Random Thoughts: How did it get to be Wednesday already? Part one

Where has the time gone? All we know is that it has GONE. Now 7 December and the weather has certainly turned here into winter, just as it has back home. This morning it is all of 20 degrees F however the one good thing is that we don't have any wind today. This posting will be in parts as our connection speed doesn't like to upload lots of photos and we have a lot to share.

We have been busy socially visiting with some of Nia's family including her mother as well as Georgian and American friends (all of whom are soon headed to the US for the holidays). It has been so good to catch up with people, many of whom we had last seen in August of 2015.

Here we are sitting with Luisa's handsome husband, Lasha, at dinner last week.

Saturday was the IWA Christmas Bazaar held in the Radisson. This was the first time we had seen the Bazaar set up in that location, as the Sheraton, its normal location, is undergoing renovation. Marty assisted with vendor check in and later in the morning was an entrance ticket seller. Our general impression was that the Radisson's space is just wrong for a Bazaar of this size. The rooms were crowded, the tables too short and narrow, and it was impossible to move around and really see things.

Maia, our silk painting and felting friend, is showing off her art work to a potential buyer.

View into one of four rooms of exhibitors.

We left the Bazaar without having purchased very much, primarily because some of the folks we usually purchased from were not there.

After the Bazaar we connected with Archil, one of the men with whom David had worked when he was here in Georgia. We were amazed at how his son, Misho now 9, had grown and developed. Attending a private school, he studies in the 5th grade and is taking English, Russian, and German - and certainly studies Geoegian as well. As we were leaving, Marty complimented Misho on his English saying he spoke it so well to which he replied (in typical 9-year old fashion), "I know." We all chuckled at this!

Sunday we got out and about in the old town; always one of our favorite places to visit. Marty captured this photo of the woman who feeds the cats and dogs near Sioni Cathedral. This photo was posted in the Google Plus photo site in the black and white street photographers group and later was selected as one of the best street portraits and moved by one of the site administrators into a special gallery. Obviously, Marty was surprised and very pleased.