“My personal family was wild and diverse. It’s damn diverse in terms of quirks, phobias, moral violations, and rabid claims against each other. It’s not like a bunch of scorpions in a jar, but it’s not like tears of God, oh no. My grandmother said, “You can talk to each of my relatives only after eating peas!” “Don’t cross me off the list...” is a collection of family stories, which contains already familiar works, as well as new stories and short stories. Dina Rubina writes about family and friends with humor, self-irony, optimism, figuratively and emotionally. She remembers her numerous relatives and shares stories about her husband Boris Karafelov, her sister Vera, her grandmother Rachel, and even her beloved pet Kondrat. The central place of the book is dedicated to the parents - Dina Ilyinichna’s mom and dad. ““Don’t cross me off the list!” - I suddenly remember, and I stand, stunned, without wiping my tears, under flowering trees, under the lightest clouds - in the middle of life, spring, sun spots on the sidewalk, birds scurrying and whistling in the crowns of almond trees..."