Hiking in Alarcha just outside Bishkek Spring 2011

My brother brought over our back pack and we were grateful for its use.

Gabrielle Bishkek June 2011

I should have put these up a while ago but did not so here they are.

Flew south for some meetings, was booked to leave on Jet Blue from Dulles, but when we were getting ready to board They announced on the prior flight there was a shudder on the landing and needed to check the breaks 1hour. Later announced Ground Taxi Test 1hr. Then came on and announced that the the plane wasn't accepted. Everyone made a mad dash for the Que. I was fifth in line. Ended up catching a taxi to Reagan from Dulles for a flight 2 hours later. Finally got here though, thankfully the same day.

A little slice of Britain

Saw this yesterday when we went to Alexandrovka, to fix an ultrasound, that was not fixed. It won't turn on and I can not find a technical manual worldwide. Its a very long story.

My love

Seeing as how Vanessa was going away to the UK for six weeks I thought I would try out Picasa's face video feature, for a lazy days production its not to bad and fairly easy. I had to mix the music with Audacity though. That was easy though and it sorted out the time. I remember years ago doing slideshows first with "Slide projectors" and having to time everything, basically taking a day. Then I came Video projectors and powerpoint. This is a ton easier, faster and nicer too.

I love you Vanessa, Josiah & Gabrielle hurry home.

Gabrielle crawling day 3

Notice anything wrong here?

New crib

I think in east LA dialect or something conected to English, "the crib" is where one lives. This is just where Gabrielle will sleep, we hope she will take to it. 

Its folds flat, and is really cool. We were given our first crib for Josiah and I think we were always hoping for a one to buy cheap from some one, but that did not happen. 

Spring time is wonderful

Spring is the time when everything comes out from the mist and fox of winter. Winter is not that bad, in fact can be quite enjoyable. But March can be dark and dreary and everyone is waiting for the real first warm day. No one seems to complain that the machrutka is crowded. Moving ones arm becomes impossible and just lifting up your arms are virtually impossible, turning around becomes possible occasionally, and just about out of your mind is that someone else can get in, but they do and somehow there is room. Occasionally your the last to get in and find your head jammed into the sealing at a weird angle. But it all works and your grateful because its spring, everyone is out enjoying the sun refreshing drinks are on the street and when you walk around you can stay hydrated. You can walk around and think about how great the Kyrgyz people are and this great culture.

Gabrielle Feeding Herself

At the the alArcha Hotel

We went to the Alarcha HotelAnd had a great time of relaxing apart from Josiah getting a cold and Gabrielle teething.

Spring is here

One starts thinking about spring and with that is the street drink sellers one of which is Kavas and others. This is the first I have seen since the autumn.

Gabrielle winter outfit

So we were given three outfits for Gabrielle to go out in the cold. I find it quite amazing that all of them were really targeted at a specific need non of them really over lap. We would have had to use them but not quite right. They all might work next year. His provision is always right, even overflowing . One is down and fabulous for really cold winter. One is synthetic and great for mixed spring days and this one from my mum which is light light spring and excellent because its a great spring warmup suit but not overly warming but not a little either. They tend to over dress babies so this looks overdressed but should just right.

Hope academy spring musical

Hope is presenting a spring musical of Annie this weekend. I agreed to help with sound, and am working with three students training them a bit, and maybe a little inspiration for them. It's a bit of a challenge but with mixing two portable sound systems. We got new mics that are stage mics rather than using wireless a lot.

Latest family photo

We have been trying to get a family photo for a while now and it just did not work anywhere. Vanessa said finally lets just get someone to take a picture of us at least. We this is not the "official" family photo because of the sun glasses but it is a great photo and so I thought we would post it as well. I think we will do this more often.

How do you celebrate a birthday

I celebrated by going out with my lovely wife and family. There is a nice restaurant that is just down the street, literally two minutes walk which we have seen and wondered what it was like. Very nice, to nice maybe, but not very expensive for a birthday. Well, Josiah and Vanessa got Shashlik or shish-kabobs. I got Kazakh meat soup and Beshbarmak(Kyrygyz national dish though many Kyrgyz will adopt most anything)

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The other thing that you can do to make it very rememberable is to slam your finger in the doorway of a friends car have it throbbing for a day or so. That will really help the whole memory process, not only that it will make it difficult to type.

Josiah Sledging

We went sledding today, at first the snow was to thin, but as we continued to look we found some deeper and better snow, of course I found Ice twice and got a closer connection with it unintentionally experiencing the force of gravity when the legs are removed from underneath you. Though Its better when It happens here than in the city. We had a great time and really enjoyed the afternoon out in the snow. Much better than being stuck inside.

Studying a bit of Kyrgyz and a bit of Russian

I was working russian and Kyrgyz today and it was good, I have started working on Kyrgyz verb forms and focusing on one verb a day it will take some time, I have though since no one has done it yet it might be beneficial to publish a verb directory of sorts.

My day

My day
6.45 Show alarm goes off turn it off and crawl back in bed

7.00 alarm get up and take shower

7.30 wake up Josiah. " why is it that he always has a lie in on weekdays but wakes up daly on the weekend.

8.10 leave for school 10 minutes late. Get the matschutka quickly. Arrive at 8.35 5 minutes late

10.00 get to the office after matryshka ride. Sometimes I can study

10.30 after greeting every one plan my day

11.00 work on studying before my lesson at 12 russian & KG

11.10 Asked if I could help sort out someones inability to connect to the internet.

12.20 lesson focusing on kG verbs

1.30 Doctor came by to pick up Russian built ESU. ESU had blown fuses. The problem was they we're tiny and totally unavailable. I ended up replacing the whole holder with standard fuses

2.30 working on short Medical equipment acquisition questions
Thankful that Vanessa was able to pick up josiah otherwise I would have to leave now.

Discuss other projects

4.30 Prepared to ho home for family night

5.00 went home to relieve Vanessa, just a bit, from full time delightful baby care.

9.30 Work on projects/research/Kyrgyz flashcards on quizlet

11.30 go to bed- read a little

Pascal on humanity

"When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after, the little space I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of space of which I am ignorant, and which knows me not, I am frightened, and am astonished at being here rather than there, why now rather than then?." -Blaise Pascal

Cold street in Bishkek

It's about - 18c today and beautiful. Josiah was on time to school which was nice. It's hard for us to get out the door on time on a cold winters day

Snow

Well it's dropping that White powdery stuff but it's not that cold so that's good if A bit cold

Sent from my iPod

Local cafe

there seem to be many, many Cafe's but I suspect there are not many named after the pres.

Cool Sculpture

When I took josiah home today and saw this. Not really sure where all the water came from.

Seen near Beta stores

Went out to eat to celebrate 14 years of marriage

Gabrielle sat in a high chair for the first time. She seemed bemused at first but overall liked it for a time.

Of minor interest

Of interest to only but a few. This is a sign that appears if read ahmu cmpecc but because it's write. In script it's just a transliterated English word anti-stress

Comic Touch: You've received a comic

Todays temp in Celsius

New Personality Test

Josiah said dinner last night was really good (We had friends over for dinner) I said why do you say that, usually you don't really like that.
"Food always taste better with friends"