Two surprise.

Joan has been outside for a few days, so I wrapped her in warm clothes, and we went out. We had only two possibilities for where to go: either Kandulski's or Cafe Lokum.  I asked Joan, and she said Cafe Lokum. 

When we got there, in the stable area, they still had some tables left outside, so I asked her if she would rather go inside or outside. She replied that she would rather stay outside. 

I went inside, ordered two café lattes, a piece of fruit cheesecake for her, and just an éclair for myself. 

When we were done, we walked to the exit in the staple area and started to walk up to our car that was parked at the end of the street. To our great surprise, cousin Pola was coming in our direction, and she stopped. We talked for about 10 minutes. I didn't have my phone with me, so I asked her to take a picture of the three of us and send it to me on Facebook. I was hoping to use it tonight on the front of the blog, at the top of the blog, but I haven't received the photo yet. 

Back at home, I made a nice potato soup for dinner with bread and butter. Then I took out the garbage, and to my surprise, I found a nice face. It's even bigger than the one I have now. I think tomorrow, after I'm done talking with my friend Michal, I will use it to transplant the poinsettia one more time. 

At 5 pm, I was able to talk with my friend Carmelo in Spain, and we spoke in Spanish to each other for one hour. It's always a pleasure talking with him because he has such high energy and he's always very happy. We talked about politics for the first half hour, then a little bit about the health of his wife's parents, who live north of them, and what his wife, Christina, does at the hospital where she works.

Dermatologist visit?

Last night I went to sleep at midnight. I set my alarm for the usual 9:30 in the morning. For some reason, I woke up automatically at 9:00. I turned off my alarm and thought I'd just close my eyes for a couple of minutes. Those couple of minutes turned into 11:00. Today was Joan's appointment with the dermatologist at 2:45. 

Got Joan out of bed, took her to the bathroom, dressed her, put her back in the chair, and prepared breakfast for her. Then we sat down and watched a video about Spain and a few other places. I didn't feel tired, but I seem to have dozed off about halfway through. When I awoke, it was 2:40.

 In a panic, I dressed Jones quickly as I could, put her in the wheelchair, took her downstairs, put her in the car, and we started to drive to the appointment, which was 20 minutes away. I pulled over for a moment while I was driving and called the doctor to inform her that I would be late. Unfortunately, the phone number that I was given took me to a company that only handles messages and passes them on to the doctor. She told me it could be 2 hours before the doctor got the message.

 I drove to the location anyway, knowing that I was probably too late for the appointment. When I arrived, they told me the doctor had waited but had now gone home. I asked for a new appointment and was given a new appointment on this coming Monday at 2:45. I was angry with myself for not staying awake and getting Joan to her appointment on time. Fortunately, I was able to get a new appointment. 

Betrayed by Jeffries!

We have been betrayed by Hakeem(Judas) Jeffries!!! 211-204

Verified by Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/missed-hegseth-vote-disappointed-americans-democratic-leader-says-2026-11-11/

If this makes you angry, call your rep. and yell at them. Did we just give them a massive victory for nothing? It's time for a general strike, nationwide. I'm pissed off.

Eleven Missing Democrats. Millions in AIPAC-Linked Money. Move Over, Jeffries.

By Tony Pentimalli

On Sunday, Hakeem Jeffries told the American people he was a "hard yes" on impeaching Pete Hegseth. By Tuesday evening, eleven Democrats had failed to vote, and Republicans had buried the impeachment resolution, 211 to 204. Seven more Democratic votes would have stopped them. Seven! Jeffries knew this was coming, publicly supported impeachment, and couldn't get enough of his own members into the chamber to back up his words. And when you consider the millions in AIPAC-linked political money surrounding this whole mess, Americans have every reason to be furious and demand answers.

 

What makes this even more infuriating is what Jeffries said on ABC's This Week just two days earlier. He told Jonathan Karl he was a "hard yes" on impeachment and predicted "incredibly strong support" from House Democrats. If he was so confident, why in the hell wasn't his leadership prepared to deliver when the votes actually mattered? And here's the more uncomfortable question. Was Jeffries genuinely prepared to fight for impeachment, or was he comfortable announcing his support because he expected Republicans to kill the resolution before Democrats ever had to prove they meant it?

 

The eleven Democrats who failed to vote were Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, Laura Gillen, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Nancy Pelosi, Brittany Pettersen, Melanie Stansbury, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, and Frederica Wilson. Correa was reportedly recovering from a medical procedure, which is certainly understandable. Stansbury and Jackson said traffic and a police-escorted bus prevented them from reaching the chamber on time. But seven of those eleven managed to cast votes just eighteen minutes later. We're talking about impeachment allegations involving an unauthorized war and dead civilians, and Democratic leadership couldn't manage the attendance of its own members for a vote it knew was coming.

 

And the man running that operation is Hakeem Jeffries, who once declared, "Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever!" His own campaign has received approximately $1.29 million through AIPAC's PAC since 2022, overwhelmingly from individual donors whose contributions the organization helped facilitate. That money doesn't establish his motives, but it gives Americans every reason to question the influence powerful political interests wield over their elected leaders. What makes Jeffries' performance even harder to swallow is that afterward, he acknowledged he hadn't yet spoken with his floor team about what happened. This is the man Democrats are preparing to hand the speaker's gavel,

 

Hakeem Jeffries should not become the next speaker of the House. I'm tired of watching Democratic leaders ask Americans to trust them with power when they can't seem to figure out what to do with it. Voters just gave Democrats an extraordinary opportunity to confront this administration, and the first thing their leadership managed to demonstrate was how easily another opportunity can be squandered.

Apple Pancakes and plant

A few days ago, I saw a recipe for Polish apple pancakes. I thought that was interesting, and it would be a different kind of breakfast I could serve for Joan. 

The ingredients consisted of:

• 3 apples, peeled, cored, and grated
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 7 g of dry yeast
• 400 mL of milk
• 375 g of flour
• 2 tbsp. of sugar
• 1 tbsp. of vanilla sugar
• pinch of salt
• oil
• powdered sugar

I followed all the instructions on how to prepare pancakes. I had to peel and core the apples, then grate them into a pile. They were to be used later, after the batter was all mixed and had risen for 1 hour . When it was ready, I folded the apple mixture into the batter, mixed it up thoroughly, and had the two frying pans with oil in the bottom at a medium-high temperature, waiting for the batter to be put in. It was important not to have too high a temperature because then the outside would be turning brown or maybe even black if I didn't watch it, and the inside would not be finished. I let them cook slowly until they were nice and brown on the bottom. I flipped them over and waited for the other side to become brown. When they were finished, they were to be put on a plate and covered with powdered sugar. However, I powdered the plates first as a base, and then I put the pancakes on top and powdered them. 

 

I had no idea how they would taste, or whether they were done, or if Joan would like them. After she had cut one of the pancakes up and had two little servings of it, I asked her how she felt about them. She said she thought it was a wonderful breakfast. Obviously, I will keep this in my portfolio of recipes for breakfast. Another good thing about this mixture is that it gives you enough for actually two servings for one day. What I meant was, I could have them for breakfast today and maybe tomorrow or the next day. Keeping the batter in the refrigerator, I could use it once again for breakfast. I like when there are recipes that last for 2 days. 

 

Before last Christmas, one of our friends gave us a poinsettia for the holidays. I thought that I would nurture this plant to see how far it would grow or how big it would get. I've been very careful to make sure it's been watered and taken care of. I'm happy to say it continues to grow upward, and I don't know how tall it will get. Probably I will have to buy another vase to keep it in the second one. I believe it has outgrown the base tab it's in now, and it needs more room to help it expand. 

Ukraine.

UN official Kayoko Gotoh told the Security Council Russian attacks killed 328 civilians and injured 2,105 in September, up 85% year-on-year. October casualties remained similarly high; UN figures since February 2022: 17,968 dead, 57,713 injured.

Seoul has included $100 million for Ukraine in its draft budget for 2027, JoongAng Ilbo reported on Tuesday, Nov. 10, despite a diplomatic rift between the two countries over Kyiv’s public disclosure that it had handed over two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. Half of the announced funding would go to a NATO trust fund for Ukraine, with the rest earmarked for humanitarian projects and conflict-recovery aid. The announcement came as Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, on Nov. 10 on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris in an effort to mend ties.

 A tanker carrying about 40,000 metric tons of Russian diesel reversed course roughly 400 nautical miles off New York. Since US President Donald Trump struck a diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 9, no Russian diesel cargo has reached the US. Doubts over Russia’s export capacity are also growing.

 

Doctors.

Today I had an appointment at the doctor's office at 11:00. It was just the general practitioner's office. Last week, I went to see a vascular surgeon because someone told me that he would be the person to see about the problems I have with cold feet. 

I had to take off my shoes and socks so that my feet were exposed. He then uses a sonogram to check the veins behind my knee, in my lower legs, and in my ankles. I could see from the sonogram that the blood flow behind my knees was good, but as he went lower towards the foot itself, the dimension of the vein kept getting smaller. The blood flow wasn't consistent all the way down into my feet.

After his examination was over, he wrote out a prescription for six different medications. One of them I had to inject into my stomach every day for the next 4 weeks. 

I managed to communicate with him, even though he could only speak in Polish and German. He wrote out a complete report in Polish and then told me to take it to my family doctor. That was the appointment I had this morning.

At the end of the report, he wrote something that no other doctor has ever told me. First, he asked me how long I'd been smoking, and I told him for the majority of my life. He then said that if I quit smoking now, it would do more harm than good. Usually, every doctor I have ever seen, the first thing they tell you is to quit smoking.

My family doctor looked over all the medications, read the report, and then she said that if she was prescribing medications, she would only prescribe two of the six (because the others were just an elaboration of one or the other drug. I had a decision to make. Do I follow the vascular surgeon's prescriptions, or do I use the ones that are recommended by the family doctor? 

 

Ukraine

Trump found time for Putin’s envoy, but not Ukraine’s delegation, while 500 approved Patriot interceptors may not arrive until the 2030s.

On November 5, Kirill Dmitriev spoke at a White House event about a humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky. Trump then met him privately, but said he did not meet the Ukrainian officials also there.

 

Washington approved a $2.1 billion sale of 500 Patriot interceptors days earlier. Reuters says they are not expected until the early 2030s. Trump also waived new sanctions under the Graham Act in October.

The ceasefire helped civilians. But a White House podium cannot intercept the next Russian missile.

 

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, Nov. 6, that Ukrainian intelligence shows Russia is preparing a new attack on the country’s civilian and energy infrastructure, and bridges across the Dnipro River. He urged Ukraine’s partners not to delay deliveries of Patriot interceptors and called on Ukrainian residents to heed air raid alerts, amid the threat of missile strikes. Ukraine, he said, would continue its strikes on Russian oil refineries in response to attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, while accusing Moscow of refusing de-escalation steps.

 

 Nate Vance, cousin of US Vice President JD Vance, could hardly differ more from his relative in his geopolitical views, although the physical resemblance is noticeable. His deep-set eyes give the family connection away. Standing over six feet tall with a strong build and modest demeanor, the 47-year-old Nate exudes the fighting stature of someone who’s served in the US Marines and fought in Ukraine for three years. The green of his eyes matches his vyshyvanka, a hand-embroidered Ukrainian shirt, which makes his dedication to Ukraine immediately apparent.

 

 Between 2022 and 2024, Nate and his unit, the Da Vinci Wolves, fought in Kupyansk, Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Avdiivka, some of the most contested areas of Ukrainian front. 

 

 Nate Vance’s selfless service reminds us of what America represents through people like him – the duty of the strong to stand by the weak, the courage to speak freely and the determination to stand on the right side of history.

Elliot Kirschner Post

As this night of elation marches on in double time, with new states and races joining the party of MAGA repudiation, we can stop, take a deep breath, and recognize that our nation will never be the same.

The unimaginable has become the believable. The voters of America have catapulted the United States into an exciting new era of tantalizing possibility. Let us rejoice as tired old assumptions melt away in the bright light of a new beginning.

Everything we thought we knew about this country yesterday- the conventional wisdom about who could win and where, about what voters would tolerate, about what was politically possible and what was simply beyond reach- is suddenly yesterday’s news. A new class of leaders will come to Washington and statehouses across the country, carried by the winds of change and determined to remake and reimagine our precious republic.

History has a way of unfolding at a pace that is impossible to predict when you are living through it. Elections are often part of the ebb and flow of a relatively narrow spectrum of expectations. Until they are not.

Part of the enduring frustration of the Trump era was that the full repudiation of his corruption, cruelty, and incompetence never seemed to arrive. In the battle for the future of America, we couldn’t abide by uneasy truces. We needed an unconditional defeat on the terms of democratic resilience.

But it wasn’t just the president who lost, or his minions, sycophants, and enablers. It was the belief that cynicism always beats hope, that money and power outweigh the will of the people, and that we will forever be imprisoned by the political rules and conventions handed down by generations past.

Tonight was a reckoning with the limits we placed on our national ambitions. A call not to tinker and dither, but to fundamentally reshape our cherished experiment.

From the Gulf Stream waters to the redwood forests, from the farms of the Great Plains to the crowded streets of our cities, from suburban neighborhoods to small towns too often forgotten, the voices of America, in all its beauty, diversity, and grandeur, have risen to deliver a verdict on the kind of country we are determined to be.

The message Americans are sending tonight draws its power from a resurgent generation of young voters, from Black Americans refusing to surrender their hard-won right to be heard, and from immigrant communities and Americans of every background staring violent hatred in the face and demanding an end to the fascist tactics and capricious cruelty.

We will not be silent. We will not be cowed. We will not cede our democracy or our nation to those who would eagerly destroy all that has made us proud. There is a lot of work we need to do. There is a long list of broken systems and wounded spirits that need mending and healing.

But tonight we can look ahead with energy and resolve, joining our fellow Americans in forging a more perfect union, a nation defined less by what it was than by what it can become.

Election Day

You know what you have to do!

Authoritarianism or Democracy? 

Election and Oliwia

Tomorrow, November 3, may be one of the biggest days in the history of the United States. It's a chance to slow down or put an end to the destruction that the Trump administration has inflicted upon the citizens of that country. It's the opportunity to vote in the midterm elections and replace senators and members of the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States.

However, Donny Trump and his administration will do everything in their power to prevent them from being officially announced as representatives on January 3. They will do everything they can, pull out all the stops, and do every dirty trick they can come up with to stop the certification. I think the period between November 4th and January 3rd will be the hardest time in the United States.

All that being put aside, today was a really great day for Joan and me. It was an opportunity to once again meet with our dear cousin Olivia, who is now living in Edinburgh. We picked her up from the train station at 12:45 and brought her to our home. She was a little hungry, so I gave her a nice bowl of chicken noodle soup. We sat and talked about many different things except politics. She does not pay attention to politics. Our meeting only lasted about 2 hours because she had a plane to catch at 5:00, and I had to get her to the airport 2 hours before the plane departed. At 2:45, we were back in the car and to the airport by 3:00. She invited us once again to come to Edinburgh to visit her there. It's something to contemplate for a trip next year. If possible, I would like to take advantage of the invitation. 

November 1.

This is a day I will never forget. It is the day to return to the village or town of your ancestors and put flowers and candles on their graves.

Joan and I have made that trip from Poznań to Golina many times in the last 19 years.

Unfortunately, due to her health conditions, for the last five years we have not returned there. This year, I thought it would be possible, but Joan was not feeling up to the trip. It is not that far, maybe about a 1,hour, 20,minute drive.

It is also a day to see relatives that you have not seen since last year on November 1st. That was always a treat for me. Families try to gather together on this day, the official day to commemorate the departed faithful. The celebrations begin with tending to family graves and the surrounding graveyards, lighting candles and leaving flowers. November 1 is a public holiday in Poland.

It is a time when people travel from all across the country to return to their hometowns and gather at ancestral sites. Walking through the cemetery in the evening reveals a stunning sea of light as thousands of glowing lantern flames illuminate the autumn crispness. Even though missing the trip this year brings a sense of quiet sadness, the memories of gathering with loved ones, honoring past generations, and sharing those quiet, peaceful moments at the gravesite remain deeply treasured.

Poland, again.

Riot police have been deployed at Poland's Constitutional Court amid an escalating stand-off between the government and the court's top judges.

The row pits the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk against his predecessors from the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS).

The police intervention came after Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said he had requested stripping the court's President Bogdan Święczkowski and Vice-President Bartłomiej Sochański of their immunity from prosecution to bring criminal charges against them.

Tusk has vowed to depoliticise the judiciary, and on Friday defended the move as PiS supporters gathered outside the court premises in Warsaw in protest. 

The European courts ruled Poland's Constitutional Court was no longer an "independent and impartial tribunal", and Tusk's government has used those rulings as a basis to stop publishing the tribunal's rulings.

Tusk has failed to undo the PiS-era changes, partially because Nawrocki and his PiS-backed predecessor Andrzej Duda used their presidential vetoes to block his attempts.

Nawrocki has also refused to swear in five Constitutional Court judges elected by parliament since March on the grounds of alleged flaws in their selection procedure.

In a social media post, Tusk wrote: "Restoring the rule of law is our duty. After years of Law and Justice's lawlessness, this is a difficult, sometimes painful process that requires decisive action. There is no other way." Source: BBC

Trouble in Poland

 

For those wondering about what is happening in Poland at the moment:

When PiS was in power, it sought to control Poland's top courts by packing them with PiS-friendly judges.

Now that Tusk is in power he wants to do the same by removing those PiS friendly judges, by force if necessary, so he can control the courts.

Both sides claim they were doing it to protect the "rule of law" and ensure the high court is "independent and not politically biased."

There was never a truly "independent" top court in Poland to begin with, and there probably never will be if Tusk or PiS have any say in it.

The only difference here is that PiS did their shenanigans through political and legislative dirty tricks, and were roundly criticized for it by the EU and the media.

However, when Donald Tusk and his government uses naked power to achieve the exact same aim, like sending hoards of police in the middle of the night to storm the top court on a Friday, he is cheered and supported by the EU and the media.

 

Something like this has never happened in Poland before Tusk just drove in with police units to the Constitutional Tribunal and is unlawfully taking over the institution

The police in a combat zone drove into the area of the Constitutional Tribunal in unmarked vans and blocked the entrance to the building. All just before the feast of All Saints, when Poles are visiting cemeteries and graves of their loved ones. They are not even able to respect that. Disgusting and shameful.

They also shamelessly took advantage of the moment when President Nawrocki flew to Senegal to conduct the entire operation without his presence. The President has already announced that he has canceled his flight and is returning to the country.

It is hard to allow such an attack on a fundamental institution of the judiciary in Poland in such a brazen and bandit-like manner. The Constitutional Tribunal must be the reason for this.

Massive crowds of Polish patriots are surrounding the Constitutional Court right now!

Donald Tusk tried a leftist power grab while President Nawrocki was airborne—so the President TURNED HIS PLANE AROUND to fight back.

The people will NOT back down!

 

Podiatrist?

Years ago, when we lived in America, if I had a foot problem, I used to go see a podiatrist. I've had a problem with one of my feet, so I went to see what I thought was a podiatrist here in Poznań. If you look up the word podiatrist in Polish, it's podolog. As it turned out, a podologist does not know anything about the interior of your feet. They mainly deal with skin problems, pedicures, blisters, and things of that nature on the outside of your foot. They know absolutely nothing about the interior. 

Recently, I was told there was a woman who knew about those things, so I made an appointment with her after asking her specifically if she knew about the foot problems (such as some type of disease, veins, or blood). She said yes.

 Today, when I arrived at what I thought was her clinic, it was actually called Wonderful Time. That made me a little suspicious. Even more so when I looked below the name of this clinic, and it said "cosmetician".

 I went inside and was greeted by the woman I had spoken to. She told me to have a seat, and she would get with me as soon as she finished with the woman she was with.

 10 minutes later, she came out and asked me how she could help me. I told her my problems with the interior of my foot, but she knew absolutely nothing about it. She said I needed to see something called a naczynowiec. That is a doctor who deals with vascular surgery and endoscopy.

She checked the internet and gave me two recommendations to call for an appointment. I called them both but got no answer. I sent emails to get a time scheduled.

 

Comments

When I started this blog 20 years ago, I always looked forward to comments on whatever I posted. Occasionally, I had someone write to tell me that I didn't belong in Poland, that I was American, and I should go back to my own country. It didn't bother me. I just ignored them and moved on to the next comment. 

Several months ago, all of a sudden, my comments were not coming through. I tried searching through the Blogger settings to see how I could correct it, but it never happened. Everything I tried just didn't work.

 If you do have a comment about whatever I'm writing, please look up above and send it to my email. I will answer your comment in the next blog that I write afterwards.

 Well, we have 6 days left until the big election in the United States: midterms. I'm very hopeful that we will be able to regain full control of Congress, both the House and the Senate. Something has to be done to stop Orange-head and his corruption. If the Democrats do win, then I suppose on November 4th will begin the long court battles to overturn the elections. 

Happy Birthday.

Our daughter is more than a Mascot. :-) Wishing a Happy Birthday to our environmentally aware young woman.

 

Who is that Friends of the Fox River-Water Drop mascot? Out emerges our Karen Flowers.

 

Big things can come in small packages. Happy Birthday Karen.

 

Professionally, she is the superb FOTFR Website and IT manager.

 

As a FOTFR volunteer, she is the Cleanup Coordinator, Hostess of the Tiny Trash event, this year procured a $2500 donation from Home Depot, AND arranged a $9600 donation from Windy City .

 

She also hangs with the big dogs, former Kane County Board President Chris Kious and Governor JB Pritzker.

 

Big Birthday wishes to a small but mighty Watershed Warrior.

Meanwhile in Ukraine

🇺🇸 United States

• Full Starlink and military Starshield service was restored for Ukraine at about 05:20 on October 25, with the mobility speed limit raised to roughly 420 km/h. US intelligence sharing, including ballistic-missile warnings, was also restored, while Ukraine’s shortage of air-defense systems remains unresolved. Reuters reported that more than a week of earlier restrictions disrupted some Ukrainian military operations and described a longer-running US practice of influencing Starlink coverage and operating modes as an instrument of foreign policy, exposing the extent to which government decisions can depend on privately controlled SpaceX infrastructure.

• The November 3 US congressional elections could substantially change Washington’s Ukraine policy if Democrats gain control of the House and possibly the Senate, according to Reuters. The outlet reported that renewed aid legislation would likely have the two-thirds support needed to override a Trump veto, while Democrats could also challenge decisions easing restrictions on Russian diesel and energy.

• The New York Times focused on the erosion of Ukrainian trust in the United States, describing the Trump administration’s policy as damaging a relationship built over decades. The newspaper linked what it called a “moral blow” to sharply reduced US support and Washington’s rapprochement with Moscow while Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians continue.

 

University students did it!

Yesterday, on social medias,  I wrote about the student-led protests in Serbia. An extraordinary event took place today. Today in Serbia, a protest started by university students removed the Trump-like strongman, Aleksander Vucic from power in elections.

 

Sandro Gozi, Secretary-General of the European Democratic Party (EDP), on the victory of the Student List in Serbia.

“An extraordinary victory for democracy, for freedom and for the future of Serbia!

 

This incredible result is the achievement of an entire generation of young people who had the courage, determination and strength to convince citizens of all ages that change was not only necessary, but possible.

 

We, the European Democrats, are immensely proud. We have stood alongside Serbian students throughout their struggle, because we believe in the European future of Serbia. A future that Vučić had become the greatest obstacle to achieving.

 

Now that Vučić has acknowledged the Student List’s victory, he must guarantee a peaceful, orderly and democratic transfer of power.

 

After Orbán’s defeat in Hungary, Serbia sends another extraordinary message to Europe and the world: democracy is stronger than those who try to silence it. In the end, the people always have the last word.

 

Thank you, Serbia. Thank you to the students who never gave up. We always said the students would win. Today, the students have won.

 

About Ukraine

Speaking at the Hudson Institute on Friday, Oct. 23, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Starlink and Starshield restrictions remain in place, despite US President Donald Trump’s earlier claims that service was restored. Zelensky also said that agreed deliveries of interceptor missiles, used to deter Russian ballistic missiles, remain delayed. Trilateral meetings with Russia and the US are still expected to be held in the first half of November, Zelensky said, following reports from senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Source-Kyiv Post

U.S.- Melania Trump has mediated a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in and around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast to allow the safe evacuation of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets confirmed on Oct. 23.

The move comes amid growing attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the city, which has drawn international attention in recent weeks, including from Pope Leo XIV. Source-Kyiv Independent

Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service (DPSU), said in a televised interview on Friday that Belarus continues to host relay stations used by Russian drones. He said border guards have not recorded Russian or Belarusian units moving toward the Ukrainian border. Ukraine said in June that the relays had stopped working, but Demchenko said in September that they were active again. Source-Kyiv Post

Trump's midterm election calculations are complicating US policy on Ukraine.

The upcoming US midterm elections in November may help explain changes in US President Donald Trump's approach to Russia's war against Ukraine and his displays of support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Reuters said Trump has shifted his position quite openly on a major political issue over the past month. After criticizing Putin, he has begun to show support for him.

 "With US voters increasingly frustrated ​by high energy prices and the cost of living, Trump has turned renewed attention to the war in Ukraine in recent days, arguing that a negotiated settlement there could help ease economic pressures at home, ‌even though US consumers would be unlikely to feel the effects of any peace deal ahead of the 3 November vote," Reuters said. Source-Ukrainska Pravda

Women's Protest

After six years of protests, women are once again taking to the streets in nearly 30 Polish cities, including Poznan. The date is not random – it coincides with the sixth anniversary of the Constitutional Tribunal's ruling, after which abortion regulations were tightened.

 

The campaign was initiated by the Gdańsk-based Widzialne Foundation, with the involvement of other women's rights organisations, and organisers describe them as the largest protests of this kind in two years.

Demonstrations were scheduled 6 p.m. in Warsaw, Gdańsk, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź, Kraków, Wrocław and Szczecin, among other locations, with one planned for the Polish embassy in London at 7 p.m. local time.

"Your stools, our bodies" — this is just one of the slogans that could be seen today on the billboards

Those demanding liberalization of abortion law took to the streets of Poznań to express their disappointment with the government's stance.

“Our body is the home of the child that grows in it. But in your body is not our body, you have no right to decide about it. Plus, why is the role of a father excluded? The child is also his.”

IMHO

Benedict Arnold (January 14, 1741– June 14, 1801) was an American-born British military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defecting to the British in 1780. General George Washington had given him his fullest trust and had placed him in command of West Point in New York. Arnold was planning to surrender the fort to British forces, but the plot was discovered in September 1780, whereupon he fled to the British lines. In the later part of the war, Arnold was commissioned as a brigadier general in the British Army and placed in command of the American Legion. He led British forces in battle against the army which he had once commanded, and his name became synonymous with treason and betrayal of the United States.^--Wiki

 

 ^{Donald J. Trump}

In political discourse, critics, political opponents, and some legal scholars use the term rhetorically to describe actions they believe subverted the Constitution, undermined national security, or placed personal interests over allegiance to the nation.

The main arguments raised by those who describe Donald Trump in these terms fall into several key areas:

1. Events Surrounding January 6 and the 2020 Election

Critics argue that efforts to overturn a certified democratic election constituted a fundamental betrayal of his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the U.S. Constitution. Specific points often cited include:

• Subverting the Peaceful Transfer of Power: Attempting to block Congress's certification of electoral votes.

• Pressuring Election Officials: Pressuring state officials and the Department of Justice to alter or delay election results.

• Incitement of the Capitol Attack: Encouraging supporters to march to the U.S. Capitol, which led to the January 6 attack, an event described by critics and political opponents as an insurrection.

2. Handling of Classified Documents

Following his first presidency, Trump was indicted under the Espionage Act for retaining sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and allegedly obstructing efforts to retrieve them.

• National Security Risks: Opponents argue that holding highly classified national defense materials in unsecured locations exposed critical state secrets to potential foreign access.

• Alleged Disclosures: Reports of sharing sensitive intelligence with unauthorized individuals raised concerns over disregard for national security protocols.

3. Stance on Foreign Intelligence and Adversaries

Throughout his political career, critics argued that Trump sided with foreign autocrats over U.S. interests and national intelligence agencies:

The 2018 Helsinki Summit: Publicly siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence agency conclusions regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.

• Rhetoric on Alliances: Repeated criticism of traditional democratic alliances, such as NATO, alongside praised relationships with authoritarian leaders (e.g., in Russia, Hungary, and North Korea).

4. The 2019 Ukraine Pressures (First Impeachment)

Trump’s first impeachment stemmed from allegations that he withheld congressionally mandated military aid to Ukraine while asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate a political rival, Joe Biden. Critics argued this leveraged U.S. foreign policy and national security assets for personal political gain.

 

Voting is not just a civic duty.

Voting is no longer just a civic duty; it is an urgent imperative. 

The 60 Minutes broadcast featuring Lesley Stahl investigating FBI raids and ballot/voter record seizures aired on Sunday, October 18, 2026. The Story: Titled "Election officials describe impacts of federal actions on voting, the segment examined federal actions and probes surrounding state election infrastructure. 

The federal government threatened state election administrators with criminal prosecution or jail time if they did not turn over sensitive voter registration data or if they certified certain mail-in ballots. 

Ballot Box Seizures: The segment highlighted an FBI raid on a Fulton County, Georgia election facility (which occurred on January 28, 2026), during which armed agents executed a federal search warrant to seize over 600 boxes of 2020 election records and ballots. 

The situation regarding the ballot seizures featured in the segment has not been resolved, it remains an active and ongoing controversy. 

Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett stated during the broadcast that local officials still do not know where the seized ballots and records are located or what the Justice Department/FBI did with them. Agents executed a valid criminal search warrant, leaving local authorities with no legal recourse to block the raid. 

The primary focus of the segment was on how these federal raids, subpoenas, and pressure campaigns are impacting public trust and official operations ahead of upcoming elections. That, by itself, would be a victory for the administration. 

Lesley Stahl highlighted polling showing that only half of Americans expect the upcoming midterm elections to be "free and fair". 

Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett explained that high-profile FBI raids on election facilities create a psychological effect: when voters see federal agents, search warrants, and armed raids, they naturally assume "something must be wrong there," even if past official audits proved otherwise. 

Now, election officials in California are being threatened. 

Our country doesn't just need our votes; it is crying out for them. The stakes in this election are higher than at any point in our history. If you believe in the good America has brought to our lives and to the world, staying on the sidelines is not an option. We must show up, mobilize, and drive this Blue Wave all the way through November 3rd!

Protest & De Nata visit.

Another day for a No Kings protest. I hope they are successful in getting many people to vote early. That seems to be the main idea of the protest. 

In Albania, the protest is on its fourth day, and they are calling for the entire administration to resign. It's not a protest that will last 2 to 3 hours or even 1 day. It will continue until they get the administration out. That, to me, seems like a more logical reason for a protest. Why is it that in America, the protests last for 1 or 2 hours, maybe 1 day, and do not continue day after day after day with demands? 

There are only 16 days left until the November 3rd election. I think the real danger will occur after the voting is all accounted for. For sure, if the Democrats do succeed in taking back the House or the Senate, Trump will stop at nothing to call it a fraud or to take every election to court, delaying the installation of the individual who won. The question is: how long will the American people put up with this? Hasn't it gone on long enough 

It was a nice enough day to take Joan out and go to the Portuguese pastry shop for a first visit. Inside is a small area for sitting with tables and chairs. Outside, there is a small sitting area, also with maybe six to seven tables. The little round pastries they serve were very good, very tasty, and the coffee was also good. However, for a person using a wheelchair, it is rather difficult to get into. The outdoors have more access with a little ramp for a chair to go up, but even that presents a problem. Personally, I did not like either the chairs or the tables. The chairs are not comfortable, and the tabletop is not a solid piece of wood or marble or anything solid. It is mainly a series of strips of wood put together with spaces in between. If you drop your knife, your fork, or your spoon, it's very easy for it to fall onto the floor. 

Autumn& De Nata

Autumn isn't over yet. Another nice day to sit in the park observing people. Solacz Park is the nicest park in Poznań.  It isn't the biggest park because that honor goes to Citadella Park. Part of the reason that part is so large is because of the cemeteries that it has within it, both for English, Polish, and Russian soldiers. At the south entrance to Citadella, after climbing many stairs, there's a tall obelisk there. When we first moved here many years ago, at the top of the obelisk stood a red star. A few years later, that star was taken down because it was a symbol of communist Russia.

I've discovered a new pastry shop in our area that we're going to have to try, maybe tomorrow or Sunday. It's a Portuguese pastry shop. De Nata is a café located in Poznań's Jeżyce district, at ul. Wawrzyniaka 19. It specializes in Portuguese pastries, particularly pastel de nata, available in various flavors such as classic, chocolate, and raspberry. Freshly brewed coffee accompanies the sweets. The interior features beautiful tiles, creating a cozy atmosphere.  

It is a café inspired by traditional Portuguese pastry shops, where pastel de nata takes center stage, a crisp, creamy tart served in several unique flavor variations. They are baked fresh daily and taste best with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. The interior features Portuguese tiles and warm tones, creating a cozy, sunny atmosphere. In summer, a small outdoor garden opens up, perfect for an espresso, something sweet, and a chat with a friend.

Home & Ukraine

A day at home. Paige was here, and I asked her how Joan was doing with the steps exercise. She said she stopped them because Joan's balance was so bad that she was afraid to continue. I need to add some balance exercises.

In another 16 days, it will be time to be in Golina. I hope I can make that trip this year. I also hope the weather will be good enough to take Joan. It has been too many years since we were last there for that important day.

Meanwhile: Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky began his visit to Brussels on Thursday, Oct. 15, by meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. During the meeting, he urged continued allied deliveries of ballistic missile interceptors and F-16 ammunition, as Russia continues its strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure despite US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire push. According to Zelensky, Russia has launched nearly 1,000 drones since Wednesday, Oct. 14, amid Starlink restrictions that further strained Kyiv-Washington diplomacy.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the EU must increase funding for Ukraine as Kyiv faces a major budget shortfall in 2027. EU leaders are discussing additional support amid intensified Russian attacks, while calls grow to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Belgium remains opposed to the proposal.

Merz pushed back against any attempt by the United States to try to get Europe to hand over some of the money as part of Washington’s peace negotiations with Moscow.

“These are assets that are frozen in Europe, and they should remain frozen in Europe. This is our business, and we will decide on it,” he said.

RESIST!!!

Thanks to Trump/Musk, Ukraine has been denied access to the Starlink satellite that gave them early warning of incoming ballistic missiles. Ukrainians have no chance to take shelter. Their military has no defense against them. They have no idea where the Russian army is moving against them. Men, women, and children are dying because of Musk/Trump. We sit here, safely writing posts about how terrible it all is, but what have we done in the last 18 months to stop the dissolution of democracy in our own country?

Have your calls, emails, protests stopped ANYTHING? ICE continues murdering people, healthcare is taken away from many, and our Supreme Court is as corrupt as the “President”. He has used the presidency to enrich himself by 5 billion dollars, started a war with Iran, severely weakened our military, alienated every ally we had, become a laughing stock to every world leader, destroyed the Department of Education, and threatened everyone who stands against him.

If he succeeds in the midterms, what will be left of the real America?

What will you do when they come for you?

All you need is LOVE.

Once upon a time in my life, God put the most beautiful woman in front of my eyes that I have ever seen. It wasn't just physical beauty, although her eyes were the color of a clear blue sky with the sun shining, and there wasn't a cloud anywhere. It wasn't just her eyes that attracted me to her so much. The more I talked with her, the more I understood just how intelligent she was. She could talk about almost any subject, like science, religion, cooking, clothing, housing, anything. It didn't take long to realize after our first meeting that I would fall in love with her and love her for the rest of my life. I knew some things about science, and more about religion, because I had taken a course on religions of the world at DePaul University. Of course, my specialty was in music because that was my purpose at the university. It was probably the only thing I had more knowledge of than she did.

When she was diagnosed 6 years ago with frontal lobe and vascular dementia, I didn't have much knowledge about that disease, but I knew it wasn't good. After doing a lot of research about dementia, I knew what the end result would be.

 I've tried hard over the last six years to take as good care of her as possible. For a couple of years, there wasn't much change during that time. That has changed.

 According to the Mayo Clinic, there are five stages of dementia. Going by their calculations, I would say Joan is in stage 4.      

4. Moderate Dementia

• Confusion deepens, memory loss increases, and individuals require assistance with daily personal care.

• Key signs include difficulty dressing appropriately, trouble managing personal hygiene, confusion regarding time or location, sleep disturbances, wandering, and behavioral or personality shifts.

  Only someone who takes care of a person with dementia can know how this makes me feel. It has definitely affected my own health. My only prayer is that I live long enough to take care of Joan. After that, I would be happy to leave with her. 

Rare

   

Picture-Daughter, Karen, with Illinois Governor.

 

A rare occasion-------REPUBLICAN Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is actively trying to block purchases of Russian diesel and petroleum imports.

On this issue, he deserves credit.

Key Details of the Legislative Effort

The Bill: Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus, announced the drafting of bipartisan legislation titled the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Objective: The bill aims to prohibit and block all purchases of Russian oil and petroleum products, directly challenging agreements to allow Russian diesel fuel into U.S. and global markets.
Kyiv Post
Strategy: Fitzpatrick announced plans to force a vote directly on the House floor using a discharge petition—a procedural move that bypasses committee review and House leadership.
LIGA.net
Key Co-Sponsors & Rationale: Co-sponsored alongside lawmakers such as Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), supporters argue that purchasing Russian diesel provides funding for Moscow's war effort against Ukraine and projects weakness on the international stage.

Russia?

It makes me furious that Orange Head has made a deal with Putin to buy its diesel fuel. That money will buy more arms to kill Ukrainians. It's bad enough that the U.S. government is killing its own citizens; now they are in bed with Russia. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

A staggering sell-out of Ukraine by President Donald Trump, with the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announcing a license to allow Russia to sell diesel to the US and on global markets.

This comes in a week when Russia launched brutal attacks on Ukraine, which saw over 70 Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian missile strikes.

Trump is obviously desperate for prices at the pump to drop before midterms, but given the success of recent Ukrainian deep strike drone attacks on Russian refineries and shortages at home in Russia, I question whether Russia can meet the export volumes. Russia has moved from a diesel exporter to an importer in recent months.

President Zelensky responded in a furious post this evening, calling out Trump’s weakness. I would expect Ukraine to now step up deep strike drone attacks against Russian refineries and energy infrastructure. Source: Kyiv Post

Inea.

Let me tell you about yesterday's installation. The man from Inea arrived on time, at 2:00 PM.

That, in itself, was somewhat of a shock that he was on time. He came in, took a look at our setup, and proceeded to install the new router. When he was done, we were able to get all the channels of the Polish TV network. That was fine. However. I noticed at the bottom where the application icons were. I was not able to connect with them. I told him about it; he told me what to do, and he left. 

 I followed his instructions, and each time I did, nothing worked. Of course, that only made me angrier. After several tries, I put John's sandals on, put her in the car, and drove to Inea. Inside, I told the man what had happened and that I was pissed off about it. He told me that I had to set up the connection to the internet by using the password at the bottom of the router. He even showed me a picture of the bottom of the internet router, making it easier for me to find. 

Back at home, I found the password, entered it, and it said, "Cannot connect." I tried it two more times. Each time, it said the same thing: "Cannot connect to the internet." By that time, my nerves were on edge, and I called my friend Pawel, who's a genius at fixing problems for me. Over the phone, he tried to help me correct the problem, but after three or four tries, he decided to actually come to our house and fix this problem for me. Now, Pawel lives on the other side of Poznań, so it's not like he just lives right around the corner from us like he used to. I can't tell you how happy I was to see him again. It seems like the only time we see each other is when I have a problem with one of my computers or, today, with the TV.

 He came in, saw the problems I was having, and within 10 minutes, the whole thing was fixed. I had made a previous offer to pay for him to take an Uber taxi to our house and back home with him, but he declined to accept any payment. When he was done, we set a tentative time to meet next Tuesday at his place, without the computers, without the TV problems, and just talk about normal things for a change.