My Russian Friend Has Arrived!

This is my sweet friend Liz. She and her husband (who will be delivering my new grandson in May) are staying with us here in Tucson for a week. The guys golf and hike and sit in the hot tub. Liz loves to sit in the sun, so I set up my sewing machine outside and work in the shade close by.


Liz says that I have the heart of a Russian so I can understand what she tells me. She is learning English, but it is a difficult project. Imagine learning a new language, new alphabet, new world while going through menopause. I have enough trouble remembering my own language!! Her son is the same age as my youngest.

We were able to go to the used book store a few miles away and found this Russian novel, written in Russian. Liz spends a lot of time on the Russian Internet, talking to people in Russia who write poetry and share their writings online. Liz is a prolific writer and shares much of what she creates. Poetry seems to be a great part of Russian life.

Liz is beautiful inside and out! I have enjoyed learning about her life growing up in Russia, and her dreams of someday coming to America. She often tells me that she has to "peench" herself to make sure that she isn't sleeping in a dream. "America is like a dream. You will never understand the freedom that you have, the things that are available to you, the opportunities that you can give your children." Her stories remind me over and over how much I take for granted, how blessed I am to be born here in America and how we all must fight to keep our freedoms. Tomorrow we will wrap in blankets and sit in the sun together, sew a bit and maybe go to a sale or 2 together. Two women from completely different cultures, speaking broken English, just having a good time together.