New Traditions

So life goes on. I would like to walk over to one of the stations and put some flowers down. Seems appropriate. Maybe Sat we will walk over. For now I am still walking where I need to go. And the weather has been sooo nice.

I looked up some news to see if there was any new information on the bombings. Seems depends where you look. Some sources say the Chechen leader took responsibility for the bombings, another said he denied responsibility. The head of the Russian Security Council alleges Georgia was in league with the northern caucasus. Still other papers say it was an inside job. From what the papers say one of the bombers waS 17! Not a woman, a girl, still a child herself.

Feels a bit like the city is holding its breath, waiting to see if there will be more.

sigh.

Moving on, as life does go on.

So I think I mentioned that I am Greek - I was raised Greek Orthodox, so the whole lent thing, and Easter typically falling on a different day than "Western Easter" (or what we called "easter bunny easter") is normal for me. Althought this year falls on the same day - no discount left over easter candy for the little greek boys and girls in the US! :-)

however, I havent gone to church regularly since I was 17 and moved away to college. Alas, no orthodox church (at the time) in Walla Walla. Then I got married. to a nice jewish boy, and the rest is history. Kind of put me on the outs with the church. I guess you could say my faith is orthodox while I do not belong to any religion.

Anyway, back in our previous life in the US I did passover - yes the whole seder meal - I have the special platter and the books, we would drink our kosher wine. etc. Then we would go to my parents for easter - well greek easter, we really didnt do anything for western easter.

So here we are in Russia. I didnt do anything this year for seder. I dont know why.

honestly I forgot.

I know!

Terrible.

I didnt forget about easter, but since I havent ever done anything on my own for it, it almost passed me by too. But not today!

Today I dyed eggs the traditional greek red. I used yellow onion skins. just boil the skins of about 10 yellow onions for 30 minutes, let cool, then boil the eggs in the dye. Here are the instructions I used.

Some photos for your viewing pleasure. I used white eggs, and 2 brown ones (out of curiosity).

Onion skins boiling

cooling dye (it is orange! - like my pot)

Before and after - can you tell the brown ones? two upper left - think I will do all brown next year.

all shiny and oiled - the far left 2 are the brown eggs.

I also made tsoureki today (Greek Easter break). I doubled this recipe. thought I would make a few small loaves.

waiting to go in the oven. . .

So with the red eggs, the easter bread, we plan on going to the outside portion of the easter church service sat night - that pretty much seems like good traditions to start. i think I will make a pork roast for dinner sun night.

The only thing I didnt do is go to the store and get the kids some easter candy. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow I can sneak out and pick some up.

Yeah I was busy today. Did I mention I had sausage delivered today too? Yes! From this site. I swear you can have anything delivered in Moscow (remember when I had dry ice delivered?)! So minimum order is 3000 rubles. Sure, no problem! I email Leo that I ordered 3150 rubles worth of sausage. he emailed me back - you know, that is $1oo worth of sausage?

oh.

hmm.

Well - here is what $100 worth of sausage looks like - I ordered American Breakfast Sausage - new Orleans Spicy Sausage, Cocktail Sausage, Thai Chicken sausage, Spicy Moroccan Lamb, Spicy Lamb Mergez (?), and "premium" sausage.

good thing there is room in my freezer!

ALSO today the piano tuner came. Apparently the kids piano teacher thought it needed tuning. He has been here a while - she told me it could take 3 -4 hours. Wow. Anyway - he came in a suit with lots of little tools.

I was in the kitchen braiding the bread and natasha was playing away on the kitchen floor. then she wandered out. I finished my loaf then went in search of her. I found her standing next to Piano Tuner. just standing. Next to him. her arm around his leg. He was just tuning away like he didnt even realize she was there. uhm, natasha - lets go play in the kitchen and leave Piano Guy alone. then a few hours later (yeah he was here that long) I fixed her a snack. She took her plate and headed out of the kitchen. Into the living room. I followed to see what she would do. She walked in, walked up to Piano Guy and held out her plate - as in "want some?" pretty funny esp since she spilled her pieces of buttered toast, leaving a trail behind her.

Then she just ran around looking at the guy through her Ikea plate.

Funny how kids are drawn to some people.

Especially people who pay them no attention.