So, even after discussions with the local vets about spaying/neutering - I was unable to keep Dima, our sweet grey & white cat, out of heat. For 3 days we hosted aggressive boy cats from around Moldova. Charlie-the orange & white one, Manolo-the fluffy grey one, NotOurCat-the brown striped neighbor one, Bandit-NotOurCat' brother and also a neighbor cat, HalfCat-a 1/2 white, 1/2 grey stripey one, and Midnight-the whiny all-black one. Caterwauling and the occasional Dima scream were punctuated by the occasional all-out sprint with Dima in the lead and at least one suitor, as Rosco would say, "In Hot Pursuit"! I kept putting food out for Dima, but she was too busy to eat - effectively meaning I was feeding her 'customers'. Even more disturbing was when Charlie & Dima engaged in the act of creation not more than 6 inches away from my right foot when I was outside for a cigarette. They even turned so I could watch the action clearly. Kitty Porn.
But its OK now. The boys are gone and Dima remembers that I'm her favorite human ever. She returned to my room and curled up, exhausted, on my Martha Stuart fleece blanket by my head.
Expert Extraordinare
Straight up Moldovan exaggeration or not - but I've been presenting seminars left and right for Natasha's Cimislia Micro-University for Micro-Business. I've pitched - 'How to select a Good Business Idea', 'How to Write a Business Plan' and I've moderated a round table of local store owners. Still on the docket: 'Marketing' and moderating round tables of local restaurant owners and bakery owners. With any luck, the Embassy will send a body or two to catch my April 1 'Marketing' performance. The 7-week series of bi-weekly seminars will be wrapping up the week I leave for London. Nuts. Turnout has been good and the attendees are committed. Overall, an excellent project.
Aside from the seminars I'm embroiled in youth activism -- Verginia, my host weasel, and her friends want to do a cleanup/beautifying campaign for their school. Plant flowers, install some benches, paint the fence, possibly buy a fence to partion off the area where they burn garbage, etc. To raise money - I suggested a penny war and we;re trying to get everybody's ducks in a row and start the fundraising the first week in April. Although she can be a real handfull, I'm so proud of her for thinking about the community. In America community service is a concept we grow up with - but here, its as radical as soft toilet paper. (By the way, we ran out of TP last week and as a kind gesture, and a necessity, I donated a roll of Suzanne-donated Charmin to the bathroom. I was in tush heaven - but the household consensus (and from Bunica & Bunel who come to our house to do #2) was that the American toilet paper was 'TOO SOFT'. Freaks.)
Let's not forget the overly-ambitious Mihai Stanbul and his multi-thousand dollar cinema/disco/cafe. I'm currently embroiled in creating his projected budget and cash flow. He's got somewhat misguided (not that he'll listen to me) hopes of wining a venture capital investment. At least we'll be totally prepared to create his loan documents when the venture capital thing falls through. (Not to be negative - but OY! a lot of money has been spent already and I'm not sure how he plans on recouping $16,000USD.)
Technology Comes to Topala
In true Moldovan style, the village without central gas heating and water yet -- got internet. The mayor's office of Topala is finally on-line and the mayor couldn't be more delighted. After connecting (which was such a drawn out-3 week-mess) he started searching for information on geese. Laura and I were terrified he was going to surf to some goose-porn related site in the presence of his 8-year-old daughter Dina. We relaxed - and then taught him about his email account ([email protected] - send him an email, he'd get a HUGE kick out of that.)
The website is a God-send for poor Laura - trapped in the boonies with literally nothing to do. The new disco being build by Radu & Alek won't be open until late spring and I'm pretty sure she doesn't like knocking back 50g of bad vodka at the All Guy's bar (nudie pictures on the walls) owned by Seyanya.
But some things Never Change
And you thought the American election was exciting. After the dust settled, the Communist party took 40% of the vote, the coalition Moldovan Democrat party nabbed 21% and the Socialists, Christian Democrats and a whole bunch of even littler parties took the rest. But that's not all. We STILL don't know who is going to be president because the Communists can't get to the 61% of the parlimentary votes needed to take the presidentcy and if the other parties don't play ball after 3 votes -- (inhale sharply here) -- the election is deemed invalid and WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION. As this is probably too exciting of an option to hope for - I bet a few of the other parties' folks will join w/the MCP -- but almost every other party had their people sign documents saying they' NEVER join forces with the Communists. Puts a kink in the electoral process. And there is no news coming from the government at all about this - only the occasional skirmish between political pundits on TV.
COMING HOME COUNTDOWN: LESS THAN 7 MONTHS