more good flying

Well, Sasha called Sunday morning.  He had been sniffling when we talked on Saturday and it had developed into a full blown misery overnight.  He decided not to come but to stay home drinking hot tea and lemon.

People started arriving for worship at around 12:30 (worship was to start at two).  Svitlana came and brought grapes, peppers and a pumpkin from her garden.  she took over the kitchen and made blini and sliced the meats and cheeses we had bought earlier.  The pumpkin she roasted in the oven.  We had bought sour cream from a woman I knew at the market from a previous visit.  and we also found, at another stall some slightly pickled cabbage.  We don't have anything like it in the US, at least that I've tasted.  It wasn't a sauerkraut taste because it was only fermented for a few days and wasn't salty like sauerkraut.  It was delicious.

First to arrive was Andriy who has some health challenges but is a really cheerful guy with a great laugh; then a defrocked Lutheran priest came.  He had been disfellowshipped because he officiated at the weddings of one gay and one lesbian couple.  Also a nice guy.  Others drifted in and we started service at about 2:45.  we had to drag Svitlana out of the kitchen to join us.

Worship lasted about an hour and then a few people requested special prayers for illnesses.  Then we ate and drank coffee and tea for hours.  It was a really nice afternoon.

In the evening, Roman, Andriy, and I went out to a micro-brewery called Bierkraft.  Their dark beer was really good!  We ordered some finger foods: fried potatoes, baked chicken wings, and small shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic.  Messy but good!


Because Roman's car was acting up, we decided that both Roman and Andriy would stay at my apartment for the night to make sure that I could get to the airport on time in the morning.  Thank God, the car started right up and, although it was running rough, got me to the airport.  Then Roman dropped Andriy at the train station to go to his town about 40 km from Donetsk and went in search of a mechanic. (today he reports that his car is back on the road).


The flight to Kyiv was quick and efficient and I took a bus from the airport to the central train station (it costs about $3 as opposed to $20 or $30 for a taxi).  From the train station I walked to the apartment.  It was cold in Kyiv yesterday, in the 40's with a stiff breeze.   When I got back to my apartment, it was freezing.  There's no heat until October 15.  I took a hot shower, a long hot shower, and crawled under all the covers and dozed for a while.


Around 5:30, a friend texted asking me to meet him for a beer, so I walked to the center and we spent about 3 hours drinking and talking at another micro-brewery.  It was great.  We parted ways, he to the subway and I walking home.  Two guys tried to scam me, similarly to what happened last trip but I learned my lesson well.  When one of them identified himself as police with  bogus ID, I said "NO!" really loud and shouted "Police!" really loud.  They took off running!  I felt quite satisfied with myself.  No more foreigner scams for me! 


I did laundry and read this morning and am about to head out to Glossary in search of my first meal of the day.  It's just after 1pm as I write this.  Life is good.  I can't believe I have only 8 days until I fly home! and six until my birthday.