Just a Normal Saturday, Chez Beet

I sort of over slept this morning and didn't wake up until 7:45. So by the time I made coffee for The Spouse and sort of tidied up the kitchen, I didn't get out the door to the gym until after 8:00.

Swam my 40 laps, came home, grabbed three slices of bacon The Spouse saved for me, and we all went out to look at the May 9/Victory Day festivities.

The Spouse and the girls had been watching the action on the teevee. I especially love it when the guys get to stand up in the convertibles and zoom around Red Square. Which is closed to commoners today. You gotta have connections or be some sort of VIP to get tickets.

We did catch the end of the air show just outside our door.

Then we walked over to Tverskaya to see the last of the heavy armaments returning from Red Square. Last year we got there early and watched the whole thing. It wasn't much different this year (I heard they added a few more of each item), and frankly, I don't find the parade all that exciting. (Where ARE the Shriners with their tiny clown cars?) But the people watching was first rate.

Skittles got a good seat. I focused on the building across the street.

It has some incredible detail, complete with hammers and sickles and stars.

I gave Baboo the camera for a while since she squirmed her way to the front. Here's a picture she took.

I liked Dude here. Like a Good Russian Husband, he's holding his wife's pink jacket. Probably her purse, too. (Really. They do that.) Notice the orange and black ribbon of Saint George on his flag.

Everyone was taking pictures.


Okay, now I'm going to be catty. This pretty girl was wearing a white halter top with green stars. Like all halter tops, it was backless. But because she felt she needed some support, she also wore a white bra with little red hearts. It was cleverly disguised by her black sweater. Meow.

Lots of people had Russian flags.

Here you can get an idea of the crowd. The parade was over, and people started crossing the street. But the police kept asking them not to.

But they did it anyhow.

Including the police! Or maybe he was a military guy from the parade. Looks like Green T-Shirt Dude might be carrying a beer.

Pretty soon it was chaos. The cops just gave up.

So we walked home. Look how green it is in front of our building now. There are several beds of tulips over by the grocery store.

Since all I had for breakfast was my few slices of bacon, we decided to go to our favorite Ukrainian place for some vodka. I mean lunch.

That's when it all got sort of weird. First, Skittles began to suffer from one of her debilitating headaches. She confessed that she had been feeling bad earlier and had taken some medicine (one adult Advil, which is the dose I usually take for minor issues). But it wasn't working. She began to look more and more pained. I had finished eating, so I gave The Spouse some money and took her home. I gave her something stronger, closed the curtains, and put her in our bed.

The Spouse and Baboo returned shortly, but later than I expected. Baboo scampered immediately to the shower. The Spouse stuck his head in our room.

"It went down hill suddenly," he said.

"Huh?"

"Baboo suddenly declared she was going to vomit, so she put her hand over her mouth and ran from the restaurant," he said. "I don't know what happened exactly, or where, but I found her on the street in front of our building covered in pink puke."

Oh. Yeah. We had raspberry mors at lunch.

So next thing I know, both girls are sacked out in our bed.

Baboo said, "I felt remorse." Groan.

I got shoved out.

Crooky found a paper bag.

The Spouse had a little nap on the sofa.

Cat-O decided to catch 40 winks under the laundry rack.

Yeah, you heard me right. And this photo IS from today. Ladies and gentlemen, that is clean laundry drying in my living room. I've done three loads now.

May 9 really is Victory Day.

Now, in that mysterious way kids have, both girls have made a complete recovery. I thought they were eating Kit-Kat bars in their room. Cuz, like, they're hungry. But it seems they have finished their snacks and moved on to playing with my makeup in the bathroom.

Make up and chocolate.

Good thing the washer seems to be working.