The day before the holiday is a holiday too

Tomorrow, May 9, is a holiday called “victory day” – celebrating the various victories in various wars over the history of Kazakhstan.  Sort of like our veterans day except for victories not veterans.  The soldiers have been practicing their marching for a week; streets are blocked off in preparation for the marches.  But again, it’s tomorrow. So I surprised when I woke up this morning to hear total and complete silence outside my downtown apartment, corner of Haight and Ashbury, or Ocean and 3rd or if you’re an east coaster, 5th avenue and 50th.  (for us Minnesotans, it’s Lake and Hennepin).  Anyway you get the point, I’m at the center of the city and it was quiet.  My first thought was that it snowed again.  But no, the sun shone down and the streets were clear. They were just empty.

 

So when the car came to pick me up I asked what was going on – isn’t the holiday tomorrow?  And Rada said “well, we need a day off to get ready for the holiday.”  And I thought, “Aha, I have finally found a public policy debate I can get solidly behind.  The Day off Before the Day off Campaign has been born.  Why don’t we Americanski come up with these kind of ideas?  This is an idea all Americans, red state, blue state, could all get behind and support. It’s brilliant!  So today is the day off to get ready for the day off.  I Love it.

 

On to the visit.  When I walked in the room, I was surprised to see the pumpkin in a completely different outfit that I left her in yesterday.

 

 

When I left Yesterday:

 

When I arrived today:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wondered where her little D is for Ducky outfit had gone.  When I asked Rada to ask the caregivers, she came back and said there was an “explosion” of some sort.  Uh oh. That doesn’t bode well for my taking possession in 2 days…..

 

Today, just to screw with my head, the bottle came immediately when I walked in so I had a happy Annabelle to play with for an hour or so before she went into food coma.  I introduced her to a teether since I think that is why she’s gnawing on herself and others all the time.

 

 

 

And this is her at her happiest.

Day 20_files\Happy Puppy.MOV (click for movie)

 

We took advantage of it being the day off before the day off and once again flouted the rules and I returned a courtesy visit to Annelise and her parents.  The girls were both a little calmer than yesterday and there were no hindi-soap-opera histrionics. Annabelle was already starting to move into food coma mode and therefore was a bit dull in front of her friend.

 

 

After we returned to our own room, the crankiness came.  This is how she told me it was time for her nap.

 

Day 20_files\Tears.MOV

 

So I put her to bed which she does quite easily (jinx).  And what do I do when Annabelly is sleeping?

 

This:

 

I’m currently reading Emma (Jane Austen) on the palm pilot.

 

On a “boy they do things differently” note, I was surprised when it turned cold a couple weeks ago to walk in and see this contraption in Annabelle’s room.

 

 

Yep! It’s a hot plate. And it’s what the hospital uses to heat Annabelle’s room when it’s chilly outside.  It’s scary to me – these things are firetraps in my opinion but I know they do what they have to do with what they have.  I just can’t wait to get her away from that scary contraption!

 

Paka Paka Everyone!

 

Previous

Home

Next