Quiet Easter week

Hi again

Well here you have me at home. My new job is not that stressful; you see the University has closed down for the week. Well, I can't complain. So any work I have to do, I do from the quiet of my home.

The girls are away and at very different places. Oli has gone to Poland with her boyfriend José Luis. Funny place to go you would probably say but it's because they've gone to visit José's cousin who is on an Erasmus (University exchange programme) there. They went on Friday and will be back this Wednesday coming. A present from me to them was a stay at the Radisson Central Hotel in Warsaw for the first night where they told me they wallowed in luxury. Now they are down to student hostals and poor José has got sick on the heavy Polish food. Olivia just rang from Auschwitz - that's really something for her to see. She was describing the gas chambers on the phone! It all means so much to me because I was brought up on Second World War stories. And I think I've passed that on to her. Also I think the Ana Frank diary had a big impact on her.

Susi went to Benidorm with Carolina to stay with their "bestest" friend, Copito who has just gone to live there. Susi rang from the beach a couple of hours ago. It seems they are having a whale of a time with a lot of clubbing.

So that leaves us, "grown-ups" alone at home. So what have we done, apart from signing the contract for the new house? Not much really; boring things like taking the car to be serviced, getting quotes from removal companies, cleaning the silver, ... Oh, yes, well I did do some serious cooking this morning so that the family can be well provided for while I'm working. What did I make? Actually it was all Russian: "pelmeni" (Siberian ravioli), "Perushki" (small meat and rice pies) and "Bitki" (meat rissoles). I also made cheat Smetana out of yoghurt and natural cream as you cannot buy it here.

Also got a phone call from my dear friend Anne who told me that her ex, Manuel's new Mexican girlfriend, Paula, is pregnant. Very happy for them. Then I got a phone call from my darling Mexican friend, Fernanda Navarette who is also pregnant. I'll be having dinner with Fernandita this week as she will be moving back to Mexico forever. She says not to say "forever" but I know it is.

So, not much more news as we are spending a quiet Easter week at home.

Have a good holiday

Love Masha