Postcard from Novgorod, Russia

I was going through a box of ‘stuff’ down in the basement… in my quilt room, looking for safety pins. I use them to hold a quilt top, the inner batting and the backing together. I know… I KNOW I have a tin of them somewhere I don’t understand how these somewheres always take over my organization. That skill is somewhere too… Anyway. While looking through a bin of items. I found a great box of postcards.

I loved to save postcards. Some I sent and folks gave them back to me, some I received over the years, over the many moves. I have three that my nephew sent from his trips to Africa. Most are memories of our trips to Disney Land and Disney World never mailed, but one stopped me cold.

The front photo is of Novgorod: a church of St. Paraskeva on the Market Place. It must have been built in the 13th Century. Novgorod is close to Moscow and is in Russia. In 1984 it was in the USSR, and was not in an area that leaned forward to visiting tourists.
My folks went there, and bought this postcard. Mom had a harrowing experience in the hotel. Mom wrote: “Hi Deb & kids
I just survived a very horrifying experience yesterday while showering I slipped and did a back flip right out of the tub. I called Dad as I knew – I felt it) That I split my head open. I was petrified at the thought of staying in a Russian hospital with a concussion. We went to the hosp. where NO ONE could understand us. They put in 8 – 10 stitches and let me go. I am O.K. today and wearing a bonnet bandage which everyone on tour likes.
Love Mom”She slipped fell, went to the hospital in the back of a truck, sitting up on a metal bench, bouncing all the way. The docs wore blood stained jackets, and the Emergency Room had a large rust stained sink where utensils lay on a counter. The needle that they used to stitch her head was dull and reused. She was given a stinky pillow to bury her head in to muffle her cries of pain as they stitched. AIYYYYYYYYYYYY. Proof of the proverb: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. She was the best! A terrific strength exuded from her with underscores of love, wisdom and humor. Thanks Mom.byDeborahonMonday, January 11, 2010Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to PinterestMilitary Life:Deborah,memories,postcards