Cherries and more

The cherry tree on the side of the house was full and I was sure that they would rot on the tree if I had no help. The little boys in the neighborhood eyed the tree with longing and one of them asked if he would be able to have some of them this year. "Yes," I said and he smiled happily. Finally the day came when the cherries were just right. I asked if they were ready to help with the harvest. "Jumatate, jumatate," I said. (Half and half.) Soon there were half a dozen boys clambering about the tree; two of whom climbed up as far as they could past the top of the ladder. Others put the fallen cherries into liter-sized plastic yogurt buckets from which developed a huge plastic tub full of delicious, but rather small, sweet cherries. Finally, we divided them, each of the boys taking home plastic bag with at least two liters of cherries in each, more than half of the pick of the day. They were very happy with the cherries but even more delighted with getting a turn on the swing Eugeniu has put on a branch of the walnut tree. I can still see the smiles of delight as they flew back and forth in the cool of the evening.

Now it is almost time for the next venture, the visine (sour cherries). We have so many trees full of visine that we could supply a market for a long while. Oana, Eugeniu's daughter, and her daughters, Alexandra and Adela, are coming on Monday when Eugeniu says that they will be ready. Alexandra was first in her class and was duly recognized on the last day of school last Friday when honors were presented.

Last week I picked strawberries morning and night while pulling and cutting weeds and other things that did not belong in the strawberry bed. Nicu promises to make proper rows of strawberries for the next crop so that we can harvest them more easily. This variety does not have a long shelf life, but it does have a flavor that is so light and delicate that I think that this is really how strawberries are supposed to taste. They are safely frozen for future enjoyment.

In the meanwhile, Nicu tamed the vines so that the grapes can grow and ripen as they should. Weeds gone and branches attached to the wires, the grapes are now the size of small peas. Last year I made the most delicious grape juice and this year I hope to put way more. That is, if most of the grapes do not get appropriated to more traditional methods of preservation like wine and moost (?).

We have not heard from Nicu today. Our prayers are with him. Without his help much of the work here could not have been done. That includes work on this house, building the carport, finishing his house and taking care of the garden. We moved the refrigerator from Bucharest for him to use and before he could finish the interior walls of his house, it burned. Completely. It was ruined. The walls and ceiling were black with soot. The neighbors told him that they saw the smoke coming out of the vent in the roof on a Sunday while we were away. The damage would have been worse if there had been more air. We were fortunate that he was not there and that this did not happen while the refrigerator was in the house in Bucharest. If that had happened there the air was plentiful and the circulation so good that the whole house would have burned to the ground. As it was, the plastic sides of the refrigerator melted, nothing was salvageable, not even the trays. After the refrigerator burned, Nicu continued to make his small efficiency into a habitable place for him to stay while he is working here. Complete with stove, new refrigerator, table, bed and TV, his small house has become comfortable.

Now Nicu has been told that he has diabetes and they are checking his heart. He has a diet to follow for the diabetes, but the results for the tests on his heart are not yet ready. Before he went into Bucharest for these most recent "controls" he cleared the weeds from the bed where we have planted blueberries, afine, and he also cleared out the most of the weeds between the rows of grapevines. A lot of work. He also replanted some tomato plants and guili, which are root plants. Amalia, his wife, has decided that she, too, will come here when she is not working at her job in Bucharest. It is much cooler here than in the city and one can enjoy the pleasant breezes that make one feel that there is a natural air conditioning when sitting in the shade.

It is living here watching the seasons that I understand more clearly the succession of harvest times for the various fruits and vegetables that grow here. That there is a "season for all things" takes on a much fuller meaning than ever before. After the visine come the pears and then the apples and tomatoes. In the fields the grains has tuned to gold and the corn is knee high.

This year the rain came too little and too late so much of the wheat and most of the corn has been lost. Irrigation was impossible for the most part as allotments for paying for the water came too late and most of the irrigation equipment was stolen long ago for the metal which was sold for a fraction of the value of what was destroyed.

The Dentist

Dr. Oltea Serbanescu is my dentist. Today I thought I had one small problem in a front tooth, but, no, there were several others. I have an appointment next Wednesday to finish what she could not do today. This brilliant and professional dentist was trained as American dentists are trained and she has American equipment. Today I noticed that her practice has grown. She has expanded to two rooms for seeing patients and she has marvelous new equipment. A flat TV was attached so that I could what was wrong and needed to be fixed.

Once we went to a dentist trained in Germany and, when she dropped my crown on the floor, she told me that I made her nervous. Being nervous she had to hurry and that is why the crown did not fit. One reason she was nervous is because I insisted that she use gloves. That is just one of the means of sanitation and protection that I expected and thought should have been standard practice, normal safe procedures. She was puppy dog friendly and she had a booming practice. I was used to a different style of dentistry. You could say that I am spoiled, but then I think that all those people who suffered through drilling without anesthesia deserve a lot of admiration for their courage. One dentist we visited did not know how to use anesthesia. They were not used to deadening before drilling and really did not know how so she asked me to sign a release, a paper excusing them if they made any errors since I was the one who insisted on the anesthesia. I said goodbye.

A friend who now lives in Canada referred me to Dr. Oltea, as I call her. I have been going to her for several years now and have referred our nieces Monica and Gabi to her. They like her a lot. And her offices are near their apartment. Compared with the cost of dental work in Texas, what happened today is a real bargain.

After the visit to the dentist, I went to Alison's book launching. Alison is a journalist who works for the Associated Press and this book tells of her experiences in Romania as a journalist. The Associated Press pays in US dollars, which used to be a very good thing. We are both in shock about the declining value of the dollar. The exchange rate has dropped considerably and steadily during the last few years. It was at the book launching that I met a woman who was very interested in having a referral to a good dentist for her daughter, who is a senor in high school. As I dashed in to the book launching and saw Andrew and Leslie on their way out. She found a place outside of Bucharest and he is looking for one.

Then a mad dash to find the pharmacy that had what I wanted. Five pharmacies later I still did not have it all! It was wonderful to have the Silver Streak, as I call my new Volvo, to drive from place to place. So much easier that I am ever so grateful! No sputtering in heavy traffic and no dying just as the light turns in my favor!

Well, tomorrow is another day and we are cool. The air conditioners have been installed and the tall grass cut. All is right with the world. Thank goodness Georgetta weeded the garden.

Noapte buna!

A Glorius Day

The referendum is over and Basescu won. The pundits are like all talking heads. What they have to say now is unimportant as they have been outvoted by a majority of the voters. Here is what I wrote to a friend in Texas who asked, "Who is the good guy?":

Basescu. He won in spite of all the tricks designed to prevent people from expressing their will. That is the problem for neo-communists as modern communication prevents lies from dominating the opinion of the "masses." The victory was said not to be glorious because of the low voter turnout, but approximately 75% of those who got to vote chose to bring back the president who was not actually impeached. They used that term, but, incorrectly, as it was a simple vote of the Parliament that turned him out of office in spite of the ruling by the Supreme Court that he had committed no infractions, that is, he had not acted outside of the Constitution.

Many voters were not allowed to vote because "it was too late." So many of those voters in Italy and Spain and other places (who traveled many miles to vote) were turned away. In this village, the voters were sent to other places where of course they could not vote and by the time they returned it was too late. Those in line were not permitted to vote after 8 o'clock. Eugeniu told me that one of the tricks was to hold the referendum on Saturday when the traditional voting day in Romania is a Sunday when people can go after church. One shopkeeper told me that PSD is finished. The people know. Under this President, there have been enormous improvements and the people - yes, even the pensioners, are tired of lies and unkept promises.

The process is the winner. The good guy is the one who understood that the Parliament can no longer control things as they did before. Another victory for the long process to bring democracy to this country. It means that people will no longer allow as much corruption as has been the norm. The very day that the country joined the EU the process to end corruption was Stopped! Much to the dismay of the EU. We will see if it is brought to life again.

This is a long answer but it is really a glorious victory in spite of what was said.

And that was written after a day of gardening. I planted the seedlings that were growing in peat pots and hope that bugs will not eat them. Parsley, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and broccoli were set out with the peppers, regular tomatoes, egg plant and dill. We also have planted blueberries and of the twelve, at least three are still alive and showing green leaves. The grape vines are full of tiny green bunches of grapes and the wild strawberries are delicious and ready to be picked on a daily basis as they have not such a long shelf life! The cherry trees are full of red ripe cherries and they, too are delicious if not as large as those we can buy at the market. The onions are not yet ready to be harvested, but those plants as well as the garlic are nearing maturity. It is all too much for me to keep up with so it is good to have help. There are so many weeds that have to be chopped or pulled. There are some that are really quite lovely. The mallow has soft lilac colored flowers and there is a vine that will choke out all other plants if allowed, but it has a tiny white blossom that is like a small morning glory. There are other plants that are to be remedies for various ailments. Urzica, stinging nettle, grows profusely, alongside the mint and wild blackberries and another vine like plant with clusters of purple blooms. OUr roses are blooming and Eugeniu reports that they have a wonderful aroma. I cannot smell them - thus it is indeed time for the visit to the allergist!

Eugeniu brought his brother here this afternoon so that he could enjoy the fresh air and the pleasant surroundings. His daughter left him here after promising to take him with her to America and he is sad because he does love her so. Our neighbors, Mita and Georgetta, came to visit with him. And now he is talking with Nicu who is finishing the storage shed for the wood to use in his "soba" which will keep his house warm next winter. The design for the greenhouse is not yet established even though Eugeniu has had many ideas and has made many sketches.

I have made appointments with the dentist, the allergist and my doctor for Homeopathy for this week. It is such a pleasure to be able to do so without worry about transportation. The Volvo is a dream car that I drove on Sunday and even washed off the mud after returning to park it in the new carport.

Tomorrow the plumbers are coming tomorrow to install the air conditioners and the next day to repair the line with the leak for the radiators. Life is busy with ordinary things. And if they do not come tomorrow, well, another day!

Our dog Rini, an Akito Inu. is growing fast and has learned to behave a bit better. She understands the meaning of "Off!" so that she does not jump all over everyone if they use that command. I learned it on a television clip from the Today show. This is an example of the miracle of modern communication. For many Americans it is hard to imagine how wonderful it is to be able to see what is happening almost everywhere in the world as well as to pick and choose the clips one wants to see and escape the rest!

The Referendum

Today, Saturday, is the referendum on whether or not Parliament has the right to dismiss the President. The voter turnout is low. Is it the rain? Are people confused? We will not know the results of the exit polls until 8 this evening.

Meanwhile, I was reluctant to drive the new Volvo in the rain, mainly because there is standing water at the corner and somehow I do not want to get mud splashed all over it. It is silver, thus the nickname of Silver Streak, which also matches my gray hair! It drives like a dream and it is a dream because when I first came here it was not possible to buy a new car at a new car dealership. It was only abroad or at the flea market or buy an ancient Dacia. Even the new ones had the same style as those that were twenty years old! This aspect of communism vanished as soon as people could choose according to their tastes and their pocketbook. Now the roads are crowded with cars of every make imaginable and every color as well. There are new roads and new office buildings and shopping centers as nice as any in the world. Recently a new IKEA opened at Baneasa. I was told that it is the largest IKEA in this part of the world. It is huge. Just walking through it is an exhausting experience.

Just looking through the pictures, I can see many things to write about. Christmas, snow, spring, this house, and people who are important to us such as Monica, Gabi, Alexandra, Adela, and many others. It is hard to know where to begin. I am blessed!