Windshield wipers

In the middle of the multi-lane Kyiv traffic, our windshield wipers were being simply "capricious." When it was raining, they wouldn't work. When it stopped raining, they started.

We started the 300 mile trip home, trying to hurry to end our children's wait for us and the wipers continued their craziness. We had stopped a few times. Dave tapped the wiper motor and they started working again. I could picture us stopping every few kilometers to tap that motor.

I prayed that either God would help me to accept the stopping so often or that He would help the wipers to work better. They stopped twice after that. We stopped to tap on the motor once. The other time they started again on their own. That was much, much better than it had been earlier in the day. Thank God!

No One to Yell at the Kids

Seth noticed that our neighbor's gate was open as he went to get milk this morning. A coffin lid was stood up against the wall of the house. Funeral flowers stood around.

Our elderly neighbor had died. He was a war veteran. When Brother Poe was here, I hoped that they could better relate to each other so we went over to visit. The neighbor was polite and friendly but let it be known that he liked his life with his drinking parties now and then. Today he's gone.

His only son stood, with controlled grief, just like he was supposed to, close to the casket. His daughter sobbed.

The Orthodox priest led the song chant begging God's mercy. Then to quiet and comfort the family his group sang of eternal quietness.

After we were invited to the funeral meal. We went for the sake of the living, even though the traditions of "blessing/praying for the spirit of the dead" continued there. No, we didn't pray for our neighbor; just grieved with the family.

It was the daughter-in-law who lived with this "grandpa" who commented. "Now, there won't be anyone to yell at the kids anymore when they get into things. It'll be so quiet without him."

Info bits

We bought another van seat in Odessa.



Here's how Dave sleeps in allergy season, a handkerchief on either side!



Almost a year ago, Tanya gave me fabric for my birthday. A few months later, I managed to cut it to size for a table cloth. At that point my sewing machine didn't cooperate, so she sewed the tablecloth up for me. While everyone else went to Odessa, I used the leftover fabric together with some plain canvas, and dish towel fabric to make curtains. It's a pretty big accomplishment because I don't get to things like this very often. I prayed that God would show me how to put the fabrics together so that the windows would not look as if I just barely had enough material. This is the result. I like them much better than the last curtains.

Mis ing!

Friday, Dave started to put all the parts we had fixed on the Mazda so we could use it to pick up children on Sunday. He got the radiator installed. He got the sending unit installed. We didn't want to make an extra trip to order the window. We'll try to do it the next shopping trip.

And then he came in, scratching his head. "Can you believe it? I don't know why anyone would do it! The driver's seat is missing from the Mazda!"

Pray with us, that the "devil's scheme will work for God's glory." It's back to Odessa for us to search the junk yards for a driver's seat.

Handicapped Car

This type of little car is almost a thing of the past. It was given by the government to people on disability so they could get around.

It has two seats, a motorcycle engine, hand controls and tiny wheels.

Sightseeing in Odessa

Since we were there, we took Katrina to see some of the sights of Odessa. We went past the souvenirs. We walked to the steps going down to the port. We copped out and rode the tram car down the hill and back up again. Because it was Thursday, we saw just a few brides. On the weekends there are many, many of them, all dressed in lacy white.

This cow is always interesting to see. It's been repainted. Allona and Vova asked for a picture.

This is a sign made of flowers. It's supposed to tell what's being done behind the construction screen.

I love the beauty of these flowers, fountains and stately buildings. I tried to take a picture of Allona and Vova through the water droplets of the fountain; it didn't turn out.

Repair Time

Dave has been working on the Mazda this week. He took the radiator out and took it to a repair shop. He ordered a temperature sending unit. And we tried to get a used window to replace this cracked one. Before he left for the US, we had checked the two junk yards at Nikolaev for Mazda parts. . . none.

So we went to Odessa, where there's an area with junk yards on every corner, probably twenty-five junk yards or so. We looked at all of them that carried parts for Japanese vehicles and vans. Several had windows that would fit a Mazda van, but not ours.

We gave up on used windows. We'll try to order one.