Happy Birthday??

 248 1/2 years America survived dissent within(Civil War)and World Wars.

Not destroyed by foreign enemies. Destroyed by the Heritage Foundation, Trump. and half of its own people. 

Velo doubts.

 Well. Let's start with the good news. It seems that the Federal Benefits Unit in Warsaw did their job correctly. I was happy today when I opened our Velo bank account and checked the money in our US account. Both of our Social Security checks were entered into the system, so the money arrived, and apparently the Swift Code has been changed. That was nice to see.

However, when I tried to transfer an amount from that account to our Polish money account, there was a message that said, " Sorry, there is a problem", and it wouldn't let me transfer the money. 

I went to the main branch of Velo, but the man who I usually deal with was too busy today to accommodate my unannounced appearance. He asked me to come back on Monday. 

Needing to transfer some money today, I went to the branch office at King Cross Shopping Center. They're a young woman tried to help me, but after one and a half hours, and a few phone calls to Warsaw, she told me the IT department in Warsaw was the only one who could fix it. It would take up to 7 days to accomplish that. 

My only alternative to get money into the Polish account was to withdraw the money from our American account, go to a currency exchange, exchange the money into Polish money, return to the bank, and deposit it into our Polish account. Of course, I was not happy with that system, but it was the only way to solve the problem today.

I'm having serious doubts that Velo Bank is the best bank to have our money in.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

US officials have reportedly warned Poland that Russia could stage an armed provocation on NATO territory within months, possibly using drones, missiles or a border incursion to pressure the West to curb support for Ukraine.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, citing The Telegraph, sources close to Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Washington had warned Warsaw that Russia was weighing scenarios that could include drone attacks on critical infrastructure, such as power plants, or a simulated large-scale air attack designed to force Poland to activate its air defenses.

A more radical scenario could involve a hybrid attack in Poland’s border region, potentially with the participation of Belarusian forces. Russia could attempt to explain away a border violation by claiming its troops had become lost because of GPS disruption or were carrying out a rescue mission after a helicopter emergency.

NATO’s most consequential summit since 1949 opens July 7 in Ankara, as the alliance grapples with Trump’s threats to disengage, European underinvestment in defense, and Russia’s escalating hybrid warfare campaign. Ukraine, though not a member, has become indispensable to Europe’s security architecture, fielding one of the continent’s most capable militaries. The summit is expected to reaffirm NATO unity, push Europe toward greater self-reliance, and cement Ukraine’s role in the alliance’s long-term strategy. Source-Kyiv Post

86

He would have been 86 years old today. He didn't live that long. After being forced off an expressway road into a telephone pole, he died a year later from complications from that. He was 34 years old. He was my only brother.Walter(Wally) was his name.

52 years later, I still think and remember him often. I even have dreams now with him in them. I don't want to wake up from them. He was the most influential man in my life. 

88 F

Yesterday, during my 3-hour break, I thought I would go to the Botanical Gardens across the street from our flat and see how the flowers looked this year. I started out as usual, taking pictures, trying to find a location I hadn't seen before, and just enjoying the walk.

About halfway through the gardens, where the Roses are presented in many different colors, I was hot, tired, and not thinking about going further. I took a few breaks walking back to my car, and when I got into it. I looked at the temperature gauge. 104 F. Unbelievable! Never, in my 82 years on this planet, have I experienced that high of heat. I turned on my car, turned up the air conditioner, and just waited to cool off before I started driving.

Joan was home with Paige. Normally, would be doing the exercises, but I thought it was too hot for Joan today. With only the north-facing windows open, our flat is usually cooler than outside. Today was no exception.

My cousin Amy from Washington state called, and we had a nice conversation. It has been 8 years since she came to meet and stay for two weeks. She is from the Rajewski bloodline.

My left ear has such a blockage of wax that it is causing pain when I move my jaw to eat or speak. I saw the general practitioner doctor today. She tried to remove it with a syringe filled with water, but that did not work. She gave me a referral to see a laryngologist. Using National Health Care doctors, the earliest I could get an appointment is in 47 days. If I choose a private practice laryngologist, the cost is 320 PLN to be seen tomorrow. The GP gave me a prescription for Cerumex, a liquid that might soften the wax enough for removal. She said to apply it twice a day and come back on Friday for another attempt with water. I will try that first.

Better day

Sunday was just like Saturday, too hot to do anything except drink cold water all the time, and sit. No ambition, energy, or thoughts about doing anything else. Thank goodness that it is cooler today.

Yesterday, we watched a rather bizarre series on Netflix called Beef. It's too strange to explain but entertaining.

Meanwhile: Ukraine

On Sunday, June 28, images surfaced confirming damage to a railway bridge in the Russian-occupied village of Sabivka, Luhansk region, following an attack by Ukrainian Defense Forces on June 26. The bridge served as a crucial logistical artery for Russian forces, connecting the temporarily occupied areas of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

The strike on the Sabivka bridge is part of an intensified, systematic campaign by Ukrainian forces to isolate Russian troops by severing their primary supply lines and logistical arteries across occupied territories.

The Luhansk operation follows a string of strikes executed by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) and other military branches against key infrastructure in southern Ukraine and the occupied Crimean Peninsula earlier in the week. 

Drone footage released by the military showed precise hits that destroyed the railway track and caused a structural span to collapse. A secondary strike later destroyed the Russian repair equipment brought to the site.

The campaign has been relentless across multiple fronts. Before the North Crimean Canal operation, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed strikes on several other critical chokepoints. Source-Kyiv Post

95 F again.

The heat wave has settled in Poznan. The second day of heat with two more days predicted. All I did today was wash a load of clothes and hang them on the balcony. They were dried in two hours.

The rest of the day, I stayed in the recliner next to Joan and made sure we drank enough cold water to stay hydrated. Tomorrow will be the same. sans clothes washing.

Hot time.

The first heat wave has arrived. It was 86 F here today, and it's predicted to stay like this until next Monday. Any temperature above 80°F is not to our liking.

Page was here today and has been continuing the exercises with Joan that I started about a month ago. I can see that she is making progress, slow, but nevertheless progress forward. She's doing five different exercises at a time, mainly to strengthen her legs and improve her balance as much as possible. I'm not hoping for a miracle; I would just like to be able to lift your feet in order to walk. Right now, and for quite some time, her toes are always glued to the floor when she walks. It's much more dangerous for her.

She really enjoys doing the exercises with Paige, not so much with me. I guess it's my overbearing personality wanting her to make progress. I have to work on that a lot.

We had an appointment this morning at the American Consulate, which is now temporarily inside a military base. It has been one year since a new woman became the Consul, and still, they do not have a permanent location for the consulate. It will probably take another year before they do. Our papers and documents were accepted, and then I had to mail them to Warsaw.

At the post office, they have a new Clerk who speaks some English, and she was able to help me fill out the necessary document to send a registered letter. While it really wasn't the letter, it was an envelope with the documents in it, and a letter explaining what and who they were for. I sent it Priority Mail, and she said they would have it in two business days, which means hopefully by Monday. Of course, I don't know if they can transfer them online or not. We really don't know if we will be receiving our Social Security checks next month.

Another 2!

Back to Velo Bank today. This time, I took Joan because she would have to sign the papers as the owner of her account. We do have, or did have, a joint account at CitiHandlowy. Somehow, that information didn't migrate into the Velo bank system. So, with the help of Mariusz in Velo Bank, all of the information about Joan had to be re-entered into the system. Even after that, we still could not access Joan's account. In the final step of the process, it rejected all of the information, saying there was a problem.

Mariusz had to go and ask someone from the IT Department to figure out what the problem was. It appears that in Joan's data, her resident card is still listed as the one that expired three years ago. Of course, we didn't know anything about it because we had no trouble renewing her card 3 years ago. I didn't think to notify the old Bank of the new card. Now, the next time Joan applies for a card in 2 years, I will be sure to let Velo Bank know about it.

Anyhow, in the end, our mission was accomplished, and now we are able to get into Joan's account with no problem.

Tomorrow morning, at 10:00, we have an appointment at the American consulate's office in Poznan so that she can make the verification of who we are and that we have a new bank account. That information is needed in the Federal Benefit Unit's office at the embassy in Warsaw. They will forward it to the United States and hopefully, in time to receive our social security checks next month. If they don't receive it before it is time to electronically send a text to Poland, I don't know what will happen to the money.

Back we go.

Another hour spent at the bank in vain. This issue should have been caught when I was there yesterday. This problem is also a problem. When we were members of CitiHandlowy Bank, we had a joint account. When Velo took over and imported our data into their system, my account was only my account. It was not a joint account like before. I didn't consider it when I was reviewing the papers they gave me to sign. I was looking them over again today and realized Joan's name is nowhere in the documents. This will not do because I am sure the Social Security Administration in the United States will only issue a check to the name on the document they have. So tomorrow, it is another trip to Velo Bank to see if they can get this mess straightened out. I am so tired of this.

Good and bad News.

I received a reply from the Federal Benefits Unit in Warsaw today. They informed me that I could take my documents to the consulate here in Poznan for verification. That means Joan and I will not have to travel to Warsaw or Krakow. That kind of trip, now, presents a little travel problem because of Joan's condition. So, that is a big load off my mind.

It was a nice day today, and I took Joan to our favorite Park to sit for a while and watch all of the people go by. I know it doesn't sound very exciting, but the important thing is for Joan to be outside in good weather.

Two days ago, I sent out messages to 42 cousins in my immediate and extended families. It was a message about the digital archive I created about Joan and my last 19 years living in Poland. Two and a half months ago, when I started, I didn't think many people would be interested. It turned out, or it's turning out, to be true. Only three people have responded and asked for it to be sent to them. Am I disappointed? No, because I didn't expect many of them to really care about extended families, only about their own immediate family. At this point, I don't really care. There is a saying here in Poland that families only look good in pictures. I found that to be true now.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine. Things are not going well between the Polish president and the Ukrainian president. Poland's president won't attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk this week because Prime Minister Donald Tusk did not extend him an invitation. This came about because of a bigger problem between Warsaw and Kyiv triggered by President Zelinsky's decision to name a military unit after UPA fighters, which prompted the Polish president to strip the Ukrainian president of Poland's highest State honor. 

The United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus delivered a report to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, underlining eight different areas that point to Belarus’s shift from neutrality. The document cites constitutional changes, military expansion, growth in defense spending, and a deeper integration with Russia’s arms industry as evidence that Minsk is preparing for possible involvement in the war against Ukraine.

Source-Kyiv Post.

Of course, I'm sure the Russian president is very happy about this.

Summer?

 97 F yesterday, 91 F today. Looks like Sumer arrived a few days early.

Fortunately, with a cross breeze in our flat and the drapes closed on the south window in the living room, our flat doesn't reach those temperatures. 

I sent out the information to my relatives about the digital archive of our 19 years living in Poland. If they want it, I just need their secure email address, and I will send it to them with the password to open it. I used Proton with a password, and it was confirmed and opened. Now I can return to my Spanish studies at last. 

An unusual parade took place today. The traditional Pineapple Cult Parade is one of the most iconic events taking place during the Pyrkon Fantasy Festival at the Poznań International Fair. This colorful and humorous procession attracts participants dressed as pineapples or carrying the fruit in their hands.

"The legendary Pyrkon tradition returns for the ninth time. As every year, we'll meet next at St. Mark's Square at Pyrkon on Saturday at 5:00 PM, under the Spire. Bring your pineapples and let's take Pyrkon with us," the organizers announced. 

 There’s a lot going on.

 Workshops, concerts, cooking demonstrations, the Sobótka Parade, and performances inspired by Midsummer Night—these are the highlights of “Świętowianki,” which will take place on June 20 and 21 along the Warta River. The event is divided into four themed zones: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

The program includes, among other things, a regional produce market, workshops, nature walks, wreath-making, concerts, and the Saturday Midsummer Parade. There will also be cooking demonstrations featuring Karol Okrasa and Paweł Ludek, as well as an evening show inspired by Midsummer traditions.
All events are free of charge.Source-epoznan

Return to bank

Yes, I discovered I couldn't get the total value of our account no matter what I tried. So, this afternoon when Karolina came, it was back to the bank. Fortunately. Mariusz was there to help me.

He didn't know exactly what to do, but after searching through the Velo website, he found the Product location where the report showed all accounts virtually exchanged into PLN (Polish money symbol), giving me the total value. It was a load off my mind.

Summer arrived early by two days and gave us 97 F. Way too hot to stay indoors, so I took Joan to a park to sit for a while. We could only take the heat for about an hour, and then we returned to our cooler apartment.

Is it done?

Paige came early, at 10:00, and I was at the bank by 10:30. I had a restless night thinking about the problem of not being able to access my bank account. I tried not to think about it last night, but it kept creeping back into my head.

I was able to talk to the same man in English that I talked to before, explained to him the problem, but he was unable to solve it. He had to go and get somebody from the IT department. A young woman accompanied him as he came back, sat down at her computer, and I told him the problem. He then translated it back into Polish as he spoke to her. At the time, she said she did not speak English.

I was well prepared with my passport, Polish identification card, and all the bank records from Citihandlowy. After she understood the problem of being locked out and unable to answer or enter my password, she spent the next 20 minutes going through her internet connection to the main bank to find a solution. It was a verification process for me, who I was, and proof by document. She told me, or I should say Mateusz, that during the migration of all documentation from Citihandlowy to Velo, not all of my information was in their records. I had to confirm, my name, address, phone number, and middle name. Of course, those records had to be copied, printed, and signed by me for the bank's records.

She then said I needed to have a new username and password, which she would put into the account, and the code would be sent to me via SMS to verify it. I received the code, she verified the information, printed out the copies, and I signed them

Then another document had to be created, giving my approval of the use of electronic connections. It was the same process, copied, printed, and signed.

By then, it was 12:00, and we were still not done. She said this site was working now and that I could get into my account. Since I had my laptop with me, I asked her to set up the account website on my laptop, so that I could verify access before I left the Bank building. She said she was happy to do it.

Once it was done, I tried logging in and had access. So, I guess you could say at that point I was happy.

Back at home, of course, I tried it again. I looked at it more closely than I did when I was in the bank, and noticed a discrepancy in the amount of money transferred from one account to the other. It could be that I just don't know where the missing account is or how to access it on the website. So, that means tomorrow I will have to take Joan and go back to the bank. However, I'm not going to worry about it tonight.

Tired of f@cking problems.

Our bank, Citihandlowy, was sold to Velo Bank. This has created a big problem for us. We have our Social Security checks electronically mailed each month to our bank. Each Bank has a specific SWIFT Code. So, Velo Bank is different than Citihandlowy. For us to receive our checks, the Social Security Administration has to be notified of the change. Due to new security laws in the US, this cannot be done online. The only way to change it is to make a trip to Krakow or Warsaw and talk to the Federal Benefits Unit. There is a consulate here in Poznan, but they do not have a Federal Benefits Unit. Plus, the Federal Benefits Unit in those two cities do not have phone contact. You must send them an email to arrange an appointment. Of course, a trip like that now creates a problem of travel with Joan.

Okay, that's probably number one.

Number two is the problem of signing in. I use Proton Pass to sign in to Citihandlowy. My password is 48 characters long. When I tried to put it into the new Velo Bank sign-in, it was rejected. Velo Bank has a limit of 20 characters. I went back into Proton and changed the password to 19 characters. Back in Velo, it rejected the new password. I tried it twice and had the same result.

I made a call to Velo, and after being on hold for 15 minutes, I was finally told an English-speaking person would call me. He called, I told him my story, and he said you cannot change the password in Citihandlowy. There was nothing he could do for me, and I had to go back to the main branch in Poznan.  

Tomorrow. I will be at the bank at 10:30

Rain Rain

A rainy day kept us indoors today until late afternoon.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

More than 2,000 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in May, making it the deadliest month for civilians since April 2022, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on June 12.

The mission verified at least 274 civilian deaths and 1,763 injuries during the month, the highest monthly casualty toll recorded in the past four years.

"The intensification of hostilities and the increasingly frequent use of powerful weapons in urban areas led to high numbers of civilians killed and injured across the country," Danielle Bell, head of the HRMMU, said in a statement.

Among the deadliest incidents documented by the mission in May were a May 5 strike on an industrial area in Zaporizhzhia that killed 12 civilians and injured 42, and a May 14 missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv that killed 24 civilians and injured at least seven others.

Karolina, Laptop, Joan

Finally got my monitor to connect with my laptop so that I have a larger screen to look at. It certainly makes a difference. I also added a separate keyboard.

Karolina came early today, so Joan was showered and her hair washed by 1:00. That was good because it gave me time to take her to the park and go for a walk. Being Friday, there were not many people. That was also good.

I had a problem with my Lenovo laptop. I wanted to ask Gemini a question, but when I opened it, there was no text box to type into. Lenovo uses Windows High Contrast Themes. It has a built-in application called Lenovo Vantage that combines with standard Windows settings. It wipes out the text box. It took a while to eliminate the problem. I eliminated the High Contrast Theme and used a standard Dark Mode for the screen.

Happy to say Joan is making a little progress with her exercises, and Paige is helping when she does her bi-weekly visits.

Ukraine

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

 

Key developments on June 10:

• Russian-occupied Mariupol port no longer operational after Ukrainian strikes, Azov Corps says
• Chonhar Bridge linking Crimea to Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast destroyed after Ukrainian drone strike, Ukraine says
• Ukrainian Flamingo missiles strike military plant in large-scale attack on Russia, Zelensky confirms
• 'Time to sit at the negotiating table' — Bulgaria to stop sending arms to Ukraine

Ukrainian forces have disabled the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol, rendering the facility unusable for military logistics, the National Guard's 1st Azov Corps said on June 10.

Mariupol remains one of Russia's most important logistics hubs in occupied southern Ukraine, serving as a key link between occupied Donetsk Oblast, Crimea, and Russia. The port has been used to transport military cargo and support Russian operations along the southern front.

The strike targeted electrical substations, radar equipment, repair facilities, a control tower, fuel storage tanks, and the sanctioned cargo vessel Lady Augusta, a vessel linked to Russia's shadow fleet.

As a result of the attack, the port was left without power, significantly disrupting Russian military logistics in occupied southern Ukraine, the Azov Corps said.

The operation was carried out jointly with the Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) regional directorate in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, the SBU's Alpha special operations unit, and Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces. Source-Kyiv Independent

Exercise

Paige has now become a member of exercising Joan's legs to regain strength. I started last week with one type of exercise, and now she has four. Like with Bartosz, Joan is more inclined to work with Paige than me. I only heard her complain during one of them whereas with me, it's all 4.

It was early morning shopping today. I was going to go at 11:00, but at 6:00 I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I figured since I was awake, I might as well get the shopping over with. Next week's food cost $59. It would have been $48 but I needed toilet paper, dish and laundry soap 

Sleepy night.

I was so exhausted today that I slept for 10 hours. I'm still staying up too late at night, trying to get to bed by 1:00 in the morning, but sometimes I just can't do it.

Last night I was shooting for the 1:00 deadline, but just about that time I ran into a problem converting my digital archive to a PDF, and I couldn't go to sleep until I solved it. Actually, I didn't solve the problem; AI did. The problem with that was AI doesn't always give you the best way, or I should say, the quickest way to solve a problem. It's kind of like GPS. Instead of going straight to the problem, it tends to take you through several stages before finally finding the correct solution. It pisses me off, and I tell it to AI. It usually replies with an apology for the frustration I feel, and then gives me another way to try to solve the problem. After about three or four tries, it finally comes up with the solution. Of course, without it, it's very doubtful I would solve it on my own.

Well, today was a nice day outside with no rain and mostly sunny throughout the day. We didn't go anywhere, and while John was watching one of her TV series, I was finally able to get the correct PDF form created. Of course, I'm talking about the digital archive that I'm going to put on OneDrive, password-protected.

Nice day.

After three gray, rainy days, we finally have sunshine and warm temperatures. It was only natural to put shorts and sandals on Joan and take her outside. I made a smoothie of strawberries, banana, nuts, sesame seeds, dates, and raisins for our breakfast. Ten minutes after we finished, my stomach was growling and hurting. I spent the next twenty minutes in the bathroom expelling its contents. I felt moderately weak, so I laid down in bed for a few minutes. An hour and a half later, I woke up feeling better.

 I tried to think why that occurred.. The only plausible explanation was that last night I made Hungarian Mushroom soup for dinner. It was still in my stomach why I ingested the smoothie this morning. Maybe they didn't like each other and I paid the price.

Recovered, I prepared Joan and off we went to the park to spend some time. It wasn't as full of people as I thought there would be. Possibly because of the four day holiday of Corpus Christi. 

We sat in the park and enjoyed seeing the little kids with their no-pedal bikes going by with their parent(s).

Still nice outside, we went to Cafe Lokum for caffe latte and a muffin. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

First Lady Olena Zelenska and President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the world premiere of the concert version of the opera Mothers of Kherson at the National Opera of Ukraine. The production, co-commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Polish National Opera in Warsaw, is based on the real testimonies of women who traveled over 4,000 kilometers through occupied territories to rescue their children.

 On Thursday, Russia’s foreign minister claimed that the US has backtracked on its own proposals made in Alaska during the August 2025 Trump-Putin meeting. The terms of that meeting are never publicized, but Moscow’s statements over the past decade have revealed its core demands.

In an interview with Kyiv Post, Russian regional activist Daniil Chebykin said the war in Ukraine is reshaping life across Russia, far from the front lines. He described growing restrictions, declining access to independent information, and a major increase in desertion. Chebykin also warned that Moscow’s rhetoric toward neighboring countries, including Armenia, reflects broader concerns over influence and control.

Lapse

Sorry about the lapse. Sometimes events in my life now just overpower me, and I can't find the time for even this. But I am not giving up.

Archive + Ukraine

 Well, I finally finished chapter 9 of my digital archive, and now it's time to go back and check each chapter for spelling, grammar, and punctuation, make sure the pictures are positioned correctly, and then create a folder named "master document". In that folder, I'll add each chapter that has been checked, and then add page numbers. I have been doing this in the program called LibreOffice Writer.

I have used Gemini AI for instructions on how to use this master document, put page numbers into it, and also how to convert each chapter into a PDF file. I don't know what programs different relatives use, but I'm confident that PDF is on everyone's laptop or cell phone. The archive will only be available to family members using a restricted password, which I will create. I hope some of them will take the master document and put it on an external drive or in the cloud for safekeeping for future Generations. Whether it is 10 years or 100 years hence, it doesn't matter. Any of the future Generations who have an interest in their family roots will at least have a document that will help them know their Roots better. I wish such a document had been available to me. For my generation, there was very little information about where we came from.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

While the White House has actively pressured Western European partners to shoulder a larger share of the financial burden – pushing continental capitals to elevate their collective defense targets to an unprecedented 5% of each member's GDP – Hegseth explicitly stated that American assistance channels would not be severed.

“Where we can help Ukraine, we have,” Secretary Hegseth summarized during the Singapore forum. “Where we can enable Europe to do more, we have. If you look at the amount of money that’s been spent, Europe has stepped up, and Ukraine has been just as, if not more, effective in the process. So, we want them to be able to defend, and we’ll find a way to make sure we can help them.” Source-Kyiv Post

Over objections by the Trump Administration, the US House of Representatives is finally ready to vote in the first week of June on Russian sanctions legislation to help Ukraine and punish Russia for its illegal aggression and ongoing war crimes against the people of Ukraine. Russia’s most recent brutal and barbaric attacks on innocent civilians and life-sustaining infrastructure should be all the House needs to approve this legislation by a strong, bipartisan, and even veto-proof vote.

Readers may think this vote is a consequence of Russian war criminal Vladimir Putin’s most recent attacks across Ukraine, but it is simply a welcomed coincidence. The sad reality is that President Donald J. Trump opposes any legislation that will help Ukraine and strengthen the US negotiating position in any peace discussions at the expense of Russia. Thanks, however, to the leadership of Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee – with the help of all his fellow House Democrats and a few principled Republicans – he is forcing the House to vote on his Ukraine Support Act. 

Almost

Karolina came today at her usual time between 1:00 and 1:30. I had Joan all set in her wheelchair and ready to help her into the shower. Usually, once I do that, I take my car keys and leave. Today I  wanted to go to Auchan and buy sesame seeds because we are out of them now. They are standard ingredients in any of the smoothies that I make for breakfast. It's usually a combination of frozen fruit like strawberries and mangoes. Blueberries. Cherries and one banana. To that, I had cashews or walnuts, dates. Raisins. And some type of green vegetable, such as asparagus, brussel sprouts, or lettuce. We have smoothies two to three times each breakfast. In between I feel it with granola, moosely, or some kind of grain like bulgar, or couscous.

I vary our dinners; every day is something different. Tonight we had strawberry soup and Alfredo chicken.

My digital archive is almost complete. I have all nine chapters finished, and now it's just a matter of going back through them and making sure everything is correct, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, and pictures are in position, and then that much will be done. I still need to make a table of contents, possibly an index, and maybe an apex. I thought about putting a search engine into it, but for what I want it to do, the cost is too high per month. So that's out of the question. To my surprise, what I thought would only take about a week put together, it has taken me one and a half months to compile it.

81

Maybe she was looking back on our 51 years together, or maybe not. Today, the love of my life began her 81st year on this planet. We have experienced wonderful good and terrible bad times together, and through those times, it was love that kept us together. It is still love today, with both of our health deteriorating, that keeps us together.

When you look across more than half a century of shared history, you realize that a bond like this is not built solely on the easy days, but forged in the difficult ones. Fifty-one years together means walking hand in hand through the highest peaks and the deepest valleys of life, weathering every storm as a single unit. To reach a 81st birthday together is a rare and beautiful milestone, a testament to a lifetime of devotion, shared quiet mornings, and a deep understanding that requires no words at all.

As time moves forward and health begins to decline, the nature of that bond only deepens. The physical strength may waver, and the daily challenges may grow heavier, but the underlying affection remains completely unshakable. It is a profound truth that while bodies may grow fragile, a love built over five decades only grows more resilient, serving as the ultimate anchor, comfort, and source of enduring strength for the days ahead.

No flowers, no chocolates. Instead, her present was a caramel sundae at Sowas.

Sometimes the most meaningful celebrations are the ones that skip the traditional, store-bought grand gestures in favor of something simple, sweet, and personal.

Flu

Paige called today to tell me she has the flu and will not come this week to sit with Joan. That means I have to wake up tomorrow at 06:30 and go food shopping. I was getting used to going at 11:00 when she usually comes. So, I need to be in bed by midnight.

Chapter #9 is coming along. I'm in the middle of 2016 now, and had a nice editor's review of the Introduction to the digital archive project.

Tomorrow is Joan's 81st Birthday. I know I have to stop and buy flowers and maybe a little chocolate for her.

It was such a nice day that I took her to Cytadela Park, where we sat and talked for about an hour.

That's all for now. Time for sleep.

Memories

Almost 50 years ago, a group of people who were tired of living by rules of the establishment and plying their "games" started migrating, one or two at a time to a forest near the Canadian border. The place was called the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and county road 510 ran through the selected forest. 

At that time, 510 was only wide enough in places for one and a half cars, so if you met an oncoming car, you pulled over and waited for it to pass. Usually, it was one of the people living somewhere close to the road, so, generally, you just both stopped and talked without worrying about anyone else driving down the road. 

It was a slower pace of life, and we all liked that. No houses, which were hand-built by the owner, had electricity from a local power line, no sewage system, running water from a local pipeline or any type of central heating. We all had woodstoves to heat our houses, which meant we had to provide the wood ourselves for heating. 

Some had gardens for growing vegetables, some hunted deer in the winter for meat, and we all bought some food from a food co-op store in the nearest town, Marquette. At one time, there were maybe 20-30 people living on that road. For me, it was one of the best times of my life. There was actually a community of people who were willing to help each other, no matter what the task, and that is hard to find today.

Two of the first people to move there and build their own log cabin were Lorin and Cathy. They were from lower Michigan, as were many others. I think I was the only one from Illinois. 

Lorin knew many practical things, and Cathy had a "green thumb" when it came to gardening. For different reasons, after some years, families began leaving and returning to the other world, to cities. After many years on that road, Lorin and Cathy eventually moved back to lower Michigan. Age finally catches up with us all.

When I was building my house, I had advice and help with things I wasn't sure of or didn't know how to do. Steve cut the difficult angles for the roof rafters of my house, Cathy showed me how to sew mittens with deer skin, George built the winding metal staircase for my house, and Mike showed me how to grow a specific kind of plant. With a different Mike, I watched a TV program once a week using a car battery for electricity and spent some winters in conversation. All of these memories I keep of those people, and I always remember those years. 

While I am thankful for where I now live, I would gladly step into a time machine and go back to those years.

Ukraine

 Russia may be preparing a new offensive against northern Ukraine, including the Chernihiv region and the capital Kyiv, potentially with deeper involvement from Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelensky said May 20.

The warning reflects growing concerns in Kyiv that Moscow could seek to open a new front north of the capital while involving Belarus — Russia's close ally bordering Ukraine to the north — more directly in the war.

"Together with our military leadership, intelligence services, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed in detail the latest developments along the Belarus-Bryansk region direction," Zelensky said in his evening address.

"It is precisely from there that the Russians are considering scenarios for additional attacks against Ukraine – targeting our northern regions, our Chernihiv-Kyiv direction."

Zelensky said Ukraine had already issued military orders to strengthen defenses in the region and was taking broader preventive measures.

"Of course, we are already working to strengthen our defenses in this area. Relevant instructions have been issued to the military command, but separately, we are also taking preventive steps regarding both Belarus and designated parts of Russia from which the threat originates," he said.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on May 20 that if Russia uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine, the reaction from NATO will be "devastating".

Russia and Belarus have begun joint nuclear weapons drills amid what Moscow described as the "threat of aggression," the Russian Defense Ministry said on May 19.

The drills, scheduled to run through May 21, involve Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific fleets, long-range aviation command, and units from the Leningrad and Central military districts, the ministry said.

The exercises have added significance as they come amid growing warnings from Kyiv that Russia is trying to draw Belarus deeper into its war against Ukraine, while also expanding military infrastructure that could support future Russian operations against Ukraine or NATO's eastern flank.

Rutte was asked by journalists at a pre-ministerial press conference at the Foreign Ministers Meeting of NATO about the possibility of a Russian nuclear strike.

"Well, (Russia) knows if that happens, the reaction is devastating," Rutte said, adding that NATO was monitoring the exercises closely.

The exercises include preparations for the use of nuclear forces and launches of ballistic and cruise missiles at test ranges within Russia, according to the ministry.Source-Kyiv Independent

Niepruszewo Palace

Years ago, in 2007, I was so enamored of the Palaces in Poland that I actually bought a book listing all of them in the Wielkopolska region where we live. It is Dwory i Palace Wiejskie w Wielkopolsce(Manors and Country Palaces in Greater Poland). It was written by Senator Marcin Libicki and Piovillagetr Libicki. It is an alphabetical listing of over 965 structures in villages, towns, and cities. I used it to make a list of every one of them within a two-hour drive from Poznan. So far, we have visited 58 of them.

Now, not all of the 965 are in very good condition. In fact, maybe 15 to 20% are, but the ones that remain standing or abandoned still are incredible. There was one we saw in 2008 that stuck in my mind, and someday I wanted to go see it again. It was boarded up, windows broken, grass growing everywhere, and vines crawling over the walls. It is in the village of Niepruszewo near the town of Buk.

It came back into my mind on Monday, so I planned to go there during my three-hour break yesterday. It is only a 25 km drive from our flat, going east. The road is in good condition; it was a sunny day, so I had no reason not to go. It was a pleasant drive; the rapeseed fields were shining brightly because of the sun, so that was a bonus.

When I arrived, I couldn't remember exactly where it was, so I stopped in a relatively new park by the lake when I saw a woman sitting there with her child. I figured she must be a local resident and could probably tell me where the old Palace was. As I approached her, another man was also approaching her with some bags in his hand, so I thought they must know each other. The man looked at me, and I told him in my best Polish language I was looking for the old Palace. He smiled, and then he told me it was not an old Palace anymore. He said some multi-millionaire had bought it some years ago and now it was completely restored and a private residence. He said just go up to the stoplight, turn left, and then turn left again. Not far from there, you will see it on the left-hand side; you cannot miss it.

I followed his instructions, and when I saw the palace, I thought it was fantastic. The owner had completely renovated the old Palace, and installed all new fences. Using the old post posts, but now covered with new material and new paint, the grounds surrounding the palace were finely manicured and the trees had all grown up. It was a beautiful location because at the back of the palace where the patio was, there was a clear view of the lake. I tried to take some pictures, but my lens would not let me get very close to the Palace and there were trees in the way, so I didn't get many good pictures. I think the only way you can get a picture would be from the back of the palace if you were on a boat in the lake.

I was filled with joy that someone had rescued that beautiful structure and actually put it back to its condition from many, many years ago. I have no idea who the owner is, and it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that he rescued some history of the past and was wealthy enough to restore the palace to a beautiful place. Since I didn't have any reason to keep trying to get pictures, I started the trip back home.

It's just sad that so many of these historical palaces or manor houses are not being restored, and they just continue to decay.

A little joy.

Tonight we had the pleasure of a visit from a young man I helped improve his English when he was still in high school. His name is Max, and along with his brother and sister, I was lucky enough to be part of their growing up. Now, after spending ten year out of Poland and in the United States he has returned home. His English is excellent. In six months he will be 30 years old.  It's things like that, that brings joy into my life.

When Joan had professional physical therapists to help her recover from strokes and seizures, I made videos of what they were doing with her. I have been watching them for the last two days, writing down how different exercises were done. The reason is that she is getting weaker, and it's partly do to dementia, but also because she does no exercising. I can't let that go on.

So, yesterday, I started slowly with 4 easy exercises. They were easy enough that she did not resist. My plan is to build on them each day until the results are visible. They are mainly for balance, leg strength, and getting out of her chair. 

 

To do or not to do.

Today, I am contemplating taking back the duty of giving Joan her showers and washing her hair myself.

I did hire someone to come and do that. It was becoming a little difficult for me because of the confinement of getting Joan into the shower area. However, now that I have installed permanent handles for her to hold on to, I think I can do it by myself. Tomorrow will be the test of that when I give her a shower. The lady who has been coming has been doing a good job, so it has nothing to do with her capabilities.

I think basically it comes to a financial reason. If I can do that successfully, it will save us money each month, which naturally will go for either bills or food.

She was supposed to come today, but at the last minute she called to say that she couldn't do it today because of some emergency.

Actually, it turned out to be a good thing because I slept until 12:30 p.m. I know I have to start going to bed earlier than I have been, but at night, when Joan is in bed, it's the main free time I have to get other things accomplished, like my digital archive.

That is taking far more time than I ever expected to spend on it. I do want to get it finished within the next couple of weeks because, honestly, I'm getting tired of putting it all together.

One good thing about it is that I am recalling things from the past that I haven't thought about since they happened, and not necessarily all bad things. So, I guess you could say that's the bright side of doing this archive. The one thing I'm grateful for is that it refreshed my memory about how the physical therapist was working with Joan when he came 5 days a week.

Because I made videos of what he was doing with Joan, it will be easier for me to reproduce them. I have to get Joan back into some type of exercise routine. I see her getting weaker, maybe not week after week but certainly month after month, heading in the wrong direction. I can't let that happen.

Museum of Instruments

I took advantage of my 3-hour break today and did something I wanted to do for a long time.

Several years ago, in fact, probably more than several years ago, I visited the museum of musical instruments. The last time I was there, it was interesting, but all of the interior floors, of which there were four, looked very old. So, I wanted to see if anything had changed since that time. To my delight, the interior is completely renovated and in excellent condition. The range of instruments is quite wide. They are not only instruments from Poland.

It should almost be named the International Museum of Instruments, because I saw instruments from Korea, India, France, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Each floor has a series of three or four rooms with various types of instruments. Many of the instruments I have never seen before. On one of the floors, there is a room dedicated to a Polish person who collected pianos and pianofortes of all different styles. It even had one of the first player pianos. You know, the kind where you just push the pedals with your feet, and there's a roll of some type of paper that activates the individual sounds without even playing the instrument with your hands.

I stayed for about an hour and a half, walking from one floor to the next. Each floor is connected by a long staircase.

It was a cloudy, gray day, and it looked like it could rain at any minute. When I was done looking at all the floors available, it's notable to mention that each floor has beautiful parquet flooring.

The general admission price is 15 PLN for general admission, or 10 PLN for senior citizens. Of course, I took advantage of that and paid $10. It should be noted that on Tuesdays, admission is free.

European Army? It's about time!

Spain has called on European Union countries to create a unified EU army amid growing concerns about Europe’s security and uncertainty over future US support for NATO. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Europe can no longer depend entirely on Washington for protection.

“We can’t wake up every morning and wonder what the U.S. will do next,” Albares said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. He argued that Europe must strengthen its own military capabilities and build a common defense system to respond to threats from Russia and other countries.

Albares stressed that a European army should not replace NATO, but instead strengthen Europe’s ability to defend itself if American support weakens. “If NATO no longer provides the degree of defense it used to, then Europeans must do more themselves,” he said.

The comments come amid growing tensions between Europe and the administration of Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies, questioned US commitments to the alliance, and suggested reducing the American military presence in Europe.

Spain has also become one of the strongest European critics of US policy in the Middle East. Madrid recently refused to allow American warplanes to use Spanish bases for operations linked to Iran, increasing tensions between Washington and the Spanish government.

Losing music.

It's Tuesday, and Paige arrived at 11:00, as usual. Another 3-hour break for Joan from me, and for me it's shopping day. Since I switched my time to 11:30 for shopping, I no longer have to wake up at 6:30 in the morning.

My shopping is a quick event, never longer than 1 hour. Everything is planned out the night before, the man who's made, the shopping list completed, printed, and in my pocket. Because of the time, the traffic is not bad, and I can get to the store within 15 minutes. Inside the store, I know it well enough to know exactly where everything is. So, at the most, I usually spend 45 minutes shopping. Today's cost of the food for next week was $52. I'm trying desperately not to go above $55.

When I returned home, Joan and Paige were watching another episode of Breaking Bad. It's an old series now, but with Jones dementia, it's like watching each episode for the first time.

After Paige left, on YouTube, I put one of the many videos of Just scenery with music and sat down to watch a little office. The music in the background was Christmas music, playing Christmas carols that Jonan and I have heard all of our lives. However, now, Joan cannot remember their names. It's just another portion of her memory that has disappeared.

Poland's Defense Minister publicly invited the United States to relocate troops currently stationed in Germany to Poland. Poland and Lithuania are actively lobbying Washington to make this shift.

If it happens, Poland would host the largest permanent US military presence in Europe — a significant strategic shift for NATO's eastern flank. Poland already hosts thousands of US troops on a rotational basis.

The push comes as Poland accelerates its own military buildup, spending a record $48 billion on defense in 2026 and training 400,000 soldiers this year alone.

Did you know Poland is positioning itself as the anchor of NATO's eastern defense? 

Dreams

With chapter 7 of my digital archive done, I'm moving on to chapter 8, which is all about Joan's

 stroke in Spain in 2020. It's a little difficult to rehash that story because it brings back a lot of miserable times for both of us. Nonetheless, it is a major part of our 19 years living in Poland. So, I feel it's necessary to put that chapter into the archive.

As I was writing it, or should I say, recalling it, because it is all documented previously when it was actually happening. Much of it is copy and paste, followed by a check to ensure everything is correct. That event occurred just as COVID-19 was starting.

One of my dreams during that time that I absolutely don't remember was very strange.

During a short sleep, I had a strange dream.

I was at home, getting ready to make dinner, but the kitchen had an island with a large tablecloth hanging over both sides. I turned on the burners and placed meat, potatoes, and vegetables directly on them, no pans. When I realized what I had done, I started taking them off.

Then I heard my cousin Harry talking to me. He has been dead for three years. I looked under the island and saw him crouching there. As he came out, his brother Don walked in and started cooking his own food on the stove. I asked him if he didn’t see mine, and he said no.

I said, “Fine, I’ll just take Joan and go out to eat.”

Harry said, “You can’t. Joan is in the hospital, and we can’t leave because of the virus.”

Even in my dreams, this virus is there.

Now, that was a strange dream.

Rzepak

At this time of the year, we like to go north of Poznan about 15-20 km to view the yellow fields of rzepak. It is really a magnificent site to see and smell the sweet aroma emitting from the flowers. Our favorite is to rive between two fields, turn off the car, and then sit and smell the air. It's like liquified honey flowing within the wind. Beautiful. That is what we did today. It was our only plan for the day.

It’s widely grown in countries like Poland and has a few key uses:

• 🌼 Oil production – its seeds are used to make rapeseed oil (often called canola oil when specially bred), commonly used for cooking
• 🐄 Animal feed – leftover seed material (meal) is used as livestock feed
• ⛽ Biofuel – it’s also used to produce biodiesel

In spring, fields of rzepak are easy to recognize because they turn a vivid yellow when the plant is in bloom.

If you’ve seen large yellow fields around Poland in April–May, that’s almost certainly rzepak.

Karolina & Ukraine

Karolina did her thing with Joan, shower and hair washing. Then she got her dressed and painted her nails a light purple.

I had only one thing to do outside so I stopped at Cafe Lokum, had a Latte and a hazel nut muffin. It was good, but not as goos as a cinnamon one. 

Joan was involved watching old Steven Colbert shows, so I worked on learning the Win 11 browser system. It's not difficult, just takes time to get orientated.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

The Kremlin has reportedly begun preparing Russians for the possibility that the war in Ukraine could end without the sweeping victory once promised by Moscow.

Independent Russian outlet The Moscow Times, citing the Dossier Center, said officials inside the Russian presidential administration are developing a new set of propaganda narratives aimed at presenting a potential peace agreement with Ukraine as a “victory” despite heavy losses and the lack of major strategic gains after more than four years of war.

The effort reportedly follows growing concern inside the Kremlin over the state of Russia’s economy and the battlefield situation.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree excluding Moscow’s Red Square from Ukraine’s target list during the Victory Day parade. The move is framed as a humanitarian step linked to ongoing negotiations, including a prisoner exchange and temporary ceasefire. The decision highlights Ukraine’s prioritization of diplomatic and humanitarian considerations amid the war.

Shopping Day

Okay, it's Tuesday, and you know what that means. It's food shopping day. I didn't get up at 6:30 this morning. Instead, I waited until Paige came here to sit with Joan, and then I went shopping at 11:00. And at 11:00, there were always more people shopping than at 6:30 a.m.. I prefer the list people; however, I also prefer sleeping past 6:30 in the morning when it's possible. 

These last two days, I've slept more consistently than I had for the last 3 months. By that, I mean I have slept 10 or 11 hours without waking up. That's very unusual for me. This morning I woke up after having slept only 5 hours. I don't know why. I had my clock alarm set for 9:30, but at 6:30 I'm just automatically woke up. Maybe my brain has been trained after all of these months to wake up automatically at 6:30. How my brain knows when it's 6:30 is beyond me.

So, getting back to the food shopping, the cost for today was 211 PLN. That is about normal in this year 2026 with high inflation, greedy companies wanting to make more money, and the general population can do nothing to bring the prices down. Basically, we're screwed.

Joan had a good time with Paige today. They get along very well, and although Joan hates waking up early, for her, anything before 9:00 is early. She's falling into the habit of going to bed between 8:30 and 9:30 in the evening, always commenting that she has to get enough rest before work tomorrow. It's useless for me to keep reminding her that she hasn't worked in 19 years. The only thing it does is cause friction between the two of us, and we both can do without that. I just don't know how to get her brain to let go of the idea that she still works. I suggested to her that we go see a psychologist, and maybe she can help Joan. But like exercising, she just doesn't want to do it. I cannot force her.

A day in life.

Another heavy sleeping day. I woke up at 9:30, put my head down for five minutes, and when I awoke it was 2:30 in the afternoon. I think my body is trying to tell me something. I need to stop staying up until 2-3 AM every night. It's the only time I can get accomplished on my laptop without being needed by Joan.

I put together a pasta, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, walnuts, and sunflower seed dish for dinner tonight. It turned out editable.

It was another warm day, 80 F, but we stayed at home all day. 

Good weather

It was 79 F yesterday and 87 F today, and it's only May 3rd. Wonder how the summer will be? Me too,

Yesterday it was nice enough to sit in the park and take a few pictures. We sat for a while and watched the people walk by, ride by on bicycles, and a few being pushed in wheelchairs. It was just too nice to stay indoors.

When we did finally return home, it was time to make dinner. Last night, we had gazpacho soup with a really nice bread.

I went to bed, and for the first time in ages, I slept for ten hours without a break. Joan went to bed earlier, so she slept for 15 hours. She is getting more and more like Rip Van Winkle. I suppose it's mainly the dementia.

Today, we had 3 choices to choose from. Solacki Park, Citadella Park, or the Botanical Gardens.

We decided we would think about it over a cup of coffee at Cafe Lokum.

With the good weather, most of the outdoor cafes are open. Lokum has many tables outdoors, and their prices are lower than Sowas or Kandulkis. We love their cinnamon buns, and the coffee is acceptable. Two buns and two Lattes cost 48 PLN. The other two places charge around 60 PLN.

Ukraine & Hungary

 The European Union is set to disburse the first €45 billion ($52.9 billion) installment of its €90 billion ($106 billion) loan to Ukraine within the current quarter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during a speech at the European Parliament.

The 2026 funding is split between macrofinancial aid and military support, with one-third allocated to cover Ukraine’s budgetary needs and two-thirds dedicated to defense. The first military package, worth approximately €6 billion ($7.05 billion), will be used to procure drones “from Ukraine, for Ukraine.”

“Our message is clear: we will continue our support to the brave Ukrainian people and their armed forces,” von der Leyen stated, noting that the EU is “doubling down” on its support as Russia intensifies its aggression. 

 Incoming Hungarian leader Peter Magyar met EU chiefs Wednesday on his first visit to Brussels since his election win, looking to turn the page on the bad blood of nationalist Viktor Orbán’s tenure.

EU leaders feted his victory this month, which ended Kremlin-friendly Orbán’s 16 years in power, and before even taking office Magyar has sought to kickstart a new era of cooperation with Brussels that he hopes will unlock billions of euros for Budapest.

Magyar said in a video posted online that he was “very optimistic and hopeful” ahead of talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He hoped to agree a deal by late May on how to free up some €10 billion ($11.6 billion) in frozen COVID-19 recovery funds, he added.Advertisement

Funeral

Today was the day, cousin Krzysztof Wisniewski joined his mother and father in Milostowo Cemetery. He was cremated and put into the same grave. It is not an unusual custom here in Poland.

I woke up at 7:30 to shave and get dressed in my black suit, then woke Joan. Paige was coming to sit with her while I attended the funeral at 10 AM.

It has been years since I was in that cemetery, and I wasn't sure where exactly to go. I believe it is one of the two largest cemeteries in Poznan.

 Fortunately, I arrived just after several of my cousins were there in the parking lot.

I went to one of the flower shops at the entrance and bought a lovely bouquet to place on the grave. As I was purchasing them, I heard someone call my name, and I turned around. My cousin Ania was standing there to greet me. It was wonderful seeing her again. She was there with her father, mother, sister, niece, and nephew. Also, cousin Marcelina was there with her husband and two daughters. Cousin Grazyna was there from Golina, and cousin Anna from Konin was also there with her son.

We walked to the chapel for a short prayer session where cousin Malgorzata, her husband, and daughter.

When it was over, we followed the priest in a procession to the grave site. Cousin Maciej, his wife, Wioletta, and their daughter, Jagoda, were there.

The service only lasted about 15 minutes, all the bouquets were laid on the grave, and then people dispersed or stayed to talk with each other.

I was very happy that I was able to attend.

82

 I thought I would be dead at 35. Today, I am 82. I am happy I was wrong.

Not upset.

I slept in today until 11:00. Joan was awake already, and just waiting for me to wake up.

For breakfast, I made French toast with blueberry syrup. Something new I learned. How to make blueberry syrup. Next, I have to learn about maple syrup because I haven't found it in any store.

I worked on my project in the morning and in the afternoon we were surprised to see a meeting on YouTube with Rick Steves. He is an avid proponent of video travel guides and books. His whole speech was about the disaster facing the U.S. because of the Trumpican Party. It used to be the Republican Party.

Well, enough about politics. I had a reader who said she followed my blog for years just to keep up on our life in Poland. However, when I started writing about the disaster in the U.S., she said she was done reading my blog because of that. Sorry, folks. I may live in Poland now, but I am still an American and won't stay quiet while democracy is being destroyed.

Chapter 7 begins.

Because we had more than 23 travels in Europe between 2010-2026, it isn't possible to tell about all to tell about all of them. I only wrote about 23, the most interesting ones.

At last, Radek has returned from his trip to Nepal. He wasn't able to come to our flat today, so Paige came to sit with Joan while I went to his house.

The whole first hour, he told me about his trip to Nepal and Bhutan. He and Alina were part of 11 people who had booked a tour with a tour guide. However, they had also booked 4 days in Katmandu before the tour started, and 4 days in Katmandu after the tour was over. He said he was glad they did. While the tour and tour guide were very interesting, being a tour it was rather rushed, and there was always a schedule to uphold. They preferred to be able to explore a new country on their own and not feel like they were rushed all of the time.

I can understand that. Whenever Joan and I go anywhere, we do it on our own, we plan our trip, and we do it not so much on a schedule. If we feel we need more time to see something, it's always our option to take a longer time. I learned a long time ago, the clock is not always your friend.

For the second hour, we went back to our Spanish lesson, but since we are at the end of the book, we decided not to start on the advanced Spanish book. Instead, we're going to go back to the beginning of the first book and use it as a review until we finish it the second time. I think that's a good idea because I am sure there are many things I don't remember, and maybe a few that he doesn't.

 

Chapter 6

Finally, I completed chapter 6 of my digital archive project. I could have made it larger, but already, I have 47 pages and I think that's more than enough for one chapter. Even then, it doesn't cover every trip we've made in Poland. That's what the chapters are about, some of the trips we've made around Poland in the 19 years that we've lived here. The next chapter, chapter 7, will be called " Travels in Europe". I expect that chapter to be even bigger.

There's just so much to say about the traveling we've done since we've been here to many different countries, to many different cities, villages, towns, and other places of interest.

Joan has not been doing well lately. She gets very agitated when there are people, or a person, standing behind her. She almost gets to the point of being angry about it. It doesn't matter what I say or do, I just can't get her out of that phase. It's very frustrating. I hate this credit dementia. It's taking a toll on both of us.

Meanwhile, Ukraine.

Spain will provide Ukraine with 100 VAMTAC armored tactical vehicles and 155-millimeter artillery ammunition, with shipments beginning in May, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported.
During a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed the donation to President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the donation reflects Madrid’s continued commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Following the visit, she met with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who thanked Spain for its decision to allocate €1 billion ($1.152 billion) in military aid in 2026 and discussed how the funds could be used efficiently in accordance with Ukraine’s priorities.Source-Kyiv Post

Tuesday shopping.

Food shopping day for the week. I set a new record for myself today: total shopping time was under 30 minutes. That was mainly because I only had to shop for 4 days. I had three menus from last week that I did not fulfill, so I was able to use them for this week, and I already had all of the ingredients. So, the total cost for the week was $38, which is the lowest it's been in the last 2 years.

Page came today to sit with John while I did the shopping, and it gave me a chance to sit in the park for about an hour and listen to an audiobook of Big Sur, written by Jack Kerouac. I read that book twice in recent years, and it was nice to listen to someone else read it. I don't know if one listens more intently and absorbs more by listening to an audiobook than they do by reading the book.

So, my next audiobook will be Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. This book I have read at least three times since my love affair with the Alhambra began when I was 19 years old. At that time, it was not a popular tourist destination and went, and one could easily access it. The architecture of the Arabic inscriptions on the walls is really incredible. Just looking at it in pictures doesn't give it justice. You really have to see it. However, now that it is so popular, you have to make a reservation 3 months in advance. Times have changed!

On my project of making a digital archive of Our Last 19 years in Poland, I am about 3/4 of the way finished with chapter 6. Chapter 6 is entitled trips in Poland. When I finish that, my next chapter will be Travels in Europe.

AI

73 F today. The trees are exploding with green leaves, the forsythias are in their brightest yellow, the dandelions are blossoming everywhere and Spring is definitely here. At last! It was just too nice of a day to stay inside.

I put Joan into the car, took her to Cafe Lokum or a cinnamon bun and coffee, and then I went across town, going northeast toward Napachania. It's funny because I'm using this voice dictation method for writing this blog, and when I say the name of the village Napachania, the Voice picks it up and spells it like Napa Honda. I think the AI program doing this voice collection is not earned enough yet about foreign names or foreign city or villages. That's why you have to be careful with it and read everything it prints because sometimes there are mistakes.

Okay, I can see a new paragraph, and it did jump to start this paragraph.

AI. Now that's an interesting topic for discussion. Some people love it, some people hate it, some people know very little about it. For myself, I find it useful to some degree. For example, in giving myself the project of making a digital archive of Our Last 20 years in Poland, it can be helpful. Now there's evidence right here in the last sentence of its mistake. Look at the last sentence. There is no reason why our last wasn't cap, was capitalized the first time I said it, but now the second time it's in proper lowercase, our last.

What I've done in my project, first I gave it explicit guidelines on what to do with things like the font size, define style, when to start a paragraph. It usually follows my direction, however, at times it tries to rewrite what I wrote according to its own process. So, in that case, I have to go back and tell it again "follow the directions I gave you". Sometimes, it takes two or three tries to get it corrected. When it does correct it I tell it to lock that rule in place, so it doesn't happen again.

So, after we had our cinnamon bun and coffee the direction I was going to go was to the Village of napahanya. Okay, AI, you just made another mistake spelling The Village name.

Because I know now that there has been a new owner of the palace in that place, I was interested to see if any work had been done, any new work. I wasn't surprised when I saw there has been no change since the last time we looked at that Palace Maybe 8 or 9 months ago.

If you're reading this blog and see mistakes, they are all being made by AI, not by me.

Hello 11

I made the plunge today into Windows 11. Right now I am waiting for it to finish loading the system. Then I have to start adding the additional software programs that I use.  I'm not used to a 15.6 screen and keyboard so that will be another adjustment to make. I'm at 35% so far.

I received sad news from cousin Andrzej that another cousin here in Poland has died early this morning. His name was Krzysztof, and he was 74 years old. It's been a few years since I saw him last. He was from my Kazmierczak bloodline. 8 cousins have left since we first arrived. 

Project

I swear, this digital archive is taking a lot of time. I'm only half-way through chapter 5 with ten more chapters already structured. I hope it's worth the effort.

Missing Radek.

Unfortunately, although he is back from Nepal, our schedules just couldn't match up to have a meeting this week. It seems like months since we saw each other. Well, actually, it has been a little more than one month. We already talked about a meeting next week, so I hope it happens.

I know I’ve mentioned our friend Zbyszek. He helped us in many ways over the years we knew him. Unfortunately, he died four years ago.

In Poland, social circles are often defined by the level of emotional closeness and commitment involved. In English, the word “friend” is used very loosely, but in Polish culture there are clear distinctions between levels of relationships.

Znajomy (Acquaintance)
This is the broadest category. A znajomy is someone you know by name and interact with regularly, but without a deep emotional connection. This could be a colleague, a neighbor, or someone you see often. Conversations are usually polite and at the surface level. You would not normally share personal matters or invite them into your private family life.

Kolega / Koleżanka (Colleague or Peer)
This is the middle level. These are people connected through work, school, or shared activities. You may meet for coffee or a drink, and the relationship is friendly, but it is often tied to that shared environment. If the job or activity ends, the relationship may fade. Many people in Poland remain at this level for years.

Przyjaciel (Close Friend)
This is a much deeper and more meaningful relationship. A przyjaciel is someone you trust completely, almost like family. The word carries a strong sense of loyalty and long-term commitment. It is not used lightly. Most people have only one or two true przyjaciele in their lifetime. This is someone you can call in the middle of the night and know they will be there.

Zbyszek, Joanna, and Radek I consider to be przyjaciele.

Joanna was someone I helped practice English with. She was an ophthalmologist, and we met on Saturday mornings, usually for an hour or more, just to talk. She was the kind of doctor who truly cared about her patients. She loved her family and always greeted you with a smile.

When I needed cataract surgery, instead of waiting months, she called one of the best eye surgeons in Poznań and arranged for me to have the procedure the following week. When I had back problems, she and her husband, who was an orthopedic surgeon, came to our flat and helped solve the issue.

She and her husband were always invited to our New Year’s Eve parties, along with Zbyszek. It was Zbyszek who originally introduced me to her so I could help with her English. Later, when her son was old enough, I helped him as well. He has now completed his initial studies to become a doctor.

Like Zbyszek, she died suddenly three years ago. Of the three of them, only Radek remains.

---

Interesting

All of my wife's life, her mother told her that she had German ancestry. In the last few months, I have done some preliminary research into her family. What I found shocked Joan, Her grand parents and great-grandparents originally came from a small village northeast of Budapest, Hungary. So, her ancestry is really Hungarian.

Looking at this picture of her when she was 19 she looks Hungarian. 

 

Only Ukraine

 US Vice President JD Vance in an Apr. 8 public discussion at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) spoke on several subjects, among them the Russo-Ukrainian War, White House efforts to bring peace, and his view of Budapest’s role in that process. Almost all of what he said was misleading and factually inaccurate.

Specifically, Vance comments regarding Ukraine, Russia and Hungary in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War were:

 Vance: “Uh we have made significant progress…over time, their positions have gotten closer and closer together.”

In fact, progress has been close to nil and movement between the sides has been negligible, and by Russia not at all.

How much land is at stake in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Vance: “We’re talking about bargaining over a few square kilometers of territory one way or the other.”

In fact, the land space involved is very substantial and by most definitions massive.

Value of what is at stake in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Vance: “ Is that worth the loss of hundreds of thousands of additional Russian and Ukrainian young men?”

In fact, with the qualification that it is impossible to assign a real monetary value on a human life, Vance’s messaging that little of value is at stake in the Russo-Ukrainian War is obviously and by many measures spectacularly wrong.

 The best-known Vance comment on Ukraine dates back to Feb. 19 2022, five days before Russia invaded Ukraine a second time and started a war that has now killed more than a million people, in which Vance told US Republican pundit Steve Bannon:

 “I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.”

Russian drone and artillery strikes killed at least three civilians and wounded several others across the Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions on Saturday morning, April 11, local officials reported.

In the Kherson region, a 73-year-old woman was killed in the village of Fedorivka when a “Molniya” type drone struck the settlement around 9:30 a.m. Earlier that morning, the body of a 50-year-old man was discovered in Kherson’s Korabelny district, a victim of overnight shelling.

The morning also saw targeted attacks on civilian transport in Kherson. A 24-year-old nurse was hospitalized with a concussion and blast injuries after a drone hit a public bus at 7:20 a.m. Shortly after, a 61-year-old man was wounded when another drone targeted his car.

 The escalation in strikes on Saturday morning followed a massive overnight drone offensive that killed two people in Odesa and wounded 17 in Sumy. In total, the Ukrainian Air Force reported 160 drones launched across the country overnight.

These attacks occurred in the final hours before a unilateral ceasefire, decreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Orthodox Easter holiday, was set to begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The persistent bombardment of residential areas and public transport has fueled deep skepticism in Kyiv, where President Zelensky’s earlier proposals for a holiday truce were dismissed by the Kremlin.

And on the war front, Russia launched over a hundre drones overnight just hours after its Easter ceasefire announcement, while the Ukrainian military took out an S-300V System on the southern Zaporizhzhia front and expanded the recent oil strikes to the Casian Sea..

There is also positive news on the sanctions front, as Zelensky’s envoy said  Dutch parts are no longer being found in Russian Shahed drones, though he cautioned that fresh chips, including US ones, are still showing up in new drones.

Digital Archive, chair covers.

Yeah, I didn't get back before midnight yesterday. I stayed up way too late last night working on this archive project. It's going to be a digital archive, kind of like a book, but it's not a book. It would be hard for me to get 1500 pages into one book. Therefore, the other alternative is just to do a digital archive and save it to a pen drive or an external drive. If any of my relatives should happen to want a copy of it, all they would have to do is send me a pin Drive. I could put everything on it and return it to them, and then it would have a history of our family. Who knows if any future generation would have any interest in such a thing, but if they do, at least there will be one. I know myself, personally, would love to have had a copy like that telling about ancestors, who they were, where they lived, where they were born, or where they died, whether they were married, did they have kids, all of that information would be very valuable.

Right now, I'm at the beginning of chapter 4, which is entitled coming a foreigner in total there will be 15 chapters, and " chapter " is used loosely; there's no set amount of pages I have to put into it in a digital format.

Carolina came today but could only stay long enough to give John a shower and wash your hair. So, next week she will make up for the half hour she missed this week. That's fine, that's okay. But it was a little irritating because I had several things I needed to get done today, and now I'll have to take John with me tomorrow to complete all of them. I just hope we have good weather, like sunny, warm, and no clouds. 

I have a smaller project going on, also. Something that actually started 4 years ago when I decided it was time to change the covers on our two recliner chairs. I ordered them from the internet, and received them 4 years ago. It's taken me this long to start putting them on. It is no easy project to remove the old ones.