February 25, 2012

I stepped outside after three days of practical hibernation and found brilliant sunshine, warmer temperature than expected and snow that was beginning to melt. I was overdressed, indeed. While waiting for Marydean to pick me up at the bus stop across from my apartment, I saw a young couple having their photo taken with the guy only wearing a t-shirt. Marydean was driving an old Lada, the spare workhorse of the Russian automotive industry, and lived very close to the apartment complex where I spent the first three days in Dushanbe. She showed me the two-bedroom house with its spacious kitchen, bathroom and study and introduced me to her two cats, Marilyn Monroe and Tina Turner.

To my delight, she made freshly brewed Starbucks coffee and served a delicious oatmeal homemade cake. She gave me a key to the house and promised to make an exhaustive list of all the tasks to be done while she’s away and bring it to me before her departure. I’m looking forward to watching some of the DVDs in her extensive collection along with browsing through magazines such Bazaar and Vogue. From her house, I went to the market to shop for tomorrow’s lunch and decided to walk back to my place to enjoy the sunshine and exercise a bit.

Before heading to the supermarket for additional groceries, I knocked on Maryam’s door to give her some beautiful oranges from Iran that I had purchased for her at the bazaar and the presents I had brought her family from Nepal. Nilufar told me Maryam was out with her other daughter taking care of some problem regarding her passport. I gave Nilufar the presents and reassured her I was feeling much better. Coming back from the supermarket with three heavy plastic bags, a teenager at the entrance offered to carry them for me. I couldn’t have been more appreciative.

A few hours later, water started to trickle in and I was able to clean the bathroom and fill up all my containers as snow is predicted again for Monday and I could be without water again. I vacuumed the carpets and tidied up the apartment, marinated the beef and called Ruth to extend her an invitation even though I know she can’t make it to my apartment. She already had other plans, but we agreed to meet next Saturday at the American Corner.

Ryan texted to ask me to join him for lunch tomorrow and, I asked for it to be postponed until next Sunday, to which he agreed. Yoomie has set her departure date for April 12 and I suggested a potluck dinner at her place, and she agreed to hold it on the 7^th.