This morning, our friend called us to tell us the wood order had arrived and we needed to go and pick it up. So we had to get up early to go and collect the wood as another friend is arriving later today who is in the process of moving from the UK to Bulgaria, starting to think I am seeing a trend happening.

(Credit Pixabay)

So we arrived and started to load the wood onto the truck.

When my friend called me over to say he had something for me. I walked over and he handed me a bag, so I looked in and instantly remembered what it was, an authentic Russian Ushanka.

I remembered back in november when we were at a bonfire night, I was talking to my friend Avia who is from Russia and lives here with her Dutch husband. I said I would love one of those hats, she said she would get one for me when she was over next. I completely forgot about it until today, when I saw what she had brought back.

What is a Ushanka?

(Credit Pixabay)

Basically their hats that Russians wear during the winter, they're fur lined with ear flaps you can use to cover your ears or you can wear them up. I do have one which I bought from the market here but I always wanted the real deal and now I have one.

According to wikipedia, because I have to check these things out and give a bit of education, the Ushanka as we know it today has been around since 1918. The finnish army actually adopted the Ushanka as part of their military uniform during the winter war, as many soldiers were dying from freezing temperatures. It was their influence that the red army of Russia introduced the Ushanka as part of their military uniform.

source

So check out these photos from the Old Fur Cap to the new.

This is the other half's old fur cap, he has had it for a number of years. Its old and worn, but now he can have my black one I bought at the market.

The black Ushanka I bought last year that I now have given to the other half, this is worn up.

This is it with the earflaps down.

But now for the penultimate authentic Russian Ushanka.

Holy moly its big, but its lovely and warm.

Here it is with flaps up.

Here it is if I want to keep my eyes warm and just not walk anywhere, its huge.

I am over the moon at my new gift, its just a shame that we are now in springtime an I have months before I am able to wear it, but now at least I feel I won't be dreading the winter and will wear it at every opportunity.

Can I also just thank @hazem91 for reminding me that every day can be a #haturday.

Thank you for reading

xoxo

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