New Style Blog 11/22/08

Weather:
Same as an hour ago.

It's 1:30 AM Saturday morning, after the ballet, and Cindy is still reading her emails. It is going to be a short night.

As I was turning down the bed (one of my duties along with cleaning and world peace) I was thinking about the "visitor counter" I had Elder Worthen put on the blog. I don't know if it is accurate, he says it is, but according to the counter, a lot of people have "hit" this blog. Many of you have said that you enjoy reading my ramblings and I really do appreciate your comments. I guess it's not unusual to like praise.

As I said, while turning down the bed, I got to thinking about the many people reading this and thought, "You know, I really don't like writing. It is slow, laborious, and very inefficient." I have no trouble thinking of things to write about; our life here is full of writable events. Like today when I took an elder with me over to the bank and spent over an hour trying to find out why the ATM that has been giving me cash regularly for 5 months suddenly decided I was persona nongrata. After over an hour waiting in various lines, asked for my passport and if I had an account there, only to be sent to another line and told, "I don't have a card reader, go to the next window, and told there, "Why don't you just go use the ATM" and ultimately to be told by a third teller, "Your card doesn't work" which I knew in the first place.

There's lot of stuff to write about here, but I don't like to write. Once I pick a topic, then I have to choose the words that transmit meaning to my readers. That's tedious. Does this word work here. Does that word mean the same in Sacramento as it does in Orem or Novosibirsk? Will I offend someone with that phrase? It takes too long. It would be so much more efficient to talk this blog. Do they have such a thing; a talking blog? That's such a great idea. Where's Al Gore when you need him?

Actually, even talking is a little inefficient. The most efficient and fool-proof blog would be a thought blog. Now there's a concept. I would just think of something and start working it in my head. You readers would now become thinkers and we would think out this thing together. What a revolution; a blog that turns the public into thinkers. There is a nugget of an idea there. I think that I will think more about that. Would you be thinking it with me? Could we work this thing together?

I am going to work the bugs out of this with your help and the next posting you see will just be the title. You will then think about that title and get my ideas over the interthought (no not internet, interthought) you could laugh at my double antandre, appreciate my alliteration, and bask in my depth of thought without having to read a word. Boy, we have really got something here. Stand by for the next posting. You'll love it.

What a thought!
DS

Swan Lake 11/21/08

Swan Lake 
11/21/08

Weather:
Clear & cold
-.8c
Wind 1-15 mph

We went to see Swan Lake tonight with Olga & Natalia and the Mickelsen's. We had front row seats, right behind the orchestra. We could hear them breathing.

The story of Swan Lake is taken from several places, the most popular version is that it was taken from a Russian folk legend about a wicked sorcerer who turned the village maidens into swans who could become human only at night. The spell could be broken only by love's true devotion. The main characters are Odette, the swan queen, Siegfried, the dreamer prince, the prince's mother and father, the court jester, and the sorcerer. Siegfried finally breaks the spell by showing his devotion and love for Odette, kills the sorcerer, and they live happily ever after.

Another version of the story has the swan dieing and Siegfried going off broken hearted. Sister Mickelsen said that this was the Russian version that has everything turning out positive; mandated by the Soviet censors. "You WILL have a good time."

Here is Sister Cindy and Elder Dougie enjoying the front row seats and waiting for the second (of 4) acts to begin. My you're looking slim. Have you lost weight?

I am still not fond of men in tights; especially the modern ones here in Russia that show the posterior cleavage so dramatically. They look like they were spray-painted on or it is simply a naked bum with body makeup. I can just do without that. Where are the Union Suits that used to suffice as men's tights. This modern version is simply giving me too much information. With the tutus, the female dancers were much more modest than the men.


While waiting for Sister Cindy and she stands in line at the lady's room I saw a little girl pretending to be a ballerina. After half a minute or so I decided to take a picture. I tried to get her on video without her knowing, but when she saw me she exited into the pillar to her right. I should have acted sooner.


I also saw a display with pictures of the theater with various luminaries, in this case Putin visited here last year. I also loved the fresco on the end of the wall showing dancers in costume. This is a remarkable theater to have been built in the Soviet period. It is said to have been build during Stalin's time and ended up being several square feet larger than the one in Leningrad. When this was discovered, he went to Leningrad and killed the Leningrad theater's architect. Apocryphal I'm sure.

What a country
DS

I

The Dogs of Winter 11/19/08

The Dogs of Winter 
11/19/08

Weather Report:
A balmy +.3 (33f)
Overcast
Wind 3-10 mph


We have counted over twenty dogs in our neighborhood, not counting the two litters of puppies (2 and 4). At right are 3 of the 4 puppies in one litter that lives next to the generator used in a construction area on our way to the office. They get home under the concrete fence seen in the background of the picture at left. We have seen them often and note that the two adults with them are both females. The males seem to have other things to do.

It occurs to me that if a dog is more than a year old, it has survived a Siberian winter; brilliant don't you think? That being the case, I then reflected on how they do this. I have observed several things that contribute to their survival.

First, the garbage. There is an extraordinary amount of garbage available on the streets. In addition to the ambient refuse, most housing units don't have enough dumpsters to hold the household garbage generated daily. Our unit is an exception to this, probably because our dumpsters are located right on the street while those in the clustered housing areas are well off the main thoroughfares. We have walked to the 3rd branch building, where the baptistery is located and observed piles of plastic garbage bags as high as my head. I don't know if they get collected when the garbage truck comes by with it's hydraulic arms to grab the 1-meter by 1-meter dumpsters and dump them into a modern truck. Ours are located just to the right of the tree in this picture.

Well, not to get carried away with the garbage, but just to say that there is plenty of food for a creative canine. Many's the morning that I go to the dumpster to drop my load and discover one of the locals sitting in it having breakfast.

In addition, we have the "dog man" and "dog lady" that I see frequently dropping what I suppose is table scraps in the same place each day to the joy of the local street population. The wag their tails and prance around like any other pet about to be fed. I have seen the flock of dogs grow to 15 or more, waiting for "dog man" to empty his little bag.


OK, food is not a problem; how about the cold? Yesterday we noticed that the center of our "forest" (between our driveway and the street), where this tree stands snow-clad, there is no snow on the ground. None! Looking up and down the block in a line there is no snow as far as you can see. That means HEAT. Then I saw a dog curled up on a "man-hole-cover" and it flashed on me. The hot water that heats our building comes from a central heating unit and travels underground to our building, among others. There is a well of heated ground over those pipes and it heats the utility covers; a nice warm place to sleep.

I asked a local where these dogs come from and the answer was simple. All of these new apartment buildings are standing on ground previously occupied by small homes, each with pets. The birds could fly away, but the dogs became feral and have reproduced themselves into large packs that roam the streets at night, barking, and keeping the likes of me plotting how to demise them. Of course it is an idle thought, but satisfying at times.

Novosibirsk, at least in my neighborhood, could use a spay and neuter program. Otherwise, these creative and stubborn dogs will outnumber the people in not too many years.

What a country.
DS

Investigators 11/16/08

Investigators 
11/16/08

Weather:
1.3c
Wind 5 mph from the northwest
Precipitation-none

The last three nights we have entertained missionaries, some with investigators. Friday noon, of course, Sister Cindy fed the District's 12 missionaries plus one native Russian missionary on his way home from the Rostov Mission.

That night we had the sisters, Cropper & Tymochko, and two investigators, Nastia and Lienna. Saturday night we hosted three returned sister missionaries and Sunday night we had elders Bradshaw and Olson with them a 23 year old yong man named Vitali.

Nastia has been investigating the church for two years after being introduced to the church at (about) age 15 by a Latvian sister, Sister Landik, in Nastia's home town of Ulan-Ude. Sister Cropper met her there during her training as a Greenie and remembered that she was going to go to the university in Novosibirsk. Nastia was looking for the church here at the same time Sister Cropper was looking for her and they hooked up in Third Branch. She is seventeen now, a first year university student, and is planning to ask her parents permission to be baptized.

Lienna is a 19 year old fellow student who was invited to church by Nastia and has been discussing the Gospel with the sister missionaries for several weeks. She has a baptismal date set for December. Both Nastia and Lienna are bright, charming young women who have been touched by the Spirit as they listen to the truths of the Gospel.

Ilya is an investigator who was baptized last week. He was in our home during the early stages of his introduction to the Gospel. He is bright, inquisitive, and searching for the true church. Even with the limiting factor of working in the office 6-8 hours a day, the office elders found him and have helped him progress to the point that he was ready for baptism and a lifetime commitment to the Gospel and Jesus Christ.

As most of them are, Ilya's baptism was part party and part Sacrament Meeting. The pictures show the joy and fellowship of the members and the missionaries. The talks and actual baptism were spiritual events that cap a finding, teaching, fellowshipping effort that must now continue to keep him in the Church physically and spiritually.

We don't have much opportunity to do personal missionary contacting or finding, but we have been actively involved in the teaching and fellowshipping. Several people who where recently baptized have been taught in our home after one of Sister Cindy's great dinners. We are in the thick of it, but mostly as supporters.

What a Church. What a country.
DS

Ballet 11/15/08

Ballet 
11/15/08

Weather Report:
-2.5c
Wind 2 mph
Snowing

Recently we went to the ballet to see the Nutcracker. This was in the same theater where we saw the first ballet a month ago. It was good, but the Nutcracker is the Nutcracker. Actually, for me ballet is ballet and I could not tell you if it was good or bad except one of the sugarplum fairies stumbled and I guess that's a no-no.

We invited Olga and her friend, Natasha to attend with and they were both delightful. The friend teaches English and speaks quite well.

After the show there was a recognition given to a retired Prima Ballerina, now a teacher, who achieved the highest rank of her art. There were plaques, flowers, speeches, and appropriate audience applause that went on for at least 30 minutes. It was a great opportunity to be there on the night she was honored. I didn't understand much of what was said of course, but they honored her most highly.

We also bought the tickets for President & Sister Mickelsen, but you can see that the Pres didn't escape duty even at the ballet.

This is a rather dark picture of the theater's front with my ladies for the evening. We had a good time and will do it again for Swan Lake next week and Don Quixote later.

What a country.
DS

Cindy's Email to Aunt Louise 11/12/08

Weather
Light snow. some sun
-3.9c
calm wind

This is Sister Cindy's email to Aunt Louise and her girls after reading my blog.

Louise, Linda, Shirley, and all the rest of your Wonderful family,

As I was reading Doug's special memories and wonderful tribute to Uncle Don, I was touched by my own sweet memories of your loving family and of how you not only loved each other, but how you loved us, too.

You have always been so important to us and such a good example in so many ways. I always looked forward to visiting your home. We felt loved and welcomed. The good company-----I never wanted to leave, the great activities-----that I never wanted to end, the yummy food-----I never wanted to leave it either, the fun conversations-----I never wanted them to stop, all the people-----I loved sitting in the middle of those relationships, it was always so warm and loving.

We're not talking a Perfect family since that probably doesn't exist here on the earth, but we are talking about your filling a need that we had at that time and you filled it with an extra measure of LOVE and CONCERN for us, and we felt it.

It wasn't that our parents didn't fill that need, too. But yours was special. You weren't our parents. You didn't have to love us, but you did. I, especially as a new convert to the church, needed a good example of a righteous, active, loving, "normal" church family. And you did that for me. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that. It effected everything I did. My live was better because of you all.

And then there were those special Uncle Don caramels!!!!!!! I can taste them now. Yum, yum. I don't know if I have the recipe or not, but if you share it, I'd love it.

Well, there's much more to say-----the telescope on the deck, the fire flies, the home-made ice cream, the family celebrations, the home canned produce, the outdoor breakfast in the gazebo, the big hugs, the happy smiles, etc., etc., etc.,------I don't want to stop reliving those wonderful times. Truly the gospel in action.

Thanks for loving us and for being that extra great example in our lives.

We've always loved you and always will. I'm so thankful we're part of an eternal family.

Love to you all from Novosibirsk,
Sister Cindy Simmons

Snow Tires 11/11/08

Snow Tires 
11/11/08

Weather:
-1.5c
Wind 5-7 mph
Overcast


This post was finished on 11/17/08. Last week (11/11/08) we tried out our snow tires. The Van Wagenens gave Cindy some of these things you strap on your shoes and I later bought some at REI. The framework is rubber and it is wound with wire, like a spring wound around the rubber that is on the bottom of the shoe. The outside rubber straps go around the edge of the sole.

I really felt more in control with these on. Sister Cindy also said she liked them, but it takes a bit of getting-used-to. On hard surfaces like the stairs in our building, it is awkward and a little slippery, but outside where they can bite into the snow and ice, they are a big help.

Sister Cindy is still wearing some low-cut shoes and is getting snow into the shoes when we walk in unpacked powder. I suspected that we would be buying boots in the near future, and Cindy got hers last Saturday(11/14/08) at a boot specialty store in the Ikea mall. I also will probably be getting some winter shoes, but I want to do a little looking to see what the "other boys" are wearing before making the plunge.

One of the Second Branch members wears black Nike running shoes. At first I thought that was odd, but after walking in the snow and ice a while, I'm not so sure. They have a definite tread and may be better than normal shoes in the snow. However, they do present an unusual picture with his tuxedo coat, white shirt, orange tie, and charcoal slacks.

I have observed that matching, or fashion at all, is not the deciding factor in winter attair. Functionality is the core of any wardrobe and availability/price certainly come into play. The Branch members do not bother changing footwear upon arrival at church. They wear what they came in with and are definitely not critical of one another's ensemble of the day. If it works, it's correct.

There is still the requisite white shirt for the brethren. I've noticed that the style of shirt can vary even in this rather conservative dress shirt. Collar shape, buttons, pleats, pockets, pocket flaps, and even white on white stripes are seen among the brethren. As long as it is white and has a collar, it seems to be within range of acceptable.

Hats are a must, and I am behind the curve on that. I have a fur shopka that will serve me well in the cold, but a leather kepka, or cap, is the thing for fall and I assume spring. Most of them are in the style of 1900 American caps that button to the bill in the front. They can be corduroy or leather, but they all have an ear flap that folds inside the cap when not used. There are also baseball-style caps with ear-flaps that are visible on the sides, but they are seen less than the Kepkas.

I found a kepka in the apartment when we arrived, but it was too small for me so I gave it to Elder Kravchenko (a Ukrainian) and he was thrilled. I now understand why. First, it was a nice hat, made of wool, and in good shape. Second, it fit him. Third, it was free. I tried to buy one the other day at the Ikea mall and they wanted 4,700 roubles for the exact hat in leather. That's $147 American dollars.

Tomorrow, Pres Gushchin is taking us shopping and the first stop is the Renik, the "farmer's market" type place where they sell absolutely everything. I've been told that I can buy a leather kepka for about 2-300 roubles which is about $10-12 American dollars. That's more my speed.

Right now, I am looking forward to the winter experience. Maybe in February I won't think it is so good, but I'm here to have an experience as well as to serve and I look forward to every day. Even the things that I would otherwise think are "bad" or negative I want to experience because they all teach me something about these people and why they are what they are. As the Lord told Joseph in the Liberty Jail, all things are for our experience and I don't want to waste any experience by not living it completely.

What a country
DS