It's cold

Having been spoilt at the beginning of the month it has now turned quite chilly. I was caught in a hail/ snow storm this afternoon and got rather damp.

During the week I was planning what I might do at the weekend, but things do not always turn out as you expect. Yesterday was just such a day. All week I have suffering a bit from homesickness and really beginning to wonder why I had agreed to come back next year. By the end of yesterday I was beginning to feel more positive.

The day did not start well when I turned up for gardening at church and no-one else did. I had no idea where the tools are kept. It had rained rather a lot on Friday so.... Father Simon found me sitting on a tree stump and invited me in for coffee so that was nice.

On the way to church I found this doorway. A wedding perhaps?

 Then I had a choir reheasal. I had decided not to go for lunch with the usual crowd as I wanted to go exploring, but agreed to go for a 'quick coffee' with Irina. She sings first alto. I had leant her a book a few weeks ago but we had not really chatted until Monday when Claire was away.  We had such an interesting chat, comparing our different lives. She is single (and I don't think divorced) living in a town outside of Moscow in her datcha. She decided she was already travelling for nearly 2 hours from her flat in Moscow, she could do the same  from her datcha. So she sold her flat. Two and a half hours later we decided it was time to make a move. The upshot of it all is that from September we are going to try and meet up for a coffee before choir on Tuesdays and talk in Russian.  So much for my walk.

Irina's parents were baptised in the church

As it was not late and not too cold I decided to head along Tverskoy Bulvar. Marina at school had told us about a free photograph exhibition in the middle of the bulvar so I decided to have a look. I loved this photo in particular. I decided to buy the calendar to chop up and put on the wall of the flat. I don't want to spend a lot of money decorating but it is rather souless.

This year is 65 years since the end of WW2 so it is going to be big year for the military parade next weekend. Along the bulvar I found these propaganda posters being displayed.

then a bit further on I found this statue of a Pegasus. Most unusual.

I carried on my walk around the Bulvard Ring to Arbatskaya metro and headed back to Red Square and the metro. On the way I saw this amazing building decorated with shells.

It's not the best photo and I must have another go at it sometime. There are so many interesting buildings I must start a folder of interesting architecture and perhaps do a blog on it one day.

Sunday saw me heading to church. Oh boy it was cold - a raw wind. I was intercessing for the first time. Despite the cold I decided to go for a walk. I cut through Gum and found this interesting display by Moschino. It's the same place as the Christmas trees, so I wonder if different stores make the displays. I must go and look more often.  What do you think?

Fashion and bugs!!

Whoops!

Fashion in minature! Look carefully. The display is only 30cm tall.

I then headed off to Christie Prudy which is a lovely area, but it turned cold and wet, so I found the metro and headed home. There are some very pretty buildings over there so I will return.

A final note. I stopped at the market on the way home to pick a few bits, and found myself a tickling stick duster (not real feather) but just what I have been looking for. Silly the little things that cheer you up!!