My colleague’s husband died from the consequences of COVID. I made her a sympathy card.

Today I finished a funny little snowflake according to an online pattern. It can be used as a Christmas tree ornament. She contacted me during the day, and then I did her makeup and starching.

Tomorrow, Masha has a play at school. Today I discovered that the bottom part of the watch, which Masha’s classmate made, doesn’t harmonize at all with the top part, which I made. Therefore, I had to refine this project myself. I fastened both parts securely with wire. Then I reinforced the entire structure from the inside with sticks so that it wouldn’t collapse. And for another whole hour, she tidied up the front of the clock. But it turned out beautiful, and the children liked it!

Today I finished the top part of the clock from the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats,” which Masha and her classmates will be performing in the school theater. I tried to make them look like the ones that are in the house of the seven little goats in Efteling Park. Masha’s classmate will be making the bottom part of the watch; it needs to open so he can hide there.

Tonight there was a Halloween celebration in our neighborhood. Most Dutch people do not celebrate this holiday. He is alien to us, in principle as well. But when will there be another opportunity to dress up in something scary, decorate the house with a spooky theme, and get free candy from the neighbors? You needed to put a poster on the window; it meant that you were trick-or-treating and that people could come to your house for candy too. Anya and Masha dressed up as Hermione and the Bride of Death and went hunting. And I dressed up as Spider-Woman and treated all the characters who came to visit us. That was cool! I’ve met all sorts! But the performance lasted exactly one and a half hours, and then everything was quickly taken down, and the streets returned to their usual state.

Today at the market, at the ladies knitting, I accidentally found this doll. At first, I thought it was a vintage Stacy from Mattel, but it’s a Lucky doll from 1995 made in China by an unknown manufacturer with a rabbit logo.

From Mariupol, my mom and dad moved my straw paintings to Lviv. And this summer, Rostic and I moved them to the Netherlands. They were only in old frames that my grandfather Vanya made from available materials. It’s clear that these frameworks didn’t harmonize with each other. But then my parents came to visit, and Dad offered to reframe my paintings and make identical frames for them. A week of work, and the art gallery above the staircase is ready. Thank you so much to my dad!

At the doll and miniature exhibition, Anya found two soft Barbie dolls—Bedtime Barbie from 1993 and Slumber Party Barbie from 1994—a California Girl Beach Surf Barbie from 2003, and an old Barbie with a 1976 mold and a 1966 body. And also the Na doll! Na! Na! Surprise Juli Joyful Panda from the fourth series, but without clothes and a cosmetic bag. And we also bought a small vintage Monchhichi from the 80s by Sekiguchi (series 4). But the thing that surprised me the most was the little old man baby from Mattel Sunshine Family Little Sweets, made in Taiwan in 1973.

In the second-hand shop today I found rare little dolls from Mattel—Liana, Keeya, Becky, and Kelly. I got them all in order, and they settled into my collection.

At the doll and doll miniature exhibition, I bought a brand new baby Kelly from the cartoon “The Princess and the Pauper.”