Chesno Gold!

Yes, this time there is an exclaimation point in the title and not a question mark.

Sweden won the gold yesterday morning. I got up at 6:30am, yes, at that time on a Sunday to watch the game. Anyone who knows me, knows I am not the the sports-watchin' kind, but for a gold medal hockey game with Canada, the US, or Sweden, I will get up and watch.

It was a great game. I was so pleased, I made Swedish meatballs for dinner in honour of our boys. Congratulations Sweden!

Chesno Gold?

Go Sweden Go!

Today Sweden beat the Czech Republic 7-3 to advance to the men's hockey gold medal game on Sunday. They will play either Russia or Finland to be determined today.

Here's hoping the Swedes can bring home the gold after such an embarrassing loss in Salt Lake City four years ago.

Chesno Loser II

I'm still a loser . . . chesno chesno.

My last post (about 15 minutes ago), was about how I missed two events last week, the commemorating of the death of my mom 10 years ago on the 15th and what would be the 84th birthday of my grandfather on the 22nd.

Now, my grandfather wasn't perfect and I don't know a fraction of the terrible things he did, but to me he was a wonderful grandfather. I'm just sad that all my mother, aunts, and cousins didn't have the same relationship or memories of this man.

Grandpa died (like my mom), while I was overseas. However, unlike my mom, I wasn't in the Ukraine, but in Iraq when he died in October 2004. Seems I'll do anything or go anywhere to avoid a funeral. Have I told you that my paternal grandmother also died while I was overseas in 1995? That can be saved for another blog in June when the all-important 11 year milestone rolls around of that.

Grandpa was a lot of things, but if he was anything good in his life, he was a war hero. My small contribution to the effort in Iraq brought into focus just how much we didn't understand what he went through and had to live with all his life. That doesn't excuse anything he did, but it does bring understanding.

As I missed the funeral and the self-acknowledged "ghoulish" pillaging of grandma and grandpa's home by the family after the funeral, I feel lucky to own one pair of his cufflinks with a Swedish emblem on them, and a tie clip from the city where he rehabilitated after his leg was amputated in 1944. A city a live not 1/2 hour from now. Funny how a little 60 year old hunk of silver can link my past with my future. Whatever it does, it makes me feel a little better to have it.

Chesno Loser

I'm a loser . . . chesno.

Last week featured two events that I totally blew off and forgot about until yesterday. Now I did remember them weeks prior, but just not on the actual day. However, I may be okay as each event involves someone in my life who already passed away, so they will probably forgive me.

On February 15th was the 10 year anniversary of the death of my mom. I can understand missing like year 3 or 6 or even that bastard year 4, but not 10. That's a milestone. Imagine me missing my 10 year wedding anniversary this October. Wouldn't be pretty.

Now, since my father remarried 6 months after my mother passed away, it hasn't really been something we've spoken of. I think with my older brother we've spoken on one year commemorating the event. It just isn't something we do in my family. Could have something to do with the fact that my younger siblings feel essentially abandoned since my fathers' marriage and haven't seen or spoken to him in over a year. Could be that in my childhood home there is not a single picture of my mom on the wall now commemorating the nearly 28 years of marriage and 4 children they had together. Perhaps it is because my step mom talks about my mom and her health problems that caused a lot of stress in the home and marriage as though she were there and that it can justify stifling nearly 3 decades of family tradition and bonds.

Ok Tom. Put that strong face back on.

I am able to put that strong face back on I think because I am a bit more separated from my mothers' death than my siblings. It happened while I was in the Ukraine--about three months before my return. When I came home I received a VHS tape of my moms funeral and a couple weeks later the news that dad was getting remarried. Didn't know he was even dating. Well, at least I still have that VHS tape although I've only watched it that one time. Perhaps it's time to watch it again and transfer it to DVD so my children know my mom. It's going to have to happen in my home, not the one of my childhood.

Chesno Hockey

It is a sad day for North American hockey. Almost makes me glad I am at work and not watching it on TV. The US lost to Finland and Canada lost to Russia. Both are now out of the medal race. The only other team I have an affiliation with that is still in the running is Sweden (other than that silly thing about speaking Russian).
Wish I had something witty to say, but I don't and that's the chesno slova.

Chesno

Chesno.

What's that?

I lived in the former Soviet Union for two years ('94-'96), and picked up Russian fluently. I mean, I had to or the mafia (ah, the mafia), would steal my passport, only give me 150,000 Coupons for my 1 US Dollar in trade and kidnap my roommate/work companion for sale to another country like they do all their aging equipment (hello, Middle East. Do you own any Soviet military gear?)

Anyway, Chesno.

Chesno is Russian for "honest". Chesno slova literally means "honest word", but has many other meanings that are difficult to explain if you're not hip to Russian nuances, so I won't tell you. Also, having not been there in a full decade, I can't remember them all.

This blog will be my chesno slova online. Everything else I write online will be pure bull plop (especially in Yahoo! message boards). I have no real direction or theme with this blog other than chesno. It will be in the title or text of each blog somewhere, or at least I will say that it is, from a certain point of view.

Enjoy, and don't chesno my chesno with that other chesno over there. Jerk.
Told you I didn't really remember all the nuances . . .