"You have to stall her somehow..."

Today, just before Svetlana was due to arrive for Russian lessons, I overheard Broderic talking to his mom in the living room:


"Mom, you're going to have to stall her somehow so I can do my homework. Give her chai, sit down and visit with her, something..."


Thats how we all feel to some extent. Russian homework! I shouldn't be blogging at all. Actually, it's not a lot of homework. I think if I knew I could complete the homework and do nothing more, and learn the language that way, it would be fine. It's the fact that I need to practice live speaking that hangs over my head. But then, I asked for it...I love it when I'm actually speaking Russian to a Ukrainian...but right now I don't know how to make (or how to take) those opportunities.

I do have a good chance if I'm willing to take it...I think I am...a week and a half ago, I went into a store downtown to get a card for my phone, and the lady in there started talking eagerly to me in either Ukrainian or Russian, I don't know which. (Did I already blog about this??? oh well) I could understand just a tiny bit of what she said, but she told me that her name was Ira. Ok, so two Ira's...is it a sign??? I should look up the meaning of that name. It makes me think of anger, because I think it means that in Latin...but I hope it means something nicer! Anyhow, she was really happy to talk and I think she was trying to tell me that she wanted to learn English. I'm not quite sure. Anyhow, what I was sure she said at the end was that she wanted us to be friends. And that definitely warmed my heart! So I want to go back and talk to her, and maybe think of an excuse to buy something at her shop. It has a lot of cheap toys and do- dads and perfume.


And there's the other Ira I know of, next door. I haven't seen her since I went to visit (that seems like months ago) but Bronwyn said she met her while I was away last weekend, and Ira said I was welcome to come over. On Sunday I made up my mind to go knock of her door, even though I was feeling really flaky and like I was going to fall to pieces (standard procedure). But as I was walking out the door, Bruce, who was in the schoolroom mixing paint (again :)) said that he'd seen Ira and her mom leave and they weren't back yet. So I quickly retreated and went to bed for a nap. Maybe next Sunday. She's gone all week to university in Kiev, and she says Sunday is the best day for her. Pray for me. I'm scared of her. But it's like Deb tells me, "Perfect love casts out fear."


So now I'm going to conjugate my verbs...it sounds too much like regurgitate, doesn't it?