A difficult time

Oh dear I am all behind again. There are fewer new experiences this year but we have had a difficult fortnight. After our day at the zoo, Peter's leg, which had been giving him some trouble, became very painful and he could not walk on it. A trip in a Moscow ambulance and several hours at the poly clinic and we have two sorts of tablets, cream and a support stocking to buy. The next day the most enormous bruise came out behind his knee. There was no way he could work.

Though still painful Peter is back at work but it will be sometime before he will be fully fit. Though I am coming home in two weeks, he will be here,which will be for the best I think.

As our problems started Autumn appeared. Last weekend I went for a walk with Tracey R from school to the park over the railway. Here is the start of Autumn across the water.

I then hung out of the window and took this one of the Bulvar. Leaves are dropping all the time.

I can't remember when exactly but I saw this amazing sky from the flat so took this photo. I think we had had a really wet day and it cleared up in the evening.

This week has been busy with little to show for it. I had a church council meeting on Monday and choir on Tuesday. I have made a new friend, Sheila, who is here in Moscow for the autumn at one of the language schools. Yesterday I took her to Izmylova. She had heard about it and I wanted to get a Grandfather Frost. Not unlike Father Christmas, but blue. Vannessa was given one by the parents at Rosinka and I thought hers lovely.

On Friday it was my birthday. It's a year since I signed my lease. I spent the evening at a Sunday School teachers supper at the Parsonage. Bringing back birthday cards was a good idea, and Peter made me a card on the computer. Last evening we cooked a duck. Delicious but the clouds of blue smoke in the kitchen!!!

Today was Harvest Festival at church. From now until Advent the church will collect dried food stuffs, new hats, gloves and scarves and other things to give to the Salvation Army. Peter brought down a big bag of dried pasta for me. It was very heavy. After the Service there was a bring and share lunch. I was given my birthday bar of chocolate during the service!!

We took a quick walk through Gum and here are some photos of harvest display and some scenarios set out in some display windows. Samsonite also had a display of 100 years of luggage. I took the oldest and nearly the newest.

And so I am up to date once more. Back to the UK in a fortnight. I can't believe it. And leaving Peter here will be most odd.

See you all soon.

STOP PRESS MONDAY
 I now have a multi-entry visa so I can come and go as I like or not and no more visa runs to London - not that I won't go, but I can choose when I go. Hooray!!