Moldovan trip part 2

Now that my blog is back to its normal three column template and the silly flower background gone forevah, (thanks to my faithful friend and brother in the Lord- Dave, creator and founder of Proximity cast and Survival Dogs (where he documents his patience in helping me) I am back to blogging. I am much more inspired to blog on a normal looking blog. Thanks so much, Dave.

I tinkered for a good couple of hours today attempting to upload my slideshow I made in Lightroom2 only to find out it’s not gonna be as easy as if I had a website. So, now, I want a website and am sending my only, beloved son (yes, no music for a couple of weeks) to Dave to learn some web-building and get his algebra straight. Well, really, we already had that planned. I wanted a website started today after spending quite a bit researching and not getting to anything productive.

So, in continuation of my saga…

My visit with my cousin went well reminiscing about our families, life, kids, husbands. We had so much to catch up. Her little girl started attending a kindergarten a couple of blocks from her one room apartment and we had a nice couple of hours undisturbed! After she picked her up we went to a store and bought dad a portable phone. I tell you the prices there are horrible. I ended up buying him a one unit phone with an answering machine. Very simple, basic. It was around $45. For someone who makes $100/month and pays more than ¾ of the salary for heat, water and electric in a two room apartment that much money for a phone is a lot. Of course, I ended up getting some backtalk from dad about such an investment but I kept stealing some really cute glances at that phone. The very first I attempting to install it I realized he has no electric outlet near the phone. He’d have to use an extension cord that would reach across the hallway and trip him every time he passed to the kitchen or bathroom. I realized that it was a problem we noticed in 2005 when we lived there. But I guess in our rush to find our own dwelling and moving out of dad’s apartment we failed to complete that project. I hired a friend to get that done and life was back to normal. I could dial 10 plus numbers again with ease (I know, I am a spoiled American, but seriously those dial phones are a royal pain!). I came home the next day to see the old phone plugged back in, its long, snaking, tangling, messy cord stretched to my dad’s room. No portable phone in sight. Sigh. So, to dad I went, saying a silent prayer. Upon further investigation I found out that the answering machine light came on while we were both gone and dad thought the phone broke(I failed to let him know the blinking light means someone left a message), so he happily obliged to plugging in his old, trusty dial up. Not so fast, dad! Let’s plug this new baby in and see who called! He was elated to hear an important message he had missed while at work. I didn’t want to tell him that we also have call forwarding here so he could have those calls go to his cell during the day. It would overwhelm him unduly. Their cells also don’t come with plans. They pay for the amount spent talking. They recharge their cards at specific locations or at ATM looking machines spread all over town. Dad doesn’t know how to use those and didn’t show interest in learning till I ran out to recharge his phone and was back in 5 mins. He was surprised that I learned to walk as fast as he does (no kidding, I can’t keep up walking with him). When I explained him that I didn’t go where he does but the charging station he only shook his head and mumbled that it’s so hard to keep up with the technology. I bet it is. I felt so sad for him. I wish I could be closer to help him out with a lot of these new techie issues!

I spend the next day at my friend Tamara's visiting and getting my nails done. In the evening I went to my favorite dentist (not till I got a one tooth xray for $1.25) and had my fears approved-I needed oral surgery after a quick (5 min) cleaning! WOW! There were fast with that electric gadget. They don't have hygienists there. The dentist did it. A couple of mins later I had the surgeon's cell number and was on my way back home to play dad a couple of games of chess. The next day I went to see the surgeon who sent me for extra extra xrays (panoramic costed $4). As soon as I was back with them he had some concerns about extra issues in my gum tissue, which got solved within minutes and I was invited to the surgery room. I was way past lunch hour and the surgeon's stomach was growling and he was discussing what could be left at the cafeteria that late as I was being prepped. I offered to wait till after their lunch, the whole time thinking of a way to leave and never to be found. I was so scared by he oral surgeon in the US about the problems this kind of surgery could have and the paperwork involved in it in itself was scary. So, i was thinking this guy wasn't taking it seriously. Well, he was and 15.2 minutes later I was up and paid $50 cash and was on my way to the airport to pick up my luggage, that finally arrived with the next flight from Rome. In the meantime my cheek swelled and hurt badly. I was supposed to have gone home and applied cold but didn't for hours. So, the pics with my classmates the next day are pretty pathetic. I have to get moving for now. But anther slideshow and more coming in part 2. Dave, gotta learn some patience, right? :) I did try to hurry up getting this post for you. Thanks for helping me. Blessings!