A long week has finally passed and a new has just begun. A week ago, 6 Americans arrived for a week-long visit: 3 UEC board members and some others. Unfortunately, I just can't share all the adventures, but to say the least, that visit turned into an enormous amount of work for Lena and me. Mostly, we were overburdened because Vitaly was sick and unable to work for the Center. Other complications arose, and for a week it seemed I had turned into tour guide, concierge, chef, housekeeper, interpreter, legal expert, conflict negotiator, manager of all things essential and unnecessary.

I picked the group up at the hotel, dropped them off. Sunday night Dr. Craig came over for dinner. I served what turned out to be a delicious almond chicken. I thought it had bombed but when the sauce cooled a bit it was delicious. Dr. Craig is 82 years old and a UEC board member and major donor. He was here for a week and we enjoyed being with him. He is pictured here with several ladies from Nivki church.

We planned a fifth-anniversary celebration at the UEC on Thursday, and with Vitaly absent, we were stretched to get everything ready. The facility needed sprucing up, some rugs needed to be bought, cleaning, general straightening. There was also planning the program and the two powerpoint presentations/slideshows that went with it. Surprises for all our guests, and cooking food for about 60. We also took the group to the Opera House one night.

The anniversary celebration went off well though I had hoped for a bigger crowd. I hoped for 80 but only maybe 65 came. We enjoyed the crab salad, ham and cheese buterbrodi, apples, and a host of homebaked goods: pear bread, pumpkin bread, cornbread, and a variety of cookies. The Center looked great, and I think the confidence the board has in us was strengthened, I hope so at least.

There was a mess of other stuff. A traffic jam late at night trying to get to the METRO warehouse store to buy everything for the party. The visit with a lawyer on some legal issues. One person completely forgetting that symphony tickets had been bought for them. The crazy scene at the notary public where the $30-per-hour translator seemed reluctant to translate and all of us, including the notary public, realized what a farce the whole thing was. We were there to extend a power of attorney. It got extended so we are thankful for that. Thanks to Lena's efforts, we were able to apply for a tax ID for a board member, and we got some other legal work done.

They left on Friday, and we still had the movie night. For the first time, all the system work: DVD player, projector, and speakers.

Several students this week have asked to meet with me to discuss some spiritual issues. Let's pray those meetings happen. We also have a church sovyet subcommittee meeting on Tuesday.

The pictures are from a walk Lena and I took on Saturday. The rains came on Sunday, so it was the last real day of fall. By late Sunday night, all the leaves have fallen and we have entered the dreaded rainy season soon to be followed by a month of bleak ugly until the snow covers the mess. Snow is predicted for Saturday.