Tube-o-dough

I'm late with this posting because of the incredible amount of studying I've had to do to keep up in my Russian classes. Forgive me.

I have been experiencing something that has my attention. We all know what it is like to crave something (like chocolate - I, personally, know THAT one well). For about two weeks I have been fixated on painting and drawing. Let me say, for those of you who have never seen me draw or paint (and I don't mean the rooms in our house) that I have no talent in those areas. None. So why this urge to paint and draw I have been wondering. It's been such a strong pre-occupation that I mentioned it to Doug. Finally, the other morning, it occurred to me that, since the turn of the year I have done nothing buy study Russian. I have done absolutely nothing creative. My piano has been in storage and I have no access to one. I have done painfully little writing except this blog which is somewhat creative but quite factual and more like a report sometimes. I sing around the apartment a little (not much) but I guess that's not enough. I'm guessing that the artistic side of me is getting rather anxious and is begging for an outlet. I may need to pick up a pencil and sit and sketch (when no one is looking, of course).

We are supposedly in the middle of the STORM OF THE CENTURY now. People (including our own government) are going CRAZY. School was cancelled before the first flake fell (which was microscopic and not until about 10:15 this morning. By the time the kids could have had a full day of school about 1/2 inch of snow had beseiged the city. Good thing they were home watching TV. I had to go grocery shopping yesterday because we had been out of bread for a day and we are trying to be conservative and pack our own lunches. I finished early and walked to the store where there were no carts available since the entire city was there in a panic. Shelves were being literally emptied. I had to buy crappy bread. I decided that if this was indeed going to happen (the STORM OF THE CENTURY) that I was going to enjoy myself while holed up. So I bought what I lovingly refer to as chop-chop cookies (rolled, plastic-wrapped cookie dough - half of which MUST be consumed raw) and whack-'em rolls (cardboard tubes of dough that you smack on the edge of the counter to open - scary). When I showed Doug it all looked pretty disgusting even though I was (am) thorougly looking forward to indulging in it. I said something like "We're going to be eating tubular food this week like the astronauts. Tube-o-dough." Maybe it was funnier when I first said it. I don't know.

Well I must quit and study. Tonight I learn the days of the week and the months of the year. I am reviewing to take my first take-home quiz. I have learned to count (slowly) and tell time and cost. I have learned three cases in Russian (Nominative, Prepositional (or Locative) and Accusative). I can write them pretty well since I have time to work and figure. They haven't all worked their way comfortably into my speech. This week we learn past and future tenses. Anyone who wants to hear some Russian can call me. I would be good for me to be put on the spot to speak. Apparently I'll not be going anywhere anytime soon. STORM OF THE CENTURY, you know. . .