They sent me my flight plans...

But it's okay (ish). Somehow, despite the fact that President swore it was impossible, they got me a ticket on the 19th (hooray!), which is infinitely better than the 14th or the 12th or any other ridiculous date like that. I consider myself satisfied... even if I do have several long layovers ahead of me. Life continues on, I suppose, and I've got more time to run around in the snow and cold (which, okay, isn't the North Pole. But that doesn't make it any more comfortable).

The weather has warmed up considerably this last week, and so of course we had lots of things to do inside. Ha. One of our less-active members works at a zoo outside of town, and she asked us to come do some service and clear off some of the paths up there. Not being ones to say no to a good service opportunity (or a free tour of all the animals (we watched them feed the tiger and they let us pet the moose. Hooray!), we donned our best winter service clothes (I am officially completely incapable of wearing normal pants, for the record. When did my life become all about skirts?) and rode the bus for an hour to get there. We shoveled snow for about two hours, warmed up in proper Russian fasion by drinking tea, and then went out and shoveled again. Not a bad way to spend a few hours, if I do say so myself.

I don't actually know what else to tell you all about this week. But hey, Geoff's birthday is coming up... Hippo Birdies Geoff! That's potentially a quarter of your life gone past. Congratulations! If I were truly Russian I would wish you all sorts of things like a long marriage, lots of kids, lots to drink, many holidays off work, and generally everything that you'd expect from a Russian mouth. I'm still not Russian (although Sister Jarman tells me I act much more like it than I think I do), but what the heck. I'll wish them for you anyway. Except possibly for the drinking part.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. I love you all, I expect you to have a good week, and I hope the time doesn't run out before I finish this sentence.

Love,
Sister Read