Living in scary times

Yesterday I thought there was going to be a riot on the train to work. It stopped just outside of Riga, no explanation. After about five minutes of waiting, people were coming up to the front car and just pounding down the door to the conductor, demanding information. When he said that he didn't know how long we would be standing but he just got information from Riga that the computer system is down and we can't get in (I guess because they couldn't switch over the tracks), everyone just started yelling about how he needed to open the doors and let them out immediately. At first he said no, and I was thinking what are all these people so worked up about, there's nothing that can be done, so just sit down and relax. But they all start screaming about how they have to get to work on time or they will get let go. And I realized for a good number of them, it's probably true. When the unemployment rate is over 20%, I guess you make one mistake and your boss doesn't think twice about letting you go because there are hundreds and thousands of others who will gladly do your job, and be there on time. Yikes. So finally the conductor opened the doors, in the middle of nowhere (at least I had no idea what we were even close to or where I would go) and people start jumping out of the train landing in snow banks (no platform). Madness. In the end we ended up getting into Riga half an hour later than scheduled, and I still made it to work before school started. I spent the day feeling very grateful to have an employer that would have been understanding in such a situation.

I have been mulling over completing my thoughts about "home in LV" all week. Yesterday I actually started taking some notes on the train ride home, so we'll see if I can't cook something up by the end of this weekend.

I thought I was losing my mind when I heard birds chirping outside this morning, but I just saw them flying from tree to tree, so clearly nature begins to wake up when the temperature goes from -28 to -2. We still have 40 cm of snow on the ground (it snowed more this week), but it's another beautiful blue sky day. :)