Am I Expecting a Baby (Or Two)?
It looks like each season has its own glitch depending on the country. Spring comes to Beijing with sandstorms, while in Izhevsk it starts with a mishmash of snow and water under our feet. It has just occurred to me that “sandstorms” happen in Izhevsk too. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happens to the sand that was strewn over some roads during winter before street-flushing machines wash it away in spring. However, poplar tree seed fluff is even worse. Luckily, I am not allergic to it, but still it is very annoying when you get it in your eye and can’t get it out.
Apparently, poplar trees were planted in every city all over the country. It is known that male poplar trees don’t give (fluffy!) seeds, but at the time when the trees were being planted nobody gave a toss about whether they were male or female. It wasn’t until the trees started to seed abundantly that the mistake was understood. Now, every June you will see white fluffy balls that roll along our city roads.
Trudi, Nastya is well but she is not toiling away at your phrasal verb challenge. The matter is that I already know these very verbs, their meanings and how they are used in a sentence. The challenge for me now is to use them all in one blog somehow. I need some inspiration. Alternatively, you could give me some other (perhaps more difficult) phrasal verbs.
Trudi, how do you know about this legend about Ivan the Terrible and the architect of St. Basil’s Cathedral? It’s true that according to the legend the architect was blinded so that he couldn’t build anything like St. Basil’s Cathedral anymore. However, there is still uncertainty as to who exactly was the architect. As one of the theories suggests, he was a Russian man called Postnik Yakovlev, but he couldn’t have been blinded as he designed the Kazan Cathedral later. Anyway, even if Ivan the Terrible did blind the architect, I am sure that he didn’t do it because he wanted to spite Britain (or any other country), but because he was a kind of a mentally unstable patriot.
Did you cry when you were a baby? I didn’t. I am sure. I was perfect as a baby, as a toddler, as a teenager. Guess what? I am still perfect. I never had any problems at school or university, and my parents never had to worry about where and with whom their daughter was. Six years after I was born, my parents decided that they wanted another wonderful child. But the “wonderful child” never came, instead my brother appeared. He had problems at school and now he has been having problems at university. Why am I telling you this? OK. Another example, a friend of mine (see photo) was looking forward to becoming a mother. She had this nice dream in which her baby sleeps peacefully between her husband and herself. In reality, as soon as the baby was born, they stopped sleeping completely because Sasha (the baby) is always crying and is virtually never asleep. You never know what your baby will be like, do you? And what if your doctor says that you are expecting twins!? Actually, twins aren’t bad, at least you can have two babies in one go and they can always play with each other. Anyway, I’d better stop right here. I will answer the question in the title at the end of this week. Thank you, Trudi, for such a good horoscope; by the way, it was you who made me bring up the baby topic.
Talk to you soon,
Anastasia
Comments
What a treat - two bloggers from two of my favourite places in the world, in one month. I can get my daily China fix from Trudi and my daily Russia fix from you Anastasia. I, too, liked your photo of St Basil's - one of my favourite buildings in the world. Four years ago my daughter and I spent New Year in Moscow, and New Year's Eve in Red Square. It started snowing about an hour before midnight so that by the time the Kremlin bells started ringing everything was beautifully outlined in soft, crisp and dry snow: the photographs I took of St Basil's, Red Square, GUM, and the Kremlin Wall (and Towers) are some of the best photos I've ever taken. It's very interesting following your blogs with Trudi and a shame that the month is coming to an end. Very best wishes and thanks you.
Hello Nastya I'm so sorry for this, but I have to tell you that you are not perfect. I'm sure you are a pretty, sweet and smart girl, but you can be cruel too. Don't you think it's cruel to leave us with such a doubt? I don't have enough patient to resist this kind of suspense. I prefer to guess. I predict you are expecting a baby and she'll be a tender little girl... I can't wait till sunday to know if I'm right or wrong. Bye
Hi, Nastya! I resemble you so much in behaviour, as I was also a perfect child for my parents, but in contrast to you I have no brothers or sisters. This experience
Hi, Nastya again! I've just sent an unfinished message accidentally. I resemble you very much in behavior, as I also was a perfect child for my parents. Such experience of having a naughty brother can be useful for you. Having your own baby, you will already know what you should or shound not do bringing up him or ner. I guess every woman expecting a baby nave the same dream as your friend, as who wants to have glitches? You constantly intrigue us and make us waiting with bated heart for your next blog. Well done!
Hi Anastasia, You are still very very perfect (Your writings testimony of it. I am grateful for trees related vocabulary. Girls lives smooth life. They concerned more about their parents. In India, Girls are surpassing boys in respect of eduction and other fields also. Because most of girls developed in such a way that they have the qualities of tolerence, humality etc. (essential ingredients for smooth life and for progess. Some Boys do become the victims of over cuddling of parents being their last child (although some other factors also contribute i.e. peer group etc). Bringing up a child is really a very very....interesting/wonderful experience of life. How many children (average) Russian families have ?. I acquired knowledge that those mothers who gives birth to more than five children are honoured by state with title perhaps "Mother of Russia" in a public gathering. Government encourge mothers for more children. Am I right?. Have a nice day.
Cryiing babies are welcomed in Korea by saying to them they might be a huge pop singer or opera singer when they grow up.you never know!PS:Does your country have earthquakes? the reason why I am interested is we got eathquake in our local area last night and it was really frightning.take carexx
hi again, so do you prefer twins or one ?
hi Nastya,I always thinking like u. Twins is better than one. :)
Hi,Astasiasia!Recently "Sandstorms" are not present prevalently in Beijing. However,as supposed,they may have been preparing to arrive soon. Have you heard the saying that"If Spring comes, can sandstorms be far behind?" Meanwhile, whehter the winds will be fierce or not isn't certain now for the environment in and around Beijing has been well improved with the coming of 2008 Olympis Games. Maybe every woman can't avoid considering whether and how to expect a baby as well as to bring it up. Through my experience and observation, the couse is a combinition of happiness and pain. Additionally, the best method to educate a child may be the parent's good behavior in everyday life and encouraging attitude toward their kids. Will you agree with me?
hi, Anastasia, Why are you leaving us without telling us somthing about your twins? I'm sure that you are expecting twins; aren't you ? I was really excited when I read the title of the blog but very desapointed at the end because I didn't read what I was expecting to heard. In fact, 26 Feruary was my birthday. All the best !!!!!
Hi, Nastya! Whose child is this? I am waiting next blog from you. Cheerio!
Hi, Anastasia. I quite forgot to tell you that I probably met your brother. Except for the fact that he really exists he told me that you were lying through your teeth and in fact your parents had been so scared with the terrible baby they got when you was born that they didn't dare to try getting a better one, your brother, until six years later on. Greet your brother from me. - And please, don't apologise for your humour. Even your brother admitted that your humour WAS one of your best (the only one, he meant) qualities.
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