Storybook Sweet

Saturday morning breakfast was served out on the back patio in the sunshine.  They got me to pray before the meal as they discerned that it was what we do...so I managed to come up with a whole vocabulary to cover that request much to my amazement!

Every meal is so delicious.  Anatoli had gotten up early to go to the bakery to buy fresh buns and there were eggs from their neighbours chickens, many sorts of cheeses and jams made from their own berry bushes.  Truly feels like living in a story book.

It was so lovely to be outside watching the kids playing with their bunny and playing soccer with their Dad.  Patrice had so much fun with the kids as well.  Little Timmy is about the friendliest, most cheerful and chatty little boy you can imagine. He wins your heart in about 2 seconds flat and then continues to charm you with his sweetness.  Amy was also super sweet and was practicing her English with Patrice.

After breakfast Dima was preparing the fish he had caught to be smoked so that was a whole procedure going on in the yard as well.

These little fellows will be featured a little later in the day.

After breakfast we headed into town for a bit of sightseeing.  Their town has cobblestone streets closed off to traffic with a little stream running down one of them.  There was a town square where loads of flowers and vegetables were being sold.  It all felt so friendly and homey.

My cousin pushed me from place to place as we went window shopping and when we popped into a store where I wanted to buy a few things he refused to let me pay for them.  Wow.  Not the easiest thing to keep accepting and to be so spoiled but I was managing to cooperate with all this goodness quite nicely.  Unfortunately I was feeling unwell as I was fighting a cold but I just couldn't resist the sweet invitation. Plus our time was short so we had to make the most of things.

Our final stop was an Italian Ice Cream shop that sold exorbitantly expensive treats.  I ordered a Tiramisu ice-cream to share with Patrice.  It was so delicious and fun.  Anatoli remembered us taking them to Dairy Queen when they were in Kelowna 17 years ago and he wanted to bless us with a similar experience.

Tiramisu Decadence

There was lots of sharing going on but the most delicious dessert was the yogurt fruit parfait in the middle.  Not too sweet but so yummy. 

And the town was just lovely.  

Here is Anatoli posing with the little brook that is running through the centre of town. 

And these two second cousins got along just fine despite the language barrier.

Supper looked like this.  

Freshly smoked fish.

Absolutely delicious.