It’s about time to hit the New Year holidays, which all and all are 10 days long! It’s a lot of fun and family gathering, celebration and rejoice as well. This is the time when people get their presents and also give presents to others.

But as we all know presents usualy cost money (naturally, to buy them). And that’s the whole issue for Russians, especially this year (crisis, ya know). Indeed, there is a ratio in russian economy, which every russian citizen wants to keep an eye on. And it’s called Dollar Exchange Rate.

For a long time till these very days the rate was about 1:27, meaning 27 rubles (local currency) for 1 dollar. This was pretty stable over past two or three years. But recently dollar began to rise. Now it costs 29.4 rubles to buy a dollar. And the trend is set for the dollar to continue to rise…

I hope there won’t be an unexpected fall of local currency, and the floating exchange rate is seasonal (many people in Russia keep their savings in dollars, rather than in rubles, and most of them are exchanging dollars to buy presents).

Happy New Year!!!

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year!!!

God bless us all, let this holiday time be fun and wonderful!

Today I’m changing my blog’s design (once again), and I also have a Christmas recommendation for you.

Well, this won’t be much of an original recommendation, since it’s an audiobook. But most of all, the title is a very famous one. Never the less it’s a decent one. It’s the fabulous fairy story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the rich and greedy poor fellow, who hates Christmas (and all the other holidays as well).

There are several audio versions of ‘Christmas Carol’ at Audible.com. I recommend the one performed by marvelous Jim Dale. He does a precise and sensetive narration, molding the characters in his own unique manner. My favorite one is the Spirit of the Past.

This audiobook once again reminds me of the spirit and purpose not only the Christmas time, but the whole life.

I can’t express how much love and care are in those who live the longest among us. I mean our grandparents. A few days earlier my grandma passed away, and it is not only a sad event, but a very thoughtful time for me.

While flying to Perm, the city where my grandma lived with my uncle, aunt, and their son, I’ve experienced a wide range of mixed feelings. There were fears, sorrow, emptyness, but also happy memories, adorement, love. I’m so thankful to God, that I’ve had this last chance to see her.

Be happy in Heavens, Emma!