A Touch With the Tsars

A Touch With the Tsars

In the last couple of days I have once again been thinking of this time last year....So, today in honour of my memories I did another 4 pages of my Scrapbook Journal what I coin "Our Grand Day Out!"

Yes....you are correct from the Wallis and Grommit film involving some very suspicious engineering in the basement and some very "extreme sports" and wild walking on the moon.

To me out trip was a

GRAND DAY OUT

So I scrapbook to commemorate the event, today I achieved a big 4 pages...WOW I remembered how DD my 12 year old danced on a 60 foot stage at GORKY PARK in Moscow (yes the one in the film)

I also started to journal the Military Tattoo, that DS then 14 year old and hubby performed in with a MASSED PIPE BAND from around the world, in front of St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin wall, with the Red Square under their feet and Lenin's Tomb in the background......all lit up like a Christmas Tree sparkling and glorious.....Can't repeat those memories. EVER.

But there is a story to tell that needs an audience....

Wally is a Russian immigrant from our state, he diligantly taught my hubby to play Tenor Drums (the twirlly ones that have fluffy sticks). He is about 65 years old.....he went with the band to Russia, he had not seen his Russian family for 35 years, his little brother he had never even met before.

During the Tattoo his family traveled for 3 days (remember Russia is huge and spans a 1/3 of the globe, 12 or so time zones!!!) One brother, sister and his baby brother (now in his late 30's) made their way to Moscow and visited together......

Imagine their conversation, the exquisite moments of sheer joy especially between the 2 brothers that have never "met" before.....that was a moment I will never forget let alone those involved, they spent 1 night and morning together......they did not sleep....they talked and talked, laughed (Russians do not laugh all that much), drank vodka and smoked Russia Cigarettes. Then morning came, the band went to rehersals and when we drove away on the bus waving them goodbye tears welled in my eyes....oh my!!!

Wally also explained to us the honour that our bands were experiencing. There is a gate in the Kremlin that opens up onto the majestic Red Square called the Saviour's Gate. This Gate has been hallowed for years the only people that have ever walked or been driven through that gate were TSARSand RULERS... PRESIDENTS like Putin. In a majestic and concillatory gesture thee Russians allowed Pipe Bands from around the world to march from those sacred gates.

The down to earth Aussie Blokes in our band probably did not realise the significance of this Russian gesture, but Wally did!

He left Russia feeling like a Blessed and very happy man, to see those most beloved whom he had never touched or latched eyes on before, and to tread where few Russian Men have trod, in the Paths of a Tsar.....what an enormous experience it was for the Russian Immigrant from Croydon South Australian, and what an experience and priveledge to watch him feel those things.

I love life,

God has given us such a capacity to feel, think and be grateful, oh that we may be grateful to Him for his many Blessings He gives us, just like Wally was humbly grateful for the opportunity the Russia Military Tattoo gave him!

Signing of for now

Cath