Ten things you didn't know about us

1. We shipped personal items from the US before we left on Feb. 7. The box arrived a week later, but customs here takes it time before releasing it. Finally, last week, they rejected the box, and sent it back to the US because it had a "prescription" in it. As far as we can tell, that prescription was a box of sudafed. We hand carried our actual prescriptions with us. What a country, eh?

2. Our computer was down for two days over the weekend. We went to McDonald's to use the internet.

3. Larry's teaching schedule changes about as much as the weather. He had a class with 25 students last Thursday, then a class with one student last Friday. Stay tuned for latest enrollment figures.

4. There is an H & M here--the Swedish department store--that opened a few weeks ago. It is part of a large, Western-style mall, that has two Starbucks and a Gap. We went there yesterday. In H & M, we met an Orthodox Jewish couple shopping. They directed us to a Jewish Community Center today where we bought matzas at an outdoor booth. How many other people have gotten their matzas through a chance encounter at H & M?

5. It is snowing again tonight. Spring training has been canceled.

6. Larry went to a party at the U.S. Ambassador's home last night. The party was in honor of the Fulbright program, which has been in Russia for 35 years. The Ambassador's house has a name, Spaso House. Parties at houses with names are generally good, and this one was no exception. Larry met the ambassador. Sasha met his wife a few weeks ago in line at the grocery store at the embassy.

7. We went to the Australian Film Festival last weekend. Unlike other film festivals we've been to in the US, there was no introduction, and no rousing rendition of "Waltzing Mathilda." Just an entertaining film about Aborigines in English with Russian subtitles. This weekend we may go to the Irish Film Festival.

8. Sasha said that she likes living in Russia because it's too cold here for there to be any alligators and crocodiles.

9. Alison went the famed Moscow Flea Market on Saturday, and picked up a few souvenirs. In a snowstorm.

10. In front of Red Square, you can get your picture taken with actors dressed up as Lenin and Stalin and other Russian leaders.
We were at an indoor mall near there on Sunday, and Stalin was taking his lunch break at the food court.