Off to Gdansk

 Not quite yet, but tomorrow morning we are off to Gdansk at 11:00 to visit with our friend, Garrett.

Haircut Day.

Today was the day of haircuts for Joan and I. I always have a little problem with the cost. It's not exactly the cost. Joan's haircut lasts about 40 minutes. My haircut and beard trim takes 80 minutes. So, it takes twice a long for me and yet Joan's haircut costs more than mine. I told the stylist about it, but he doesn't set the price. 

Usually, Joan goes first to have her hair washed and then the haircut begins. While it's going on, I use that time to go over a Spanish lesson on my phone or one from the book I take.

We were close to Cafe Lokum so, we were done, we stopped for a coffee. It was too chilly outside in the court yard so, we had it inside. It was the first time was inside the cafe.

We normally have an 11:00 AM appointment, but we had to cancel our last August meeting and reschedule for 3 PM today. Not the best time because of traffic rush hour for the workers to get home. We didn't get home until 6 PM.

Shopping & Ukraine.

Because my Spanish teacher is in Wroclaw today and Paige was coming to sit with Joan at 1 PM, I didn't have to wake up at 06:30 to go food shopping. That was nice. I went at 1 PM and spent 160 PLN($44). That was also nice. Any time I can keep it below 200 PLN  is good. However, I did have to go to three different stores to get what I needed.

Joan was safe at home watching A Fish Called Wanda with Paige, so I had time to stop at Cafe Lokum for a cafe latte and listen to last week's Spanish lesson with Radek. I record all of them and listen to them again during the week. I always learn a little more every time I listen, especially pronunciation.

Meanwhile:

The Trump administration has approved its first US weapons aid packages for Ukraine, which could soon be shipped as Washington resumes arms deliveries to Kyiv under a new cost-sharing deal with allies, according to Reuters citing two sources.

This would mark the first use of a new mechanism created by the US and its allies to provide Ukraine with weapons from US stockpiles, funded by contributions from NATO member states.

The sources said that Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has authorized up to two shipments each valued at $500 million under the program, which is known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL).

The new transatlantic effort is reportedly set to bolster Kyiv’s military capabilities with up to $10 billion in arms, according to Reuters.

Rest Day!

Good weather + Ukraine.

70 F, sunny, made another consecutive day of excellent weather. It was only natural to take Joan outside while the weather was good.

This time we went to the largest park, Citadela. It is the largest park in Poznan. Fortunately, it has easy, flat walkways for wheelchairs which makes my life a little easier. We spent about 2 hours there and then stopped for a coffee on the way home. It was another way to sit outside. 

Back at home, it was time to prepare the pasta, blue cheese, and cashews dinner for tonight. It calls for walnuts but cashews, today, were cheaper..

I had a nice video call with the oldest son of my departed cousin, Leon. Leon was one of four siblings, and my favorite of them. Unfortunately, he died in a boating accident saving the life of a young nephew.  

 Meanwhile, Ukraine: 

Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) carried out a drone strike on a major oil refinery in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, sparking explosions and a large-scale fire, according to the intelligence sources.

The attack reportedly targeted the Bashneft-Novoyl refinery located in Ufa, the capital of the republic, roughly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Ukraine’s border. The facility is one of Russia’s key oil processing plants.

Sources said that after kamikaze drones struck the site, multiple powerful explosions erupted, followed by a massive blaze. Preliminary assessments suggest that critical infrastructure, including a vacuum column used for primary oil processing, sustained significant damage. Source-Kyiv Independent.======================================

Support among Russians for continuing the war in Ukraine has dropped to its lowest point since the full-scale invasion began, according to a survey published by the independent Levada Center in September.

In August 2025, just 27% of respondents said they want Russia to keep fighting in Ukraine. By contrast, a record 66% said they favor peace negotiations with Kyiv. This is the highest share of support for talks recorded since February 2022. Source-Kyiv Post

 

 

New friend + NATO

Today we met another American at Cafe Lokum. He has been living in Pozna for 9 years, coming from Baltimore, Maryland. When I asked why he was here, he said it was because of his Polish fiance.

It was another nice day, so we stayed outdoors most of the day and then returned home. We watched an interesting "flash mob" event taking place somewhere in America. A group of singers and musicians performed Queen's, Bohemian Rhapsody spread out in different building windows in the center of a mall. It was very good.

Concerning Ukraine;

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the launch of NATO Operation “Eastern Sentry” at a press conference in Belgium on Friday, in response to the incursion of at least 19 Russian drones into Polish airspace in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

According to a NATO press release, the operation will be executed by NATO’s Allied Command Operations. General Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, described the violation of Poland’s airspace as “not an isolated incident” and said that it impacts all of NATO.

 “While a full assessment of the incident is ongoing, NATO is not waiting, we are acting,” Grynkewich said.

Rutte added that Eastern Sentry will commence “in the coming days,” with the involvement of several NATO countries – including Denmark, France, Britain, and Germany.

Several of Poland’s allies have already committed military support to the defense of Polish airspace since Russia’s drone incursion on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that three Rafale fighter jets will be deployed to Poland, while Czechia will deploy troops and a specially modified drone interceptor helicopter to defend its neighbour.

 Asked to be specific about what new military resources would be committed to the operation, Grynkewich cited the French Rafales as well as Danish F-16 fighter jets. He also said that a frigate and “some ground-based air defence capabilities” had been offered, though he did not specify by which countries.

 “In the end, it’s up to Russia how far they will take this,” Grynkewich said.

“We will defend ourselves. We are a defensive Alliance, not an offensive Alliance. We will defend this beautiful 32 Alliance, established in 1949 and will make sure that our one billion people stay safe and stay free,” the NATO leader said.

TPSD

 My fellow Americans. You chose to participate in protests locally or nationally. Congratulations! You might also be a member of large groups like 50501, or Indivisible. I am also a member.

However, clicking “Like, Love, or Care” on a post you agree with means nothing to this administration. Protests mean nothing to them.

Now, our own military is being used against us in D.C., Chicago, and soon in Portland. It means nothing to this administration that is against the Constitution they swore an oath to uphold, or against the law. This is just the beginning. The Supreme Court just ruled that ICE can continue targeting people in Los Angeles based on looks, language, and job type.

This is legalized racial profiling, approved at the highest level.

The wolf is at the door, folks, and we are letting him in through complacency. Isn't it past the time for real action against them? I know you are as angry as I am.

There is a movement growing for real action, but it takes many, many people to be involved for it to be successful. This is for the working class, the ones who fuel the economy:Service workers, Warehouse employees, Truck/Uber/Lift/Delivery drivers, Hotel staff, Retail workers, or anyone overworked, underpaid, and just tired of being ignored.

It is organizing a 3-day national sick-out and economic blackout. It will only succeed if the population joins in during those three days.

You can join the movement on either Facebook or the Discord server. They do NOT ask for money, you don't have to register, sign anything, or share personal information. You can either be an active or a passive member.

If you are passive, all they ask is that you refrain from shopping, eating out, or ordering anything online. Wear black clothing and do the bare minimum at work. No unpaid overtime. No extra favors.

You will be notified 48 hours before the shutdown occurs. The goal is to build momentum before the corporations catch on.

On the Discord server, you will be asked to create a different name which will be used for your security when you use it. Mine is Resistant Warrior.

Every shutdown or strike that has succeeded has a goal. The movement has a list of 23 demands that reflects the real concerns of Americans. Because, at the end of the day, it is asking for BASIC HUMAN DECENCY.

If this is something you can commit to doing, please reply either YES-active, or Yes-passive, or NO. Please, NO “Likes, Love, or Care replies.

America, as we knew it, is in serious trouble. It is time for all of us to be its protector.

The phrase "Live Free or Die" is most famously attributed to General John Stark, a Continental Army officer during the American Revolutionary War. I think now it applies to our country. It is time to show the courage of our Founding Fathers.

“And then they came for me, and there was no one left to defend me.”

WE are COMING! The People's Sick Day movement.

Drone attack.

The Polish military announced that for the first time it had shot down Russian drones that had violated its airspace, saying that it caused a “real threat to the safety of our citizens.” .

Polish officials said this morning that 19 Russian drones entered the country’s airspace overnight.

Justin Crump, CEO of the risk and intelligence company Sibylline, says the Gerbera is “a cheap way to increase the capability of other drones”.

He says that Moscow typically uses it in conjunction with Shahed/Geran-2 drones when launching attacks on Ukrainian troops and cities.

Meanwhile, Justin Bronk - an analyst with the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think-tank - tells BBC Verify that the drones remained largely intact as they likely ran out of fuel having flown a significant distance rather than being shot down by Polish air defences or Nato jets.

Both analysts say that the scale of the incursion suggests it was almost certainly a deliberate act on Russia’s part. 

 Crump suggests that Moscow hoped to conduct “reconnaissance for weak points in Nato/Polish air defences” or to “generate intelligence” on how European powers would react to the breach of Polish airspace.

Monday, Monday.

 Not much happened today.

I woke up about 8 AM, sat outside on the balcony for about half an hour listening to Chopin, and then answered three emails.

Joan woke up around to AM. I helped her out of bed, to and from the bathroom, dressed her, and gave her Granola for breakfast. 

Heard the disgusting news that Trump's Unsupreme Court ruled that ICE can continue targeting people in Los Angeles based on looks, language, and job type.

This is legalized racial profiling, approved at the highest level.

I know the Republicans are terrified to speak against him because they might lose their positions in the Senate or the House. However, Supreme Court Justices are given a lifetime position. They do not get voted out of office. They are just traitors to their oath of office. The Trump 6 should all be disbarred.

Meanwhile:

Last week it was announced that the White House approved the sale of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles to Ukraine. This is in addition to a $330 million package of satellite communications services for its Starlink terminals and equipment and services to sustain its Patriot air defense systems. In early August, four European countries agreed to buy $1 billion worth of US weapons to send to Ukraine.

It is time for Trump to get beyond his disappointment with Putin and accept the Russian president’s end state for Ukraine: its complete destruction, the eradication of its culture, and subjugation under Russian rule. Source-Kyiv Post

WASHINGTON D.C. – From the opulent halls of Imperial Russia to a defiant act of wartime philanthropy, a set of dinner plates once owned by Tsar Alexander I is now at the heart of an unconventional fundraising campaign for Ukraine.
Mitzi Perdue, the American heiress to the Perdue chicken fortune, is planning to auction the plates and direct the proceeds to aid Ukrainian soldiers and their families.
Perdue, a philanthropist and author, says the act is a form of cultural warfare.

Hydrogen Train

Poland’s first hydrogen-powered train has entered regular service in the southwestern region of Silesia, marking a milestone in the country’s push toward greener transportation.

After completing test runs in August, the SM42-6Dn locomotive, built by Bydgoszcz-based manufacturer PESA, finally hit the tracks for passenger journeys on Wednesday. 

Operated by the regional rail company Koleje Dolnośląskie, the train will run on the scenic route from Jelenia Góra to Karpacz, near the Czech border.  

The train is powered by hydrogen fuel cells and batteries, offering a climate-friendly and cost-effective alternative to building new overhead electric lines.  

Its first scheduled service departed Jelenia Góra at 11:33 a.m. and will arrive in Karpacz just before noon. 

Further trials are scheduled for September 4 and 7 with other train operators in western Poland.  

The locomotive will also be featured at several upcoming conferences, including the annual Economic Forum in Karpacz and, later this year, the Pomeranian Intermodal Transport Congress.  

Light bulb & National Guard.

Once again, I had to have the bulb replaced in one of the running lights. It seems like every three months, either the right or the left one burns out. Each time it happens, the price has risen. This time, 80 PLN($22), for a small light bulb. I have to find an auto parts store where I can buy the bulb and replace it myself. I miss the days when you could repair minor things yourself.

Now, orange head is ordering the Texas National Guard to the state of Illinois. It's not the Illinois National Guard, but the Guard from Texas, one of the most RED states who love all things Trump. Think about it. Before the first Civil War, there were Gray states and Blue states. Now, we have Red states and Blue states. See any similarity? IMHO, I think he is hoping to develop a crisis so he can cement his position as dictator. 

Years ago, when I was much younger, The National Guard in Ohio were activated against protestors. In the heat of the moment, they fired into the crowd. The result, 4 dead in Ohio. Students protesting.

 Adaptation of Neil Young's, "4 Dead in Ohio"

Tin soldiers and Trump is comin' 

We're finally on our own.

This summer I hear the drummin'

Four dead in Chicago.

Gotta get down to it

Soldiers are gunning us down

Should have been done long ago

What if you knew them and 

Found them dead on the ground? 

How can you run when you know?

Progess.

I stopped at the Nowe Lokum cafe today after food shopping. My purpose was to follow up on the request I made to the owner. The request was for them to build a small ramp inside that would allow wheelchair bound disabled people to be able to come inside during the winter months when it is too cold to sit outside.

I pointed out the possibility of increasing his/her profits during winter when business is slower.

I was surprised to hear that the owner thought it was a good idea and that they had contacted a firm that could do such a project. Now, he/she is waiting for a cost analysis. If the cost is prohibitive, I will ask how much and try to arrange a way to pay half of the cost.

This is my idea if the cost is high, a poster in the cafe.

Dear Patron

Some of our valued customers are wheelchair-bound. Unfortunately, it is impossible for them to access our second-level seating.

During cold weather, they cannot sit outside, and this limits their ability to enjoy our space comfortably.

We would like to build a ramp to make our venue more accessible to everyone.

The cost is high, and we kindly ask for your support.

Please consider making a contribution at the counter to help us help them.

Thank you for your generosity and kindness.

Another good day.

It was another good weather day. So, after my conversations with Michal and his wife, Malgorzata, I dressed Joan for warm weather, and we went to the park to spend the afternoon.

We have a favorite place to sit and observe nature and the people. Fortunately, the bench was unoccupied. Unusual for a Sunday because the weekend has many more people in the park than on a weekday. I like watching the little kids pass by holding the hands of their parents or grandparents. They look at everything they can. I know it's only a matter of a few years before they get their first cell phone and their faces will be glued to its screen. What a pity!

I spent the time reminding Joan of some of the great places we have visited while living in the U.S. and for the last 18 years in Poland.

Unfortunately, I didn't take my cell phone with me, and I lost track of time. I was going to speak with Carmelo at 5 PM, but didn't return home until a little after 6.

Dinner was prepared before we left the flat. It was a nice fruit salad consisting of two oranges, bananas, apples, mandarin oranges, some strawberries, and lots of blueberries. It was in the refrigerator and nice and cold. It was refreshing after the park, where it was 83°F.

 

Fountain and Ukraine

I watched the gray clouds this morning while listening to my favorite piece of music, Concerto de Aranjuez. The master of the classical guitar was John Williams, a former student of Andreas Segovia. With the death of Segovia years ago, John is now the best.

When I saw the clouds starting to break up, letting in a little sunshine,  I took the opportunity to get Joan dressed for the outside. It has been three days inside for her, and knew she was getting anxious to go out. I wasn't sure where to go, but I remembered what I wanted to do a little later.

I drove to the Nowe Lokum cafe for a purpose. Inside, they have a very nice sitting area. However, there is no way that a person in a wheelchair can ascend the four stairs. My purpose was to suggest to the manager to build a ramp to accommodate disabled people. I did talk to him, he agreed with me, and said he would talk to the owner about it. I told him it might improve his business in the winter when it is too cold to sit outside. We will see if it happens.

Since we were already there, we had a cup of coffee and then went across the street to sit by the Opera House fountain. Because the university doesn't start again until October, there are far fewer people.

Meanwhile-Ukraine.

Ukraine’s campaign to cripple Kremlin oil and gas production with relentless drone strikes chalked up another processing plant set ablaze on Sunday, with long-range robot aircraft scoring hits and touching off fiery explosions on the premises of a major condensate gas processing site near the Baltic Sea port city St. Petersburg.

Flying wing drones tipped with explosive warheads swooped down on the Ust-Luga facility, Russia’s main processing site for natural gas piped from the Arctic and West Siberia, during the morning work shift. Eyewitnesses reported at least two massive fires following the daylight attack.

The fighters of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) on Thursday, Aug. 28, damaged a Russian small missile ship of Project 21631 “Buyan-M” — a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, according to an official statement from the agency.

First, the “Prymary” fighters attacked the vessel with a strike drone, damaging its radar system. Afterwards, special forces from the Department of Active Measures hit the ship’s hull.
“As a result of the attacks, the Russian missile ship, which was in the potential launch zone for Kalibrs in the Temryuk Bay, sustained damage and was forced to leave its combat duty area,” the intelligence service said. Source-Kyiv Post

Media Mart

The last two days have not been pleasant. I wrote earlier that our refrigerator stopped working.

After talking with the owner of our flat, she ordered a new one from Media Mart and paid to have it delivered on the same day.

I waited all day for it to be delivered. It wasn't.

The next day it was to be the first delivery of the day. It wasn't! 

During the Day, Renata called Media Mart five times to ask about the delivery. Each time she called, she had a new person on the phone. Consequently, she had to tell the story five different times. 

Finally, at 6:45 PM, she called me and said the delivery truck was on its way to our flat. 

Now, after waiting two days for a "same day" delivery, we have the new refrigerator.

Political Day

The People’s Sick Day FAQ

What is “TPSD”?
TPSD stands for The People’s Sick Day and we are a national movement created to impact the U.S. economy and demand real change for the American workforce.
 

What are we asking?
We’re asking Americans to use their paid time off to call out sick from work for three days. During those three days, we’re also asking folks to participate in a total economic blackout – that means no shopping, no streaming, no spending. This is a national act of collective resistance. By hitting pause on our labor and our dollars, we’re showing just how powerful we are when we move together.
 

What if I can’t take off 3 days from work? Can I s till participate?
Yes! Can’t do 3 days? Do the last two. Can’t do 2 days? Do the last one. Can’ t take off from work at all? Leave early. Do a half day. Slack off. Do the bare minimum. Don’t spend any money. Don’t shop, don’t eat out, don’t order online. Keep your dollars in your pocket. Wear black to work in solidarity. Change your profile picture and make your solidarity visible. Do what you can to make the strike as impactful as possible. And spread the word! We have official flyers you can share in our Discord server.
 

When is “The People’s Sick Day happening?
We’ll announce the exact dates 48 hours in advance. Why the short notice? Because this is about power. Announcing too early gives corporations and businesses time to prepare, cover shifts, or pressure workers – diluting the impact of our collective action. By holding the line until 48 hours out, we protect the strength and surprise of the strike. This is strategy, not secrecy.
 

Do I have to register or sign a strike card? 
No! We are not asking anyone to share any personal information to join. You can join our Discord anonymously or follow us on our socials to stay informed of when the 3 day strike will happen. We will never ask you to share any personally identifying information.
 

Are you taking any donations?
No! We are not asking anyone to contribute monetarily to this movement. We will never ask you to donate or give money.
 

Are you partnered with any other resistance groups like 50501 or General Strike US?
While we are not currently partnered with any other groups we are open to collaboration! However, we will not work with or be associated with anyone who collects donations or personal information from participants. In addition, any potential collaborators must be respectful of our plan of action for The People’s Sick Day movement. We are not open to releasing dates in advance of the 48 hours prior to the strike.
 

I want to be more involved. What can I do?
Join our Discord server! We have opportunities to participate in daily activities and hold open chats for you to talk with the organizers twice a day. Facebook more your speed? Join our Facebook group! We also hold TikTok Lives where you can come chat with us! We are average every day people, just like you!

What a day!

What is that sound? Lying in bed this morning, it sounded like a little waterfall. I thought maybe the toilet was leaking water into it and checked. That wasn't the problem.

I walked into the kitchen area, and the sound got a little louder. It was coming from the refrigerator. I opened the upper door, and it wasn't cold. I noticed a little water on the floor, got the mop, and dried it out.

Opening the lower freezer door, the frost inside was melting, not a good sign. I don't know why it was or what happened during the night for it to change. I knew something was wrong and called Renata, our landlady.

I told her the problem, and she immediately said she would buy a new one. That seemed a little rash to me. I thought maybe the seal on the door was just not working, and it might be better to call a repairman to check it out. She said it might cost almost as much as a new unit, with no guarantees how long the new seal would work.

She said she was in Warsaw now, but she would call her daughter to come and take a look at it. 

Her daughter called me and she would come at 12:00. I asked her if she could come at 1:00 because Radek was coming this morning for our Spanish lesson time at 12. She said O.K.

Readek came at 11:00, we had ciasto and coffee while Joan, Radek, and I spoke in English

Just as we were about to start our Spanish, Andrea knocked on the door to my surprise. For the next hour, it was all about what to do with the refrigerator. In the end, she called her mother and told her to buy a new one. Renata did, online, and it was to be delivered today, later.

By 7:30 PM, it was still not here. At 8:15 PM, I got a call that the delivery would be in 15 minutes. I waited patiently, but half an hour passed and still no delivery. I was a little anxious because the meat and other perishables were not being kept cold.

I checked my phone. There were two calls at 8:30 and 8:31, but my phone did not ring. I tried calling the repairman, but it went to email.

I called Renata back, told her what wasn't happening, and she called him, again, directly to email. She sent him an SMS. He said he was here, came inside the building, called me twice, but there was no answer, and he left.

The problem was that he was on the ground floor, and the phone connection didn't work. He didn't know that. The driver is from Ukraine.

Renata sent him another sms, and he replied that he was 20 kilometers north of Poznan, and he would deliver it, first thing tomorrow.

Now, all of the perishables are in a box on the balcony.  Hopefully, that will save them because of the lower temperature.

What a day!!

New cafe & Ukraine

Today, with only one thing I had to do while Paige was with Joan, I went to Auchan to buy sesame seeds and dried cranberries. Those are two ingredients I usually put into smoothies.

They didn't have the seeds but they had the cranberries, 1 kg=33 PLN. As I was passing by the dried dates I saw that the price had dropped from 11 PLN per kilogram to 7 PLN. I already have a 1 bag backup, but I don't pass up a sale, so I bought one bag.

From there I went back to the cafe Nowe Lokum, this time with my camera. Since I had a smoothie only 1 hour earlier, I only ordered a cafe latte.

Instead of sitting out in the courtyard, I decided to sit indoors. They have the usual tables and chairs, but they also had two more comfortable seats in the back of the area. There was no one else sitting and I chose the more comfortable chair with a footrest.

I sat for and hour drinking the coffee and listening to my last Spanish lesson recorded on my cell phone. When I was done, I took pictures of the cafe for my blog,

Meanwhile: Ukraine.

Ukraine and Hungary traded sharp words Monday after Budapest accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of threatening its energy security by linking attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary’s refusal to support Kyiv’s bid to join the European Union.

At a press conference in Kyiv on Aug. 24, Zelensky hinted,  with a touch of irony, that recent strikes on the pipeline may have been tied to Hungary’s stance on Ukraine’s EU accession.

“We have always maintained friendship. Now the existence of the Druzhba pipeline depends on Hungary.”

"An illegitimate explanation for the violation of our sovereignty is a war we have nothing to do with,” Hungary;s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó wrote, calling on Zelensky to “stop threatening Hungary” and “stop risking” the country’s energy security.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, fired back on social media, insisting that Budapest has no right to dictate Kyiv’s actions.

“You don’t need to tell the Ukrainian President what to do or say, and when,” Sybiha posted on X. “He is the President of Ukraine, not Hungary. Hungary’s energy security is in your own hands. Diversify and become independent from Russia, like the rest of Europe.” Source-Kyiv Post

Happy.

 Happy to say my legs are better today, and it is easier to walk.

Because of the chilly temperature today, 67 F, we didn't go anywhere. It was just a day at home doing my normal "chores" while Joan sat in front of the tele. 

A fall & Ukraine

Yesterday was not a good day.

I fell asleep in the recliner and woke up when Joan needed me. I got up, slightly dazed, took a step to turn and fell over. My right knee hit the floor first and my body followed. When I stood up, my knee hurt and my left foot as well. As the day wore on, my left foot became increasingly more painful. By 5 PM, it was difficult to even walk. I had to hold on to Joan's wheelchair just to push myself the few steps into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

I applied some BenGay to more foot, elevated it and spent the rest of the evening in the recliner.

I'm happy to say, this morning the left foot is better, but the right knee still hurts.

Meanwhile>Ukraine

Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots and ground crews on Thursday, Aug. 21, launched a new round of nighttime drone strikes against Kremlin assets hundreds of kilometers behind the fighting front, in one attack scoring multiple hits on a base belonging to Russia’s army intelligence agency – the GRU.

The air raid, by a reported 10-15 unmanned aircraft, per local news reports, attacked a GRU compound adjacent to a military airport in the port city of Sevastopol, in the Russian-occupied Crimea region.

 Russia’s mainland region Rostov, a Black Sea shore territory, was the target of a second Ukrainian drone swarm on Thursday, with both official and social media sources reporting aircraft targeting a major oil refinery near the town of Novoshakhtinsk.

Some Ukrainian milbloggers claimed rare jet-propelled drones had made the attack, hitting some 170-180 kilometers (106-111 miles) east of the fighting front, but there was no local confirmation. Ukraine’s General Staff, in a Thursday statement, credited the elite 14th Unmanned Aircraft Regiment for flying the Thursday strike.

 A third covey of Ukrainian long-range drones hit and damaged railroad power transmission infrastructure in Russia’s western Voronezh region. The overnight strikes hitting in and around a transformer station near the village of Zhuravka. The facility’s main function is delivering electricity to the regional rail network. Local news platforms reported damage to a transformer station and delays to 19 trains transiting the Voronezh region rail network.

2 days missed.

The last two days have been more difficult taking care of Joan, so no posts. I'm trying to keep it daily, but sometimes caring for her, I just run out of energy and have to sleep. 

Today was another nice day, so we went to the park again and just watched people and the greenery surrounding us.

Radek came, and we had a conversation about the Polish government, and then did our Spanish lesson. Now I'm learning the difference in how to talk about the near past and the longer ago past. They have two completely different sets of words. It's not difficult to learn, it just takes time.

I also did the food shopping for this week. Cost 205 PLN($56).

2 Dictators

August Summer has arrived, 95 F and sunny. That was two days ago. Now. it's 75 F, sunny, and a beautiful blue sky.

I had a lot going on at home with Joan the last two days, so I missed posting. Her cognitive skills have diminished again, thanks to dementia. It's hard dealing with this.

However, today is beautiful and we will meet with Garrett at 2 PM, and I talk with our friend, Carmelo, at 5 PM, so it's something to look forward to.

I'm totally disgusted with the Trump-Putin Alaska meeting. He has a fantasy if he thinks Zelenskyy will agree with the terms that those two dictators discussed off-camera. 

The reaction in Ukraine.2 Dictatorshttps://www.kyivpost.com/post/58339

 

Goodbye to a friend.

Our last meeting with our friend, Garrett, is set for Sunday. On the 24th, he will be moving to Gdansk for a change of scenery. He was Joan's caresitter for about 5 months, and we also became friends. We will be sad to see him go.

At the end of next March, Ryanair is opening a new route to Tirana, Albania.  The new route will operate twice a week – on Mondays and Thursdays. The inaugural flight is scheduled for March 30, and tickets are already available in Ryanair's booking system. I never considered Albania in our travels. But we still have the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, as well as Romania and Bulgaria, to visit.

Of course, if Trump destroys the Social Security system we paid into all of our lives, that is going to change a lot for us, especially with Joan's health condition.

This morning started with the biggest party in Poznań this summer. The world's biggest stars will be performing on three stages at the Citadela Park.

Post Malone will be there, performing exclusively at the Citadel.

Pop fans will be able to hear Nelly Furtado, who returned to Poznań after a 17-year hiatus, and Taco Hemingway, who will perform his only concert in 2025.

The lineup for this stage also includes Rag'n'Bone Man, Empire of the Sun, Hurts, Loreen, Bedoesa 2115, Ella Eyre, Natasha Bedingfield, and Julia Wieniawa.

Huge crowds are already visible heading towards the Citadel.

Shopping & Ukraine

Today had to be shopping day because yesterday, when my alarm went off at 6:30 AM, I thought I would just close my eyes for five minutes. Three hours later, I woke up, and because Paige wasn't coming until today, I couldn't shop and leave Joan alone at home.

So, today I went and spent 251 PLN($69). It was a lot, but I had to buy dish soap and laundry detergent, and that was 30PLN, so the food cost was 221 PLN. 

It was a hot day, 87°F, and even though Joan wanted to go out, I persuaded her to stay home where it was cooler. With the drapes closed on the south-facing windows and the north-facing windows open, it is always better inside.

Tonight, I'm listening to the great Argentine singer, Mercedes Sosa. I can understand some of what she sings in Argentine Spanish.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

US Vice President JD Vance in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, argued Europe needs “to step up” because Americans are “tired” of paying for arms and support to Ukraine.

In fact, Vance was complaining about something that isn’t happening. The US vice president misled viewers with a false narrative that Europe hasn’t taken on the burden of supporting Ukraine.

In reality, that’s exactly what happened – about six months ago.

50+

Fifty years, three months, and twelve days ago, I met the most intelligent, beautiful, and sexy woman of my life. We lived together for 13 years before we decided to get the piece of paper that officially made us married. It changed nothing. 

 

Now, beginning our 80s, nothing significant has changed our love for each other. We complete each other.

 

Today, we celebrate the official date of our marriage, but for us we have been married since April 30, 1975. All you need is love.

Radek's Mongolia

Our friend, Radek, came back from Mongolia with many stories to tell. We spent the first hour listening to the tales and looking at pictures. It sounds like it was an incredible adventure riding yaks, horses camels, sleeping in yurts.

Meanwhile in Poland:

Poland is planning to buy 26 trains capable of traveling at over 300 km/h for its new high-speed rail network, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak has said.

The high-speed “Y” rail network, designed for speeds of up to 350 km/h, will link Warsaw with the western cities of Wrocław and Poznań through the city of Sieradz. The 480-kilometer route will travel via the as yet unbuilt Central Transportation Hub, a multi-billion plan to create an integrated plane, train and road network.  

Poland currently has no trains running above 200 km/h, a mark that is often considered as a “high-speed” threshold. 

Tarnowo

 We went back to the Apteka to pick up the medicine they didn't have yesterday.

We drove around the new area where there were once beautiful purple fields of something. Now, there are only dozens of apartment buildings,and 3 major food chain stores, Lidl, Aldi, and Biedronka. After living there for 14 years, it's easy to see the difference.

I thought to take Joan to a new town for coffee and chose Tarnowo Podgorne. It's a town west of us about 20 km. We have never been there so I wanted to have a coffee there. However, surprise! They have no rynek.

I turned my sights back to Poznan and we went to Stary Browar's Sowa where we sat outside by the fountain and had coffee. 

Doctor visit. & Ukraine.

We arrived on time, 10:45, and went right into the doctor's office. I told her I needed a referral for Joan for control of her triglycerides and two medicines.   She wrote them, and we went to the Apteka to fill the prescriptions. They didn't have the complete amount, so I have to go back tomorrow. 

When I looked at the referral, it had an address in Krakow. I wasn't about to drive for 5 hours just to have a blood test taken.

I called back the clinic, told them the problem, but the lady only spoke Polish and used many words I didn't know. So, I called my friend, Michal, and explained the problem, and he called her.

His return call to me informed me that there is a new diagnostic clinic only 3 blocks from the Apteka, and that is where I needed to go. On Monday, we will go there because they are closed on the weekend.

On the way home, we stopped at Solacki Park and spent an hour just sitting on a bench and enjoying the great weather, 78 F.

Meanwhile: Ukraine

>>A Patriot air defense system critically needed to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian ballistic missile strikes is back in action thanks to an elite team of German technicians fixing war damage the American manufacturer said was impossible to repair, the major German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported on Thursday.

Keller told FAZ civilian and military technical staff from the German Luftwaffe overhauled the US-made radar unit, working sixteen hours a day from Monday to Saturday. The radar was transported back to Ukraine in July and by early August had been used in a successful intercept of a Russian strike, he said.

>>The Netherlands will buy 500 million euros ($577 million) of US weapons for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO member to fund a full package under a new scheme to speed deliveries from American stockpiles, the defense ministry said.

The Dutch package includes US Patriot missile parts and other systems tailored to Ukraine’s front-line requirements, according to the defense ministry.

>>Ukrainian drones from the Security Service’s (SBU) elite CSO “A” unit struck Russia’s Saky airfield in occupied Crimea overnight, reportedly destroying a combat aircraft and causing millions in damage.

As a result of the Ukrainian strike, a Su-30SM fighter jet was completely destroyed, while another was severely damaged, according to the SBU’s press service on Monday, Aug. 4.

Additionally, three Su-24 bombers were hit. The strike also targeted an ammunition depot located on the base. Source-Kyiv Post

My day

 A second day of a 3-hour break. My thought was to sit in the outdoor cafe in front of Empik and listen again to my Spanish lesson from Tuesday.

Parked underground and was a little surprised to see the price for an hour had risen from 7 to 8 PLN($1.90-2.18). It's not a really big deal, just capitalism at its finest.

I ordered a café latte, 15 PLN ($4), sat down at the front of the café facing Plac Wolności, opened my cell phone, and started listening. A short time after, my latte was delivered to me.

One hour later, the lesson was over, and I headed home.

I stopped at the local gas station to check the air pressure in my tires. added some air to all of them and then vacuumed the car.

When I arrived home, Joan and Paige were halfway through the movie, "Somewhere in Time, one of Joan's favorites.

Paige left about 2:30, and I prepared dinner, Crock Pot Chicken & Potatoes with a salad.

In the evening, we continued on with our series, "Ozark"

Joan went to bed at 9:30, and now here I am writing this blog.

Gas & Ukraine

On my 3 hour break today, I bought gasoline, 157 PLN for 12 liters.,that is 3 1/4 gallons for $43.

When that was done, I made a little trip around the center of town. taking pictures of different locations.  

I spent the last hour sitting in a park listening to the audio version of 'Big Sur" by Jack Kerouac. I read it years ago, but it was nice hearing it read to me. It helps me escape reality for an hour.

Meanwhile in Ukraine:

Thanks to well-organized and sustained funding for decentralized production on a large scale, Ukrainian combat units are constantly receiving new drones of various types, which have become key to Ukraine’s success and a true nightmare for Russian invaders.

Colonel Markus Reisner, head of the Officer Training Institute at the Theresian Military Academy, said this in a comment to Ukrinform’s correspondent, discussing Ukraine’s increased defense spending, including on drone production.

“The key to Ukraine’s success is its ‘drone army.’ Russian invaders are not facing tens of thousands of soldiers but hundreds of thousands of drones operated by military personnel from a safe distance. FPV drones are used at the tactical level, medium-range drones at the operational level, and long-range strike drones at the strategic level. Thanks to consistent funding and decentralized production, Ukrainian forces are continuously supplied with new drones,” Reisner noted.

Return of Radek

Finally, Radek returned from his trek to Mongolia and Riga. The area of Mongolia is 5 times bigger than Poland. 

He arrived today, and we spent the first hour listening to his stories of the visit. I never thought about going to Mongolia, but after listening to him, it sounds very interesting. They traveled 3,200 kilometers around the country. They, Radek and Alina, were with a party of 10 people, and they traveled in 2 Hyundai passenger vans. The capital city was not very interesting, but he was surprised at the marketplaces where you could buy all types of fruit, vegetables, and meat.

The more interesting part of the trip was when they left the capital and started going to small towns and villages. I think he would like to go there again.

The second hour he was here, we returned to our study of Spanish. I've missed the weekly sessions with him.

Again, it was unlike a day in August here, 19 C, gray with light rain most of the day. 

I did the early morning shopping for the week and spent 170 PLN($46).