When I get overwhelmed, I either go into panic mode/overdrive OR I do fun stuff to further put me behind but at least I'm having a good time.

I'm in panic mode but couldn't resist the bathroom topic <g>.

A quick Russia story...<btw, hope you liked my little joke <lol>>...we arrived at the Charleston airport around 8:30 on a Tuesday to travel to Russia. Got to Russia on Wednesday around 12:30 p.m., stumbled around for a while wondering where the rest of the group was...*finally* Sergia found Dave <he had been given a "xerox" copy of our passport photos but as I had cut my hair AND changed glasses, no one recognized me...made for FUN times at customs, let me tell you!>...Sergia, hereafter known as Col. Klink <another story to be told later> told us the rest of our American group was either <a> stuck in Armenia and couldn't get back into Russia due to some visa problems or <b> in Mari El and would show up 5 days hence.

Whatever. Dave and I climbed into a van w/Col. Klink, who spoke passable English and he was our interpreter and a driver who didn't speak English at all. This, dear Boomer Sibs, was an *extreme* leap of faith! We then began our 5 hour drive to Yaroslavl. About 2 hours into the drive, I needed to use the bathroom. Dave told Col Klink, who told the driver and thus began a series of pull overs to the side of the road, inspection of a potential site, nope, that wouldn't do because it didn't have enough cover, pull back out into the road <<<ah, the roads...sort of 2 lanes with shoulders on each side...if another vehicle needed to pass that same vehicle would just get in the, approximate, middle of the road and the two other lanes would, sort of, crowd onto the shoulders. Passing on hills gave a new meaning to the word fear. You know those Always panty liners? They are worth their weight in wet!>>> Eventually, the driver found a place that he felt would give appropriate cover and he pulled off.

Having been forewarned about ALWAYS carrying tissues, I jumped off the van and headed to tall weeds. Col Klink was laughing and my parting shot was, "hey, I'm a farm girl AND I remembered to bring tissues!" I think I spoiled it for him <g>.

I later found out roadside service is called <appropriately enough> "bush service".

At the cafe stop, Dave had to use the bathroom and they found him an outdoor johnny. I was jealous until he came back with his report. The outdoor johnny was a nice building <the "nice" part ended on the outside however> and when he went inside, there was a hole in the floor with worn places in the dirt where many, many feet had stood. Dave said there were so many flies buzzing he had second thoughts but, when in Rome, er, I mean Russia...

THANK YOU GOD we didn't ever have to do number two <as we called it when we were kids> when we were on the road. I mean, I would have it I had to but can you imagine the look on the doctor's face when I had to go get shots or something for the butt bites??? UGGGGHHHHH!

Ah, Russia...the warm, fuzzy memories will last until next year when we return...