March 16, 2013

I got up at three in the morning after spending a lot of time just tossing and turning in bed, perhaps anxious about a myriad of things. The thought of not being able to find my flash drive and having to recreate everything I had in it practically gave me a panic attack, so I turned on my computer and looked for the presentation on humor I had worked on last week and found I still had an earlier version of it at least.

After a couple of hours of doing other tasks, I felt sleepy enough to go back to bed and then was up again by half past eight. I had agreed to meet with Willoughby at quarter to eleven so she could accompany me to the seamstress for my fitting as she too wanted to have a few things custom made. It had been raining all night apparently and the temperature had barely reached the low 40s.

We boarded the marshrutka and got to the market just as the skies were beginning to clear up a bit. I had no trouble retracing my steps and finding Baktigul, the seamstress. She pulled a shower curtain around one of the corners of the little cubbyhole where three of them work and had me try the pants first, which were way too tight, but she assured me there was plenty of material to let them. The jacket came next and she used the tailor chalk to make many marks to assure it would fit me to a T.

Willoughby was very impressed with Baktigul’s professionalism and once she was done with me asked her for a similar suit except she likes the flare pants as opposed to my slim legs. When her measurements were taken, we proceeded downstairs to find the same fabric as mine and all the other notions needed. Willoughby also bought some fabric to have a couple of blouses made for the suit and a long skirt.

We had lunch at the same little bistro I had eaten with Damira and then traveled to the Ala-Too Square where an arts and craft fair was taken place. I wanted to see if I could find some souvenirs to take home, especially a felt hat for Heidi, and some colorful cushions. It wasn’t raining anymore, but it was a bit windy and cold as we proceeded from kiosk to kiosk looking at objects coming from Uzbekistan and even Afghanistan.

                 City employees were installing the announcement for the upcoming Naruz festival.

I bought a couple of cushion covers, a colorful hat from Afghanistan, and a pair of earrings intended for Stephanie. We ran into an American teacher from Seattle who works at the QSI School, the first I’ve met so far.

I was falling asleep at this point, so we went to the Masal coffee house right across the street and had our usual picks. Willoughby indicated that Gulnara was willing to host the book club meeting for April and she had suggested doing so at this café. We looked at the menu and confirmed they had sandwiches and pizza and the level of noise was not too uncomfortable. I’d be relieved if I don’t have to host next month.

We walked to the Beta stores stopping first at the French wine shop Rebecca had mentioned to us and found the prices way too expensive. Once at the store, Willoughby and parted ways, I bought the spread I had tasted at Martha’s house and some pastry for breakfast and then walked home.