Homemade Peppermint Patties

I know that this is hard to believe, and something we don't think of when you can just swing down to the store and pick them up...

but, peppermint patties are a necessary part of life. The delicious combination of mint and chocolate is almost as good as peanut butter and chocolate. So, when we received a package with peppermint extract - we immediately set to work.

It is a time consuming process, but not difficult. Just waiting as the filling cools, as the chocolates cool, etc.

But it is worth every single, rich, delicious, mouth-watering moment. They blow peppermint patties out of the water. They melt in your mouth and with the quality of Russian chocolate to top off the experience... marvelous.

Plus it's really fun to cook with Amy and to spend time together... now finding wax paper in Russia - that's an adventure for another day. We don't think it exists here.

Sunny! and um... Cold

So the sun is shining BRIGHT on this Thursday morning! And it's the coldest it's been so far this year! It's not that cold. Only -25C or -13F. But it'll be fun to go for a BRISK walk. Thursdays are our day off. We don't always have the entire day, because life goes on and the work calls regardless of the day. We have tried to really set this day apart, but we've not been very good at or successful in keeping a day to ourselves.

So today, with renewed vigor, we slept in, have had a light breakfast of yoghurt (seriously I spelled it like this and didn't even notice until the spell checker highlighted it... I'm around too many British textbooks) like substance (tvorozhenaya) and have been reading our B!bles. We're finishing up Malachi together - there's some very intense stuff in there.

We toyed with the idea of McDonald's for breakfast today, but decided last night that sleep was the better option. Yes, I know - McDonald's? Sometimes you just have cravings for something that's really really home. And although my family has long called Mickey D's, McNausea, it still sounds good. Especially breakfast, and especially hash browns.

It's ironic - because Amy and I have been trying to be healthier. Because of our visa situation, I end up teaching largely in the evenings. So I get home three nights a week at 10:30! So, that's not really a good time to eat dinner as far as health is concerned... we've been trying to do better for the last week or so, and the results are encouraging!

A Tribute to Angie Simmons

So, I know that what Amy wanted for Christmas, really really wanted - was a new and bigger purse. Not something that your typical man is capable of shopping for are really hunting to do (that's how Russian's would say it... hunting to do). So, I took several deep breaths - and took on the task of purse shopping.

Now, purse shopping isn't an easy task in the best of circumstances. Shopping in Tyumen isn't an easy task in the best of circumstances. So needless to say - I spent weeks searching for the perfect purse. Not only could I not find said purse, but they cost a fortune.

Too big, too small, too shiny, too sassy, too short, too long, too... um - blech. Not to mention the cost, someone discovered that women not only need a good purse, but will pay a lot for the right one. They are literally in the range of $200 and up!

Amy is not that picky to be honest, she just wanted a purse that would be able to hold her Russian homework and a laptop so she could use it at the Center.

I sent an email to Angie. Angie can find anything. It was a deadline purchase with literally only hours. You see, Amber was on her way to Russia and could bring it with her. Did she find a purse. Oh, yes! She not only found just any purse, but the purse of all purses. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the mother of all purses. It is PERFECT. It's straps are sassy, but practical, it's color is black - thus Chic, it is laptop sized, it has pockets and compartments, it even has a cell phone caddy. Awesome.

Amy looks like a million dollars and has the perfect purse.

Did I mention Angie found it for something like $14? We miss and love you Target.

Angie rocks. Done. Said. You read it here first.

the beauty

the bag

Central market

On Amber's last day here with us (a tear for Amber) - we went to the Central Market. Here's a view from upstairs. It's just a cool picture.

Fortune telling

December 6 - it's orthodox Christmas eve here. The tradition here is interesting. If we correctly understand - young people cast their fortunes by using bowls of water to see the face of their future spouses.

Please join us in pr@yer against these summonings. It's so strange to hear about it.

It's finally cold

Just a quick update to let you all know that we felt a draft coming from the kitchen. Well, there is a draft - so we thought it must be really cold outside. So we checked. It's -26 C which is -14.8 F.

We are still going out today in a quest for stationary and postcards.

Here goes!

I'm the world's biggest geek.

Okay, I've been learning more and more about my type A nature since I started living in Russia and the culture shock started to sink in (circa February 2007). Well, then I got married and it becomes more and more apparent when you notice the subtle idiocies of your own nature and how they interact with those you love most.

Well, then I started to enjoy the world of rss feeds (really simple syndication). What this means is that I use a single web page (google reader) to follow lots of websites (friends blogs, productivity websites, etc).

Well, now I've taken to creating my own planner because I can't find the one that I want here in Russia... and then I find the website D*I*Y Planner. And the corresponding Flickr website... and how to print on index cards...

it's my own private shame.

Strolling about Tyumen in winter

With Amber here visiting, we spent several lovely afternoons and evenings just strolling about Tyumen. It's actually a very typical pastime here. We had opportunities to enjoy the beauty of winter, see the lover's bridge and our 1st anniversary lock and to ride the Ferris wheel. Um.... suggesting NOT riding a Ferris wheel in winter - talk about COLD!Me in vampire state, hissing at the light. The first time outside in over a day! What a great holiday.

Amy & I checking on our first anniversary lock on the lovers' bridge

Amber taking full advantage of the ice slides in Tyumen

Amy & Amber in front of an ice sculpture

Ice sculpture by night

The view of central park from the TOP of the Ferris wheel.

Amber on the Ferris Wheel

That crazy paralyzed-by-fear couple, Jeff & Amy

Homemade Pilmeni

So Pilmeni is a very typical Russian food. They're small dumplings filled with a mixture of ground beef, pork and sometimes chicken. They were originally invented (so we've heard) for exploration in Siberia as they are compact, easy to cook (once prepared) and stay frozen well... Haha! Frozen hiking food!

So you make dough, roll it out, cut it up and wrap pieces of meat into little crescents. Then you boil them for delicious yumminess. Our Russian friends Sergei and Masha came by on Saturday night to help us out.

We are really trying to learn as much about culture and life here as we can. We know that it helps us to understand our Russian friends and to serve them better. Life really is very different here and in a word harder. Everything is time consuming, people see very little of their family because of time pressures - and with the economic crisis looming, it's only looking tougher. Russians are a very steadfast people, who look at hardship as something expected and they know they can and will overcome.

wrapping pilmenithe finished product

a surprise delicacy for Amber - frozen salmon with lemon and SALT!

The holiday packages continue!

We are so incredible blessed this holiday season! Amy's dear friend Amber is here visiting for 10 days and she brought many gifts with her from the states. Here's Amy modeling some of the higher fashion Tyumen now-a-days.

she's sure to stay warm in this!

check out those warm and toastie toes! And the matching hat & scarf

vacation

vacation (n.) - the action of leaving something one previously occupied.

This word is the hugest blessing ever. After 4 months of not experiencing it. Amy and I are going for it with all we have. So we slept until 11:30.

Oh yeah. Happy New Year. We celebrated the new year in the best way possible. We had our washer fixed! That's right. It's already put out 5 loads and we've got about 4 more. It was broken for 2 weeks and we had to use every towel we have to clean up the flood when it broke... but it's fixed. PTL.

Oh, back to vacation. So, Amy's friend Amber arrived from the States yesterday afternoon and is here to hang out and encourage and love and have fun with us.

I'm enjoying a long awaited period of productivity and accomplishment. The first 5 loads of laundry and really helping me to achieve the quick successes we all long for. I also installed a lock on the toilet door so that Amber can have privacy.

Mostly I've been organizing piles of papers, transferring computer files, and planning my conquest of DIY projects here in the apartment. We have a dying plant to re-pot, insulation to put around doors and windows and a score of other smaller projects. I'm most worried about wiping my computer and starting over. It's been finicky and not booting properly, so after 1.5 months of putting it off until the holiday... here goes.

Oh, and about New Years. I'll write more later, but this is what rocks about New Year's in Russia... 45 minutes of straight fireworks everywhere you can see.... from the 8th floor. How amazing is that?

Photos to come.

Happy New Year!

New Year is the biggest Holiday in Russia. It is very similar to Christmas - it's a family holiday, there are evergreen trees decorated with garlands and lights, there are gift exchanges. There are two very noticeable differences. #1 No Jes^s #2 Fireworks.

That's right - fireworks. Like you can't believe. Here's a 2.45 minute clip that will rock you.