Belarusian Independence Day…

The one that got away...

Woke up early and went across the bridge to the beginning of the marshes and did a little fishing this morning. First cast of the day hooked a pretty big shuka (pike) which I lost right at the shoreline. Neither Egor nor myself even came close to anything the rest of the morning; the only thing that came home with uis was that Egor saw it too.

After that, Egor went off to a math lesson and then to friends and Tanya, Anya and I went over to Solnichnaya Renok. Ostensibly the plan was to pick up some things for Egor's birthday on the 5th but we also went there to talk to Michael about why he did not show up Monday for fishing. I personally don't believe a word of Michael's story by the way. He said that he had waited twenty minutes and had even been on the bench out in our yard (but wouldn't come upstairs and knock on the door…), but I say I was up at 2:45 and in front of the house at exactly 3:15 as per plan, we stood there like idiots for a full 40 minutes, saw the street lights go out at dawn and then went down to the river at a little after four. And I know this was the truth because we were there for two hours but had returned in time for the bus out to the village. So I know it wasn't me who was bullshitting.

But anyway the Renok was like the Renok and the high point was eating my first fresh pickle of the spring. Saw a particularly big one on the table in front of some local guy and asked him how much just for that one. The going price was, I think, about 800 rubles a kilo (maybe…35 cents), he asked for 100 and I gave it too him. Broke it in half and handed Anya hers and the two of us just smiled.

After that I had some trivial errands to run and then went back to the house and decided to just kick back with Tanya and Anya and… hey, hey, hey, watch some TV.

About this though I should say that as of this moment, there seems to be some difference in the TV plan from what I mentioned yesterday. We were out all morning but as of this afternoon, it looks like ONT actually decided to show a 17 part serial about the time of the war, roughly translated to "17 Moments of the Spring". Probably they will show 'Aviator' tonight, but the reality of what ONT actually put on the air wasn't as bad as I wrote. The references to what was to be on TV however was taken directly from Cem Dnei, Seven Days, an advertiser/TV schedule which Tanya picked up for 500 rubles. As of exactly this moment, but for the Argentina/Columbia soccer match which is just starting, basically all five standard chanels are full of Russian nostalgia movies and concerts including the rather brilliant Vo Boru Brusnika (Bushes in the Forest) which we just cried through.

Off to the party in the park within the hour. Should be a concert either there or at the Dom Koltura. And of course fireworks tonight. Tomorrow I am back on the farm with Egor and Anya and Tatyana will be at work. Thursday will be Egor's birthday and if he ends up collecting as much money as he needs from his Grandma and Aunt he'll buy a snorkel, mask and flippers and go exploring the river from the fish's perspective. He'll probably make it.

But you know that fish was pretty cool. I probably could have landed him if I had really, really wanted to. There is a famous story from Russian children's literature, Skazka Zolatoy Ribka, the Story of the Golden Fish, about a magic fish who strikes a bargain with a woodsman that if only he will throw him back in and let him live longer, the fish would grant him wishes and his life would become better. Let's just say that this is what really happened, ok?

More soon…