Novodevichy Convent

We visited the Novodevichy Cemetery where many famous people are buried. Unfortunately we did not have a plan in English and as all the tombstones are in Russian we could not really identify anyone at all. But it is an astonishing place as the Russians seem to go in for having busts and statues of the dearly departed and these are most effective.

Last night I realised at about midnight that Monika was not sitting on or in front of my PC keyboard where she spends an extraordinary amount of time – so I went looking for her. I scoured the house from top to bottom twice – no Monika.

I went out into the stairwell and started walking down the stairs. On level five I found a very cold and frightened Monika – who was very pleased to see me indeed. The scratch marks in my back and arms will heal with time.

She had been outside since about 5:30 when I got back from doing some shopping – and she must have darted out the door when I came in. She is certainly much braver that she used to be – and I hope this experience slows her down a bit.

Some of our windows open just a couple of inches and I leave our bedroom ones open at night because it is always so hot in the bedroom – no idea why – always has been. This morning at 4:00 AM I awoke to the sound of Sissi worming her way out onto the window sill – six floors above street level. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it – she is a tub on legs.

I had to lie awake watching CNN until about 5:30 AM when I could coax her to the kitchen window on the other side of the apartment and drag her inside by the scruff of the neck. No more open windows in the bedroom.

I had my first real bike ride of the season today and cycled my usual 30 kilometer circuit along the Donaukanal and the Donauinsel. It was still a bit cold but was absolutely wonderful. There were only a very few cyclists, walkers and roller bladers so it was quite peaceful. Just me – beetling along communing with nature.

Cate has stayed in Moscow for a couple of days and goes to Geneva on Wednesday. She will be home on Friday but leaves again on Saturday for Seoul and Jakarta. She gets back the following Friday morning – and we leave the same morning for Tuscany with the Hendos from Australia.

I just don’t know how she does it.