The Good, the bad, and the Just Plain Ugly ...

The Good:
On Friday we left the apt. for Angark Hill - about 20 minutes drive from here. Just arriving at the entrance was enough to convince us (not that we needed it) that coming here would be good for us - all of us! From Friday afternoon until around 8:00 p.m., were spent doing just about everything we had hoped to do - and more. Our unit is new, built just a few years ago, and very rustic looking, yet comfortable. After unpacking we went outside and walked around the grounds, enjoying the fresh air and new fallen snow. We sledded a bit flat, using plastic sleds popular here in Russia, went on the giant swings (adults and kids alike) and other playground equipment, and did the two mini zip lines. They are more for kids, but I tried them, and had fun on them as well! That was followed by take-out dinner from the Cafe onsite, and then hours of just sitting around, telling stories, lots of laughing, and looking at old pictures on the laptop. The best part of the take-out was they bring it to your unit, and since our building only has two units on the second floor, we had a HUGE common room with couches and dining tables where we sat around comfortably on benches, with lots of elbow room. In fact, we never saw our "neighbors" the first nite! On Saturday SKip was on a mission to do everything we told him there was to do here! After a leisurely breakfast, we left for the near-bySki area - just across the road and within walking distance. Let me tell you, Bretton Woods its not, BUT, it was more modern than I had envisioned. It was very small (only one other car in the parking lot when we arrivedf 40 mintues after it opened!) but got busier around noon time. We decided to go for half-day lift tickets - a bargain at $18.00 per adult. You know that saying, "You get what you pay for?" Well, it applies here. The only lift that was operating in the morning was an archaic J/T/Beat's me style bar. And there was no trails, just a decent sized beginner area, then a VERY steep, narrow drop to the base. Now the weird thing is, you get your rentals,and lift tickets half way up the "trail" then must ski down to get the lift. Mike took one look at the drop and decided Skip would never make it. Well, I took a look and decided I wouldn't make it! This was clearly a Diamond (if not Double)! Then we noticed that people were WALKING up the slope! Apparently it is common there to not get lift tickets, and then just walk back up after each (short) run! Mike took a run by himself, and returned convinced that it was too steep for Skip, so, we took off our skis and walked up to the beginner slope, and while I practiced with Skip for bit, refreshing his memory as to "snow plowing", Mike took another run down what looked to be another trail. Well it was another trail - moguls. Ugh. So we just kept skiing down the beginner trail, much to Skip's disappointment. He kept insisting he could ski down the "big" mountain yet still wasn't listening long enough to realize that unless he got his snow plowing down, he wasn't going anywhere. Mike took a few runs in between our working with Skip, and only during the very last 2 runs did Skip decide to LISTEN to what we were telling him, and began followng Mike's lead as he traversed the slope - rather than shooting straight down, while out of control! Had we been there an entire day, I'm sure by the end he would have had the technique down enough to MAYBE try a steeper section, but.... After juice and candy bars in the Cafe at the Ski area, we walked back tot he unit for lunch. Even though only Mike got to do the whole "trail", it was still very much worth the $18 just for the experience. After lunch we went tubing for several hours. Very long tracks at the end of the property where you tube down, then walk up...Let me tell you something: Russians are in MUCH better shape than we are! There were grandparents, parents, kids of all ages walking up that approximately 1000' hill without so much as breaking a sweat. I was tired after 3 times, but of course, Skip wasn't! FINALLY we convinced him to take a break, and we went back inside to warm up and have a snack. We were in the middle of a Blokus game when Irina & Vova returned from taking a run to visit Vova's father who was recently widowed, and lives alone in a nearby village. The village has no running water, and electricity is sketchy, so they visit him every Saturday to help him with laundry, and bring food to him that Irina prepares during the week. Vova usually takes the tractor to the well and brings back many containers of water for him - so he wont' have to do it himself. Anway, once they returned we headed back outside to cook dinner. Yep, -25F and Russians aren't deterred from cooking their "Sha-Shleek" (Shish-kabob" out on portable grills. Vova & Ksusha set theirs up, and within a half hour, we had marianated chicken cooking on the grill. It smelled SO good, I couldn't wait to eat it! Traditionally "Sha-Shleek" is pork, however, beef, lamb or chicken are also enjoyed as well. At campsites like this, Russian generally set up their grills, put out wooden tables (portable ro folding tables) and eat while standing out in the cold! All weekend long we saw families or groups of friends go through the same rituals. They set up, they ate, they drank lots of Vodka, they played in the snow, sledded, etc. then left. Since the site is also available to "day-trippers' for a nominal fee, it is VERY popular. After dinner we went outside to the basketball/ice skating rink right outside the entrance. In the summer it's an outdoor basketball court, in the winter - a skating rink. Nobody else was using it, so we had it all to ourselves. Skip had never skated before, and I wasn't so sure he would enjoy it since the skates he was using were single blades, borrowed from Irina's neice. I think we were all amazed at how well he did! After a few initial falls, he got the knack of it, and was zipping around! With him and Ksusha on skates, and the rest of us just in boots, we decided to play tag - and for the next hour we skated/ran around the ice as if we were all kids, and just laughed and had fun. Tired and cold, we headed back inside and began to play a board game when Irina got a call from our attorney.

The Bad:
Our new medicals, which were done on Friday, and prompty delivered to the court, were once again found to be unacceptable by the judge! She claims that between court on Monday, and yesterday, she has received instuction from the highers up, that all medical reports for Foreigners, for the purpose of adoption, MUST contain an elusive Eagle Seal for EVERY doctor. That's 8 doctors and one "Head" doctor. 9 Eagle seals. Our medicals had 2. Mind you, this is exactly what we submitted in the fall, that she accepted, and hadn't any issue with! Talking about frustration! Our relaxing weekend went from carefree to super-stressed in an instant. We spent about an hour discussing options, and decided on Monday we would head out in search of these seals. We came up with a definitive plan of action, and hope to accomplish our goal by court on Thursday. Ironically, the other American family that arrived here on Friday for their court date tomorrow also found out that their medicals were not going to be accepted, and therefore they too will be working with their facilitator to comply as well. They are still appearing in court tomorrow, but know their medicals won't fly, but will ask for a very short continuance to comply.

The Just Plain Ugly:
We all went to sleep rather early, having had our mood somewhat deadened, but hoping a good night's sleep would render us recovered by morning. Well at 12 or so, Skip started barking like a seal. Poor guy suddenly has the worst cough! And then, our neighbors decided sleep is optional, and fro 1 - 5:30, they were obnoxiously rowdy - to the point that all three of us were awake! Luckily Irina room is at the opposite end of the hallway and they didn't share a wall with the rowdy bunch, so they were able to sleep. Around 5:30 we all started to drift off to sleep, and when I woke up at 8:30, I was amazed that I'd actually slept for a few hours! We took our time over breakfast, and didn't really rush to get outside since I really didn't want Skip outside for long periods. Around 11 we finally agreed to go outside, and this time I got to skate, since Ksusha and I have the same size feet. It had been about 20 years since I last skated, but lucky for me, Skip volunteered to give me a refresher course. After about 90 minutes outside, we all went inside, ate some lunch, packed up most of our junk, and played Blokus and watched a Russian Program called "Smarted. We checked out around 2 and headed"home" to the apt to rest up and get caught up on dirty laundry!

Summary:
I've since been in contact with the other family regarding our common medical issues, and Irina has spoken to their facilitator, and I think we are all in agreement, that we need to work to gether and not dupicate efforts. As it stands now we will all see two doctors tomorrow - at a clinic that has the Eagle seals and while they are in court in the morning, we will go the Ministry of Health in Irkutsk to inquire as to what clinics will have doctors with this seal, for the remaining ones on the list.
Although we planned to visit Harry today - Skip's very distintive, "seal" bark,would not be welcomed at the BH - and since I too have begun to have a sore throat - we figured we shouldn't go there and upset the staff . Visits will have to wait a day or so now - unfortunately! So, a bittersweet weekend, but it clearly was not without some very happy, memorable moments. We got to know our friends so much more during this trip! For that we are grateful! PLEASE pray for both our family, and the "N" family as we head into what will likely be another busy, hectic week. Pray that both families will be able to complete the medicals as now requried by the judge, and are that they are found to be acceptable. Other than that, not much more we or anyone can do right now! Pray, Pray, Pray. PLEASE! Just a few pictures here, but hopefully I'll get more from the weekend up when the dial-up connection cooperates again!

The Balashovas: Ksusha, Vova & Irina on spiral stairs leading to the second floor of our rental unit.

Good food, even better friends!

Acting like kids - Skip, myself & Ksusha on the swings, while Vova waits his turn.

Vova & Ksusha pushing Skip on a funky wide & ovesized swing

Vova tending to the fire...

Skip is first to try the Sha-Shleek
Not too shabby for a kid who is just put on his first pair of skates!
Skip is giving me lessons!