# New Building

Анна Александровна Гогина

New building

April 18th

Greetings! My name is Cookie. I am a grey pigeon. I live in Moscow, on the roof of an old nine-storey house. I used to live in a ventilation vent, but recently the repair works were started on the house and all ventilation vents were covered with nets.

Today I woke up in the early morning and sought for my friend, Luna, who was sleeping on the same roof. She is of an ordinary grey color, but, to me, very beautiful. We met a year ago, near a pond, in a park. We said good morning to each other and then flew down, to the yard, where we have some linden trees planted. Our small flock has already gathered and was walking among the trees.

Now its spring. The ash trees have flowers and bird cherry has small leaves. Behind a third house from ours there are violets blooming.

Thus we were walking among the trees, pecking at occasional seeds, until someone decided to warm up a little. So we lifted into the air and made a few circles over the roofs of the nearby houses. Then landed in front of the house. In front of the house we have benches (here we often find bread crumps) and a clayey hill.

April 20th

Today in the morning I walked in the carpet of ground elder behind the houses.

Very beautiful red catkins are falling from the aspen trees.

April 27th

Under my ventilation vent, on the 9th floor there is an unglazed balcony. There are some old things lying on it - an old bicycle, some cardboards. One cardboard box was open and the lid was lying on the balcony floor. We think we will make our nest in it.

May 8th

Luna now spends a lot of time in the nest.

May 10th

Luna has laid an egg.

May 12 th

Luna has laid a second egg. We incubate them in turns in the morning and during the day - me, and in the evening and night - Luna.

May 26th

We began to prepare the nest for the chicks. I brought to Luna grass leaves and she laid them in the nest.

May 28th

Today in the morning the shell of the first egg cracked and the chick showed. It took him almost all day to get out of the shell. He was blind and all covered with yellow down.

May 30th

Today the second chick hatched.

July 11th

At last both of our chicks have flown out of the nest and we can rest.

July 13th

Today, in the second half of the day, a thunderstorm came from the west, and we hurried under the roof of the house entrance to hide. A heavy rain has started, then a thunder rumbled. The rain laid the dust to the ground and the air became fresh.

When the thunderstorm ended, we hurried from our hiding place to bathe in the puddles. When we bathe, the water washes away dust and dirt from our feathers and it becomes easier for us to fly. After bathing, when my feathers dried out, I flew a little over the houses for my own pleasure. When we fly, we like to catch the air currents. Its a lot of fun to fall down and then to rise again with the air current.

July 20th

Its hot in the city right now and we were thinking of going to the river, but a troubled thought even now often crosses our minds that we have no shelter for the winter.

On the clayey hill in front of our house there used to be an old five-storey house. Last year it has been demolished and construction works were begun on the new building. We were watching very closely as it was being built, as we thought it would be our new home. We were very curious to know how many storeys there will be in this new building and what kind of ventilation vents there will be in it. We have a fifteen-storey house built few years ago to the left of our house. These fifteen-storey houses are beginning to appear now everywhere in place of the old five- and nine-storey ones that have been for many years in this area. These fifteen-storey houses are built with ventilation vents that are located between the floors and are completely covered.

The likelihood was small, but we still hoped that this new house will be a nine-storey house with ventilation vents under the roof. Its got to be a nine-storey one, because otherwise it will block the beautiful view we have. 4 km to the north from our house we have a beautiful forest, with a glimpse of Moscow River in front and to the left of it.

August 5th

Well, its August now and the nine floors have been built. We were very disappointed as the ventilation vents in this house were being made between the floors, which means that they will be covered like in all other houses when the house will be finished.

August 11th

We are very sad, as the construction works continue.

September 20th

Since the house already has fifteen floors, we assume its going to be finished soon...

September 22nd

We marvel, as more floors are being added and the house keeps growing...

October 20th

Its fall now and the house has been finished at last. It has seventeen floors and is totally blocking the view on the forest. And all the ventilation vents in it have been covered.

October 21st

We are moving away to another area. Relocating to where there are still some five-storey houses left and we hope to find a shelter with a roof for the winter. Goodby dear home, clayey hill, benches... Goodby dear residents...