Leaves and Cobblestones!

On this day in the last week of October, we have been blessed with warm temperatures, if not sunny skies. (You can’t have everything, even in Russia.) The ground around the Smolny cathedral is absolutely covered with yellow leaves and those little helicopter things, many of the trees on the grounds here must be maple just like the giant in our front yard in Cleveland Heights. Makes it a little slippery heading to school sometimes, but the beauty of the yellow leaves, bare trees, iron grate, and sky-blue cathedral more than make up for it. I’m here early at school, don’t have class until 11:40 when the second pair begins, but I got to talk to Anna this morning which is worth more than many hours of sleep! I have an exam in grammar this afternoon after lunch, but my host mom drilled me all last night in many of the things which we are expecting to be on the test so I feel well prepared – and well fed, since while she was drilling me she was also making and giving me blini! So I have an hour and a half to read, finish up some homework, and study a little more before my conversation class, and I thought I'd drop you all a line as well! Nothing exciting has happened since I last posted, though I do feel quite a bit better which is I suppose an important development! It is supposed to be very cold tomorrow evening, which immediately following a warm day like today could spell health-disaster but we'll take it as it comes! My host brother said about half of his school is out sick with the flu – apparently just the regular old flu.

Thank you for all the well-wishes, I really appreciate them! Hopefully I will continue to feel better, we are thinking of visiting the Alexander Nevsky Monastery on Friday or Saturday – there are a few famous graveyards there so it seemed appropriate for Halloween-time. Much love to you all, enjoy the fall colors!