Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Little, If Anything, to Report

Just a note to let my Loyal Beet-niks know I'm not dead.

Spent a week visiting the in-laws. It was hot, but uneventful, really. One day we went here, which I really liked. Ate a lot of pie.

A lot.

Of pie.

Got some sun at the swimming pool. Read the Julie and Julia book, a Lucas Davenport mystery, and a chick-lit novel called Certain Girls while I was there. Went on a few bike rides with The Spouse, including a 35-mile jaunt from his Ancestral Home in Bryan, Ohio to the bank in Edon, Ohio.

Did you know that the Etch-A-Sketch factory is in Bryan? Well, it was anyhow, before they shipped all the manufacturing to India or China or something.

The Spangler Candy Company is still in Bryan. They make Dum-Dum lollipops, Circus Peanuts (ugh), and most of the candy canes sold in the USA. We visited the factory last year, and I can tell you that the only suckers we saw there were those of us on the tour.

Yawn.

Have now seen the guinea pig movie (G-Force?), Aliens in the Attic (when did Kevin Nealon get old?), Night in the Museum 2 (when did Hank Azaria get so buff?), and the latest Harry Potter movie (in 3-D and on an IMAX screen).

Now we are all back at the Summer Dacha in my Ancestral Village. Been doing the 22-mile bike ride every morning with The Spouse. One day I was able to do it in 90 minutes, but I've been dragging ass since then. The Spouse, of course, doesn't even get sweaty.

I bought a Kindle. I am loading it up with books to read during the long, dark Moscow winter.

Tomorrow, we are taking the girls to King's Island. On Friday, 16 of us are celebrating Skittles' and her cousin's birthday (they were both born on August 21) at the Chum Bucket. Chum-balaya. Chum-on-a-Stick. The Akron branch of the Expatresse Clan will be joining us, so it should be loud and chaotic.

The Spouse returns to Moscow mid-day on Saturday, August 22, and the girls and I follow on August 27.

The two months have gone so fast.

At least Moscow is more likely to produce interesting blog entries.

7 comments:

Tina in CT said...

I've missed your blog. Figured you were off with your family.

Get The Kommandant's Girl and the sequel for your kindle. Tamara read them this summer and left them for me. TKG was great and I just started the second one.

I brought a kindle over to Moscow with me when I visited in May. Tamara had bought it for her husband for his birthday. Follow Kate's advice and don't drop it as her kindle died when it hit the floor.

Enjoy your last two weeks in the summer dacha.

Alison and Larry said...

You are going to love the Kindle on the long escalator rides in the Metro. I especially loved the Thursday Style section of the NYTimes while looking at the Russian "fashion" scene.

Anonymous said...

I'm interesting about this Kindle thingy. I'm living in Indonesia and I'm wonder if I buy Kindle in US can I download the content in my country (outside US) via internet?

katbat said...

did you see this? http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/381076.htm

enjoy your packing and trip back!

The Expatresse said...

Anonymous: I'm told one can download to one's computer while outside the US and then load the books onto your Kindle. In the US, of course, it uses a wireless service which doesn't exist outside the US.

Katbat: Yes, thanks. I saw the article. :-)

kate said...

Whatever you do--don't drop your kindle! And don't let a cat swipe it off the couch onto the hardwood floor.

So glad to read and get caught up! Had to laugh as cough medicine and tampons are what I stock up on--and my favorite toothpaste.

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