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Family Is All That Matters 88 so Iosif busied himself in making a fire in the wood-burning stove, and about two hours later the cottage had warmed up enough for them to remove their heavy winter coats. Lyubov had made some sandwiches, and with hot water om the kettle on the now toasty stove, a big pot of hot tea. The couple was together and together they were happy. They spent Friday night and all of Saturday in glorious togetherness. It was wonderful. In the cramped conditions of the time, young people were always ustrated by not having privacy. So this retreat, far om other people, was wonderful. But all too soon, they had to get back to their jobs. On Sunday, the honeymoon was over, Iosif and Lyubov closed up the cottage and took the train back to Moscow. Aer a nice family visit, it was time for Iosif to go to the train terminal. In Moscow there are seven terminals; the Paveletski Vokzal terminal served cities south of Moscow. It was about 4:00 p.m. and already it was dark and very cold. Aer lots of hugging, the conductor blew the train whistle and the train started to move out of the station. Iosif reluctantly jumped on board and hung off the side of the train, waving furiously until his bride was out of sight. The next day he reported for duty. Iosif 's iends were astounded that he le for vacation a bachelor and came back as a married man. Everyone was very happy and congratulations were generous. But there was just one question: "Where is the bride?" Iosif had to explain that Lyubov would join him in March. In short order, Iosif received a letter om Lyubov that her transfer to Volsk was approved, and she would arrive on the March 5th train om Moscow. The couple had planned perfectly in an environment that was oen hostile to individual dreams. It seemed too good to be true. And it was. Lyubov's letter let Iosif know that she would not be coming alone. She would be accompanied by her mother. Apparently Malka was not quite ready to let her daughter go. She didn't say so, but Iosif understood that Malka wanted to make sure that her daughter's new home was satisfactory, that Iosif would be a good provider, and that Lyubov would be treated well. Iosif knew better than to get between a mother and her daughter. Iosif hurried to make arrangements that would be agreeable to both Lyubov and her mother. The more satisfied she was, the quicker Malka would return to Moscow and leave the new The Volga River, at about 2,300 miles (3,700 km), is the longest river in Europe. Known in Russian folklore as Mother Volga, the river has played an incalculable part in the life of the Russian people. It is thought of as the lifeblood of Russia. Over 40 percent of Russia's people live near it and its tributaries, and half of its farmers live and farm near the Volga. More than half of Russia's industry is located within its drainage. The Volga originates in the Valday Hills northwest of Moscow and connects with the Rybinsk Reservoir. The river heads east past Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, and Kazan. From there it turns south past Samara and Volgograd. Since the initial elevation is so low, the river flows slowly, and finally enters the Caspian Sea below sea level in a wide delta near Astrakhan. Where it starts in the north, the weather is similar to the American Midwest. But near its end in the Caspian Sea, where Iosif and Lyubov lived in Volsk, the weather is more like the southwestern United States: hot and dry. At the Caspian Sea the Volga is an important source of water for the sea and its famous sturgeon fishery. The Beluga sturgeon is the largest fish found in the Volga. Mother Volga Top: Malka Braverman in Moscow, 1948. Malka is wearing the "Mother Hero" medal for having many children. Above: Iosif, Lyubov, Lyubov's mother Malka, and Manya Volsun in Volsk, on the Volga River, 1951.

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