Impressions

Every trip to the US draws my attention to something new, different, or unexpected. The neighborhood changes, kids grow, things change. That’s to be expected.

But it’s always especially fun to see the US through Igor’s eyes. He’s had a few “firsts” this trip.
– miniature golf (he beat us all!)
– COSI 
– Cousin’s Army & Navy Surplus Store (where he bought Army fatiques and excellent boots!)

Saturday will be his first American Garage Sale. Dad and I have been talking about it since Day 1, setting things aside bit by bit. It took Igor a day or two before he finally asked “What is this ‘garage sale’?”  No, Dad’s not selling the garage. Tonight, the garage is jam-packed with things we’ve cleaned out of the house. It even spills out into the driveway already. There’s a lot of stuff ready to go.

Igor thought the “garage sale” concept sounded completely absurb from the very beginning. He can’t comprehend that people will come tomorrow and pay money to take these things from Dad. We keep telling him it’s like mushroom-picking in Ukraine – something Ukrainians love to do all summer long. Americans love to go to garage sales all summer long (“collecting crap?” – cut it out Igor!).

He’s waiting with great anticipation tonight. “I can’t wait to see who are these people who will come tomorrow. Really? They will buy this stuff? For money?”

OK, Columbus, don’t let me down. Not only do I want to help Dad get rid of this stuff, I also know desperately want Igor to see Americans at their garage-:-)sale-greatness. 🙂

Volunteer vacation

Some people like to do volunteer work on their vacations. They’re seeking a meaningful experience, looking to help people in need, while also getting to travel and see new and exciting places.

We are visiting the exciting location of Columbus, Ohio; getting some nice time with the father; and doing some serious labor in cleaning his house. It’s not the volunteer vacation I would have thought up for anyone, but it is what it is. I’ll sleep better in Kyiv knowing he’s living with less clutter, and I definitely will look forward to coming for future visits, knowing there will be a clean room to sleep in, closet space to hang up my clothes, a table to eat at, and chairs to sit in.

Yesterday we tackled the basement, which Dad himself admits probably hasn’t been cleaned since they moved in nearly 40 years ago. Contributing to the chaos are my own boxes of things I left behind when I moved overseas, and a few things that moved here when Grandma’s house sold recently.

When I joined the Peace Corps, I sold or gave away a lot of things. It was a good opportunity to remove some of the clutter in my own life. But at the time, I fully expected to be back in 2 years, so there was still a LOT that I wanted to keep. Most times that I’ve been home in the past 6 years, I have thinned those boxes down by a bit more each visit. More books go, or some trinkets get passed on to friends or their kids.

This time, I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I’ve been pushing Dad to get rid of things he hasn’t used in years, and it was time for me to do the same too. My litmus test was “Will this go to Kyiv with me?” I know I don’t have to take it all now (at least as Dad is generous enough to let me continue storing things here!), but I wanted to really push myself to let go of things.

It was hard. Dang hard. But I did it, mostly. In the end, I let myself keep some things that won’t go back to Kyiv with this time, and maybe not ever. But there are a few things I’m just not ready to let go of. Some photos. Some momentos. Some things I know were important to Mom, or Dad, or Grandma.

Like Grandma’s scrapbook. I actually never knew she kept one; yesterday was the first time I saw it, when I opened up one of the few boxes left from her house. The pages cracked and crumbled as I turn the pages. Pages and pages – seemingly every card Grandpa gave her. In the first pages – “To my sweetheart”, “To my beloved”. Then “To my darling wife”, “To my loving wife”.  Then towards the back, sprinked in among the birthday and anniversary and Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards, “To Mommy”.

A history of her life in greeting cards, a history of her romance and love for the man she grieved for almost as many years as she lived with him. I read only a few. Grandpa never wrote anything inside, just signed with his nickname, “Nick” (which he always put in quotes, which I think is kind of cute).

There are some really great cards. And so sweet how he bought her so many romantic and passionate cards. for so many decades. And how beautiful that she saved them all.

I just can’t let them go. Not yet.

Virtual traveling, old style

Day 2 of majorvcleaning at Dad’s house – 2 rooms more-or-less done, but insane amounts of work still ahead of us.

Treasure of the day: a box of Grandma’s postcards and letters from 30 years of travel around the world. Starting with a trans-Atlantic cruise to Europe in 1957, I visited France, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Alaska and Canada with her today, and that’s only about half of her cards and letters.

One of my favorites so far: September 1967, Panama

Fri
Dear folks: We got here on time but the plane was late leaving Miami so it was dark when we arrived. When I looked out the hotel window this morning, the Pacific Ocean was down below. We are going thru the canal and by horseback up into the jungles tomorrow – if I make it back Sun, I’ll write and tell you about it! Love, Mother

Sun. night
Dear kids: We got back safely but only because it wasn’t our time to die. The jungle trip was the most terrifying thing we’ve ever experienced. From now on, I’m staying in the towns and probably in the hotels. Love, Mother.

Given the number of postcards and letters that follow this communique, for another 10+ years, I think it’s safe to say she didn’t stay put in the hotels! But she does seem to have stuck to the towns.

I miss you so much, Grandma, and wish we would have read these together so you could tell me more stories to go with these wonderful snippets. Thank you, Aunt Margaret, for saving these.

Anticipation

Igor’s at JFK, I’m at KCI, we meet in CMH in about 4 hours – can’t
wait to see him!

NAFSA’s over, it was a great and exhausting week. Aside from the
conference madness, 2 little events vied for my attention: Josie Ann’s
birth and the sellors accepting our offer on an apartment in Kyiv!
Looks like we will become homeowners this summer!!!!

Igor and I are having celebratory glasses of Jameson’s together via
cellphone. Looking forward to cracking open the excellent bottle of
wine my colleagues brought me from Georgia (Republic of, not State
of).

Life is good!

Welcome to the world, Josephine Ann!

My darling niece Josephine Ann joined us today, June 1, 2010 at 1:25 pm. She entered life at 20 inches (50.8 cm) long and 7 pounds 2 ouces (3.23 kg).  Dad reports that Baby and Mom are doing great.