4th of May and more

My first May 4th experience wasn't documented on this blog, because I wasn't writing it yet. But, here is a picture I dug up. By the time May rolled around that year, DS was already living in LV with me. At that point I had thankfully, finally quit wasting my time on HG, and I was in the most classic of all rebound relationships. But, that is ok. So, here is a picture of me that day and one of me and DS:




This year May 4 was a sunny/cloudy/sunny/cloudy kind of day- but it was nice. Joel and I met up with DS and KB and sat in a beer garden and had a few. Then we went and walked around near the Freedom Monument and into Old Town. Here are myself and DS in front of the Freedom Monument this year- where as you can see, they were putting on a much bigger production than back in 2006.


The flowers were arranged into a giant shape of Latvia- and DS told me that people were encouraged to bring the flowers and stick em into the part they were from. Looks like they were pretty well arranged, but either way, it's a nice picture. Here is a picture that Joel got side-on:

(and yeah, the lady and her baby stood there for at least 10 minutes waiting to get a shot with no one else in it)

A lot has changed since that May 4th back in 2006. DS and I were living together then- I hadn't even met Joel. DS and KB were still in the somewhat early and uncertain stages of their relationship (they are getting married June 28th!) Let's face it- that wasn't even a year into my living in Latvia- and the dark winters and loads of potatoes hadn't caught up with my waistline yet. But, given a choice- I stay right where I am- waistline and all. Right now is way better than anything I had going on back then. :)

So today, Joel and I are headed out to the country side- actually to the piece of land where DS and KB will tie the knot, and I guess someday make their home. There isn't anything on the land yet- some old ruins of a house that once was. But, they have been working very hard to get it into shape for their wedding- and of course, their life. So, today we are heading out to help them in their work. This is a very common Latvian practice, the "talka", that surely goes way back to a simpler time when it took a village to do anything. It's a work party. DS and KB need help getting done what they need to do- so they bribe us with food and beer to get us to come put in some grunt work getting stuff done. From what I understand, us girls will be on "branch duty" (check out the link for what this looks like- the fifth picture down) today, and the boys will be digging the all important outhouse.

We were invited to spend the night out there- to bring out tent and sleeping bags, etc. Yesterday we had decided to do it- a night sleeping under the stars would do us good. But, this morning we woke up (after too few hours in bed) and decided that we actually preferred to sleep in our own bed tonight, and actually have tomorrow for ourselves.

So- here I go- the city mouse going out to the country to do country mouse things. :) Wish me luck.