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Hi everyone,
From a midweek Siminoc. Do you know what we go through to get the diary pictures to you? We have been through blizzards and 10 foot snow drifts to bring you the Christmas lights. Oh, ... ok, may be not blizzards but it was snowing ... and perhaps there isn't ten foot of snow, ... but it is settling. The weathermen say it will be gone by the morning, so perhaps we won't have a white Christmas this year. Today's pictures are devoted to the Christmas lights. I would put some pictures of us decorated on the web for you, but, for years it was a tradition in the family not to put up decorations till after the 21st December, because that is my son's birthday, and however hard we try we don't seem to be able to break the habit. So you will have to wait till Sunday for those pictures. But on with the diary ...
Monday and the rain continued from Sunday and we were sliding across the yard again. When the weather is that bad there isn't much we can do except the essential work, so when that was finished we went Christmas shopping. AND we tried everywhere for gas - still running on fresh air. With eleven children to buy for, ranging in age from two to sixteen, Christmas shopping was a tall order I can tell you. We started at the complex called Dorally Mall, which is about 100 tiny shops in a big warehouse type place, everything from leather suits to laces, plastic flowers to pinafore dresses, toys to toiletries. We managed to buy everything except something for the two middle boys. Although there is piped Christmas music everywhere, most of it in English, we have missed the Salvation Army Band, the school bands and the children's choirs carolling in the streets as you shop. We decided to head for Selgros, one of the cash and carry places for which we have a card. There we managed to get the rest of the presents for Christmas and a Birthday present for Marion who is '40 something' on the 24th December. Here in Romania, that is when Father Christmas comes, during the day, or if dad is at work, sometime during the evening. Then on to the new Metro to check out a few things there, I managed to buy the other fruit I want and we rush home to feed and set off for Marion's. Tonight we are delivering the Christmas food to Marion's. Two reasons for delivering this early; one, they know what they have and do not need to buy, therefore what money they have spare, if they want to buy a luxury; two, the pieces of pork are big and need time to thaw. We delivered to Marion, a shoulder joint of pork, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and oranges, bananas and apples plus two litres of milk for Emi the toddler. Emi started on the oranges as soon as we arrived. Elena, Marion's wife, knew we were supplying the pork for Christmas and I think she spent some of the money saved on a treat for the children who proudly showed us a tiny Christmas tree which had its own built in lights, it was very pretty sitting in their kitchen. Elena had been to a shop she had told me about and bought it for 38,000 lei (about 70p). In this shop everything is 38,000 lei, the stock comes from the government. Business who owe the government money and cannot pay have stock taken from them, this is sold to shops who have to sell at a very low price, hence the 38,000 lei shops. Then it is home to grab something to eat.
Tuesday the weather is dry, but it is still wet underfoot. We spend the day rearranging the awning and lobby bit of the building so that the new cooker can go inside the building, otherwise the gas would freeze. We found out the problem with the gas today, shell gas is not refilled locally, but up country and the weather has been so bad up in the north they haven't been able to drive down to the south with the refills. Lew bought another make of bottled gas which is filled locally, the new bottle cost 1,300,000 lei (£26.00) which is why other people don't change makes once they have their bottle of gas. The refill is the same price 300,000 lei (£6.00).
Wednesday and it was out to Nico's to deliver the pork, but, because they have a garden and would have grown their own potatoes and vegetables we gave them more oranges, bananas and apples with their pork. Their maize is now all stored safely in the maize cage that Nico built with a fabulous roof made of maize stalks. Their goat was in for the winter, a beautiful white Saan type. The chickens were roaming the garden picking up any grubs they could find, those with the corn they are feed mean that they fine strong healthy birds. Little Mel was thrilled to see us and wanted another ride in the car, but Nico was not at all well and we cut our visit short. He has lost weight since I saw him two weeks ago, he looks ill and has a temperature. He spent too many nights out on the field protecting his maize crop, he must have frozen out there some nights. Mel tucked into a banana and an apple while we were there, Gelu saved his for later. Gela insisted we have half a loaf which had just come out of the oven, Lew was thrilled he loves warm bread and most of it was gone before we arrived home. We stopped into Daniel's to give them their pork, vegetables and fruit. I think Lacromoora was hoping I had finished the new outfit for her doll, but I have been a bit busy since last Monday. Then it was a rush home to feed, that's when it started to snow and settle. We were going to have dinner before we went into town, but with the weather we thought we had better go sooner than later. Most of the pictures were taken hopping out of the car but there were two or three that were in a park and we had to walk a bit to get them. Sian and John went sliding on a path which the children had made very slippery by running and sliding on it, Lew and I walked on the grass (boring I know, but we were both holding cameras at the time). Unfortunately a little later Lew didn't see another slippery bit and had a bit of a fall, he is ok. Then a very steady drive home for a much needed hot drink and write the diary page.
In Sunday's diary I will tell you what we bought everyone for Christmas and we will have pictures of all three families and anything else that happens over Christmas.
Well I think that's all from Siminoc so far this week ...
So I'll say cheerio for now …
Weather Wednesday 22nd Dec:
1am Snow Shower - 7ºC
2am Snow Shower - 8ºC
3am Snow Shower - 9ºC
4am Snow Shower -10ºC
5am Snow Shower -11ºC
6am Partly Cloudy -11ºC
7am Partly Cloudy -11ºC
Sunrise 7:39 am
8am Partly Cloudy -11ºC
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