Tax Day

Dave sez, Happy "Tax Day", where the work is hard, the beer is ice cold and the points don't count!



Drew Carey, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, on ABC Family

Not much going on today. Yesterday was a little rainy. Today was a little more rainy. Valentin filed our Motion To Adopt Masha. We met him and signed five copies of the motion. We met outside the University.

We came back from the orphanage, hiked up from Independence Square to the top of the hill and then over, past the Opera House to the University. When we look back on today, we will remember it as the First Day we started to notice that we lost weight!

 

It was a good hike. When we were done, we headed back to the Square, back down into the subway and North two stops for Domino's and groceries. Yogurt and sandwiches for the rest of the week. We found that market has some really tasty baguettes with strawberry, chocolate and vanilla filling. So, yogurt and a baguette in the morning for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch; and, we brought some soup mixes from home for dinner. Cathy packed soup mixes and noodle mixes. We had to repack our suitcases in the airport, because one suitcase was underweight and the suitcase with the soup mixes was slightly overweight. But, we managed to balance everything out.

Mmm-mm good!

As we were coming out of the market Cathy asked if I wanted to walk back up the hill behind St. Andrew's back to the apartment. Before I could scream, "NO!!!" She was on her way. This is a long almost vertical climb from the market up to St. Andrews and then back past Parliament to the apartment. It is the reason why up until now we have been taking a shorter walk back and forth to the subway to ride two stops back and forth between Maidan and Independence Square. It may take longer, but it is by far the easiest and shortest route. There is no wheezing involved.

The good news is we did get to see the mural we took a picture of last week!

Last week it was being touched up. It looks like it is finished now.

From this point on, from the mural it is really all uphill. Winding our way back up to St. Andrew's past the sidewalk vendors. We walked passed the SDA and Parliament. In the open parking lot right next to this -

 

 There was a group of what looked like protestors. They were all wearing black tee shirts, with something written on the front and what looked like surgical masks. They looked like protestors, because there were a number of photographers in front of them, and as we made our way closer to our apartment, we saw a cameraman headed their way.

We've had an opportunity to explore Independence Square a little. There is still an Occupy of tents and shelters set up. We had thought that the Square was blocked off, but there is a narrow path to the other entrances to the Metro subway.

If you look at the picture above, the building on the right is the one that is burned out. We have only walked the background, in that curve. We have not come across the Square toward this statue. From our point of view, it looks like the road up the hill on the right from the cross street is blocked and impassable.

Looking from the other direction

It is certainly an adventure to be here at such an historic time! We are still counting down to our court date with Masha. And then it is just a matter of time that we are a family of five!

And this -

Becomes a seamless picture!