Addendum, or the Rest of the Day, or More About Food

A woman came to look at the washing machine as promised. Via Sergei we learned she thinks it overheated and would come back in the evening (when we would likely be gone) with our permission. We didn’t think it was a problem of overheating - more like the filter was clogged - but that was fine. She also replaced our (very much mildewed) shower curtain while she was here. Quite an unexpected bonus and a nice complement to our newly cleaned bathroom.

Back at the orphanage they handed Daniel off without his braces. I just love the feel of his relaxed little body in my arms. Wonder if they put him in shoes instead of braces because the motorcycle wheels wore new holes in his socks last night . . . More likely he just doesn’t wear the braces on certain therapy days. In any case we all cheerfully set off for the green corridor, motorcycle in tow. Initially he was much less steady on the bike without the stiff braces so we watched him more carefully, especially when turning around, but by the end of the evening he was just fine. It was a good visit, the usual activities but all with a new sense of being family. Today he clearly said “nana” for ‘banana’. Since the Russian word is ‘banan’ it is another new word the staff will not recognize.

We were able to get a pretty good shot of the three of us with the timer on the camera. The doctor (who smiles) took a couple of shots, too, but declined to have her own picture taken, but finally promised she would another day.

We had time to regroup back at the apartment before Sergei and his lovely wife Vika picked us up for dinner. We had been planning this for about a week. We asked them to choose a restaurant and they narrowed it down to two possibilities: Vietnamese and Uzbek. Since we have no idea where we would get Uzbek food in the States (at least in Wisconsin) we chose Uzbek. Near the door in the central part of the restaurant was a structure like a typical desert dwelling of something like mud with straw. It had a curtain across the doorway and I wondered if it was some sort of VIP private dining area. Turned out to be the coatroom! They seated us within site of the live music (band with singer). They were a bit loud but we adjusted to the volume and it was no hindrance. We looked over the extensive menu. They placed English menus in front of John and I without needing to be asked. Sergei told us what he knew of the food - traditional Uzbek or not - but he had eaten here once about three years ago. I figure the staff have a pretty good idea of what they like and what the customers tend to favor, so I went with the waiter’s recommendations, including that on a half-portion of the first course because the second course was very large.

I couldn’t tell you the name of a single thing any of us ate except the dessert but it was all amazingly sumptuous. The seasonings in every single dish were complex (John couldn’t sort them out) and begged to be savored. John, Sergei and Vika started with an appetizer that turned out to be a fermented (soured) milk beverage that reminded us of very good akroshka (cold cucumber soup), but with pepper. Very different, strangely appealing. When later courses arrived it was the perfect complement.

I ended up with two first course items somehow. I remember asking for the salad with aubergines (eggplant), chicken, cucumbers and tomatoes. Somehow I also received ground, seasoned mutton inside a square, light pastry. This I cut into four parts and offered (urged) to share around the table, so we each did taste it and proclaimed it good. We each had a bowl of soup, fortunately mine was smaller. Vika’s resembled chicken noodle soup, the rest of us had a broth base with a whole boiled potato, a large chunk of a large carrot and a chunk of mutton ribs. Maybe Vika chose her soup because I found no ‘dainty’ way of eating the meat - used fingers, fork, knife and big soup spoon right in the bowl. Delicious, though. For the main course I received this very large plate holding three pieces of veal on the bone, roasted potatoes, grilled/sautéed mushrooms, red bell peppers and flower-cut onions. Each item was tantalizing, it took me a while to decide where to begin. It was clearly too much for me to eat so I urged everyone to try at least one thing, which they did. Then I just ate one of each food, and then another of each food, and another until I only just had a little room left for dessert.

Vika and Sergei had a rice pilaf dish that is very much traditional Uzbek food. It is prepared a certain way for one holiday, a different way for another holiday, and another way for non-holidays and everyone has their own special way of doing it (kind of like Ukrainian borsch). I already (Saturday night) can’t remember what else they ate. I do remember their plates having many slivers of fresh cucumber. John may describe his food another time.

We enjoyed getting to know each other, too, of course - that was the point of the evening. We learned that in Ukraine kindergarten is for the youngest children, then preschool, then (regular) school. Their son, 5 ½ years old, has begun and English class and when he starts school next fall Sergei and Vika chose the school that will begin English classes in the first grade rather than in the sixth. Another school focuses on mathematics, the third choice is just a general school and all three school are located side-by-side. We showed Vika pictures of Daniel on our cameral (since our photographs were in the hut with the coats). We all had plenty to eat. Sergei told us about an old cartoon that involved a dog inviting a wolf to a party and feeding the wolf so much food while it hid under the table (so as not to frighten the other guests) that his belly was sticking way out. All of us were feeling like the well-fed wolf, but we still wanted dessert so we shared one item which was an assortment of delectable baklava four ways.

It was a very leisurely meal lasting more than three hours, and by the time we left the clock in the car showed us it was 11:38.

Back at the apartment we found the heat was turned on again, the washing machine still held undrained water and we went to bed.. What a day.