Back to the Skif

We asked for and received permission to take Katya out of the Shelter again. We headed back to the Hotel, where there is so much more room.

We started the visit with a call to Grandma in California. We got Katya to practice saying, "Hello Grandma" first!

I believe Katya is relaxing and we are starting to see some of the real Katya. She's not used to asking permission to use things, but we don't think that is a big problem.

Besides playing ball and cars, Katya and I also played a game of "Memory,", and played a game of Solitaire on the computer.

She also enjoyed listening to music which we played on the computer, including "Beach Boys."

The two hours flew by. Asel told us we would be able to come back to the Hotel tomorrow as well.

Marina should arrive Tuesday or Wednesday. I told Asel that we would miss working with her. She has been a lot of fun to be with, and is very helpful.

I rode with Katya back to the Shelter, where she told her caretaker that she had a great time and wanted to go back to the Hotel.

From there we went to the Supermarket for some food for lunch. Our staples for our midday meal, are the same as last time. Cheese, bread, yogurt, and of course Snickers and Pringles potato chips. The imported items are much more than the local products. So, for example, the loaf of bread was 26 tenge, about 20 cents, and the Pringles were 420 tenge, $3.20! Also, a small block of cheese was almost $4. A 1/2 liter of Coke is about 40 cents.

The weather has been sunny, windy and cold. We are due for some snow showers tonight.