today but walking will be involved, and, oh, yeah, I have a piece of writing to finish. Next weekend I'll be in Donetsk.
Actually the worst of the slump was over by Sunday last week. I was premature when I wrote on Saturday morning that I was going to go out. I didn't except to the supermarket in the afternoon because I was out of food in my apartment. I've often blessed the local supermarket because they have so many different varieties of stuffed breads that nicely serve as a meal.
On Sunday morning, I woke early, tidied the apartment and washed the dishes and was getting ready to go out to church when my apartment phone rang. It was my friend, Bishop Vladimir, who announced that he was coming around 11 to my apartment with a few of our friends for Divine Liturgy. I walked up to the Cathedral at 8:30, in time for a special ritual for St. Barbara, a 3rd Century Christian martyr who was boiled in oil. Her relics are in the Cathedral and I usually stop to have a visit with her. In her honor, Ukrainians serve varenyky boiled in oil on her feast day. After my visit to the church, I went and sat on a bench outside the cathedral and watched people coming and going. I love how casually serious Ukrainians are about church. There's all sorts of coming and going no matter what's going on in the church. But, for sure, churches are busy places here.
After my friends arrived at my apartment, we had liturgy which lasted about an hour and a half, then we had a snack and then headed out to walk to Saint Sophia, an 11th Century church that is now a museum. Bishop Vladimir got us in free and we spend a few hours going through the different buildings of the complex. The residence of the Metropolitan, now uninhabited, contains some amazing displays not only of church items but also of history. We walked back to my apartment around 5 so Vladimir could pick up his bags - which I call his traveling church. Just as we got back to the apartment, I got a call from a friend to meet him for coffee. We all walked down to the subway, parted ways, and I rode the three stops to Kontractova to meet my friend for coffee. I got back to my apartment around 9. Altogether a day that banished the cobwebs that had formed in my mind. All the walking alone did much to make me feel better. When I got home I sent an email to the apartment manager/agent to tell him that I had accidentally locked the bathroom door, but that it wasn't an emergency. He called immediately to say the handyman would arrive at 10 or 10:30pm. He did. He was a very large cop, very loud, very happy. We spoke German together. He went into the kitchen, got a knife, and within half a second popped the door open. I felt very unhandy and very stupid. I kept apologizing and he kept laughing. He was in my apartment less than 10 minutes. Well, at least I know how to get it open should it get locked again!
Autumn arrived this week. Overnight, the warm days in the 70's disappeared to be replaced by a few overcast chilly days and some rain. I got out every day, did a lot of walking and generally felt that things in my life were going to be all right. The days I didn't go out had increased my lower left back pain to the point that I started out hobbling each time I got up until I got out and did some serious walking which seemed to stretch and relax the muscles. I had a nagging thought that perhaps the cancer had arrived in my bones. I no longer think that because increased walking has reduced the pain almost completely. I can feel it resolving. I think it was the negative thoughts getting stuck in my body. As the thoughts leave, the pain also is leaving.
The high point of my week really was Thursday evening when I spent several hours with a newish friend over a few beers and french fries at a local micro-brewery. They have three brews: silver, gold and bronze. I started with silver but switched to bronze which was dark and hearty. Good time with friends is precious. Easy flowing conversation, laughter and trading stories. We walked quite far to a subway stop after and went out separate ways. I hope to have a few more such evenings before I come home.
I went to Glossary each day for long lunch. The staff there take good care of me. Each day, as I'm getting ready to leave, I ask the waiter "So, what am I eating tomorrow?" He says, "I will think about it." I still start with sparkling water and cappuccino, sit for a while, have cabbage salad and then something different after that. This week I had a variety of things: chicken and a rice pilaf, soup with seafood, pumpkin soup, kidney bean soup. The soup with seafood was the only one I didn't like much. It wasn't very flavorful. They think it's a riot that I have cabbage salad every day. It's not even on the menu anymore. All I can say is that I like it and that we don't have anything like it at home. I had a few desserts this week: tiramisu and lazy varenyky served with sour cream and honey.
The week was a bit lonely because I didn't have as much face to face time with people as I would have liked. I had several Skype calls home. Had coffee a few times with friends. Had a few "business" meetings. Did some writing. Walked a lot. It was a good week. I got up this morning at 5:30, hoping for a skype call with friends but I don't see them online. I'll repeat part of last Sunday's routine, tidying up and going up to the Cathedral. Not sure what else I will do today but walking will be involved, and, oh, yeah, I have a piece of writing to finish. Next weekend I'll be in Donetsk.
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