Understanding her holidays

[calmissile]

Nice videos Mendy.  Larissa happened to walk in while I was watching it and laughed.  She said maybe she should open a stand in Redlands, serving Borscht and Blini.   

She serves me Blini at least every other morning for breakfast.  I prefer the jam fillings to get my sugar and energy before going off to work.  I can understand why you enjoy them so much.

[mendeleyev]

This is, in my opinion, the best way to make blini in 60 seconds. (Be sure that Larissa sees this one, Doug!)

Here is our RWD friend, Irina Vodka, along with her friends to make the perfect blin in 60 seconds. Watch this one on the full screen:

[lordtiberius]

Today is the Baptism of Christ

[papacool]

The last great fiesta for new year.
I hope you was testing the cold water of Dnipro.
You must respect traditions.
Do a big hole in ice then plouff.
Have a good trip.

[mendeleyev]

Yes, and it is a feast day with no restrictions--after one has gone to church for the blessing of waters and confession.

[Hybrid]

Slightly off-topic but another important day is womens day, more important than a birthday. I found out the hard way my first year ooopppss.

[jone]

This is, in my opinion, the best way to make blini in 60 seconds. (Be sure that Larissa sees this one, Doug!)

Here is our RWD friend, Irina Vodka, along with her friends to make the perfect blin in 60 seconds. Watch this one on the full screen:

Okay, I'll bite. 

What was the vodka for?

[lordtiberius]

The last great fiesta for new year.
I hope you was testing the cold water of Dnipro.
You must respect traditions.
Do a big hole in ice then plouff.
Have a good trip.

I posted pictures and videos of me at the lake on my social media.  FB: James Anthony Bretney

[mendeleyev]

Okay, I'll bite. 

What was the vodka for?

The group is known as "Bears and Vodka" and having a bottle of vodka around was part of the humour.  Likely a key ingredient for the chefs.

[calmissile]

This is, in my opinion, the best way to make blini in 60 seconds. (Be sure that Larissa sees this one, Doug!)

Here is our RWD friend, Irina Vodka, along with her friends to make the perfect blin in 60 seconds. Watch this one on the full screen:

I showed Larissa the video after work tonight.  She got a kick out of it. 
Thanks!

[Anotherkiwi]

I love blini!

Me too! 

Found a fabulous place in St Petersburg, only 100 metres from my apartment, where I had dinner most nights - for about $4-5. 

[mendeleyev]

Valentine's Day:

Warning: assumptions and generalizations are about to be exploited.

Many a Russian woman will tell you that Valentine's day is a Roman Catholic holiday, and to that end she is correct as Valentine has never been accepted as a saint by Eastern Orthodox Catholics. 




Some ladies do enjoy the attention, but many will try to explain that Valentine's Day is a Trojan horse, a Western ploy to bring anti-family values to Russia under the guise of a heart, chocolates, flowers, and a NATO marine disguised as a naked and overweight child-angel, bearing arms.





Ukrainian women are not always so adamant, perhaps because of the Uniate (Roman) Catholic influence in parts of Ukraine, and the outright Roman Catholic popularity in the parts of Western Ukraine that formerly were incorporated into Poland. However, some will share those feelings of evil.

How will you know? Ask her. (First, practice those "duck and cover" drills you learned in elementary school--just in case the answer sets off an explosion of sorts.)

For those ladies who become irate over VD, stick with 08 March. It is a much bigger deal anyway. Trust me, you will not be burned at the stake if you tread lightly around Valentine's day.

For those too timid to venture the question, compromise. Express to her how unique it is that Valentine's day falls on the same day to celebrate Stalin's liberation of Rostov-on-the Don. For the love of god, resist the temptation to mention that Rostov is where the bodies of the Russian soldiers "who are not really in Ukraine" are processed for burial after trucks bring those bodies, that do not exist, back across the border.

Just comment that Rostov has a nice river, and you heard that sometimes, in between long periods of cowardice, Stalin was a hero. To make her chest swell with pride (and we all love when those chests swell!), tell her of your learned opinion that Marshal General Zhukov was a nice guy, but overrated.





Leave the rest unspoken.

Happy Stalininka day!

[Anotherkiwi]

...Just comment that Rostov has a nice river...

So true!  The promenade stretches for a long way, and you get a real sense of why the Don has been so important for so long as you watch the constant river traffic.

[Larry1]

It's February 16-22 this year.

Eat blini to celebrate:

[mendeleyev]

Thank you, Larry! Масленица (Maslenitsa) is often called "pancake week" (blini) or "cheesefare week" as it falls annually on the week just before Great Lent.



Great Lent is the 40 days of fasting before Easter, with no meat, fish, eggs, dairy, etc, consumed until Orthodox Easter.

Maslenitsa is also associated with the beginning of spring. It is celebrated in most of Eastern Europe and parts of Asia.

[Taz]

In addition to holidays, I would also suggest you understand her religion. That typically has a direct effect on what holidays are important to her. In addition it can have a big impact on her dietary needs. My wife is very spiritual and religious. She strictly observes Lent throughout the week as well as the Lenten/fasting periods (before Orthodox Christmas (Nativity Fast) and Easter (Great Lent)).
 
It is a pretty sad situation when you have an amazing dinner planned only to find out your lady can’t eat any meat or something with oil in it. Forewarned is forearmed so to speak. My wife observes all the Lenten periods very strictly. I have to admire her for not being a hypochrite

[mendeleyev]

To dovetail on Taz's comments, I forgot to mention that Sunday (yesterday, 22 Feb), was Forgiveness Sunday.

As part of our Orthodox faith, we spoke to everyone we met in person that we were sorry for any slights and bad thoughts/deeds over the past year, and asked them to forgive us. This is done to everyone, not just those you remember offending.

If your lady has asked you to forgive her, don't stress on why she is asking. Simply accept her apology, and this is important--ask her to forgive you, too. She will understand, and appreciate your gesture.

[mendeleyev]

Monday, 23 February is "Man's Day" in Russia.


 


Technically it is Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland (Soldiers/Veterans day).



 


Over the years, and especially in Eastern Europe where most countries have a universal draft, it has kind of morphed in to a celebration of all men, regardless of whether they served in the military.

[ML]

If your lady has asked you to forgive her, don't stress on why she is asking. Simply accept her apology, and this is important--ask her to forgive you, too.

Seems like a cheap and even chicken way to act; i.e. blanket statements without reference to specific events.

[mendeleyev]

ML, the obvious is that if you know specifics, then such is appropriate. This act is for those times when we may have been of offense and not realized it. The old difference between sins done in Omission versus commission.

[mendeleyev]

The Orthodox fast has begun. It seems that restaurants and stores are bustling about to adjust menus and specials to accommodate those who participate. For those interested, the fast is essentially a "vegan" one and runs this year from Feb 23 to April 12.

Important dates:
Palm Sunday: April 5
Easter: April 12
Holy Ascension: May 21
Pentecost: May 31

The dates for Easter are calculated differently in the West and the East, and thus some years Easter is celebrated on different Sundays than observed in the Western world.

[mendeleyev]

поздравление 08 марта (Congratulations on 8 March): Today is a very special day in the Eastern world--it is International Women's Day.



Think of it as the East's version of Valentines day, but on "08 March" as it is often called, we celebrate all the women in our lives. Wives, girlfriends, daughters, mothers, mother in laws, grandmothers, aunts, etc, will receive flowers, chocolates and cakes from the men in their lives today.

[mendeleyev]

Wishing all my friends in the West a blessed Easter and celebration of the resurrection. Easter dates are calculated a little differently in the Eastern world and today we celebrate what you would call Palm Sunday, although Christians in the East call it "Pussywillow Sunday" (С Вербным Воскресеньем!) for the Pussywillow branches symbolizing the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.


 
THE RESURRECTION AND THE WILLOW
     In Slavic lands the willows grow,
     By streams and bogs and waters low.
     The ancient Slavic peoples saw,
     That willows bloom before the thaw,
     When warm winds end the frigid cold,
     And break, at last, the winter's hold,
     To greet the spring and celebrate,
     The vernal advent's advocate,
     Of growth, renewal, life and light,
     And set the cosmic order right.
     The Slavic peoples gathered in,
     The flow'ring willow branches in,
     Their homes to decorate anew,
     To cure their ills, their lives renew.
     Then one day there came from far,
     A new religion which would bar,
     The grasp of ancient evils' hold,
     Upon the Slavic souls as told,
     By True Glory's saving creeds,
     To grant men life and serve their needs.
     The Word Made Flesh who lived and died,
     And rose again as verified,
     By Holy Writ and voices old,
     Who testified as was foretold.
     Christ is risen from the dead,
     And by His death as truly said,
     He trampled death and life He gave,
     To those who lie within the grave.
     And thus the lowly willow came,
     The Resurrection to proclaim,
     Bear witness to the Great Event,
     For which the Holy One was sent.
     So when the cold of winter ends,
     The message that the willow sends,
     And that the flow'ry branches say:
     NEXT WEEK IS RESURRECTION DAY!

[mendeleyev]

 I am sorry to be late, but during the Passover season wish to extend special greetings to wonderful friends of the Jewish faith. Chag Pesach Kasher V'Sameach! (!חג פסח כשר ושמח)

A special thanks to business relationships with awesome friends whose work is often featured in the Mendeleyev Journal: like Sophie Tupolev and Alexander Lebedev.

[SANDRO43]

Easter dates are calculated a little differently in the Eastern world

Because, after their schism in 1054, the Orthodox Church still uses the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian one, introduced later in 1582 and adopted by most.