November the 5th

NOT laziness this time- it's a lack of internet. Our server has been cut off by the new giant on the market so we have to pledge allegiance to the new guys before we can get back online at home (Dima's dealing with it this week!)
I have soooooo many photos to upload, it'll take years, though!!
All is good. I am excitedly waiting til the end of the year. Not just because I'll be coming to the UK for Xmas, but because I will be very, very glad to get this year put behind me! I have had some very good times, do not mistake me- and not least in the past two months with Nicole's birthday, enjoying work again, making new friends and rediscovering old ones, bbqs in the countryside and learning to drive...- but Dima and I have also had some very tough times- let's just generalize them as "family", "health" and "political" problems. I'm hoping 2009 will have more positives in store for us!!!
At the moment the average day for me starts (on Mon, Wed and Fri) by getting up at 8 to see Dima off to work- he's working part-time teaching English at the Economics and Biology Faculties of the state university. Then I head off to work myself- I've started walking to work on these days. It takes around an hour but includes a nice walk over a river gorge, past an old village and through Vake Park, so it's worth it while the weather is still endurable! Then I teach almost non-stop between 10 and 19.30. Mostly kids and teens, but some business and conversation classes too. On Tues and Thurs I have the mornings off and then have private classes (a gynacologist and the Advisor to the Minister of Health) after 2pm. Then I'm off to school until 19.30 again. It's nice to have such a packed timetable- the days are flying by!
Dima works a few hours on Saturday and I will be too this week, but we spend the afternoon and Sundays visiting people or walking or exploring new places. Next weekend we're planning on going back to Sighnaghi (where we were at Easter) to learn how to make Churchela (rabbit droppings to mum!)- nuts wrapped in grape jelly. They look like candles and taste yummy!
After that we have some holy caves to explore and Khinkhali to make and lots of other things.
I'll put the photos on soon.
Hope u r all happy.
xxx