Victory Day

9 May 2009

neechyevo = all gone

First things first, a big happy birthday to Lynda Jeanne!! Hope you have a great day. We threw a parade in your honor today here in Taraz…unfortunately with all the chaos within the crowds this is all I could see to photograph for you to see.










The celebration last weekend was much better since most of the residents were in the parade you could get a good spot to see the festivities. We started out up on the square which is evidently where all the good action and the people part of the parade took place, however, long before the parade started we had been pushed from almost at the front to about 10 rows deep. The people just push you out of the way or walk around and walk up in front of you. The poor police and guard units were trying to keep people from cutting in front and crossing the parade route but it was a lost cause. The people just totally ignored anyone in uniform for the most part. We finally got a spot along the main road but once the motorcade went through (at about 30mph no less) the crowd ran into the street from both sides and started pushing towards the square as a mass. We gave up. I would have liked to have seen the folk dance I saw them rehearsing earlier in the week. I did get 1 photo of two dancers walking down the street.


We headed to Medvet for lunch and I actually managed to order a steak completely by chance. We had figured the menu out to know that meat was on one page, lamb on another, pork another, etc. I decided to branch out and try something new and just pointed to something. I had no idea what I was in for and was quite surprised to see a steak hiding under grilled vegetables. I convinced Quentin to do likewise and he ended up with a veal cutlet au gratin.

We had what I guess will be our regular afternoon visits from here on out. Aima was in town and went with us so we managed to get some information out of her. We will visit everyday until the day we leave to come. Our last visit will be Wednesday morning and then we hit the road for the long drive to the airport. Zema will be back with us tomorrow. Based on the extra fees for additional days of driver/translator Zema will be going with us everyday until we leave. We are scheduled for Guardianship Council on Tuesday at 4pm (that’s 8 am EST) along with the Docters, we don’t know who will go first. Aima said it is very easy and they just ask basic questions. I gather it is more of a formality before court, but just the same be praying for us then. Since Aima is coming to the USA the end of May to stay for 4 months she used the opportunity to ask us questions about the east coast and the states in general. Her brother who met Wayne and I at the airport is going to Seattle, WA with the same work abroad program so she was asking us questions about Seattle as well. My many trips to Seattle came in handy.

Now, what you have been waiting for, your daily fix of Lukas Anton photos…







Lukas Anton pointed out this old photo of him to me yesterday and we took a snapshot of it today…


He is the one in the stripped sweater holding the nannies hand. This was taken in the common play area in their wing.

Debbie, I have a project for you if you are up to it. There is a piece of artwork outside the music room that Lukas Anton is very fond of. Below are some pictures of it. It is made out of some sort of vinyl tape but I was wondering if you might be able to put your painting skills to work and recreate it in a smaller size so we could put it in his room so he would have something familiar around him.




Paka,
Lynda and Wayne