Chronicle of devastation Bashny.Net

My mother gave me to read a unique document - its records about restructuring, fifteen notebooks. And allowed to quote.

It's amazing. I had no idea that it was so serious.
(Which is also very surprising: it also had to manage to raise children so that they do not soared on this subject - in such circumstances). I do not remember anything.

While there was no water, I was wondering about the future: when the bulbs burn out remaining, will have to use candles, but the problem lies in matches. I was left with 225 matches, plus American souvenirs - 234. For more enough for the winter, to spend two matches a day. (11.11.1990)

This morning we decided to disassemble the cupboard, which started up in a strange big mole. It nests in the pasta and red pepper. I had never seen such a moth, and from no one heard of such creatures lived in the products. We took to the balcony of cereals and grasses, where someone crawling in the hope that they will freeze. Then he will need to warm it in the oven to get rid of animals. And then you have to sort through it all. (28.11.1990)

The shop sold potatoes (unusual), and her mother stood in the queue. And the witness was the fight between the two shopper: 70 years old lady wanted to get a point in the queue, and the lady standing there 40 years, did not want to let her potatoes soon ended, and all dispersed. (30.11.1990)

In the evening I read "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. Brutalization of boys on a desert island reminds me brutalization of our people in line for food. (10.12.1990)

January 20 on Sunday, spent several passes: cereal - 1 (0, 5 kg of barley), pasta - all four (4 packages of 0, 5 kg of noodles), sugar - all four (4 packs of 1, 5 kg) Eggs - 2 coupon (24 eggs - is give 12 eggs per ticket). 27, spent 29 left. Already half.
To tell the truth, it was my first trip to the store since the card I'm just afraid of stores, watching the cold tails and heard plenty of stories about injuries received in the queues. And not for nothing afraid. The impression I got, and the truth is very painful. If it was not with me A. (my father prim.asena), I would have never been able to understand the complex system of "commodification". First you need to clear a check in hand - but you need to know how much I put on one card (and to them it's not written!), And count how much it costs - based on the price per 1 kg. (22.01.1991)

In the evening, at nine o'clock in the finance minister (or premier? I do not remember) Pavlov said on TV that the 100- and 50-ruble banknotes from now invalid! And all must, within three days to exchange them or just pass the savings bank (so you get new ones). And who does not have time - sorry! (22.01.1991)

...

The town celebrates the "return of the historic name." However, it was returned for a long time. June 12 referendum was held, and 55% of the residents were for the "Saint-Petersburg". After that - for the official renaming - we had to wait for the decision of the Supreme Soviet of Russia. And how much we waiting for - I do not know. (However, on envelopes, I have already written in the return address "St. Petersburg"). But in August there was a revolution, after which the decision was made instantly. And from the end of August we live in St. Petersburg. (07.11.1991)

A year ago, when I started to write this "Chronicle", I believe that we are on the verge of complete ruin. However, last winter has passed quite tolerably situation in the city in the last week of March was terrible. Because April 2 everything had become more expensive, and people immediately bought up everything that appeared in stores. And in the last few days nothing appeared. especially catastrophic situation was with the bread - it was not at all. In April, when prices rose in the stores does not appear the expected abundance, but still buy something was possible. When there is another product of the new price, people first get used a few days, and then it began to buy up. But on the whole situation with the products in April it was better than in winter and autumn. (07.11.1991)

On the road, in the train, garrulous neighbor talked with Asya and ideological differences emerged. Asya often in such situations. Because, for example, Lenin for Asya - the evil Communist who "killed rabbits with a stick on the head" and made havoc in the country. But Tsar Peter I for her highly respected figure, the founder of St. Petersburg. Often older people are trying to convince her. Allegedly, Peter was a villain, killing thousands of ordinary people, and Lenin - the deliverer of the people. But Asya they do not believe. (07.11.1991)

A. started working on the northern CHP. In English it is called the position of «network administrator», but if you translate - "network administrator" - sounds like something not very serious. In fact, it refers to a local area network (ie several computers working together in the name of some challenging targets) and the person operating it. This is a very promising work - in the sense that in a city such networks yet, but will eventually be too much. (07.11.1991)

With our cat dissidents have some problems. The first time we were able to buy fish. I mix it with a bun and egg, and the cat was quite pleased. And now, when there is no fish, and meat also appears very rarely, you do not have to feed a cat a cat. Or soup or a kind of "gruel" of rolls with egg. Poor dissident! (12.11.1991)

A. came home from work and told me that there was a rumor about monetary reform NOVEMBER 16: urgent need to spend all the money. Well, we have not enough of them! Of course, for tomorrow we will not have time to buy anything.
I called my mother and told about it. In response, she told me another story from the life of the socialist state. Yesterday she put into the store all the milk bottles and glass jars. she did not say anything. And when it wants to buy a bottle of milk, she was not allowed: only in exchange for an empty bottle!
And today in the store there is such a pattern: people flinging cream (who - with a spoon, and some stick!) From the store jars in their dishes, and dirty empty containers returned to the seller. And just poured milk into their bidonchiki and empty bottles returned. Where else can you see this! (14.11.1991)

A. Today, tried to buy bread. I walked 6 stores, but to no avail. But bought cakes "potato" for 87 kopecks. As Marie Antoinette said about the fact that people do not have bread, "No bread? So let them eat cake! "So we did. (16.11.1991)

Now we save the bread: 1 loaf and ate half a loaf today (for four people, and even in the absence of other nourishing food, it is not much!), And the same is left for tomorrow. However, tomorrow will need to save even more - to leave a piece of bread on Monday morning for breakfast. A day will come, and my mom would bring bread from Sosnovy Bor, where he has reason.
Do I have a compulsion to pull out of the kitchen cabinets all our reserves of cereals and pasta, and carefully calculate how many months we hold out. In fact, until the summer of just over half a year. And then there is the nettle, quinoa ... And if all will develop successfully and be able to plant a vegetable garden, at the beginning of the summer and will have sorrel and chives.
In general, the need to ensure the survival of our family for 6 months. However, with such a precarious situation, I do not know whether or not further worse. Therefore, it is difficult to decide how to spend the products. If you just take for granted that stocks in general will no longer be replenished, the daily dose will be very small. And it may be the victim of a vain, if any inflow of products will still be. And if we assume the possibility of such inflow of waste products and they are not very sparingly - ie first to eat normally, do not go hungry - it can turn the other way around: the product is not enough for 6 months.
The peculiar problems of residents of St. Petersburg late XX century!
So we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the blockade: repeat the situation when the fall 41 th (91 th?) On cards something else you could get, and 42 minutes (92 minutes?) Brought a real hunger . (23.11.1991)

And yet I had a "garden" - perhaps this is the first garden in my life. I found that some bulbs (sold in stores some raw) began to sprout, lying under a table in a drawer for vegetables. And so I decided to take their behavior: to grow green onions. (03.12.1991)

By the way, this month has decreased the rate of issuance of sugar 1 kg instead of 1, 5 per person. Those. Our family will receive 4 kg instead of 6. If you consider that I do not eat sugar, and Alexander rarely home, then hit have on children. They drink a few cups of tea with sugar a day (because longer something they had nothing to drink). Hence, one packet of sugar (1 kg), they have stretched to a week - is 140 g sugar per day for the entire family. Assume 1 cup needs 10 g of sugar. Suppose Asya Nikita drinking 5 cups of tea a day - that is, 50 grams of sugar. And more is on the two large cups A. - for breakfast and dinner. (03.12.1991)

Today, crazy day. First - the epic Pepsi-Cola. And here we are with Asya came into the store, approached the cashier, and ... there it was! It turns out that Pepsi sell only happy owners of empty bottles of it away! It makes me very angry, and we went home. There I looked in the bag with empty bottles, and, to my delight, found out there as much as 13 bottles of suitable! (And I wanted to buy a 14: almost the same). So I hurriedly (as lunchtime approached) collected the unfortunate glassware and suffered a sad burden to the store. (I can not wear such severity, but the wait was risky: it could be left without Pepsi forever). Fortunately, everything went well, and soon I was back home with two bags instead of 13 bottles. At home, I figured, how many bottles leave for the holidays: get 10 (plus two more bottles of "Baikal"). So 3 could drink "black day", as it is called. Those. one ... but rather two - at once. Then a third leave of A. But then today we can release the 3 bottles and buy them another 3 complete! So we did. (12.12.1991)

The newspapers write that the price will be free January 2. Three months after Yeltsin's statement that he will send prices. During these three months, they jumped that no official "price liberalization" could not inflate their way.
More wrote that the cost of living in St. Petersburg is now 473 rubles / person. per month. So, for our family it will be 1892 rubles. per month. Not enough to a minimum 782 rubles. Those. Our family also below the poverty line, as well as the vast majority of our fellow citizens. (14.12.1991)

In the meantime, go to your "economic" issues. Butter we can buy another 500 g (500 g First, we still managed to stretch to two weeks, and today in the nipple still have a small piece of butter). Sugar we still have nearly 3 kg - 1 kg per week, and the last half of the package - on pastry needs. (But this month we had a 5 kg rather than 4, as will continue!)
So, if I want to bake two cakes - Christmas and New Year - I need: 1) MAX 3 cans of condensed milk, 500 grams of butter, 800 grams of sour cream, 2 cups of sugar; 2) MIN: 2 cans of condensed milk, 100 grams of butter (here, MAX - when each cake contains two types of cream: oil and sour cream, and MIN - when they do without the cream, with a jam). But for MAX we would have until January to live without butter that does not suit me. (14.12.1991)

About homemade yogurt. First attempt: Tuesday night I got divorced and milk into the jar (about 700 g) is very warm milk add 2 tsp thick cream. All this I wrapped him in a towel and put it on the night near the battery. On Wednesday morning, "yogurt" (or rather, yogurt?) Was ready. It was very thick and flakes (as happens with the old yogurt). Still, I drank half a cup of "considerations of utility." (19.12.1991)

I wanted to buy, and gifts for the New Year. With children it easier to all: no toys, but we do not need, and good books are on every corner. I bought them. Parents, too, I was able to buy different things: the pope - can of beer (he told me he wanted to try but expensive), and my mother - a jar of cream with propolis. Myself, I wanted to buy something useful: cream, shampoo, etc. But I did not see anything suitable. A. And generally failed. I was thinking about 3-4 pairs of socks. In the fall, they cost from 10 to 15 rubles for a couple, and I believe that such a rate is quite expensive for me. And what? The cheapest (inferior) men's socks now cost 50 rubles, and the rest - from 80 and above. (24.12.1991)

He was with a little money and he bought us some bread and some sausages. Like the good old (?) Times: buy small pieces of sausage on one day - and eat as fresh! (And when the coupons - necessarily buy a kilogram, which soon turns green and becomes edible only fried). (06.01.1992)

On the street. Rustaveli was a huge queue at the cashier, because We sell milk (in cardboard boxes: 1 l - 1 p 50 kopecks). We decided that we stand for 2 hours. For milk - is silly. (There was nothing else). In the neighborhood, however, all it was - were given sunflower oil coupons. But it is not so important for us - DF He gave us a magnificent gift: a liter of sunflower oil. And in front of the store was completely deserted, and there were two products: boiled sausage (61 rubles) and cheese (31 rubles). We bought (without coupons!) For a pound of both. (07.01.1992)

A. Today went to the shop - there were only small dried sand rolls, has risen in price over the year by more than 10 times. Five pieces cost almost 8 rubles. House no bread, no butter, no sugar. And for a long time. Fish for Cat stored in the autumn, too, comes to an end - I'm saving both her and the poor dissident plaintive meows and requests are. Soon the children came from vacation from Sosnovy Bor (where everything is better today, I called my mom and she said that the bread is all the time, and yesterday even sold cheese at 5 rubles (!!!) per kg) and meowed plaintively have prompted. (12.01.1992)

Today, more expensive products. Muffin is now worth 04.05 rubles (instead of 1-2), and even S.Boru 8 liters of milk - 13 rubles. Chocolates - 250 rubles. 1 kg. So, if earlier "miserable life" presupposed milk, a loaf of bread, and the most simple candy (it was food for the poorest), now a bottle of milk and a loaf cost about 11 rubles (about caramels talk is no longer necessary) - that is, 30 days it will be 330 rubles. What will survive those who are of roughly the pension should even pay the rent for the phone and for what else? (16.01.1992)

In stores now lie sweets, waffles, biscuits. No one takes. But to be honest, I'm more like than not. I know that if I really need candy, then I will be able to carve out this unfortunate hundred of its budget, and buy what I need. This is normal.
However, I am concerned about something else: changed my attitude to food. It was somehow unhealthy. The piece will not go into the throat. All the time I think, so I eat 4 rublin (rather than sausage), so I eat 4 more rublin (not bun and candy), so I eat as much as 8 rubles (not grapefruit)! It's awful frustrating! And probably bad for the digestion. (23.01.1992)

Examples:
1) one piece of meat (small) with a bone - 4 soup lunch.
2) polkuritsy (small) - 3 soup lunch.
3) polkuritsy - plov 2 dinner
4) Bank stew (small) + pasta - 2 lunches.
So you can calculate how much we can hold on what is in the refrigerator.
And the fact that we can now buy for "meals" are only good sausage 1 kg for 84 rubles I manage to stretch the 4 afternoon, ie 1 dinner out 21 rubles (not counting, say, potato, which, frankly, to cook for 5-10 rubles to all ate). (26.01.1992)

Yesterday we experienced a shock: A received the "humanitarian assistance" - a box of food from Germany. This power of Hamburg thus support the power industry St. Petersburg. (14.02.1992)

I have a feeling that the disruption ends. They promised a heavy winter - yes, "Talon" December was a difficult (due to the fact that "free prices" promised in October, and decided to enter only in January). In January, there was a shock because of the new prices, but there was no famine. Before the summer was four months. Poobscheschali that they really something terrible will not apply! And now coming to the end of February. What do we see? The people calmed down; prices are not shocking. Queues somewhere there, but I believe that it is possible to do with what is sold without turn - and this is all in addition to sugar, butter, vegetable oil, meat from Europe. At our house we are there are some stocks of these four products, so I do not feel any anxiety. When stocks run out, we will think what to do.
But even if the remaining three months before the summer really will be "hungry" (as we promise to continue), we - I do not doubt! - Shall hold on stocks of cereals, pasta and milk powder that has accumulated at home. Therefore, the future does not scare me at all.
And yesterday, in our shop the first time in years (!), I saw the devastation cheese! Without any queue! For 156 rubles and kopecks, grade - Bukovina. (I would prefer the Dutch or Swiss, but they are, I do not dream). I bought for the first time 200, the small piece that will last for 2 days. Of course, the price increase in 52 (!) Times (3 rubles) is impressive! But there is a road better cheese than IS NOT cheap. (20.02.1992)