Here is another note from Olga in Kamchatka about the situation in Petropavlovsk. The situation is still pretty dire, but some fuel has been getting through in tanker ships that manage to get through the ice. It's definatly not a situation that westerners like me, the webmaster, can really comprehend.
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Dear Maureen and Charlie, Yesterday, late in the evening, we were given light. For more than a week we haven't had electricity even for a minute. Now we have a short breathing space. They say it will last only three days, until the next tanker with fuel arrives. So, we lived without light, without warmth (central heating radiators were hardly warm), without TV, without our salaries, and many families even without radio. People selling candles and gas cans are making good money now. Some "new Russians" have their own generators, but they are few. Maureen, I got the package, at last. I like everything! Purple fleece pants and a fleece shirt with moose on it are "my second skin" at home. I didn't take them off even at night, as it was extremely cold at home. And when I am not at home, my children wear them in turn. Your skirt is a hit in your town, and my clothing sent by you is a hit here. Now I am warm, and comfortable, and happy. Thank you very much! I think, Maureen, you and Charlie are lucky to meet each other and you complement each other very well. Is it OK that I speak about that? I am constantly thinking of how I can leave here. Well, I'll do my best and I'll see what I can do. I am typing this message wearing your special gloves with tips cut out. It is still very cold at the library. The weather is also very cold and gusty. I think, I am healthy only thanks to the vitamins I had. Thank you for everything again. My best regards, |