my glimmer of hope at the horizon

[Caddydaddy]

Hi all,

The story continues, our second meeting is fixed. We will spend full two weeks at my place again in February. I am also very glad that Latvia is in the Schengen Zone, I can get my Baby an electronic flight ticket and in no time she can be here, no visa, no complicated proceeds. I have to smile from ear to ear when I can read "Think, the Darling!" and the Darling started immediately to think and got all ready for his Lady. 

Oh, next Thursday I start to take lessons for Russian language! Maybe I am soon able to say a bit more than Здравствуй and спасибо.

Btw, I noticed a huge difference in communication with Baltics compared to Russia. Mentality of the Baltics seems much closer to what I am used to, with Russia it seemed more gruff and kinda unwieldy to me, or maybe it is just the Lady herself…

Regards
Caddydaddy

[Caddydaddy]

Dobrij denj all,

A little followup, tomorrow I can go to the airport and pick up moja dorogaja devushka. Kak ja rat!! Fortunately we had daily communication, it was truly a very hard time since her first visit...
She will be here for the next 16 days. Next week I have off and we will spend some nice holidays together, the following week I work and we play "couple". She will be the boss in the house. 
Oh and in the meantime I improved my knowledge of Russian language, but I am still far away that I can speak something fluently, it needs much more time…
My Baby will be here again…, yeehaw!!! 

Regards
Caddydaddy

[Caddydaddy]

Priviet all,

My Baby flew back to her home again, but we spent wonderful 16 days together. First week I had off and we spend the time with going in town, sightseeing in our region and romantic evenings in front of the fireplace. 

Second week I worked and had normal schedule. To my delight, I could notice that she slowly but sure overtook my home, hehe. I often got to hear "dedushka, dedushka" in some critical tone when I came home after work. Well, seems she wasn't so fond of the way I did my household… and I asked, what happened, my dear "babushka"? 
Btw, I am no dedushka at all, that's just her nickname for me, maybe has something to do with my real name.

Our next meeting will be in April. Oh and a nice detail, she left some clothes and her slippers in my house. We both feel strong chemistry and are very comfortable and happy with each other. Maybe next time I will bring up a certain question…, she's truly a wonderful Lady!

Now the next hard part comes, waiting almost two months for our next meeting. I wonder how you other committed guys survive such a long time…   

Caddydaddy

[SMS60]

Our next meeting will be in April. Oh and a nice detail, she left some clothes and her slippers in my house.

Good to hear everything went well. Sounds very positive.

The cloths. Yes, very nice. She is marking her territory I dont think I would move them

[Diplomacy]

Great news Caddy!

Well she is marking territory.  I would think it is a positive thing, and congratulations on starting to study Russian.  Keep with it, it starts to get easier at one point.  I think I hit my critical mass point now, it is taking less and less time to learn new words.

I am watching the children channel on direct tv.  That helps, because they tend to use more basic language.  It is spoken a lot slower also.  Do not know if that helps, but it is certainly helping my pronunciation.

Best wishes in both of you finding happiness with each other.

[Caddydaddy]

Since my Sweetheart is back in Latvia, I have time to continue with my Russian lessons. My teacher Olga is a pretty strict and unyieldingly Lady – no,  she is nice but one has to learn something! As soon as I understood the Russian alphabet, she gave me a children's book and said "read"!  ??? Me?? Da, ty!
Even thought I had no idea what I was reading it worked. This was the first and the last time I was confronted with a children's book. She says this is not good, you should learn real language. Yesterday she plagued me with declination of verbs in present, past and future...
"No, motion verbs come later this is special, no, we will do substantive later"…
Phew…hehe, but seriously, learning Russian language is very interesting to me, guess why…

[Shadow]

Sounds like you have a good time. The waiting is long, but work to the time that there will be almost no waiting....patience is a virtue.

[Diplomacy]

Lol, Caddy get used to it.  I think the demanding nature, is pretty much a part of their education process.  From what I have learned so far, it is very strict and only perfection is acceptable.

[Caddydaddy]

Hi all,

To get "perfection" in Russian language, I want to use my PC too and WRITE in Russian.
But the hell, I have no idea how to do this!  ???
Of course my PC is set to Western alphabet and keyboard.
My Baby gave me a set of Russian letters printed on transparent foil which I can glue on the keys.
Does anyone know how to get Russian letters activated for the keyboard and is there a way that I can switch easily between Western and Russian languages?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Caddydaddy

[Diplomacy]

Here Caddy

http://www.auburn.edu/forlang/russian/cyrillic-setup/cyrillic.html

[Daveman]

Here Caddy

http://www.auburn.edu/forlang/russian/cyrillic-setup/cyrillic.html

Yep, and if you already type well, set up the phonetic version which will have a more similar layout to what you are accustomed. You can pretty much hit the ground running with the phonetic version and actually type Russian fairly rapidly whereas the standard Cyrillic layout will be very slow going as you hunt and peck your way around the keyboard.  I wanted to actually learn the standard layout, but after I tried the phonetic, I never looked back. MUCH more efficient.

[Caddydaddy]

Wow, great Diplomacy and Daveman,
thank you very much!
Now I know what I will do this weekend, messing up my PC... 

[mendeleyev]

My laptop is set to go back and forth with two clicks.

Maybe if I describe whats on my computer it can help you.  Sorry if it doesn't.

I have XP and at the bottom right of the screen I see the time and then moving LEFT there are the small icons which show the wireless, virus protection, quick launch buttons, etc. The last one moving left is the language bar.

Click on the language bar. I chose "visible" and then it shows EN for English as the automatic setting. Right click again and choose "settings" which pops up in a screen. The first line allows you to choose the default language for when your computer is turned on.

Next screen below that allows additional languages. Choose Russian and it will then set your computer to work either in English or Russian, including the Cyrillic keyboard.

Afterwards you'll only need to LEFT click and both languages will pop up. Choose the one you want and presto.

I hope that helped.

[mendeleyev]

I am watching the children channel on direct tv.  That helps, because they tend to use more basic language.  It is spoken a lot slower also.  Do not know if that helps, but it is certainly helping my pronunciation.

Diplomacy, awesome idea!  Very cool.

[Simoni]

My laptop is set to go back and forth with two clicks.

The iPhone comes with the russian language and the russian keyboard.  You just touch a button to switch between them.  Marina's iPhone is like having a miniature computer. 

[Diplomacy]

Caddy:

PM me if it is not working or you messed anything up.  It is a fairly straight forward thing.

It is a good point about the Phonetics versus standard Cyrillic layout.  I just loaded it up, so that my fiance can type as she normally would.  It was not that well thought out, I bought her a laptop of her own. 

I have all the stickers already on the keyboard, so I think I just will make a game out of the different layout.  After this thread, I had one of those moments of clarity.  Why am I torturing myself with the standard layout?  She is not even going to use this laptop.

[Caddydaddy]

Diplomacy et al,

Thank you very much, worked out perfectly!! 
see: ыавтлдгуй иГЙШЖГУПАЫФМ, one click, Большое спасибо!
I can write RUSSIAN!!! almost, hehe

Funny thing, I too got my Baby a laptop of her own, there is someone who can install her a wireless and set up the laptop correctly, so I hope...

Thanks again,
Caddydaddy

[Diplomacy]

Great news Caddy.  Save yourself a lot of time and heartache.  Buy a 3g air card, if she is in an area that has it available.  It is going to be a royal pain in the Popka, to explain how to Network a wireless.

The path of least resistance, is better in that regard.  It will be a tad slow, but I still have yet to get my point across about a booster antenna.  She not need, and yet lives in a cinder block for all intents and purposes.

I learned one thing a long time ago, just say whatever and let her be.  Save yourself for the real important battles.  Yes, Olive oil is more expensive.  It is healthier for you.  I understand, you have always used sunflower oil.  Read this article and get back to me on the subject.  It is OK to use some sunflower oil, but it is a problem if we need a new bottle every week.

I think sunflowers are very pretty.  I know the birds love the seeds, why do we not save a few for them.  What do you say?  We will see, is all I get for a reply.

All I can say, is thank the heavens I can cook. 

If you find a better soul than me, then best of luck.  Discretion is the better part of valor.

[Caddydaddy]

The olive oil story, lol, sounds familiar to me, it is so much more healthy…
Well, as long as she don't want me to use olive oil in old 390 cui Cadillac V8 engines no matter, hehe

Seriously, an IT guy should set up the whole wireless thing at her place. As she was here I could observe she is a pretty good user of PCs, she had no problem at all with mine and I believe my screen never saw so many Russian websites.

[Caddydaddy]

Privet all,

A small update how things go. Our third meeting is fixed for another two weeks last week of April and first week of May.
We have at least two times a day communication. Btw, her laptop works fine at her place and that's a huge Прогресс.

Now I know her about 7 months, we started slow but our communication was always a good mix of humor and seriousness, our first meeting an unexpected direct hit, our second meeting like hitting the jackpot. I know that she already spoke with her close relatives about me. I plan to get official engaged with her. Maybe I will go with her to a mountains top or something like that when I ask her to make it a bit special , oh and the ring question, hmm. I think we will choose something together, so I know what she likes 

Recently she wanted to know the high from floor to ceiling in the living room, hmm  ??? New curtains? I wonder what ideas she is developing, she does not say anything... hmm and I learned that she is good in creating delightful surprises 

Well, I can't help, she's my precious Baby  completely unexpected, seems almost like a miracle to me...

Caddydaddy, who is truly amazed

[GoodOlBoy]

Recently she wanted to know the high from floor to ceiling in the living room, hmm  ???

Hello Caddydaddy.

Your girl doesn't know Sculpto ?? Does she ??

Maybe she wants to know about the ceiling height because she is a fire twirler also?   

Just kidding. 

All joking aside, glad to read about your continued happiness. 


GOB

[SMS60]

Recently she wanted to know the high from floor to ceiling in the living room, hmm  ???

Thats a strange question. My curiousity is running??? Maybe you can fill us in on what she is inquiring about??

Good to hear things are going well.

[Diplomacy]

Lol, of course she is decorating in her mind.  Get ready for your version of a FSU Museum.  Let me see the usual suspects, this could be fun.  Usually you fill find at least one of the majority of these in your home.

matryoshka
Fridge Magnets
Woolen Shawl
Plants
Flowers
Portait of an Orthodox Saint
lacquer box
nice china in china cabinet
Pysanky Egg
Carved in decorated wood (Plate,spoons, bowl, and bread plate)
Wooden Jewelry Box
Picture of at least one Orthodox Church
Embroidered Table Cloth
Funny ceramic caricature (Have to be in pairs.  Husband, wife, boy, girl. and are wall decoration.)

[ECOCKS]

I suspect her question comes from the perspective of someone raised in a country without A/C, screens or fans.  Having high ceilings allows a tad of heat reliefin flats, offices and detached homes. 10' and 12' ceilings are not uncommon in the older buildings here and many in the FSU regard new construction in the traditional western/modern styles as odd. They wonder how we will keep the heat from building up during the day in those low-ceilinged rooms.

[OlgaH]

Diplomacy,

we have all those items that you have listed and plus two beautiful samovars (and a Russian electrical socket 220V),  but only due to Robert