Monday, September 2, 2013

Signs, signs everywhere a sign....


"...Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind…..” as the song goes (anyone?!)


One of my favorite parts about foreign locations is checking out the everyday stuff; grocery stores, pedestrian areas – which so often include signs……

Like most, our kids’ school has a sign posted at the entrance.  No drugs, booze & smoking - yep - fairly standard...

But the gun?!  
You might be wondering; is there really that much 'riffraff' in Kiev?!? 
I say Nyet! 

Kiev is NOT a rough city (I’d argue more safe than Chicago), but we do have Oligarchs' kids who are driven to / from school & protected by a somewhat meat-head set
And apparently it’s legal for personal guards to pack heat.   
Thus, the sign - and - the guards waiting outside school ground



And now that Kiev finally joined the developed world & banned smoking in restaurants, one sees ‘no smoking’ signs abound.

My personal favorite (for the irony), is the one located in my gym's bathroom...

Do people - who pay to work out - really smoke in the bathroom?! 



Speaking of toilet etiquitte, Logan saw this one in a gas station bathroom.  
I am not sure who eats apples while on the pot...

But, if all it takes is a sign to keep pee off the seat, I'm having one printed for home



And now that we're potty talking, the most unexpected signs from this summer were this pair……

A closer look....

WOW!  They really need to TELL people not to do this in a door way?!

YES, this is Amsterdam – where I guess people have been known to visit & act like animals


For everybody's sake, let's all agree to neatly do our business where we should, only carry guns that shoot foam bullets & rock out to an oldie but goodie today


Happy Monday!





(The full lyrics - in case you want to sing along:
And the sign said, "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said, "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said, "Imagine that, huh, me workin' for you"
Whoa, oh, oh
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
And the sign said, Anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So, I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house
"Hey, what gives you the right?
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, He'd tell you to your face, man, you're some kinda sinner"
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
Now, hey you, Mister, can't you read?
You've got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat
You ain't supposed to be here
The sign said, You got to have a membership card to get inside, ugh
And the sign said, "Everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all
I didn't have a penny to pay
So, I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me, I'm alive and doin' fine, woo
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Sign
Sign, sign"


Read more: Five Man Electrical Band - Signs Lyrics | MetroLyrics 









Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Jet Lag & Independence Day


We've been back in Kiev a little over a week & officially made it through jet lag.   Coming East seems a bit harder than going the other way - thus we had to pull out some extra tricks of the trade.....

STAY AWAKE till at least 6pm....via swimming...

Going to the mall play zone...

Late evening walks to attempt to tire us out...
(hmm - maybe ice cream along the way isn't the most brilliant)

Good old fashioned caffeine!
(THANKS Kelly for my little frothy machine - totally FAB!  No need to go buy coffee again!)


Don't Take me down with you
When the kids woke up in the middle of the night, they were promptly instructed to do what they wanted - as long as it did not involve me......like Lego's...

And talking into the fan...

After a week with very few plans, we are now into our time zone.  

Just in time for Ukraine's Independence day (Aug 23).  22 years post Soviet rule, the people of Kiev celebrated.....

With National Dress in many iterations

 including of course) sexy....

A parade with floats & dancers...



And of course FAB people watching....

The close up view (note his hair) is critical on this one


And the BEST part of Independence day....the FIRST DAY of school was Tuesday!
While there weren't any floats, I'd never felt quite so free!

Happy back to school 

Here's to freedom for all!



Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Chicago to Kiev with 400 pounds of essentials



The kids & I flew home this week – each of us allowed 2 – 50 lb bags.  It seemed irresponsible not to bring all 8.  However, when I saw all of them crammed into the van, even I wondered WHAT exactly does one need that adds up to 400 lbs?!

Aside from our clothes, which took up ~2-3 bags, we hauled loot - loads of loot:


Loot you can’t get in Kiev…

Considering we moved here with Mars - OF COURSE there are M&M's & Dove here....but not the PB or Mint varieties!
(You really MUST try these new dark chocolate mint Dove's - YUM!)

And my dirty little secret - contraband Trader Joe's chocolate almonds

Bagels, yes - 96 of them - filled more than 1/2 of one of the 8 cases....
(OK, there IS a vendor who makes & delivers bagels here - but they just aren't the same as Einstein's!)

Baking mixes, Crystal light, black beans & fancy fake sugar....

Fruit snacks & Costco nut squares....
(8 bags & 400 lbs. is a LOT of baggage!)


Loot that’s too expensive in Kiev…

Clearly there is winter gear here - but everything imported is so much more expensive.  8 bags could come for free - how could I not?!

And now that our Lego situation has crossed into an obsession, we cannot afford NOT to bring those from home (~2x the price here)


Loot that's probably here, but too perplexing to find….

Given how much baking there is here, I KNOW Baking Powder must exist.  But at $0.89 and just 1 pound, it's easier to pack a box than to figure out what is what.....

Toiletries, OTC meds & hair dye....I know Ukrainians use these - but OMG way too many varieties
(I have questionable enough results with American dyes / English instructions - practically an unintentional blond at the moment)

If you've read many of my previous posts, you know there is LOADS of booze in Kiev.  But we're still struggling to find stuff like you get in Napa.  And I've yet to see a 3L double-magnum.  So of course, it had to come!

And of course, who could live without a Rechargeable Mosquito Hitting Swatter?!
(Logan + the way too easy Amazon Prime are fully responsible for this one!)


When she saw the mound of goods, our cleaning lady was concerned that I thought there were ‘deficits’ in Kiev.  But as our friend Sussie says, you grow to the size of your fish bowl!


So, necessity or not,  here's to the comforts of home - even if they have to be hauled in a suitcase.






Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Chicago - while we were out



Since we didn’t go home over Christmas, it had been ~a year since we were last in Chicago.  What a difference a year makes!

YEAH for bikes!
Bike lanes have been springing up all over & while 5 years ago, the bikers were mostly the hard-core messenger type, now you see people in dresses.

The city even installed tons of shared bike stations 

And thanks to the double-tandem, we were able to get the whole family out for several spins



Outgrowing old haunts
The bad news with being away is suddenly realizing our old haunts are no longer 'age appropriate'

Climbing structure at the zoo.  We LOVED this - used to go all the time & now Q has aged out of it....


A neighborhood park the kids spent endless days at - Adam's - was deemed 'baby-ish'  - and Q aged out of their water feature

Luckily you are never too old / big for this park feature...



Gorging on favorites
Another risk with being away, is the gorge fest we feel is justified during visits.....

Chipotle is such a favorite, we stopped there on the way home from the airport
Q loves the crunchy tacos, X a carnitas burrito, Z a large bowl of white rice...

After going 4 times in the first 5 days, I discovered one can burn out on a good thing.  (Sissy is smiling as it was the first of ~4 times we made her dine there with us!)

Clarke's for omelets, pancakes & free WIFI

Mandy B's for cupcakes...

And 7-11 for Slurpees & donuts....

Is it shocking that our pants seem to have all shrunk while we were away?


Packing in the Play dates
We also attempted to make up for lost time with friends - with as many play dates & get togethers as possible...
(the best/only shot I could get of these 5 kids together!)


Including day trips to the horse races...

And 6 Flags...


Cramming in the annuals
Unfortunately, not all of the loading up is on friends & frosting.  We also get the joy of cramming a year's worth of doctor and car registration etc. into the short time in town...


Bittersweet farewell
Leaving a good vacation is hard, but leaving our constantly improving Sweet Home Chicago is even harder.   

Here's to home & celebrating your favorites!