oh, for an air conditioner!

Oh, it's hot here these days. Yesterday was in the 90s and today probably is as well. We all sweltered through church this morning, helped out by two fans and open windows. I left the house this morning in my new red heels, but a combination of hot, sticky weather and the fact that the shoes are new led to discomfort and a blister, and I was back in my flipflops by the time the service started. Sigh...

One of the things that makes me the happiest about being here this time is that I'm finally able to help around the house without being told to sit down and relax because I'm company. I helped Nadia with canning Friday night (it takes very little language skill to chop cucumbers and apples, and no, they weren't together), and yesterday I helped clean the dog kennel, wash chalk off of the house, and bag onions. Yesterday's tasks were all done as a way of getting Valera (age 12), whose tasks they actually were, to do them, as otherwise he's quite willing to sit and talk to me instead of doing what he's supposed to.

As romance is in the air around here with Vitaly and Katya's engagement, Valera seems to have decided to do likewise and informed me this afternoon that I am his fiancee. I pointed out that a) he hadn't actually proposed, b) I live in the U.S. and he lives in Ukraine, and c) I'm 14 years older than him. He seemed moderately deterred, especially when he realized that he doesn't speak English in addition to all the other problems, but I suspect I haven't heard the last of this. Nadia laughed and laughed when I told her, and said, "And he hasn't even wanted to go to the playground to play soccer since you got here!" So much for summer romance...instead, I have a hyperactive, inquisitive, Ukrainian 12-year-old with a crush on me!