The lazy weekend

So, yesterday was the big picnic that Claudia, Sonia and Marina got together. We had it right here in our forest In one of the shelters. Everybody invited everybody and we ended up being about 30 people. I made cheese and fruit appetizers and took some grapes along. The weather was a little cool, but it wasn’t unpleasant. The whole afternoon was very pleasant. I got to talk with a lot of people that I was probably seeing for the last time. Claudia brought her guitar and we got some songs going, but most of them were from groups that I was unfamiliar with. Claudia knows a lot of Russian hit songs. Nobody knew Peter, Paul and Mary.
Then, just before Paul left the party, he suggested that a bunch of us go back to that bar/dive where we’d been a couple of times and had such good barbecued lamb. Paul lives right across from the place now in his new apartment and he laughs that he sees drunks throwing up outside there almost every night now! We’re going on Thursday and this will be a hoot.
Today has been a cleaning and packing day. I’m trying to get everything organized so that I only need to check one bag. But I’m guessing that’s not going to work. Ok, I can deal with paying for an extra bag because all my other fees have been paid for.
My bicycle I’m going to store at Anna’s place. I may or may not have already mentioned that the school offered me a consulting contract. I told them I would do it if my visa was extended before I left Kazan. Of course they puzted around and only submitted the paperwork at the beginning of June. If the visa’s not stamped in my passport by June 28, I will not be back . If they have it ready, I will come back in October and November to do teacher trading seminars and observations. We’ See what happens.
The good thing is that a  German cycling buddy is moving back to Kazan and will probably be taking over the school’s bicycle program. Then I know it will be in good hands and it will be carried on.
Tomorrow, the Kazan guy I know who rode around the world last year is giving a book talk down at the Central Library. Of course I’m going to go down. In fact, I’m Going to take my copy of the book and have him sign it. Afterwards, I’ll head on over to the cafe and meet Dmitry.
My time is winding down.