The Johnson's in Moscow: August 2012

28 August, 2012, Tuesday evening.

I don't know what to do. Thomsen complains about all the photographs. The children complain about the witty repartee. What am I to do? I'm blown by every wind of opinion.

We had some interesting experiences in the last couple of weeks. Two Sundays ago Marlene's brother, Gary, got to teach his High Priests' group. In order to fill the time he thought it would be fun to Skype with us during the meeting. So, at 9:00 a.m. SLC time and 7:00 p.m. Moscow time, we hooked up and got to talk to Gary and his HP group. The theme was something like, "How the Church uses technology to further its mission." It was fun, and he later reported that at least half of the brethren were awake during the interchange.

Then last week, on Tuesday, I believe (Hey! Marlene! [Me shouting at her in the other room.] Was it Tuesday, or Wednesday!?) Oh, she says it was Thursday, but actually it was Tuesday. Whatever.

Back to the story. Then last week we got to prove the point. We had a video conference with a group of about a dozen men at the Church Office Building, one mission president in Bulgaria, one area presidency member in England, the Area President in Fresno, and the other four of us in Moscow. The meeting was chaired by Elder Nelson. It was 7:00 a.m. in SLC and 5:00 p.m. in Moscow. It all worked perfectly. Amazing.

I can't tell you the topic of the meeting, because that is top secret, but I can reveal that I probably won't be getting the raise I had been hoping for--(or for which I had been hoping.)

We had a nice adventure on Saturday. We gathered up the Walker's and took them, hesitantly, to Izmaylova Park. (If you have been paying attention you know that Izmaylova is mostly known for its shopping.) But the whole area used to be Tsar Sergey the 42nd's country estate. The park part is claimed (by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce) to be the largest urban park in the world. It is a mile wide and 4.x miles long, and it is big. We only got about a mile into it and found ourselves at a nice pond/lake (where supposedly Peter the Great learned to sail) witha plaza with a stage.

We noticed some band members hanging around the side of the stage and assumed that they were going to perform in the not-too-distant future so we sat down to wait for the show to begin.

It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon, sunny and about 70, and whoever was running the nice sound system had some big band songs playing. I particularly noticed "In the Mood." (It made me think of Connie and Dave dancing at Utah State--where the only culture .... [hold it .....] is agriculture.)

So, true to our expectations, at 3:00 the band got ready to play by grabbing their trombone, drums, saxophone, and flute and got in a kid's train and drove off, playing, into the distance.

But shortly after they left some paid announcer-types, park officials, and award recipients mounted the stage and started announcing this and that. And then the fun started. Various performers came on stage and performed--for about three hours. We had a great time watching and listening.

Enjoy the pictures if not the commentary.

(Thomsen can just read the comments.)

Some Russian babe, or ...
Andy's smoking hot wife.
New hair, new attitude.

Andy before his operation.

The park people had mime's and clowns out among the spectators. They were good.

Ben, before his nose job.

This guy was really good. He had the children hypnotized. They loved his act and so did their parents.

Marlene's new hair color and lips.

This lady was working the crowd for the act on the stage. They were a very energetic group, kind of a Richard Simmons sort of deal.

The mime had been mimicking the girl with the purse, behind her back.

This is the park outside our south windows. We walked by two softball games one evening and noticed that the team with the pink shirts were speaking English. Marlene went to talk to them and found them to be ex-pats playing in a league.

I am not doing what Thomsen thinks I am doing. I am looking at the logo painted on the light pole.
We have been shopping and that is our load of treasures. I think I might have mentioned that food is between 50 and 100% more expensive here than at home.

(Children: Did you not see the picture in the last blog of your mother sitting on the concrete step outside the Kremlin? You know, the one about needing to sell pencils to make up for all the money the children are not sending us?)

It has been pretty humid lately. This is a close up of the fungus in between Nathanael's toes.

Twins at the Metro (kacca) buying tickets.

Waiting for the train to come to take us to the park.

Marlene is trying to see if she is tall enough for the rides.

The second line says, "Izmaylova Park."

Lots of stations where kinds could ride stuff.

We took the park train from the entrance deeper into the park.

In the mile that we went into the park we must have seen a half dozen places with carnival rides.

Waiting for the band to start playing.

Guys in animal suits making the kids laugh.

One of two guys on stilts. That train behind him is the one the band boarded and drove off into the sunset.

Let's see, if Marlene is half of this guy's height that makes her four feet tall.

One of the early acts was this group of Russian youngsters dancing some Russian dances. The guys can do that thingee where you get down on your haunches and kick your legs out.

I can do it, but I don't want to show you.

The shoes Nathanael has always wanted.

The kids could really dance. The costumes were striking. You will see later that they are just kids.

We never miss seeing brides wherever we go.

This was one of the announcer-ladies. I think that thing on the back of her dress must have some meaning, but I will need Emily to figure it our for me.

The tigger walked all around the plaza with the little girl holding his tail.
Almost made me cry.

Here are the girls getting one of their mom's to take their picture.

I thought Dave Paull was in the hospital, but he has somehow made it to Russia for a little work out.
(And, boy, does he need it.)

I wondered if this girl was a performer and ...

sure enough, she was.

August15, 2012

It has been 15 days since I have made a contribution to the blogosphere. I had considered retiring entirely, but the chorus demanding a new contribution has been overwhelming, therefore, for the good of humankind I yield to the entreaties of the masses--President O'bama.

Oops, I let my objectivity get away from me.

Having seen the some of the effects of the vestiges of Communism a bit up close lately I have lost my patience with the folks who want the government to do more and more for the helpless citizenry.

Here is a thought-experiment for any statists who might read this post:

When someone proposes that "the government" will do something (anything) for the citizens--who do you think they talking about?
Aren't they talking about some average Joe, just like you and me, making decisions for the rest of us?
Do you want me making decisions for you?
I doubt it.
I certainly don't want you making decisions for me (except for Becky), but she is an exception.

Why would any sane and sentient person want to give over to 'the government' the option to tell you how much water to put in your toilet, or which doctor you should see, or how much money you can make?

You should be here, if you think giving the government more authority, is a good idea. There is a reduction of creativity, ambition, personal responsibility, and liveliness in these good people--a function of 'the government' controlling a vast portion of their lives. I don't want any part of any plan to give the government more power over me ... or you.

Well, that was fun.

Here are some pictures.

Marlene is with the Naegle's in a very interesting road-crossing bridge. We are on our way to ride the boat on the Moscow River at the Kievskaya Metro stop.

More bridge. Striking.

The babe on the boat, scarf matching the furniture.

In case the Naegle's children ever see the blog. They live in St. George and work in the CES effort in the Area. Good folks.

The one Metro stop that hovers over the water. Sparrow Hill, where we saw all the motorcycles in the spring and where Napoleon overlooked Moscow in 1812 is to the right of the boat.

I missed an earlier beach scene with a bunch of guys (some old) in Speedo's. Diane, sorry I missed that shot for you.

Peter the Great's statue sits right in the river. He is supposed to have been a navigator, a man after my own heart.

Christ the Savior church, a Moscow icon. Stalin has it torn down when he came to power and made a swimming pool on the site. After the Commies gave up the ghost the Orthodox Church was able to rebuild it--bless their souls.

The SW corner of the Kremlin wall. Inside the Kremlin are a series of administration buildings and churches.

One of the churches inside the Kremlin. You will see if from the inside shortly.

An interesting building.

I have seen this church from afar, and thought the blue domes were interesting. It was nice to see up close.

I got an infection in my eye so went to see an ophthalmologist at the European Medical Clinic. It is very nice by Moscow standards.

This is the ortho department's wall of athletes. That's Andrey Kerilinko in the middle of the picture.

I got one of the nice receptionists to tell me which sub-specialties they had in the department.

The babe cleaning out Ikea.

The front door of the clinic.

A Mercedes just outside of Papa John's. Pretty striking. I think this is the car that Nathanael has always wanted.

Nothing but fun in the office. I think this is leading up to another party.

A garage near our building. Fine structures everywhere.

This is how the ladies greet me every morning. They are happy to do it.

I am surprised there are any chickens left in Russia, what with the number we consume in the office. This is the party to which I referred earlier.

We are loosing three friends at this party. This is Sharon and Harvey Hatch. He is the Area doctor and she has done marvelous things with the patriarchal blessing given in the Area. They leave for Cedar City on Friday, after about 20 months in Moscow.

This was Olga's last day, there in the middle.

Olga, Sister J., and Oksana, Olga's replacement. Oksana served her mission on Temple Square. Arlen Crouch, who lives in the ward was one of her two mission presidents.
(Emily, when you see Brother Crouch you might mention this picture to him.)

Eat more Chickin'. Ben's dream job.

My friend Ken Sasine came with his wife and daughter to visit us for a couple of days.

The obligatory hand-over-head picture with some of the good partisans in the background.

On our way to the Old Moscow Circus.

We were looking for anyplace to eat and decided to try this bar. Actually, we did not know it was a bar, but being the rubes from America we are, they found something to feed us.

Would you think this was the name of a bar? Of course not.

Fun at the circus. I think Sasine is watching a babe on the trapeze, but it could be the flying pig.

Two old guys on the Moscow Metro.

We are at Izmaylava looking for trinkets, and shelter from the rain. There were several brides looking for cover also.

A carved bear on a roof with some kind of appendage.

The Old (Moscow) West. Dead cows, or faux dead cows.

St. Basil's was the one thing the Sasine's had on their list of 'must-see's." We took care of them.

Red Square McDonald's. Marlene had to beat up a young couple to save this table for us, and she was up to the job.

Several roses.

A endoscopy procedure.

Just at the moment the guards get ready to change positions they cock their heads at a funny angle and make eye contact. It's strikingly funny.

One would think the Ruskie's saw enough goose-stepping when Germans were in town, but I guess not.

Goom (gym pa Ruskie.) Fancy schmansy.

For Rachael.

Everyone's best buddy.

Lubyanka prison. This is were the KGB, it's successors and predecessors, learned their trade. It sits three or four blocks from Red Square. The guidebook says the Commie's killed hundreds of thousands of people in the basement of this building.

Starbucks, across the street from Lubyanka.

On the way to church.

This is where the ward meets. The Tsar's wooden palace.

Some unusual roses.

Roses and ground cover.

We are now in the Victory Park museum. This is mother Russian mourning her dead defenders.

I've mentioned before that 26 million Russian's died in The Great Patriotic War.
There are 2.6 million pendants hanging from the ceiling of part of the building.

The symbol of the "Hero of the Soviet Union" the highest medal that one can earn. There are the names of about 12,000 recipients carved into the wall around this statue.

I believe this is the medal, up close.

Three buddies, at Yalta I think.

We are waiting to buy tickets to get into the Kremlin. We thought of asking Sister Johnson to hold a cup with some pencils for sale -- to make up for the money the children are not sending us.