Triple Double

DOUBLE the FUN with twice as much volleyball............

Friday was another busy day at school, but we were both done after 6th hour, which, because we start so early, is before lunch, about 1:00.  So on the walk back from lunch at the Basic School canteen (aka elementary school lunchroom), Tim and I stopped by our flat to change into volleyball clothes.  Our colleague who lent Tim the bicycle has been asking us for several weeks now to join her after-school group of students and teachers playing VB 2:00-4:00 on Fridays, so we decided to go this week.  It ended up being 3-on-3 most of the time, so we played the full width of the court, but only 2/3 the depth.  Still, it was a lot of running around, very active, and lots of fun.  But, I have to admit being pretty tired afterwards!  

However, Friday being our normal volleyball day, we went home for a few minutes to drop things off, then left again at 4:30 to walk to the other gym where we played from 5:00 to almost 7:00.  Double the volleyball - whew!!  It's kind of fun that the other players are starting to coach us too (mostly in sign language - HA!) - ie. to set the ball higher, for Tim to block at the net, for me to switch in at setter after the serve, etc.  They are really knowledgeable about the game and do things right - bump, set, spike every point!  

I decided to add a few rather random photos today.......this is the Slovak version of recycling bins.  They are sitting outside most every block of flats on the streets.  We separate our recyclables and bring them out to the bins.
Left to right: Yellow=plastic; Green=glass; Blue=paper; Silver=trash.  (None for tin cans - interesting!)

DOUBLE the BASKETBALL for Tim too.............

So I got a ride with Janka to HyperNova like usual, then walked home with a few groceries for my quiet evening by myself, while Tim played basketball and went to the pub with his regular crew.  We slept well after all that physical activity, that's for sure!

Tim had agreed to play basketball with some teachers and students on Saturday morning at 9:00......and then he found out later it was a tournament lasting until about 1:30!!  He played in 4 games during the tournament (and of course the teachers' team beat the 3 student and alumni teams that were there!!)  So it was more than double the basketball!!  From what the guys all tell me, he hasn't lost his magic shooting touch or his stellar passing skills, so they really enjoy having him on their team!   :-)  

O.K. another random pic - but it just makes us laugh.  Saturday morning we got up to very cold temperatures, and it had lightly snowed again overnight, but across the way, sure enough, there was laundry out on the lines off the balconies!  (Not unusual at all, even in the winter!!)   I don't really know if the clothes dry out when they freeze and
get snowed upon????   We use the drying racks inside during the winter,  just FYI!!  

DOUBLE DATE night with Katarina and Michael............

At lunch on Friday, Katarina mentioned that they were going to see "Les Miserables" at the movie theatre in Poprad Saturday night, and we were glad that it is here in Slovakia!  After some excited conversation, Katarina engineered some plans for us to join them on a double date!!   They refused to allow us to take the train to Poprad, and instead came over to pick us up by car.  (Katarina's mom sent along some bags of apples and other good things for us to eat - so sweet!!)  We went to supper at a nice restaurant at the mall (rustic decorations and good Slovak food!) before the movie.  The Slovak subtitles didn't bother us at all, and we thoroughly enjoyed the movie!  We talked about the music, the actors, the different scenes, and the powerful themes of the film all the way home.  Wow!!  And now the songs just keep rolling through our heads all the time.  It was a very special evening with two very special friends!!  

Saturday night dinner at the Poprad mall restaurant.

Our double-date companions, Michael and Katarina.  Unfortunately with the
camera not working, the i-touch doesn't take very clear indoor pictures
since it doesn't have a flash.  It's a pity this is so blurry.    :-(  

In Slovak, the title is "Beggars".  We received a very nice multi-page brochure!
We're SOOOOO excited that we got to see "Les Miserables" here in Slovakia in such a
beautiful movie theatre (really good sound system!), with such delightful friends!!  

We have had a quiet and typical Sunday - church, Sunday dinner put into the oven, listening to our online sermon, reading the DM Register online, and Tim's nap while I blog.  :-)    We are hoping to do a lot of skyping later, when everyone there gets home from church!   

Random pic #3 for today...... we check the temperatures before church each Sunday, to decide on how many layers of clothing to wear for our walk there and back, and for the unheated sanctuary.  Today it was single digits (Fahrenheit), so this is what I wore......turtleneck + sweater + blazer;   slip + lined wool skirt + thick thermal tights + warm white socks (they don't show since my boots stay on!);  also:  boots, long wool coat, scarf,  hat,  and gloves.  And it all stayed on all through church, except the gloves!!  No one takes off their coats at all, except for Tim, but he did get cold during the sermon today.   Oh, and he even wore a stocking cap for the walk instead of his cap!  Cold day!   But no worries if you're dressed for it.    :-)