Day 95 of my 47th year

We got up at 9:30 in the morning — unheard-of luxury. Masha quickly made fried potatoes with vegetables for the girls for breakfast, and then the two of us drove all the way to Tishkovo to pick up an IKEA dresser — Masha had found an excellent like-new dresser on Avito, but it was far away. The weather was whispering: sunshine, clouds, and occasional passing mushroom rain. Beauty all around — green, yellow, red, orange, and burgundy trees, with the leaves not yet fallen. A feast for the eyes. On the way we stopped at McDonald’s for a snack.

By some miracle the dresser fit onto the back seat of the car. It was funny to realize that we were practically next to the village of Tishkovo — we have a painting at home by Andriyaka called “Tishkovo in Winter.” We were too lazy to stop there, which is a shame. I would have liked to look for the exact place from the painting.

We got home around lunchtime. I got ready to go to the pool and talked Masha into coming. She tidied up at home while I went to the car wash, then nanny Katya arrived and the two of us drove to the Atlant pool. In the pool Masha was freezing until she went to the sauna. Swimming with her is pleasant but not efficient — I only swam 700 meters, and then we warmed up in the sauna. After the pool we had the cafe’s warming signature drink made of fresh orange juice, lemon, ginger, and honey. Masha loved it. I hope our trips to the pool together become regular. Bliss. On the way home we stopped at a shawarma place on Taganka. The shawarma was fantastic, but Masha thought it was too spicy and too salty. At home both elevators were broken — poor Katya had to take the girls for a walk on foot from the 13th floor.

In the evening I relaxed at home while Masha kept cleaning like an electric broom. By night Masha started feeling unwell, blaming water that had gotten into her ears and nose. =(