The future: brown, moist and smelly! nice prospect

It would be good if one could read the contents of a nappy/diaper and read the future. Mine would say brown, moist and smelly! nice prospect. Well why not, people claim to be able to read tea leaves/coffee beans, so why not nappies? Christmas is canceled, at least for me, Russians celebrate if it from the 6th of January. They all take holidays from the 31st of December for about 10 days. I have been told this by some of my English students. I'll be teaching on Thursday and Friday this week. We soon reach the end of another year. Last year was a big one for me, a happy birth, a sad death, a move to a new country. Life and death go hand in hand. Sorry, I can feel myself becoming melancholy again, snap out of it man!

Time to dig out the Christmas decorations, where ever they are? Lost in the move, broken or hidden in the cupboard somewhere? Can one buy a turkey here in Moscow? probably for a price. I have always preferred duck or goose cooked in the oven with roast potatoes. I am told Russian don't eat anything special at Christmas, well this makes sense since they don't celebrate it in our way. Before I knew this, I though they might eat Carp as they did in Slovakia where we used to live for five happy years. I tried it once, it was full of tiny bones, I can't be bothered with fish when its full of bones.  I could do with some mince pies, Christmas cake and a nice log fire to fall asleep in front of. My flat does not have a log fire, only a multitude of radiators. Luckily, my child is too small to demand certain Christmas presents, but I know that will come later. He is walking round the flat pushing his music toy on wheels. He can't yet walk on his own, but looks like a drunk man cutting the grass, when he is pushing his toy round the flat in staggering stop start fashion. He may be walking in a month or two?

What will next year bring, politically, morally or socially the world over? more of the same or better? I like to think better. What New Year resolutions will I make? drink less or not at all, be more tolerant and see more of the positive side of life. That's my plan anyway, I hope I achieve it. I'd also like to visit other parts of Russia and will report back to you dear reader when I do. Happy Christmas and New Year.