Here is the text of a message I sent on 10/12/2001 to family and friends:

And a Journal of our daily activities:

Sun 9/23/01:
  Depart Mpls for Amsterdam

Mon 9/24:
  Transfer at Amsterdam to Kiev
  Arrive at Mamma's apartment and stay up late giving out gifts to family

Tue 9/25:
  Sleep late
  Fix winshield wiper switch on Volga, learn to drive it

Wed 9/26:
  Drive 1.5 hours to Zhetomyr to OVIR office only to find out didn't need to.
  Shopping in Zhetomyr market & stores: bought little parachutist
  Shashlik at restaurant for lunch
  See Mamma's dachas

Thur 9/27:
  Buy new refridgerators for Mamma and Tanya, new stove vent hood for mamma

Fri 9/28:
  Dacha: take old fridge

Sat 9/29:
  water rocket with nephew Sasha
  Uncle Sasha's family came

Sun 9/30:
  market

Mon 10/01:
  Grandma Olya's grave w/Sasha
  New tape player/radio in Volga
  Martinis with dinner

Tue 10/2:
  Uncle Sasha to train station
  Internet Club w/Galina
  Car: new tire, lube spedometer, take to garage

Wed 10/3:
  Mushroom hunting
  Tanya's: fix toilet, route tv cable

Thur 10/4
  Tour Victor's factory
  Buy vacuum
  Clean kitchen

Sun 10/07:
  Market
  New Kitchen furniture
  Lunch at Leona's

Mon 10/08:
  Register for internet connection

Tue 10/09/01:
  Aunt Vera's farm house
  Internet w/Galina and cust support Ivan

Wed 10/10/01:
  Sasha/Bogdan's apt to help with Sound Card on their PC, laser printer
  Shopping w/Luda for books, wine
  broke wine bottle, spilled on books in bag
  mushroom hunting in woods near dacha
  dacha: picked strawberries, grapes, raspberries, beans
  bought beer

Thur 10/11/01:
  Tanya's apt to use internet.  alone.
  Bogdahn's: try to copy files for soundblaster driver
  clean and rearrange Mamma's kitchen

Fri :
   Shopping, pick up photos, exchange $100
   Internet at Tanya's, talk with Galina

Sat: Travel to Khilmeski city to visit uncle Sasha and see theater where he is general producer

Sun: Market,
    Back to Novograd Volynski

Wed 10/17/01:
   Made American style pizza.  Very good.

Thur 10/18/01:
  Drive to Zhetomyr and see Korolev's home and museum.  Photographed GIRD-9 rocket that used a hybrid motor of liquid oxygen and solid petroleum (asphalt?).

Fri 10/19:
  Uncle Sasha's family came to visit and be here for Valik's wedding

Sat 10/20:
  Cousin Valik wedding.  Great dinner party afterwards.

Sun 10/21:
  Market.
  Pack for return trip.

Mon 10/22:
  Harrowing drive to Kiev.  Had to stop and readjust a worn clutch.
  Stayed overnight with Mama's cousin's son's family in Borisipol.

Tue 10/23:
  Got up at 3:30am to have breakfast and drive to the airport.
  Since we weren't able to reach KLM/Ukraine Air earlier, our flight reservations were never confirmed and we ended up being on standby until 15min before departure!  But we made it.
  We're home!  Good flights.  Mom and Halyna met us at the airport unexpectedly and we are home safe and sound now and unpacking.

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