Cheryl was sicker than a dog and I regretted not charging my lap top prior to our departure. I was able to type for about 1 hour before my battery ran out and my laptop shut down. That was also my que to shut down in sleep mode for an hour or so.
At about the half way point (4 hours each way) between Sumy and Kiev, we stopped at a “rest stop”. It was a little market place off the freeway where everything from smoked chicken, fruit, nuts and hot tea was sold. We had a potty break, purchased some hot herbal tea and some treats and got on our way. I was able to sleep another hour or so in Valintine’s ‘sweet ride’ prior to me waking up on the outskirts of Kiev. I bit into my apple I had purchased back at the market. I had cleaned it by rubbing it profusely on my shirt – almost like it was a lantern with a magic Jeanie inside. Once I bit into my apple, I had the flavor of heating oil gas diffuse itself throughout my pallet. It brought back a million and one memories of when we lived in Boise at 909 North 16th street, in a little red house we had rented for about 8 months, prior to purchasing a home in Boise. We heated the home with heating oil, which I had to purchase one or two times during our stay. The heating oil has a distinct odor which I haven’t smelled, or remembered, since the winter of 1990/91 – the same Winter Nadia was born. Needless to say, I didn’t finish the apple.
Rest Stop
Market At Rest Stop
We arrived in Kiev right about 8:00 a.m., right in the heart of rush hour. It was slow going. At one point, another driver honked at us and told us we had something wrong with our car. Our right rear passenger tire was extremely low. After another mile or two, we had to pull off the road in the right-hand lane. Emergency lanes do not exist on the freeway here. Thank heavens for the press of rush hour to slow the traffic down to lessen the chance of an accident. In a previous life, Valentine had been both a musician and a race car driver. He proceeded with lightening intensity emptying the trunk of our bags and changing our flat tire for a spare kept in his trunk. Vladimir was able to find us on the freeway, obtain the documents we had, which he needed, and took both Roman and Nadia to the clinic where they were to receive their medical exams, necessary to their entering the United States.
Kiev
Valentine Fixing Our Flat Tire
Downtown Kiev
After our flat was fixed, we were able to be on our way and meet Vladimir at the medical clinic. While there, we spoke to a family adopting a special needs boy (7 yrs old with cerebral palsy) along with a 9 and 13 old boy/girl sibling pair. This family and another family Vladimir spoke with, who were adopting twins, had been there 5 and 6 weeks, respectively. I felt lucky that our facilitator had worked his tail off and that we were here three weeks to the day we stepped off the plane.
After the medical clinic, we went and ate brunch at a cafeteria style restaurant. It was really quite tasty. I felt alive and energized as I was back in a big city. We drove to our apartment, which was located in the same vicinity as the apartment we initially stayed in when we first arrived in Kiev last year (month – but it feels like a year). Vladimir in his awesome, but consistent style, was able to negotiate $10 off per night from our apartment with our land-lady. It is a three room apartment with a small kitchenette which suites our needs adequately.
Our Lunch Group
Cheryl - Lunch With Roman and Nadia
Outside Our Kiev Apartment
Tonight with Cheryl being sick, I took Natalie, Roman, and Nadia to Micky Dees for (hopefully) one last hoorah at the golden arches. I spent most of the evening filling out forms for both Nadia and Roman, preparatory for our visit to the US Embassy/Consulate tomorrow morning.
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