Some good news

Have some good news to share. The weather improved and I started to make trips outside Kiev. Last weekend I was in Pirgova, an ethno-park about 30 min drive from Kiev. I went there with Alexandra, an Ukrainian freelance photographer, her boyfriend Kolya, my friend Catherina and Frantisek, a colleague from ING Prague who arrivd here to help me to put things in order. It was a lot of fun. The school year finished on May 30th and lot of graduates came to the park to celebrate. On attached photo you can see a typical school uniform. We had great weather and I enjoyed shooting. For photos of Pirgova please check:
http://picasaweb.google.nl/gordie26/Pirgova
Another great news is I finally found a lady to clean my home. Finding one was like an executive search. I appreciate many of them finished university and have BA and/or MA and merciless random life events put them in a position of considering a house cleaning job. But some interviews were weird. One lady tried to convince me I do not need a cleaner three times a week as I live alone. Another one told me she does not like pets so I should not take a dog. One announced she takes two months holidays in July and August and cannot start before September. Finally two weeks ago I found Yulia who is 28 years old and has a 5 year old daughter. Yulia is unemployed and with her husband builds a house about 30 km from Kiev. She is "pure" Ukrainian and does not speak much Russian. Her Russian is as rusty as mine but we manage to understand each other. So far she cleans well and is very nice.
Last week Esra gave birth to five puppies and one of her boys will come to Kiev. I will call him Igor. In Russian Igor means the warrior. I'm fighting here so many problems I need a warrior by my side. Igor was also the first grand prince of Kiev. There is a Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. I hope my Igor will not write barking symphonies. I will get Igor in about 3 months. For photos of wonderful tibbie puppies see :
http://home.kpnplanet.nl/~O.enM.ottens@kpnplanet.nl/Pagina%206%20PUPPIES%20ESRA%20X%20MARVIN.htm
I hope to be able to visit a puppy during the summer. Maria and Sandra – the proud tibbie breeders (http://www.tibbies.nl/) - already investigated what is necessary to get Igor to Ukraine. It seems next to my normal work - getting paperwork arranged to fly Igor to Kiev will keep me busy for weeks.