February 23 is Army Day

Army Day is one of the big holidays here in Russia, right up there with New Years. The Soviets started Army Day some years ago, I'm not quite sure when. Probably after the Great Patriotic War. As the name suggests, it honors the veterans that have served in the wars. The Russian Federation still celebrates Army Day. Kids get the day off from school, most people have the day off from work, and people get together with friends and family for the day. Army Day is also extended towards fathers and all men in general, not just veterans. So I guess it's Men's Day, which I appreciate because I got to partake of the 20 something different types of potato and cabbage salad that the ladies at church made for us men-folk. I spent most of Army Day with my neighbors Nikolai and Galina and Tanya (their daughter) and Kolya (Tanya's son). We cooked shashlik (similar to shish kabobs) outside as it was snowing lightly. We ate inside, of course, and had a lot of food and a little "Hammer and Sickle" brand vodka. Russians love making food for holidays. It was a good day.