Randomness

I am back from Auxerre where I visited my grandfather's sister and her husband and there was a lot of crying when I was leaving. Let me give you short family background:
After the WW1 a lot of people from a part of Slovakia where I am from went to work to France and among them my great-great-grand parents. I am not sure for how long they had been there but they left their two older children in Slovakia with their grandparents and only the youngest boy was in France with them. One sunny summer day, my great-great-grandmother took two children to the train station, told them to go to France search for their parents and left. There my crying grandfather (who was 2 years old) and his sister (who was 4) were found by a neighbor who immediately sent a letter to France and their father came for them. (Maybe my great-great-grand mother would have come to pick then up later in the day, but we will never know now). The little girl said that she would never ever return to Slovakia and speak to her grandmother. Strong words for a 4-year old, no? They spent around 16 years in France. In summer 1938 the youngest son went to Slovakia to visit his grandparents, but then the Germans did a move and occupied Czechoslovakia and proclaimed that those who do not return back to Czechoslovakia their lands and all property will be confiscated. So my great-grandparents decided to go back to Slovakia. The day when they were supposed to take their train, my grand-father's sister then 18 or 19 said that they either leave her in France or she would jump under the train. Well, she stayed in France and everybody else went back. WW2 started and then the Communists got the power in Czechoslovakia and it was impossible to cross the borders. 18 years passed until she was able to see her family again. They communicated through letters but it is not the same! She and her husband and their son came to Slovakia in 1958. It seems that US immigration is nothing compared to what they had to go through. Different authorizations, journey planed hour by hour, check-up on them every two days while in Slovakia and no less than 5 solders aiming at them with machine guns at the border. Then they came back to Slovakia in 1962, and then in 70's also with their son's wife. Her colleagues asked her not to go there because they were sure she will starve to death. However, she was nicely surprised that we had a lot of food, although she still seems to have a trauma from border crossing (machine guns and stuff) and she was scared to death that they will not be allowed to go back to France. And also she soon understood why they had car trunk full of stuff (jeans, dolls etc)- there was nothing in stores in Czechoslovakia and people waited for hours before stores open to get necessities. My parents went to France when I was 3 in 1988. They had to leave me at home, otherwise they would not be allowed because of an immigration threat. They brought me a lot of colorful toys and clothes because everything we had at stores at home was gray or brown. My French family came again in 1989, my sister was 6 months old and they brought me a Barbie doll, a real one from Matell. That was cool, I was one of few girls in our town who had such a doll! Then me and my parents went to France in 1991 (I think) and that was the last time I saw my French family. I do not know why we never went there or why they never came, but every year my parents were saying we should go but we never went. Of course we called them sometimes but since my grandfather died it has been very sporadic. There is one part of a family that lives in Czech Rep and they visit France almost every year, at least something for my aunt and uncle (but this family does not speak French).
Then last year I came to France and we met after 18 years. Also my sister came to visit, and I could really see how my aunt was thrilled to see her because my sister is 21 and the last time they saw her she was 6 months old. I also tried to get my Slovak cousins to came but they could not because of work.
Only my aunt can speak Slovak, her husband and their son and his wife can't, therefore I am sure that my uncle and cousin (more like my father's cousin) were really glad to see me because I am the only one from their Czechoslovak family who they can talk to, since I am the only one who speaks French.
My aunt just turned 90 and my uncle is 88 and since I am leaving for the US in 3 weeks and do not know whether I will ever come back, they (and I) know that it was probably last time we saw each other and they were both crying when I was leaving. It is just really sad. I will try to call them often.

Now history lesson is over and moving on to the running side. I did 15k this afternoon and now I am icing my shins like crazy. I taped the right one and it seemed to help because no pain. Only occasional sharp pain in my left shin. I will tape both of them tomorrow and will stay on soft surface. And my calves hurt, a lot. No idea what that is.
Also, I am a real distance runner now. I lost a toe nail for the first time in my running life. I have had occasional black toes, but never lost a nail. And it is weird because this happened during the adventure race I did in February and the nail fell off only now. I hope it will be ok. It is scary. Now I know that for races when there is a lot of ups and down and moisture I need to wear sneakers half a size larger that my road running sneakers.

And I almost forgot. If you do not know (and you probably don't), the Ice Hockey Championship is taking place in Germany right now. Slovakia-Russia 3-1. Crap! Ok, I know the championship started only now and it was only the first match but I already have a feeling that a new Canadian coach of Slovak national team will not have a very long career with our team...

Happy running!