Olivia's Baptism

 On Saturday, November 4th - our granddaughter Olivia Dianne Fairbanks was baptized by her father.
We were allowed to Face Time from a cell phone - here is Georgia showing us her cheese sandwich as we watched Olivia open presents.

 Olivia loves her 'Baptism Doll' - and we love her!

 What a cute, happy baby boy!

Sorry about the light in Olivia's face ... we know there were lights in her eyes - sweet girl.  It was awesome that earlier we had the baptism of two sisters here in Novosibirsk, Russia!  The gospel is true and the only way to be happy here and hereafter!  Congrats to Olivia!

Mystery metal boxes

 When we visit the chapel on left bank - 2nd Branch - we noticed these metal lids on a box in the ground...they are in between older apartment buildings and we didn't know what they were - vents for the underground hot water pipes?  graves? 

 Some were propped open - some were not - Elder Heiselbetz wondered if they were 50-60's bomb shelters?

 The trees at the back of the picture have grown up around an old house -fallen down.

close up of our mystery boxes - I printed a picture and took it to the office last week and one of the Russian brothers who works there and speaks a little English told me ... ' they are - where people put their potatoes, carrots ... So they are root cellars!   Mystery solved!!  People have land out side of the city - some of the branches had lower attendance in the summer when people were out working their land ... then they bring their harvest back to town and store it in these root cellars, at least they used to.  Not many looked currently used - but maybe. 

Old Trolley and Fall Gardening

 This is an older electric trolley that we saw on the left bank downtown ... pretty cool we think!

 Around our apartment building the gounds keeper put wheelbarrows of dirt on top of the grass and flowers.

 More of the grass being covered up for winter - we think.  We will wait and see what happens in the spring when it warms up - maybe the dirt helps insulate the plants against the bitter cold!

My white rose and fur hats and boots

 Here is the pretty white rose a young man gave me waiting for the metro - he heard us speaking English and wanted to practice his!  He was so gracious and nice.

 Pretty huh? and it has lasted a week - I put a plastic bag over it to walk the four blocks from the subway to our apartment building.

 These are the sneakers shoes for the winter - furry inside!

 These are real fur boots - picture doesn't do justice to how beautiful and warm they look.  These are at a street vendors stand.

 Another street vendor was selling fur hats - so pretty and I'm sure very warm.

Hod Carrier, Baby buggies and a rabbit's foot

 We saw some men working on building a brick wall - next door to our apartment building...I can't take pictures of Russian people without their written consent - unless they can't be identified - but later they were gone and they left their hod carrier where I could get a picture of it ... interesting - and it works really well.

 This is the brick wall they were working on - just that small corner.

 Picture from further away - very much manual labor here - workers with pick and shovel working on roads, etc.  Very industrious and diligent!

 We were walking by this apartment building and I wanted you to see the baby buggy - so cute - and the cover on top goes all over so the baby stays warm!!  We are told that in the snowy weather they attach sled runners to the wheels!

Another stroller picture.

Totally random - but this is a local meat market - just wanted you to see the rabbit for sale - leave the foot on so you can tell, I guess.  I no longer think a 'rabbit's foot' is a good luck charm!!

Eastern Europe Area Broadcast

 Our Mission rented the upstairs conference room at the Marriott Hotel for the Eastern Europe Area Broadcast - Sunday October 29th.  I can not post pictures of the people but here is the lovely staricase leading upstairs and the ceiling to floor lighted column - and the bottom picture of the ceiling lights.

Some of the young volunteers mentioned that this is as close as we can get to having a temple in Novosibirsk right now!!

Happy Halloween

 Thanks to my sister Susan - we have this cute Happy Halloween Card ... used it all month in our apartment and then took it to the Mission Office on Halloween ... not celebrated much here.  Some of the elders were trying to explain 'Trick or Treat' and the members said their neighbors would shoot them!

 Delicious Jack-o-lantern cookies made by Sister Lamb - getting ready to eat them - the AP's!

Sister Lamb and I both wore orange and black to our Staff meeting on the 31st - We are in the office helping out while the Office Couple take a visa renewal trip.

Here's the cute card - along with the candy dish that is hard to keep filled!!  Have loved helping out in the office.