Waking up slowly to the sunshine streaming through the curtains, Сергеи Ивановитч Куликов turned to face his wife’s side of the bed expecting to see her beautiful face relaxed in the arms of sleep. Instead, he found her empty pillow still cool and fresh having not been slept on last night or any night for the past 4 years. His precious Юлиа had passed away quietly, in his arms, on April 27th, 2008. She had been sick for two years and finally succumbed to her illness on that early Spring morning after thanking Сергеи for the beautiful life they shared over the past 62 years.
Stretching his arthritic joints and willing them into submission, he slipped his feet into the slippers that were waiting for him by the side of the bed like faithful companions. The last thing Юлиа would do before climbing into bed for the night was to make sure that Сергеи’s slippers were in the right spot, ready for his feet in the morning. Now it is the last thing that Сергеи does before climbing to bed and wishing his beloved Юлиа sweet dreams in hushed and loving tones.
Breakfast for Сергеи has always been a cup of tea and one slice of dark rye bread toasted with a teaspoon of Юлиа’s homemade strawberry jam (the berries came from their garden at their дача -summer home) to make the day start off sweetly. This morning was no exception. Noticing that there are only 3 precious jars left of Юлиа’s jam, he reminded himself to speak to his daughter and ask her to make some more this summer.
Today is Friday, Сергеи thinks to himself. Many people will be leaving their jobs and going directly to their дача to relax and shed the weekday worries that build up over the course of 5 days. Today Сергеи will tidy the house and go for a walk along the river. Perhaps he will stop in a park and read his newspaper, basking in the sunlight and fresh breeze that herald the coming of Spring.
Stretching his arthritic joints and willing them into submission, he slipped his feet into the slippers that were waiting for him by the side of the bed like faithful companions. The last thing Юлиа would do before climbing into bed for the night was to make sure that Сергеи’s slippers were in the right spot, ready for his feet in the morning. Now it is the last thing that Сергеи does before climbing to bed and wishing his beloved Юлиа sweet dreams in hushed and loving tones.
Breakfast for Сергеи has always been a cup of tea and one slice of dark rye bread toasted with a teaspoon of Юлиа’s homemade strawberry jam (the berries came from their garden at their дача -summer home) to make the day start off sweetly. This morning was no exception. Noticing that there are only 3 precious jars left of Юлиа’s jam, he reminded himself to speak to his daughter and ask her to make some more this summer.
Today is Friday, Сергеи thinks to himself. Many people will be leaving their jobs and going directly to their дача to relax and shed the weekday worries that build up over the course of 5 days. Today Сергеи will tidy the house and go for a walk along the river. Perhaps he will stop in a park and read his newspaper, basking in the sunlight and fresh breeze that herald the coming of Spring.
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