You know I had to be tired to not feel like writing last night! It was a busy day and we're still trying to figure out this timing! I can't stand staying up so late and sleeping half the day away...but somehow that is what tends to happen when puzzles, UNO or other activities are going on and it's just fun!
So, yesterday...the social worker was to come at some point but we didn't know when. She was going to call or text J's phone (they got that from him at first court before I could share that we had a Latvian cell). Now early in the morning is most likely not the most reliable time to text or call a 14 year old. I was up at 8:30am or so...got my shower, tending to laundry. Just waiting for the call.
By about 10, we figured we better get everyone up and tidied up...we hadn't heard yet but surely it would be soon! Yesterday was a gorgeous day and we were anxious to get outside and seeing more of Riga. We woke J and asked him to check his phone and sure enough, there was a text from her...she was outside right now! Once she came in, she politely removed her shoes - a Latvian custom I think we will adopt - and I offered her coffee. I had some of my French Vanilla Creamer and she loved it! (Mental note as to what my next round of gifts will be!) Then we found out she'd been outside the apartment for over 30 minutes!
Yikes...great impressions already. She asked me simple questions about the layout of the apartment, sleeping arrangements, how many bathrooms there were. Then what we'd been up to and what our plans were for the rest of the time. She then spent the next 20 minutes or so with J...asking questions and interviewing him. When that was done, she came back to me and shared the final schedule of court and embassy meetings. We are free and clear til next week. She did confirm that Gary and the school kids can leave on Friday if need be...but all of us can leave on the 15th. That seems like so far away!
M&M are really missing their fluffies!!! And we're all ready to get home and get into a routine, whatever that will be. She was so so nice though and thanked us several times for wanting both boys. She said we would not see her again until "big" court on our second visit.
After she left we were hanging around waiting to hear from Daina so we can get some documents to her. By 11, I went ahead and called her and she was in Old Town...asked if I knew where the McDonald's was to meet her. I feel like I know this city like the back of my hand now...and yep, I still love it! Gary was wanting to go to a consignment shop right next to the apartment so he and our big boys went there and me, my girls and E went to meet Daina.
That was a quick drop off so from there we went in search of the paddle boats and how much they cost. We got into the park and began walking the direction we had seen them: up past the National Opera House and behind it (interesting...it is such an upscale area and yet, behind the opera house there were some artsy, young, hippie looking people hanging out back there with a few bottles of beer...it's now 2pm?) These park areas are really pretty.
We went on up and made our way to the light to cross the street. There we saw an old woman, sitting flat on the sidewalk with her old, swollen, arthritic looking legs stretched straight out in front of her. And one hand stretched straight out, unwavering, begging. I couldn't look at her without thinking of my own grandparents...no one her age should have to be sitting and begging. No one should have to beg period. I pulled out my wallet and Marleigh asked if we could give her something. I gave her a coin without looking and said yes. Turns out it was a lat...and while that may seem like a lot ($2) it seems so easy to part with it since it's a tiny coin. But what it meant to her? She cried out in a voice I'll never forget "Paldies! Paldies! (Thank you! Thank you!) It brought tears to my eyes.
As we crossed the street, I noticed that she got up and starting shuffling down the street, her cane...no it was really a stick...helping her move along, barely. So I wonder if that was enough for the day...or if her need was so great that she needed to go tend to something right away...and the cynical person would say that she'd gotten enough from that corner so she'd moved on. But seeing her...friends, we need to open our eyes to the needs around us...no matter the continent we are on.
The girls, E and I continued down to the other side of the park where the paddle boats were no where to be found. So we found a sunny spot and sat in the grass to have a snack and wait. It was so peaceful and nice and quiet! We sat there on the banks of this little river and they played, feeding more of their snack to the birds that came around than eating it themselves. E picked me a bouquet of fallen leaves which of course he asked me to hold for him. I called the boys to tell them where we were and found out they were search of an inexpensive barber shop for Gary. They were headed to the train station because it's really like a mall in there. I told them where we were and pulled out my travel books to figure out where we wanted to go after we all got back together.
It was so nice lying there in the soft grass, watching the girls and E find feathers, name all the birds (Snowy, Puffy, Pinto, Hairy, Fluffy, you get the picture). They would get the little, downy feathers and blow them off their hands and then try to keep them airborne. Finally the girls laid in the grass too to read and of course that bored E...so he began jumping on us and when we said no, he'd flop over like he'd passed out...we'd make a fuss over him and then it started all over again. So much fun!
The boys finally showed up...Gary got a Latvian haircut - he looks even more European (everyone thinks he's from here)...and they had this great idea to go have hotdogs from the train station Narvesson (kind of like a 7-Eleven). So off we went. For 9,50 lats we fed all of us and the dogs were pretty good. The buns were like these pretzel buns that had been grilled and the hot dogs weren't very thick but they were long and the mustard (they call it mayonnaise) and ketchup were good. Pickle relish they call salad...all very good. We sat on the wall outside the train station and ate.
Oh! I almost forgot to share! We had to go to the restroom at the train station...and I got to experience what Shannon Starr had written about!! 15 centimes per person to use the bathroom and you got your toilet tissue at the place you paid! Our lady was very nice and could tell we didn't speak Latvian...she spun her hand around a lot to show us to take it there. No limits. Marleigh thought she was telling her to hurry LOL. Very interesting and I thought a great way to keep the place cleaner!
I remembered when we were at TGIFriday's and we asked the server if refills on beverages were free...she said to Gary "This is Latvia, Honey!" Hilarious...and she was wonderful!
Then it was time for the history of the day! I led the way with my trusty map...complainers in tow. We went to the oldest warehouses still standing (from the 17th century) and continued exploring til we found the last part of the fortification wall from 1537 still standing. Gary was thoroughly enjoying the adventure and all our kids enjoyed what they called the "creepy, cool old streets." We were really in the section of Old Town not frequented by tourists...which made it even more fun.
As I continued to lose my audience, I offered them 10 lats if anyone could give me the meaning of etymology. No one could but I had their attention...and we did a quick lesson on the street names and their derivations. I LOVE history...and my poor children suffer for it!
We walked back and got to the apartment in time to sit for a minute and then made sandwiches from this really good stuff I got at the store. I bought some Buffalo Mozzarella with Basil already in it, Salami, Herbed Crusty French Baguettes and Tomato. Oh my word what a great sandwich!
Puzzles, TV and Circle Time wrapped up a great day in Riga.
Today so far it is raining...and pretty hard at that...not sure what today will hold except a walk to the consignment store to buy an umbrella. We forgot all of ours!
No comments:
Post a Comment