Trip 2 – Day 16 – “IS BAD!”
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Written on 5/4/2008 1:39:08 PM.
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 2 comments
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Let me first start of with how thankful we are here. We are thankful that we are this far along in the process and we are thankful for such a wonderful trip so far. With that being said let me tell you about our day. Get comfortable; maybe grab a drink and a cookie… This is a long post.
We went to sleep to the sounds of tanks going in front of our apartment again last night. Another practice run for the May 9th parade. Then we awoke at 6am to the sound of a dog barking. For a split second I thought it was Flo Jo (my sweet girl puppy that I miss so much). Then I remembered no you are in Moscow. Then I was like we have a dog on this floor? Ever since we have gotten here we have seen no one on our floor! Every now and then you may hear a door close, but we never see anyone! Anyway, we tried to go back to sleep.
I got up first and being such a good helper I decided to plug in the laptop so it could charge as I fixed some breakfast. Well then I hear Mr. Dilworth – UNPLUG IT! UNPLUG IT! Oops! Our snap crackle and pop outlet was going crazy! So I unplugged it. Then the fan died, we just looked at each other. We came into the “TV room” and there were no lights on the router and the TV would not turn on. Just great! But we had over head lights.
So we called our apartment manager, again. She said someone would be here after 10:00.
At 10:00 we got the call from our new translator “K” that we will not pick up our son till Tuesday. Our agency is afraid that our paperwork will not be “stamped” and ready for pick up after this long holiday weekend. So K and I went over everything to bring and made plans to meet Tuesday morning at 9:30! We know of at least one other couple that thought they were going to pick up their child just to be told that they had to wait another day. So we are happy to know this ahead of time. It would have been a lot harder to be in the car with all our “stuff” ready to get Zach and then be told we could not bring him “home” (the apartment that is). So we appreciate this bad news. Did I just say that?
So as soon as I hang up the phone with “K” our “door bell sounds”…. Have I mentioned our “door bell”?? The first time it scared me to death. It sounds like a possessed squeaky toy. It’s so weird and scary! I digress… At the door is who we are hoping to be the MASTER! Of course it’s not him. He is just here to “look”. Look at what I am not sure. Because he said he too tried to open the washing machine and could not. He puts down his black bag – I thinking tools. But it did not make a sound when it hit the floor. He has a pair of pliers in his hands and another type of tool. Dave shows him the “new” issue of all but one outlet being out in the apartment. He walks around, seriously he doesn’t do anything. No volt check no… anyway he was done looking. He looked at Dave and me and said “IS BAD!” I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Yeah, ya’ think? Anyway. He said, well we interpreted, that he was going to call the MASTER and they would come back and we could go for “THE WALK” if we wanted to because they did not know when they could come back.
So we went for “THE WALK”. We decided to just be casual no real plan. After all Emily knows the Metro stops we want to try out today – they are on her Metro Map that she loves so much. Well needless to say we left our wonderful book on Moscow in the apartment and set out just with my Metro Map. Well the book as a few extra names – Americanized names. I had remembered those not the ones I should have remembered! Anyway. So Dave and I just rode the Metro today. It’s not the smartest thing to do. But we did see a few cool parks, a demonstration (don’t ask), the tops of some amazing cathedrals, and more very cool Metro Stations. I would not recommend doing this to most families – but we made it safe and sound back to our apartment. And we saw parts of Moscow that we would not have seen other wise. Again, not the smartest thing we have done. You should always have a plan here!
We got back to the apartment. Still no power in any electrical outlets except on in the hall. Dave rigs it up with extension cords and power strips in attempts to get the router up and running. It works… But all I could see was the only outlet that works blowing!
Soon after we get back and rigged up, close to 2pm the possessed squeaky toy doorbell rang and three men came into the apartment. These men included the gentleman from this morning that told us “is bad” and two other fellows. They all started to work on our electrical issues. (I am still standing on my head thinking work on the washing machine) At first I thought we were in big trouble because he handed us an extension cord. I was like this is supposed to fix our problem? But luckily they continued to work going from room to room. Then smoke break – outside of the apartment. About 15 minutes after the smoke break “is bad” guy came back in and said “you come”. We followed him to the bathroom where the top of the washing machine was off and the door open. Sitting on the edge of the bath tub was the MASTER… I was in awe. He had a hat on with magnifying goggles that flip down. He had to do some serious looking I guess. Anyway… WOOOHOOO!! The door was open. I took the soaking wet things out threw them in the bath tub and then I started to worry. What now? The top is off of the machine and it doesn’t look like it will be starting anytime soon. So I went back to the pink couch to wait and see what happens next. I could not sit there and watch the MASTER work.
Note I tried to get Dave to take a picture of the workmen – he wouldn’t do it. Believe me it was not one of those Diet Coke commercial moments, where everyone stops to watch the workmen. But, I wanted a picture to remember them by.
Dave on the other hand stayed and watched the MASTER at work. He was entranced by the man’s glasses. Dave came scurrying back in… They took the cover off and the button to open the washer is broke in half. Then he says (like he is a genius) I told the MASTER to move the broken button over to the spin cycle and replace the broken button with the good button. The MASTER took this advice evidently and tried to glue the broken one in the spin cycle. (I would have paid to see this conversation) So now that the MASTER took Dave’s advice he too wants to be called the MASTER. We will see about that.
Random notes on the MASTER and his servant’s visit: I think there were a total of 3 or 4 smoke breaks. Note to my dad – They use Red electrical tape here as their choice color. Dave swears if I just had a small wrench I could get into the washing machine if we have any more problems. They left us with more extension cords – umm this maybe the problem to start with.
We now have working outlets. But, the outlet in the bedroom, the one we have been plugging the fan into at night so that we can sleep in this hot apartment is now out and they attempted to cover the missing outlet with cardboard and tape – but it falls off so its is just an open source of danger.
So as the MASTER prepared to leave he left us with these instructions. After the load of laundry is finished push the power button. Then wait 3-5 minutes then push the open door button. I added and pray. I don’t think he understood that comment. So I went with Thank you in Russian.
Not even 5 minutes after they left I put clothes in the washing machine. Said a prayer and crossed myself (figured it couldn’t hurt). Two hours later we have clean clothes!! Thanks be to God and the MASTER!! Let it be dully noted that this washing machine was broken before I got here. When this first glorious load was finished and I pressed ever so gingerly on the release door button it just popped right out. I did not have to pull on the door or anything. It just popped right out and open. Even when the lady that checked us in told me that I would have to press the button and pull at the same time! HA! It was not me!!!
Dinner tonight with Jeff and Maria on Tverskaya. They are preparing for court tomorrow!! (Good luck – even though you don’t need it!!)
We ate at this wonderful for lack of a better description an Italian restaurant. We had wonderful pizza very thin not the fluffy stuff we have grown to love here. Dave got the seafood pizza. Oh my was it seafood. There was a whole tentacle on it with little things on it still. Anyway – of course he ate it then finished off my chicken pizza which was very good. We walked back up Tverskaya went to the “palace” grocery store and picked up some cereal, bread, and milk. (COW MILK) This milk was recommended by Jeff and Maria. We said our good byes and headed back to the Metro.
We arrived back at the apartment and the milk has Dave’s stamp of approval! After of being here for weeks we finally have good COW MILK!! WOOHOO!!
Now we are curled up on the pink couch drinking good milk and watching Russia play hockey. I am not sure if it’s the “classic sports” channel or not but we don’t care we have clean clothes now!
So the SAGA of Emily Versus the Washing Machine is over. Well we pray that it is over. We pray for clean clothes, beautiful weather, and most of all for GOTACHA day on Tuesday!
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