tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29969862808194260372024-03-05T12:55:55.908+00:00What it means to be UkrainianBorn in America to Ukrainian immigrants, I explore the meaning of growing up and living as a Ukrainian in the US and Europe, yet never having been to Ukraine. It's an interesting conundrum. Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-6453097444218554602023-11-27T21:01:00.002+00:002023-12-03T13:33:44.491+00:00Giving thanks<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-RNvyZXqYmju7ydJlzSn1mHPJ8DFO8s9Kwy4TyutakdL0uX50U2oLwkc2fcMB6MVP54qOZXQT8u0AGcv4LC8EU2_sfEZKOXBhFV67AYqTXW-WPpNVtdFIB-Z1YoMeGQmT90kE68K3QgkMCZ-jhn3sGlzIEBUwazzVuAQeegBKqPIIr2mUTp0ZxuFTO5K/s2048/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-23%20at%2023.58.26_a1c4164e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-RNvyZXqYmju7ydJlzSn1mHPJ8DFO8s9Kwy4TyutakdL0uX50U2oLwkc2fcMB6MVP54qOZXQT8u0AGcv4LC8EU2_sfEZKOXBhFV67AYqTXW-WPpNVtdFIB-Z1YoMeGQmT90kE68K3QgkMCZ-jhn3sGlzIEBUwazzVuAQeegBKqPIIr2mUTp0ZxuFTO5K/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-23%20at%2023.58.26_a1c4164e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>My cousin Myshka's youngest daughter Talia is getting married in Florida tomorrow. Alex and I decided we'd make the trip. We hadn't seen Myshka in more than 20 years, incredibly. We'd seen the Myshky -- Ara, Lesia and Talia -- but still a very long time ago. We decided to make the trip given that there is a direct flight from Dublin to Orlando and they live in the Tampa-St Petersburg area about a 3-hour drive. A visit to warm weather and longer days was beckoning. Seeing the family gave us a great excuse and a really important reason. </p><p>We booked business class as we discovered it was a 9-hour flight. We got up early and had to drive to Dublin in the morning. On the road before sunrise, we made it to the airport by 10 am. As a perk of Business Class, you get to use the Lounge while waiting and Dublin has two. You also get to bypass security at preclearance and you get on the plane first. It was class. </p><p>The plane was a brand new A330 Airbus. We had reclining seats! So we got to sleep for a while, even though in this direction you need to stay up. I watched two movies, including Elvis which was great, and a Wes Anderson movie called Asteroid City which was bizarre. We flew through a lot of turbulence but otherwise, the flight was uneventful.</p><p>After spending the night at a monster resort near Orlando, we made our way to a beach house in Indian Shores. A lovely lunch at Caddy's on the intracoastal waterway, a walk on the beach, and a swim and book session in the morning, gave us our taste of Florida without much heat or sunshine. </p><p>Then it was on to Myshka's for Thanksgiving lunch with the family. Tears, laughs, memories and catchup made the time fly. It was as though we had not missed a month much less several decades. That's what it means to be a Ukrainian family. </p><p>We all shared all the stuff we'd been doing for Ukrainian refugees in our respective communities. Talia has been amazing, organizing her church to support the delivery of whatever the soldiers need on the front lines. She befriended a Uki soldier who came to Tampa for training at the military facility there. He sends her lists of what they need, and she gets donations, procures the goods, and has them delivered to the front lines directly. Our amazing little Talia. She even sent them two drones!</p><p>Marta Fedoriw routinely organizes fundraisers for the key organizations providing support from the diaspora. Alex and I have sponsored families, secured housing, gotten kids into school, arranged for medical care, translated where necessary, and I taught English in Newport and Westport for a year. Everyone had their own contribution to share. The war on Ukraine is a war on the diaspora worldwide. That's what Russia doesn't understand. </p><p>We squeezed in a visit to the wonderful Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg before the wedding.</p><p>The wedding was brilliant. A family friend who is a priest in Ottawa officiated and he was a riot. He explained everything in English so the groom's family and friends would understand, he joked and he made it fun. At the reception, he danced up a storm and a kolomiyka was inevitable with former Voloshky present. Talia looked gorgeous in a stunning dress, and she was so composed. We loved James from the first moment and we think she made a wise choice. Natalia and James Rhodes. </p><p>It was a wonderful week. We capped it off with a breakfast for 20 at the hotel with tearful goodbyes and promises to visit more often -- not to let 20-plus years go by without connecting. </p><p>Slava Bohu is Slava Ukraini. </p><p>So with a one-night stay at Margaritaville to top it off (not as great as expected and frightfully expensive for the delivery), we are now sitting in the airport lounge waiting to fly home. An 8-hour plus flight and a 3.5-hour drive home awaits us. So do my kitties. I miss them, especially little Ghostie!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjPiPUHFBK6e3aOYE1MZYDd1RXMxeUUMlc4zkt3jaYUcTsHCkSgHJzQb9zXBKNUmryI8XYrIcGsY5IBSN_ICzUUsF3mJ59CMmV371b5SvWV6kVSO_34jxNhyLwlxSZAjtPtJpqLbfFgx-ZIKYBKfjqPOPjTbkR_B7AgEBNNIsv4Ppnb22d5ZoarxoK6uK/s4624/20231121_124447.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjPiPUHFBK6e3aOYE1MZYDd1RXMxeUUMlc4zkt3jaYUcTsHCkSgHJzQb9zXBKNUmryI8XYrIcGsY5IBSN_ICzUUsF3mJ59CMmV371b5SvWV6kVSO_34jxNhyLwlxSZAjtPtJpqLbfFgx-ZIKYBKfjqPOPjTbkR_B7AgEBNNIsv4Ppnb22d5ZoarxoK6uK/s320/20231121_124447.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Aer Lingus lounge in Dublin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLX0qQnVED-Orzw6qVdJxhvNZ_nsj0F0ODduf8die7YjSnSsD3D7sJrJY1kcAquJn1wOWr1nI-2KRmTb5DhY1_D_-fXjAxX2F3XU9brGvWvSi6uXSj14bTAVm5-J5w9_sObLTdUDm43whrDZegxev7ad3WI7S0CcZpcfctXGECQfpTdSwYA4SCcudLdXI/s4624/20231121_134855.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLX0qQnVED-Orzw6qVdJxhvNZ_nsj0F0ODduf8die7YjSnSsD3D7sJrJY1kcAquJn1wOWr1nI-2KRmTb5DhY1_D_-fXjAxX2F3XU9brGvWvSi6uXSj14bTAVm5-J5w9_sObLTdUDm43whrDZegxev7ad3WI7S0CcZpcfctXGECQfpTdSwYA4SCcudLdXI/s320/20231121_134855.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My seat on the place</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2i9bgRSgley-erbBMIRPz9hJXcNv4FDpea4c93282ZDl_tYoluvvvRwF-VcqbcyOMRRZhVvfoyM6uvA2KCS9jvnA7VzZ1dKMC4cAofESVhxXrwSvX1Fl0GcDSQpQrbr7QycGXr0QNBhlX9iG08F4fpa27RAofR4PK8oFu0QgYE2pZM0lhS8p4YDBx5eW/s4624/20231122_074514.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2i9bgRSgley-erbBMIRPz9hJXcNv4FDpea4c93282ZDl_tYoluvvvRwF-VcqbcyOMRRZhVvfoyM6uvA2KCS9jvnA7VzZ1dKMC4cAofESVhxXrwSvX1Fl0GcDSQpQrbr7QycGXr0QNBhlX9iG08F4fpa27RAofR4PK8oFu0QgYE2pZM0lhS8p4YDBx5eW/s320/20231122_074514.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the window of the Shingle Creek - <br />we saw the fireworks at Disney World from there!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiqFELztPAa90lR16c1eNDibFPEP81QQf4SwO7mmtNtmQgaZ2OCsTcbAehYUvyIDG_LJEo_SiRTScomu5YjTve3CE95jCAOwSkdJx0Bi9ZkKPHYWzxFfqFWo0_XcgKIhYvPM9-T6GenmxUz1cGuePGkvDrjZpBjjcLQdfptifIUGTrH6kEg75atj7j0bO/s4624/20231122_122048.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiqFELztPAa90lR16c1eNDibFPEP81QQf4SwO7mmtNtmQgaZ2OCsTcbAehYUvyIDG_LJEo_SiRTScomu5YjTve3CE95jCAOwSkdJx0Bi9ZkKPHYWzxFfqFWo0_XcgKIhYvPM9-T6GenmxUz1cGuePGkvDrjZpBjjcLQdfptifIUGTrH6kEg75atj7j0bO/s320/20231122_122048.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caddy's on the intracoastal</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-HMULAw6bPU8qo2Sve4Rx4NZqPP3p3V83EmZpchL0b6vLLm4JwUSpxbq_7yNIYYz9bEyIHeZOHE5CKiwOKRyjpIsqH3TfZULywlkOtN9CNiebHybT6r63kqjBZC91OcBpkQbB7rz01WBms5y1yIiHENs6aEfVhMgWKYSFz3xigFfpdUpQjC1sFAVkn0K/s4624/20231122_134051.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-HMULAw6bPU8qo2Sve4Rx4NZqPP3p3V83EmZpchL0b6vLLm4JwUSpxbq_7yNIYYz9bEyIHeZOHE5CKiwOKRyjpIsqH3TfZULywlkOtN9CNiebHybT6r63kqjBZC91OcBpkQbB7rz01WBms5y1yIiHENs6aEfVhMgWKYSFz3xigFfpdUpQjC1sFAVkn0K/s320/20231122_134051.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boardwalk at John's Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6sILyNoRvGv755zSepZrj5HMceWdGDrW57PZKyVCiZjeuDVc8Qh_ryaBaRJJ0lidteDTpJ5wqaZL3GCTkS1dhyV0zNSY45S_xeIVfXdmS0bXFgIlon074x8qAJih2L4dHSBz9ajjU8PrX_4FO_rie9QUoCgiaT9TruCDuZ-_xp7GSnB-PLc7Fe47TYWP/s4624/20231122_134315.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6sILyNoRvGv755zSepZrj5HMceWdGDrW57PZKyVCiZjeuDVc8Qh_ryaBaRJJ0lidteDTpJ5wqaZL3GCTkS1dhyV0zNSY45S_xeIVfXdmS0bXFgIlon074x8qAJih2L4dHSBz9ajjU8PrX_4FO_rie9QUoCgiaT9TruCDuZ-_xp7GSnB-PLc7Fe47TYWP/s320/20231122_134315.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drizzly weather at John's Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J8U_qKadCbkVLnQDi4rFXHetELJpZtfJ_8nbyQwyA8lGj4gbVimNwi0V-cqYSSPWuWA5jxy85B08egiKgBk8EPmBUaJ_VWL5FfxiDGCQERYrqdPZIIREPd-9X6ymofTKrUPv354uXYZ8fCd7_1qEFLM6bAz-sdizPR07N1mD1oRslkWoJwefihtmmeD-/s4624/20231124_112027.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J8U_qKadCbkVLnQDi4rFXHetELJpZtfJ_8nbyQwyA8lGj4gbVimNwi0V-cqYSSPWuWA5jxy85B08egiKgBk8EPmBUaJ_VWL5FfxiDGCQERYrqdPZIIREPd-9X6ymofTKrUPv354uXYZ8fCd7_1qEFLM6bAz-sdizPR07N1mD1oRslkWoJwefihtmmeD-/s320/20231124_112027.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking paths at Carillion Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP0x9vXHNM33oqltrdYAsb5bJf4eJ4idYgpXdTkvw7TMFWMeQUO8v19EFU0j7UDgayubM1PN7htGs2xx8zcO01hwigSuvZ9WfUfspRhPXryJXlnuY7qpQK9_f-51mqKT64pmWPWcikGophU8R8IN5YRMQ_AbGTCpXdFyAY_VUqpL-U_S7uD5m9O-CxrCX/s4624/20231124_112448.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP0x9vXHNM33oqltrdYAsb5bJf4eJ4idYgpXdTkvw7TMFWMeQUO8v19EFU0j7UDgayubM1PN7htGs2xx8zcO01hwigSuvZ9WfUfspRhPXryJXlnuY7qpQK9_f-51mqKT64pmWPWcikGophU8R8IN5YRMQ_AbGTCpXdFyAY_VUqpL-U_S7uD5m9O-CxrCX/s320/20231124_112448.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great blue heron</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYU2y43_gAZC1mihgPPPuyHxFtJqpPUFHO8UVMDxf3FePyTOkcMRJ8-bVyHTZBMy3GdU5SxCsgSCAOuDbOZ-aI2TQNMlnRyYPQI8pPOWlEOUPgbok9fijnTxGi-wloeZk47Iw650OORRt_bBMe9P8m7tOOHIbvJhBkanr-1lIkgKl6W7WWBmAOMnZljtw/s4624/20231124_112706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYU2y43_gAZC1mihgPPPuyHxFtJqpPUFHO8UVMDxf3FePyTOkcMRJ8-bVyHTZBMy3GdU5SxCsgSCAOuDbOZ-aI2TQNMlnRyYPQI8pPOWlEOUPgbok9fijnTxGi-wloeZk47Iw650OORRt_bBMe9P8m7tOOHIbvJhBkanr-1lIkgKl6W7WWBmAOMnZljtw/s320/20231124_112706.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell tower at Carillon Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCi-VX0407VICgvkyRQLVz517M41NRNadbXwfbdnYd9zEP6sqMvOAQlGhk9JdwNqCIV4sD5vesHHed8abUJY3yffY-6zZiXp4V0-8rKAO14NpDQ5YvgR2GxEUols7_dXjBcMZvbBy1npPqmE5FdARC_qriGowwBc38-3U9L9x_iyekMcleMbEr75Gax2T/s4624/20231124_130220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCi-VX0407VICgvkyRQLVz517M41NRNadbXwfbdnYd9zEP6sqMvOAQlGhk9JdwNqCIV4sD5vesHHed8abUJY3yffY-6zZiXp4V0-8rKAO14NpDQ5YvgR2GxEUols7_dXjBcMZvbBy1npPqmE5FdARC_qriGowwBc38-3U9L9x_iyekMcleMbEr75Gax2T/s320/20231124_130220.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at the HIlton</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdMt3C7aULC_rdKsM6x-4Da7YiGjJB12UvuLrk2gMxGeCkhsz4eEidhqD3eJL4eD_V3fcq5T4kLZIoWm0kiVqQebVd5rgne4KKgK7uoqVLQ78ilSCXO_vPIG183qOZ5q-yrVOdWOuLnTPglQgvU7a4-eKMEwntE8S8X_gWKwOxiFS5eXyxIYHu40CwJKB/s4624/20231125_081118.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdMt3C7aULC_rdKsM6x-4Da7YiGjJB12UvuLrk2gMxGeCkhsz4eEidhqD3eJL4eD_V3fcq5T4kLZIoWm0kiVqQebVd5rgne4KKgK7uoqVLQ78ilSCXO_vPIG183qOZ5q-yrVOdWOuLnTPglQgvU7a4-eKMEwntE8S8X_gWKwOxiFS5eXyxIYHu40CwJKB/s320/20231125_081118.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun finally on the morning of the wedding</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rSix4wKbigTAGCKtWr4Z-gTBUrJqGbwu3-d9YbEUr9LxWrMq5EcAZ6c3JV0gcd1JU-oQuSfnvqh_0-FyQ01_NfmIJwLCvL4OTU3qJCVPxmpUWGZTnz0OEnNSXNG5e2CTaBNBH0guLCZ_48Sf62GTfG52MhmOUDpwD8ZxG6jZSXkIps9KnGvH1yUHEeB7/s4624/20231125_081134.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rSix4wKbigTAGCKtWr4Z-gTBUrJqGbwu3-d9YbEUr9LxWrMq5EcAZ6c3JV0gcd1JU-oQuSfnvqh_0-FyQ01_NfmIJwLCvL4OTU3qJCVPxmpUWGZTnz0OEnNSXNG5e2CTaBNBH0guLCZ_48Sf62GTfG52MhmOUDpwD8ZxG6jZSXkIps9KnGvH1yUHEeB7/s320/20231125_081134.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carillion lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEN0m6QOLeR4mXZYeAr0yoCWO8MIteWkUKTycaAXRR2f56Krjp9URYNmgqCDaBeab0hK1YlhA7z6E1rMLRbxPhzdJrFLyeK6f50XoDcRJbxpKxusLgxXSO26nAb3Xl4mqWufNUPlfyZRWp9sMh_3Fq5mrwMWlH1qKl0j2EI_K65rOTzt7miH6Xgv7ILO9/s4624/20231125_095418.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEN0m6QOLeR4mXZYeAr0yoCWO8MIteWkUKTycaAXRR2f56Krjp9URYNmgqCDaBeab0hK1YlhA7z6E1rMLRbxPhzdJrFLyeK6f50XoDcRJbxpKxusLgxXSO26nAb3Xl4mqWufNUPlfyZRWp9sMh_3Fq5mrwMWlH1qKl0j2EI_K65rOTzt7miH6Xgv7ILO9/s320/20231125_095418.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dali Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCsplZQqwnrb4-r4kp4N3EAW6ZjyTdqieDN1yeLnMl2b1xfWycuVLU23WVMYK9bIEXGEygUR7vM0ueFvrkQ5GHfdxooyknpIFP59zVjbTQtymzIL2wHTEclgL65VJjqFjW4NYmDrfmOAWIsstGxcJKQ37xPK_P1qlFAR8gfqkjWOcnVGg_CUWrHT06dKF/s4624/20231125_102609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCsplZQqwnrb4-r4kp4N3EAW6ZjyTdqieDN1yeLnMl2b1xfWycuVLU23WVMYK9bIEXGEygUR7vM0ueFvrkQ5GHfdxooyknpIFP59zVjbTQtymzIL2wHTEclgL65VJjqFjW4NYmDrfmOAWIsstGxcJKQ37xPK_P1qlFAR8gfqkjWOcnVGg_CUWrHT06dKF/s320/20231125_102609.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEzkH3hM-XKOhChR6EvQpMSk-_cnF0XYdBjcRMnGaJLmfUKg36GAgsgKLAjKvTfbHMGYUGqqL0LJpOsz3wqZ5zKqSo9VBKoziw3gnHVVBskxsz8yfCeIzByHFdQH0LBZ4q6c15QRECqm2u1R9GaUs_kDaDwWtVstLXJnFs5py-SfeQwR9EyHo8IgZg_oN/s4624/20231125_102628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEzkH3hM-XKOhChR6EvQpMSk-_cnF0XYdBjcRMnGaJLmfUKg36GAgsgKLAjKvTfbHMGYUGqqL0LJpOsz3wqZ5zKqSo9VBKoziw3gnHVVBskxsz8yfCeIzByHFdQH0LBZ4q6c15QRECqm2u1R9GaUs_kDaDwWtVstLXJnFs5py-SfeQwR9EyHo8IgZg_oN/s320/20231125_102628.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_4fxw8pyNFrpAC9VsGJR_sVwDUP-6PtwIxdWYMH1nja7EMGOVvAvpEw9eqT0oYq7m7SD-E8Wf7-x2_hQpOoSdptbAo4W_AVByRPa4wFmk4H0cXOzxs44w0HM3Y6ZfmdPRrArK-hMLuDj6K_4k8LSptZm3EqOqYBu7Y_rbfcEsBUiSQCA_ZFMq8DOireW/s4624/20231125_105328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_4fxw8pyNFrpAC9VsGJR_sVwDUP-6PtwIxdWYMH1nja7EMGOVvAvpEw9eqT0oYq7m7SD-E8Wf7-x2_hQpOoSdptbAo4W_AVByRPa4wFmk4H0cXOzxs44w0HM3Y6ZfmdPRrArK-hMLuDj6K_4k8LSptZm3EqOqYBu7Y_rbfcEsBUiSQCA_ZFMq8DOireW/s320/20231125_105328.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xCZQajzIIDI5NGdwYWWJv7WgfbfTmr-mAWhjAaAS419xRh2oX07u7kOyLg5cFjA4t8gSEOOreccwaCwACb8BndDuKX9uq5vyNodsLH8ErAuu6En0dfvmNrvQLcWyFgDhDOqEavA9gHcoq8Ej1tU9ftNr2YnbTtorEgf9HLSFiiVuSgmO-53nX6Ugkhyphenhyphenu/s4624/20231125_105601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xCZQajzIIDI5NGdwYWWJv7WgfbfTmr-mAWhjAaAS419xRh2oX07u7kOyLg5cFjA4t8gSEOOreccwaCwACb8BndDuKX9uq5vyNodsLH8ErAuu6En0dfvmNrvQLcWyFgDhDOqEavA9gHcoq8Ej1tU9ftNr2YnbTtorEgf9HLSFiiVuSgmO-53nX6Ugkhyphenhyphenu/s320/20231125_105601.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHq3-X11P69SEPj8txhQ4YZR5ckZnJqs5SB7c6fQqWZQ9tNlii-GgXk3LT9a_YOE7OLX_UjS672xWnB3RbWktldZ5K-0q97iC7bbtVM6EynP4QvyOZ6ayTl1A02Z_X8HfcjMlpim81bQuWfVMV33GJScQyakTix-BMQgewlUC7iyFNNg4jGopidjrgXfPB/s4624/20231125_110017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHq3-X11P69SEPj8txhQ4YZR5ckZnJqs5SB7c6fQqWZQ9tNlii-GgXk3LT9a_YOE7OLX_UjS672xWnB3RbWktldZ5K-0q97iC7bbtVM6EynP4QvyOZ6ayTl1A02Z_X8HfcjMlpim81bQuWfVMV33GJScQyakTix-BMQgewlUC7iyFNNg4jGopidjrgXfPB/s320/20231125_110017.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk947NeEh6AMHA7TxtYScs3UEncIfpkrUxP4qOdOT_AqEEO-aTtQBbb1NHneaNmAnD1Ln2ff1M7IG2M68SFDh_yY83QQYxpeYfBB4YfglHZE2K6e25vx7LX2TQAPPZoJgHc37re7bAgYPUj82m4ll6Qd0PF_8sQeGafRFl-q4Saoroq8xuauCmYWnm8NJ/s4624/20231125_110224.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk947NeEh6AMHA7TxtYScs3UEncIfpkrUxP4qOdOT_AqEEO-aTtQBbb1NHneaNmAnD1Ln2ff1M7IG2M68SFDh_yY83QQYxpeYfBB4YfglHZE2K6e25vx7LX2TQAPPZoJgHc37re7bAgYPUj82m4ll6Qd0PF_8sQeGafRFl-q4Saoroq8xuauCmYWnm8NJ/s320/20231125_110224.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_c-Mrx8SxjcFc3OE3UikpwivD1Uc2AKo7xBSlVS7YL-useydMLZCVd8CbqPGyPffeZ7ulCH0utD8POGlG6cS4xuTZPRY3lQH8sIMYWVB4F1oGE1DYG6UC_ibjCgcNEol7FMkTevhEMVx1rvCNkUE40YqLjWC5Tx9eXr5KbluX20M_grww5lurw73LW5e/s4624/20231125_124903.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_c-Mrx8SxjcFc3OE3UikpwivD1Uc2AKo7xBSlVS7YL-useydMLZCVd8CbqPGyPffeZ7ulCH0utD8POGlG6cS4xuTZPRY3lQH8sIMYWVB4F1oGE1DYG6UC_ibjCgcNEol7FMkTevhEMVx1rvCNkUE40YqLjWC5Tx9eXr5KbluX20M_grww5lurw73LW5e/s320/20231125_124903.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at BJ's in St Pete</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnOAV95XId3fo8TB-Oj-50eTFZC9X_oeMNcVS1FQrEwmXBps0nsM1wf-_Ng-sOnbjDddcIx5eCoqPzts-ELGBrWbsCcoPNV8bm6Noytfeb_6o-VuzYPRxqaUBzMKnE_vnddaPJ2U0-VwCrg5tvk7vMYMaCHIxty_1_q3MbXJZImcVdYZEsIgTl_GMsk0N/s4624/20231125_160424.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnOAV95XId3fo8TB-Oj-50eTFZC9X_oeMNcVS1FQrEwmXBps0nsM1wf-_Ng-sOnbjDddcIx5eCoqPzts-ELGBrWbsCcoPNV8bm6Noytfeb_6o-VuzYPRxqaUBzMKnE_vnddaPJ2U0-VwCrg5tvk7vMYMaCHIxty_1_q3MbXJZImcVdYZEsIgTl_GMsk0N/s320/20231125_160424.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myshka with Lesia's Steven</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0UalfKczMtIgmtI8vEYN2T04zLIqX6pHOBEE2kPZkiFIPJ08RTMPgz3oj4SDqrMZloI61-2fYUb-VqUrSpiO1_ZRJbtVGbi4S2TB50LRolKF5lI3HFMjrwTrIfqTgugFcx4n0VdT59wmf39Le7GGKiwpNAGyne5Q3l0TPXyhadOBS3zLxhrh4fLljTmT/s4624/20231125_160440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0UalfKczMtIgmtI8vEYN2T04zLIqX6pHOBEE2kPZkiFIPJ08RTMPgz3oj4SDqrMZloI61-2fYUb-VqUrSpiO1_ZRJbtVGbi4S2TB50LRolKF5lI3HFMjrwTrIfqTgugFcx4n0VdT59wmf39Le7GGKiwpNAGyne5Q3l0TPXyhadOBS3zLxhrh4fLljTmT/s320/20231125_160440.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Natalia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRRYAD_YLMgEHmloyga-2t_mjYqCFScRtQVSS3J653wBsWGFcA8mwLuTvrKgD2pf0NmA_AddctpoBX1gnC4un3MgdycmVQcLfFzmAbAnFewqhZjRpOuaiEz4MG2GBxrBHYreKyShxBaE4H6qWRsmMNNmczl-2ZNq5_LBtDjabwh-FEeCtExi7mujstTnC/s4624/20231125_160457.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRRYAD_YLMgEHmloyga-2t_mjYqCFScRtQVSS3J653wBsWGFcA8mwLuTvrKgD2pf0NmA_AddctpoBX1gnC4un3MgdycmVQcLfFzmAbAnFewqhZjRpOuaiEz4MG2GBxrBHYreKyShxBaE4H6qWRsmMNNmczl-2ZNq5_LBtDjabwh-FEeCtExi7mujstTnC/s320/20231125_160457.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a dress! So Talia!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37rRbg_ZL2NU3PacCDH7Zu8f7KfO0-PM2jV3xwvcowafu1Md5CKOcgR4JutBeinN0XA2mC3WVIsnrvc-vW1gFa56xwxMC3k0Boc8IUrRJoXNWawwJ5KS8isPsTY4yu7cc68IX4T8yLx8F5ZvBBIoIBr-1MjxEEppA_WHQU2K9DrKwpAw4HSHKEe0jznmE/s4624/20231125_161138.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37rRbg_ZL2NU3PacCDH7Zu8f7KfO0-PM2jV3xwvcowafu1Md5CKOcgR4JutBeinN0XA2mC3WVIsnrvc-vW1gFa56xwxMC3k0Boc8IUrRJoXNWawwJ5KS8isPsTY4yu7cc68IX4T8yLx8F5ZvBBIoIBr-1MjxEEppA_WHQU2K9DrKwpAw4HSHKEe0jznmE/s320/20231125_161138.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two priests</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguX5bJ_ynk50DnN-bMitjsU4mjwNQJZdq4fviS2KhHBdmKJx8bB-75At4EFWTDw22VbQn6P3TUjsPWLOKXoCpZOScrfRxxKgudQGiHQmISpckzqBjKWFPy76YBkydxiIikn7LOGDE2zHLs7wp4IYzaWehRP-bxFenwrXbSA1Gm_sz-w2t_SPF-b6a5TSed/s4624/20231125_163841.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguX5bJ_ynk50DnN-bMitjsU4mjwNQJZdq4fviS2KhHBdmKJx8bB-75At4EFWTDw22VbQn6P3TUjsPWLOKXoCpZOScrfRxxKgudQGiHQmISpckzqBjKWFPy76YBkydxiIikn7LOGDE2zHLs7wp4IYzaWehRP-bxFenwrXbSA1Gm_sz-w2t_SPF-b6a5TSed/s320/20231125_163841.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowns and rushnychok</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud96fayx6BzABQVXZBNK413xZ8JQC1giz5xoBSld7S2pixRu6PCmse2C-oh4Fv7JbYtl7myAew7hoEQM1mnntNWk7XA1Xf24lU11-i9-ml4dKdTqAACKRBT03I5W0NoahRsmODGib5hVzYCtd-g3OB7u4ztIBRYMFDVq9Fugk_6bQecRmV207ldLpuI7q/s4624/20231125_164251.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud96fayx6BzABQVXZBNK413xZ8JQC1giz5xoBSld7S2pixRu6PCmse2C-oh4Fv7JbYtl7myAew7hoEQM1mnntNWk7XA1Xf24lU11-i9-ml4dKdTqAACKRBT03I5W0NoahRsmODGib5hVzYCtd-g3OB7u4ztIBRYMFDVq9Fugk_6bQecRmV207ldLpuI7q/s320/20231125_164251.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Praying to the virgin for children</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3LDEJip3Cd1JX-hbvdnfwFgGM3TnGVxFgL7xdbv_1khLdwUEFEkUhp1YyhjgOdIsadlpUrdKAsrcHnS1LnBd65GO1-FhWbZf-F-EwmsCFEn4ygKnUXUDWQ1N2azPKuVXp7264H3-V4yMdIjPf2CQO3S7XqpmlHG5RxPd_D3u64ryWH5yDjx4fwyOfjrn/s4624/20231125_165728.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3LDEJip3Cd1JX-hbvdnfwFgGM3TnGVxFgL7xdbv_1khLdwUEFEkUhp1YyhjgOdIsadlpUrdKAsrcHnS1LnBd65GO1-FhWbZf-F-EwmsCFEn4ygKnUXUDWQ1N2azPKuVXp7264H3-V4yMdIjPf2CQO3S7XqpmlHG5RxPd_D3u64ryWH5yDjx4fwyOfjrn/s320/20231125_165728.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epiphany of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVI4qQNnZsQ_UYNuvSdpTZ-3vr7wx1Ccw2DYd8GfFD9uoAPCGh2jCh-6aabu6T0J0g4dPumGd8AHmc_v6W-SFsiiqrCUdm-r7IaNTlxYgZzZGD_UmEt6p_ZI9VIu3Z2rnyniAE4NAfbhG1xlPdzwcJBP-G1Cqp3ET2V1RKYI1jm8NpXi9fBMj2GWU0LM3/s4624/20231125_165752.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVI4qQNnZsQ_UYNuvSdpTZ-3vr7wx1Ccw2DYd8GfFD9uoAPCGh2jCh-6aabu6T0J0g4dPumGd8AHmc_v6W-SFsiiqrCUdm-r7IaNTlxYgZzZGD_UmEt6p_ZI9VIu3Z2rnyniAE4NAfbhG1xlPdzwcJBP-G1Cqp3ET2V1RKYI1jm8NpXi9fBMj2GWU0LM3/s320/20231125_165752.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Philly contingent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS2B7NYrCRLR2f8d0_5KS-eAmSEDYYPqUrROf7jo7dvkFKH182zbZnmmOHGhegFpy1Mz800SW-5WAvowxVvT7vaZhBiiaE-JmygG9T2PKUV6idUNtKhpyyP0aQmoIkUW6qgg29tEgQsr0atxNnrYy7DKHRmUnJL9JFrnNrW0O5t2MVMY1AvwzzsCxHOCG/s4624/20231125_165924.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS2B7NYrCRLR2f8d0_5KS-eAmSEDYYPqUrROf7jo7dvkFKH182zbZnmmOHGhegFpy1Mz800SW-5WAvowxVvT7vaZhBiiaE-JmygG9T2PKUV6idUNtKhpyyP0aQmoIkUW6qgg29tEgQsr0atxNnrYy7DKHRmUnJL9JFrnNrW0O5t2MVMY1AvwzzsCxHOCG/s320/20231125_165924.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridal party bus</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacOLtsFUg7ZIVUNNn82Q-ja4LgDwsToq-MqzcconBLxjtv-dr13-2N7a0oIvifhUlC1ad95YtJh-BtufXBFNT6tmrSzbFUSaPaB8cinZnjS_QFzHqrZePmlZprAmVzU_0WlzWQP-HAje1taxSETitelfdkuriCN41kIK4BrQVNMVEL1nG9WO51PcqRVzu/s4624/20231125_211302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacOLtsFUg7ZIVUNNn82Q-ja4LgDwsToq-MqzcconBLxjtv-dr13-2N7a0oIvifhUlC1ad95YtJh-BtufXBFNT6tmrSzbFUSaPaB8cinZnjS_QFzHqrZePmlZprAmVzU_0WlzWQP-HAje1taxSETitelfdkuriCN41kIK4BrQVNMVEL1nG9WO51PcqRVzu/s320/20231125_211302.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oksana with cat ears</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc85VetOA1D22YiD8-yZufk3BdxZ-ovC_pcEM8pAEDvB-2jzxUxjtPXplZHz_XXaQaRpGxsNMktsuBtmWRpyMVrsJxVUKHlXYVqp61q45DbhwN3f6XEJI5-I13r3jkUT5kJumwW0tmREnvS78864E-Jr6gGO9P9W0G-UfD_m8AYbrplDvbXXVFUDfLK3l/s4624/20231125_212635.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc85VetOA1D22YiD8-yZufk3BdxZ-ovC_pcEM8pAEDvB-2jzxUxjtPXplZHz_XXaQaRpGxsNMktsuBtmWRpyMVrsJxVUKHlXYVqp61q45DbhwN3f6XEJI5-I13r3jkUT5kJumwW0tmREnvS78864E-Jr6gGO9P9W0G-UfD_m8AYbrplDvbXXVFUDfLK3l/s320/20231125_212635.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The conga line</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F8rwFbLPmTCLdiE7yGC-T0xClo3yDeJ_kJ89bMyp5L3BaRVKqiz8Yom4qfXMYKXo3ZusFgyRWh7kloc_pCiaHVlWrFEbb85KBGqvHJzAkN91x__z31abGKzGXEAHijWCDnMzE9REO33krh7fdEdduN9wFoycxQfjUfO4fSKscvOCOOXi2V_y23QJb8j4/s4624/20231125_213618.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F8rwFbLPmTCLdiE7yGC-T0xClo3yDeJ_kJ89bMyp5L3BaRVKqiz8Yom4qfXMYKXo3ZusFgyRWh7kloc_pCiaHVlWrFEbb85KBGqvHJzAkN91x__z31abGKzGXEAHijWCDnMzE9REO33krh7fdEdduN9wFoycxQfjUfO4fSKscvOCOOXi2V_y23QJb8j4/s320/20231125_213618.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voloshky</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiaiZCiV6_NMGMEODXqt7w1iiqjCHE8-TjHDfceYjguvku0265nq26Ay2EYRkL2cn_LjAZwCTgsSqo3hEjUVl8J5lvooUNpU7KrjP149yoGvgmiIUBp9GjsJIfZhDq7EN7uA30BTFw3dNtYuLvHHK8q-zNx618uz9X_bc1xToV3bmfD2zTwExIOhqJtr4/s4624/20231126_141102.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiaiZCiV6_NMGMEODXqt7w1iiqjCHE8-TjHDfceYjguvku0265nq26Ay2EYRkL2cn_LjAZwCTgsSqo3hEjUVl8J5lvooUNpU7KrjP149yoGvgmiIUBp9GjsJIfZhDq7EN7uA30BTFw3dNtYuLvHHK8q-zNx618uz9X_bc1xToV3bmfD2zTwExIOhqJtr4/s320/20231126_141102.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margaritaville pools</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB32KeCn7IRNPmrZbxOgDX7vrQKv_brryn0uH9EeoXJW-fohWMSyvygy8vdPmAHpDL8Uww_lkqKzobfeZZT6ehiHssZ4J4t4KOxXGpwrVIAnHySLLyoWjghv4HkoyX64YSgRqUklh_H0lhq7ilKe9zfq55JSFRvoe0ozw_0FEApZ6mTZlVwpsF8ZrxNO_c/s4624/20231126_141106.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB32KeCn7IRNPmrZbxOgDX7vrQKv_brryn0uH9EeoXJW-fohWMSyvygy8vdPmAHpDL8Uww_lkqKzobfeZZT6ehiHssZ4J4t4KOxXGpwrVIAnHySLLyoWjghv4HkoyX64YSgRqUklh_H0lhq7ilKe9zfq55JSFRvoe0ozw_0FEApZ6mTZlVwpsF8ZrxNO_c/s320/20231126_141106.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading by the pool before the rain started<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-djDNWjdz0vdPa-Z0MFMCWqDP9oWS5SWArERdnWzPhzrAEK4iEFU4EOfvRo9uj4IkkLBbv3hqkmkf4ihytURq5lIlgsoU3WGyElV2Rs1niIkFkGEWjapXWqe0sqhrhqKRpOMmbTRWn84zZh0FqeTRYZP36xTM0w8eg9DiRzxYYTZX7y9Ds14nF7miAK_L/s4624/20231126_142809.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-djDNWjdz0vdPa-Z0MFMCWqDP9oWS5SWArERdnWzPhzrAEK4iEFU4EOfvRo9uj4IkkLBbv3hqkmkf4ihytURq5lIlgsoU3WGyElV2Rs1niIkFkGEWjapXWqe0sqhrhqKRpOMmbTRWn84zZh0FqeTRYZP36xTM0w8eg9DiRzxYYTZX7y9Ds14nF7miAK_L/s320/20231126_142809.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex went for a swim!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6ehzoVFhPSnU-v7z9qnwq_5GSnNC-Wzrc4BGdLV-LuaLEtih-ZWbgem7z-XiMs80jPCJ-4uV82s2dfa2M-uGpSMhXK9WV5Set_d8einjK8OFp9BIZ9-MGUkDtfC3MuGNQqkdCU82tq-mEZKBBazzOzB2tpLJfXe3g8gv0VDoJBRuuiawwwuX_DGxcS28/s4624/20231126_145748.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6ehzoVFhPSnU-v7z9qnwq_5GSnNC-Wzrc4BGdLV-LuaLEtih-ZWbgem7z-XiMs80jPCJ-4uV82s2dfa2M-uGpSMhXK9WV5Set_d8einjK8OFp9BIZ9-MGUkDtfC3MuGNQqkdCU82tq-mEZKBBazzOzB2tpLJfXe3g8gv0VDoJBRuuiawwwuX_DGxcS28/s320/20231126_145748.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGNEnoSfR8dq6RIt9_R5Pwbuskgna4rVWyKAHWt1TbYx41FO_DjYbJfJWwoBj-3GoMPDhyphenhyphenz6XaFJTceTLzKwIou-w8CXHkApOIE1Cbc8tGurZQnMY-mAimn5sKFYo0JyKUyb6hHsjiKHdD-wzQJgPYjlNzqp0OEFWwf0xC0IvDsc935DGyvSS1ajoKrWY/s4624/20231126_145753.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGNEnoSfR8dq6RIt9_R5Pwbuskgna4rVWyKAHWt1TbYx41FO_DjYbJfJWwoBj-3GoMPDhyphenhyphenz6XaFJTceTLzKwIou-w8CXHkApOIE1Cbc8tGurZQnMY-mAimn5sKFYo0JyKUyb6hHsjiKHdD-wzQJgPYjlNzqp0OEFWwf0xC0IvDsc935DGyvSS1ajoKrWY/s320/20231126_145753.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comfy bed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgx3ls8SPwDMPTUb73yeBzsJwqCaJXxzogBRwGxQkWVNSTTT7iG-D73wCX2ft2qP-nV4dwo6Hd68ZHBog5fFsfpSvzNRJTJCnzen_VYDTaR-qFMsd0hgoqTqGnFpi8vW9xsAsEPNyVVz_70v7RixLmwxOJr_w6CCF5sOl3BrNN34aygxknVBedVCqfl3cP/s4624/20231126_145920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgx3ls8SPwDMPTUb73yeBzsJwqCaJXxzogBRwGxQkWVNSTTT7iG-D73wCX2ft2qP-nV4dwo6Hd68ZHBog5fFsfpSvzNRJTJCnzen_VYDTaR-qFMsd0hgoqTqGnFpi8vW9xsAsEPNyVVz_70v7RixLmwxOJr_w6CCF5sOl3BrNN34aygxknVBedVCqfl3cP/s320/20231126_145920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicely done resort</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTPsXTfzCVr6t44ZRk2MQplQBggXjMhhoRSeoKKPURJsBBJzDwpjPpbtZg0QIGSN3-XcgmeMI6UKiQTd-2a5oXUrnd-IPS2tePVUNtX4rSTd6848DD_qhmQ6z4JTeKylJNWOduvSk8_mcgRGKnVEYtIEXrFhKtfXFl9x_8sMDBhgfMttBU4Qw2LaA6luN/s4624/20231126_165934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTPsXTfzCVr6t44ZRk2MQplQBggXjMhhoRSeoKKPURJsBBJzDwpjPpbtZg0QIGSN3-XcgmeMI6UKiQTd-2a5oXUrnd-IPS2tePVUNtX4rSTd6848DD_qhmQ6z4JTeKylJNWOduvSk8_mcgRGKnVEYtIEXrFhKtfXFl9x_8sMDBhgfMttBU4Qw2LaA6luN/s320/20231126_165934.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy weather</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_zMzW-3OTHCBgUWW_DpzCMEb9ckUdlZESKOSpWXLFyASqh4sKZJ4My1g8exD9HZZgYAq4a5upO5R1Z04GHQ1h7vHOMcz59z6rtXhz1v1F9fwFB9AvRSyXeTity_RyjlZKGRivkrJIGgHYUthjTZq2sm9SFgf2UcOMRiElW6LBWJ7pFv76FV6-9DEDQWA/s4624/20231126_183259.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_zMzW-3OTHCBgUWW_DpzCMEb9ckUdlZESKOSpWXLFyASqh4sKZJ4My1g8exD9HZZgYAq4a5upO5R1Z04GHQ1h7vHOMcz59z6rtXhz1v1F9fwFB9AvRSyXeTity_RyjlZKGRivkrJIGgHYUthjTZq2sm9SFgf2UcOMRiElW6LBWJ7pFv76FV6-9DEDQWA/s320/20231126_183259.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parrothead retreat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rmw2sn22qJPjIeQA3Z6_za4JjkjrKn-NBzvX8vRkKs1Nt3Rq0gxhe36B9alYkfIwtvgUxRZWq7taHVCoGEKQgs3SwCB1PCgytaqwOiP0qdIdmh-KtGcCviU4HwJXD4TJVWWtwTGBJTyZugtfJKw8WMpd8Q0lvaF6AECaYxLuRcektqpqh7SU_D2Q2rEs/s4624/20231126_183301.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rmw2sn22qJPjIeQA3Z6_za4JjkjrKn-NBzvX8vRkKs1Nt3Rq0gxhe36B9alYkfIwtvgUxRZWq7taHVCoGEKQgs3SwCB1PCgytaqwOiP0qdIdmh-KtGcCviU4HwJXD4TJVWWtwTGBJTyZugtfJKw8WMpd8Q0lvaF6AECaYxLuRcektqpqh7SU_D2Q2rEs/s320/20231126_183301.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champagne glass chandelier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSA5P8mKGadIywCaYGRdg2BYbszZ9uBX0QwCIt9tcCYEKoB-GgR19e1B3Tx8OE56B0BiOhHdrbZseHxP640pLTskIjzEwp47uHnfZS_cFRjcX3UDuitDFaVF-j9CIk7wJuD_C4zxVArNphwDiowoP7ECLO3qcKcbICFnFQ90JVPWytJWtFE0FoS1subDi/s4624/20231126_183320.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSA5P8mKGadIywCaYGRdg2BYbszZ9uBX0QwCIt9tcCYEKoB-GgR19e1B3Tx8OE56B0BiOhHdrbZseHxP640pLTskIjzEwp47uHnfZS_cFRjcX3UDuitDFaVF-j9CIk7wJuD_C4zxVArNphwDiowoP7ECLO3qcKcbICFnFQ90JVPWytJWtFE0FoS1subDi/s320/20231126_183320.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lobby flip-flop</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGg0mETtZfuEhLV8A7LVDYZTkiJ3D9c7vrxHKFtguW80ekGdfhECGeIiYPT_jJr7ojN89mQXfVwi7NxHriUB1b5siQI6hwJPWJi47NLxQ69MoUP66JKqtTCHN4pUxEDLsuaBqZhe34WpgqpkmapwrQG4X3JAIarPjrTtlE46qYjBZ6iHJwE_RR-Ijiym7/s4624/20231126_183401.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGg0mETtZfuEhLV8A7LVDYZTkiJ3D9c7vrxHKFtguW80ekGdfhECGeIiYPT_jJr7ojN89mQXfVwi7NxHriUB1b5siQI6hwJPWJi47NLxQ69MoUP66JKqtTCHN4pUxEDLsuaBqZhe34WpgqpkmapwrQG4X3JAIarPjrTtlE46qYjBZ6iHJwE_RR-Ijiym7/s320/20231126_183401.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'I blew out my flip flop. Stepped on a pop top.' </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBDupZu3bdu3mcD_DhX1ve_O0HJCwcVvVU8j_TEjSlHxODArhNWDhoqRzgonWiDekEI02cGQqvpSh4xbN-u6EPu5fX-8ZsW2pkaxUzFw8YyDg5-Sz8SgH5j4gwsBQe_CxbRUXygBtTfn3AdVI1brpIrGAdSLVULQ1Nh3kAx05wj_iRYv513xziuJl78ZN/s4624/20231126_183423.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBDupZu3bdu3mcD_DhX1ve_O0HJCwcVvVU8j_TEjSlHxODArhNWDhoqRzgonWiDekEI02cGQqvpSh4xbN-u6EPu5fX-8ZsW2pkaxUzFw8YyDg5-Sz8SgH5j4gwsBQe_CxbRUXygBtTfn3AdVI1brpIrGAdSLVULQ1Nh3kAx05wj_iRYv513xziuJl78ZN/s320/20231126_183423.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Margaritaville chandelier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cmSvuBJVMkL7LYjC780UBCFfzCoHR7-YHDKiYXx9zn98ubmDYFxJJk_0BLQgL6qfOlcxTvsJLsaM2iLVDOeTBx1hc_2Xvy62o_mYJWNWesEQA1QajVoH077RtxeMioe7YRJG5X1c5_G3UjLz1HtJ9EHjQKp5nHX0N54U1mrGOqvZyXRn8jjhZEYIs9RC/s4624/20231126_183941.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cmSvuBJVMkL7LYjC780UBCFfzCoHR7-YHDKiYXx9zn98ubmDYFxJJk_0BLQgL6qfOlcxTvsJLsaM2iLVDOeTBx1hc_2Xvy62o_mYJWNWesEQA1QajVoH077RtxeMioe7YRJG5X1c5_G3UjLz1HtJ9EHjQKp5nHX0N54U1mrGOqvZyXRn8jjhZEYIs9RC/s320/20231126_183941.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocs for sale -- $82.50!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnnhqQaT5LGzGGqTR2NMmCkq6_aTYE3GKZpeJC9-2iVevWo0s6vimn80qwP_kdxYL0gFvxGi-fqtaUEtDy-p4eDpPG-qDwReJhImDeGUTDYVs61oRAHopeGyg77ZtlkPNs6pv8HGtm80iW0E-FX1_R91T5jo_JN6u2252ZWXKVIK7Lf-BNUI15lbXgiVx/s4624/20231126_184527.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnnhqQaT5LGzGGqTR2NMmCkq6_aTYE3GKZpeJC9-2iVevWo0s6vimn80qwP_kdxYL0gFvxGi-fqtaUEtDy-p4eDpPG-qDwReJhImDeGUTDYVs61oRAHopeGyg77ZtlkPNs6pv8HGtm80iW0E-FX1_R91T5jo_JN6u2252ZWXKVIK7Lf-BNUI15lbXgiVx/s320/20231126_184527.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to have a Margarita in the bar. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdsbytseSD5HAE74hT_sr2cirP3yaIcukzI4-tnFvRuTmqzYvW0N1witAlPWUnK2cDga6LX0BQPqtfJTZEoxEIyF7L7PpmGfor_4qv5Q8yCQJYztS9-IWf7B_N3hHa7ighrysQA27ibOuXic3IhuvrKC2tktJmCaBPfs8i9dUqIIViTm5EJSOPdg79YaQ/s4624/20231126_193950.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdsbytseSD5HAE74hT_sr2cirP3yaIcukzI4-tnFvRuTmqzYvW0N1witAlPWUnK2cDga6LX0BQPqtfJTZEoxEIyF7L7PpmGfor_4qv5Q8yCQJYztS9-IWf7B_N3hHa7ighrysQA27ibOuXic3IhuvrKC2tktJmCaBPfs8i9dUqIIViTm5EJSOPdg79YaQ/s320/20231126_193950.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calamari and tuna tower - frightfully expensive!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYYtvJHT2Pc06aW7Kn-CtZHaCPPrQKR9Lyfxkmb1gU_9b5V0bHwr40xmAUK_KFISeTAMBp29OPUpUHmyWSczGeh7pKZe5rG6JF2RAzGZmM9jPJkLD_JGTTIRbd0xyC2K9nsZmV__hJZoRlPAZZcUQxgHNZc5SZiBVlGIpQ2QqOKKVY6Gpw1A0yg1SvDbl/s4624/20231126_203754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYYtvJHT2Pc06aW7Kn-CtZHaCPPrQKR9Lyfxkmb1gU_9b5V0bHwr40xmAUK_KFISeTAMBp29OPUpUHmyWSczGeh7pKZe5rG6JF2RAzGZmM9jPJkLD_JGTTIRbd0xyC2K9nsZmV__hJZoRlPAZZcUQxgHNZc5SZiBVlGIpQ2QqOKKVY6Gpw1A0yg1SvDbl/s320/20231126_203754.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa and his helpers were on duty!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXouACQhXOqoFFz5644nXdiX3b62FU68QDQMmCbSsmZIcp6B6VK8KNKJ2nnoH1-SlhRj5gAVAF96-Iq-FssVECuVZCDlP956D-0dqvKAoeQpIBTT3IzJPBtOyf0CI8Qrru4DnavhBj8eT_iqLWMI1qQWM7EYaITgDIomvf_44t2v45o2UHEwLdvvNLr1p/s4624/20231125_211253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXouACQhXOqoFFz5644nXdiX3b62FU68QDQMmCbSsmZIcp6B6VK8KNKJ2nnoH1-SlhRj5gAVAF96-Iq-FssVECuVZCDlP956D-0dqvKAoeQpIBTT3IzJPBtOyf0CI8Qrru4DnavhBj8eT_iqLWMI1qQWM7EYaITgDIomvf_44t2v45o2UHEwLdvvNLr1p/s320/20231125_211253.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George and Alex hamming it up. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>PS Ghostie and Mini are happy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogo4r-6OJGZb1Qf2mYH-pU6MwQLlAOzfIM6mTTWvRnICvywDdarhN-G7StHWZTDVOYjH3SjwbZnvIr_dkG28lNQeWoKz1yf1w5EUmg3CIJJPJraR7_uU_OBa8jHL9PLSbb_qAZcF78LFqmW5uEadnOQrW6ezf8EXrwtzgsmQBM0llErRJTX07RZQjvlw_/s1990/20231129_170251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="1990" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogo4r-6OJGZb1Qf2mYH-pU6MwQLlAOzfIM6mTTWvRnICvywDdarhN-G7StHWZTDVOYjH3SjwbZnvIr_dkG28lNQeWoKz1yf1w5EUmg3CIJJPJraR7_uU_OBa8jHL9PLSbb_qAZcF78LFqmW5uEadnOQrW6ezf8EXrwtzgsmQBM0llErRJTX07RZQjvlw_/s320/20231129_170251.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68mrgxrIkBUwqfYXuoNPktubBBPMKwYJuV6kJvFnQuF50iBrxmSm93lnnzaifTh-EKP7UAOv-9iPLyKtftX6kQ8LmnjiP7tiwZnPtLI_K3GaMIcYfpUzZMQ6vSmqEg-OucUwR49o-O-Ney2IyduNQ0U8vSxMZiYqE_afa_XZAO3YtfZ_vadej2NX1Aw7Q/s1399/20231129_204048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1049" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68mrgxrIkBUwqfYXuoNPktubBBPMKwYJuV6kJvFnQuF50iBrxmSm93lnnzaifTh-EKP7UAOv-9iPLyKtftX6kQ8LmnjiP7tiwZnPtLI_K3GaMIcYfpUzZMQ6vSmqEg-OucUwR49o-O-Ney2IyduNQ0U8vSxMZiYqE_afa_XZAO3YtfZ_vadej2NX1Aw7Q/s320/20231129_204048.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-73301687796107327962023-11-19T13:12:00.001+00:002023-11-19T13:12:00.139+00:00Deadly war<p>A Ukrainian <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-group-says-more-than-30000-troops-have-died-russias-invasion-2023-11-15/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=Weekend-Briefing&utm_term=111823&user_email=ecb0d60b9a9b268cc955ac95c63de0d97a3df53cb689542a9e4d26157cf551c2" target="_blank">civic group</a> has estimated that more than 30,000 of its country's troops have died since Russia's invasion began. The real figure was likely higher, they added, noting that many of the 15,000 troops listed as missing were likely dead.</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-russia-has-lost-317-380-troops-in-ukraine/" target="_blank">According to Kyiv Independent</a>, Russia has lost 317,380 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported in its morning update on Nov. 18.</p><p>The military also said that Russia has lost 5,422 tanks, 10,141 armored fighting vehicles, 10,091 vehicles and fuel tanks, 7,726 artillery systems, 896 multiple launch rocket systems, 586 air defense systems, 323 airplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,726 drones, 22 ships and boats, and one submarine.</p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-14810136769302485062023-11-18T13:01:00.003+00:002023-11-18T13:11:26.334+00:00Ukrainian children taken forcibly to Belarus and Russia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYwLxBmWR4483lvtaL8ZxQGYoC90XGs4HeqC89eDNZ68bH0Lh8Ujk8KZQNlhdrI7ioyaxDNkt9DxkGgzVXCDjTmG966SUKDoEoy2b9Vrk-6GwyNQWNa9ACNb8VItNBgxzUnKLMxtEHQm7eP-cACjTRhKBs3Nn1O3L3bS5MhZ2zGyFKtLw5U2tdN9RlrUP/s1000/Ukrainian-children-celebrate-the-Day-of-Unification-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYwLxBmWR4483lvtaL8ZxQGYoC90XGs4HeqC89eDNZ68bH0Lh8Ujk8KZQNlhdrI7ioyaxDNkt9DxkGgzVXCDjTmG966SUKDoEoy2b9Vrk-6GwyNQWNa9ACNb8VItNBgxzUnKLMxtEHQm7eP-cACjTRhKBs3Nn1O3L3bS5MhZ2zGyFKtLw5U2tdN9RlrUP/w400-h266/Ukrainian-children-celebrate-the-Day-of-Unification-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Why were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/thousands-ukrainian-children-taken-belarus-yale-research-2023-11-16/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=Weekend-Briefing&utm_term=111823&user_email=ecb0d60b9a9b268cc955ac95c63de0d97a3df53cb689542a9e4d26157cf551c2" target="_blank">2400 children</a> taken from Ukraine to 13 centres across Belarus? Why were some 19,000 taken from Russian-occupied territories? Some of the children as old as 17 are going to remember this. Some of the younger ones may assimilate but they too may remember losing their loved ones. </p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/study-over-2-400-children-have-been-deported-from-ukraine-to-belarus/" target="_blank">Yale University</a> has published this research and specialists are developing a plan to prosecute those responsible in international criminal courts. I hope I live long enough to see this through. </p><p>Meanwhile, three Ukrainian teenage girls who developed apps for children who have fled the war have been awarded this year’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/17/ukrainian-teenagers-win-peace-prize-for-developing-apps-to-help-young-refugees" target="_blank">International Children’s Peace Prize</a> at a ceremony in London.</p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-37616578078527112442023-11-02T15:48:00.002+00:002023-11-02T15:48:39.060+00:00War is taking a heavy toll on Ukrainian academics<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEjWJ6-Xjjt_k8TT-5zM3bbNaNTTv5at43xyew2VV85Zo4rz01z3MPJ4utzCgNpfHRIfT28y1td9MS5qGrmx0dtSIk7_1ONXCn8zWtuPSVqw-BRe8bU1CvXmQFvuQiFvdqn0xYDrK-oua5o1QY6Ls1i3Et_X7KW14a57KUPzBVi7Q9P_UmFpVXW0IL7Tw/s1300/Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="1300" height="47" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEjWJ6-Xjjt_k8TT-5zM3bbNaNTTv5at43xyew2VV85Zo4rz01z3MPJ4utzCgNpfHRIfT28y1td9MS5qGrmx0dtSIk7_1ONXCn8zWtuPSVqw-BRe8bU1CvXmQFvuQiFvdqn0xYDrK-oua5o1QY6Ls1i3Et_X7KW14a57KUPzBVi7Q9P_UmFpVXW0IL7Tw/s320/Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><p></p><p>2nd November, 2023</p><p>Today’s <i>The Life Academic</i> examines the mental toll war is taking on Ukrainian academics.</p><p>THE LIFE ACADEMIC</p><p>Working in higher education is a struggle even in the best of times. With massive workloads, constant pressure to publish, and a frustrating lack of administrative support, it’s no wonder academic staff around the world are grappling with burnout.</p><p>For academic staff in Ukraine, where residents have been wrestling with the impacts of full-scale war for nearly two years, professional burnout seems inevitable. A recent study published in Scientific Reports found soaring rates of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of professional inadequacy among faculty and staff at Ukrainian universities, all of which have increased as the conflict drags on.</p><p>Some of these issues are universal. In their latest edition of the International Classification of Diseases, The World Health Organization describes professional burnout as both a “syndrome” and an “occupational phenomenon,” placing it somewhere between the status of workplace hazard and medical disease. Symptoms include exhaustion, indifferent or negative feelings toward one’s job, and reduced productivity. Though mainly regarded as a psychological condition, chronic work-related stress can disrupt sleep, mess with the immune system, and even increase the risk of heart attack. Large-scale crisis events, such as the global COVID-19 pandemic, can exacerbate burnout by increasing overall stress.</p><p>War may be an even greater stressor. As military operations continue to devastate Ukraine, the nation’s academic staff face constant threats to their work and personal safety. The Russian occupation has forced many researchers to flee, with some finding refuge at universities in other countries. Others have remained in Ukraine and kept on working, usually without reliable internet access and often in the face of missile attacks.</p><p>Officials at national and institutional levels must take immediate action to improve the mental health of academic staff, the authors of the new study say. This will no doubt be an uphill battle, as employees struggle to avoid burnout even in nations not at war. Studies show that, when academics attempt to maintain a healthy “work-life balance,” they actually end up increasing their mental load. In the context of full-scale war, when healthcare workers are stretched thin and experiencing burnout themselves due to trauma, many typical “self-care” strategies simply aren’t feasible. “You can't tell someone to go see a therapist when there are no new therapists taking patients,” one physician working in Ukraine told MedPage Today.</p><p>But although the Scientific Reports study paints a sobering picture of the state of higher education in Ukraine, the authors also seek to highlight the incredible courage, perseverance, and ingenuity of the nation’s academics, who continue to perform their duties even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. “Despite these extraordinary circumstances,” the authors write, “universities and academic staff persist in fulfilling their main mission of delivering high-quality, modern education, steadfastly holding their line.”</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-74232864957553301592023-10-07T11:22:00.000+01:002023-10-07T11:22:04.979+01:00What it means to be Irish...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuFnkqgrIQuIG1ARbr7SQfDG-h8HPKdYz5XUSd_JCTpET1UQzC0kIlh1in51I9ZQCcTElfM2r_B7etTF_SlY-Z5s4VIOEd4yQo0FWgj-QhakYr7OiH3KNyKc7X-TjYZX95IFzg_p03NWuUfEjYOpGJE1VlHTrrqgxXG4lrzb6yhp9jmXc5amB9jRUAApi/s1667/Screenshot%20(418).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1667" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuFnkqgrIQuIG1ARbr7SQfDG-h8HPKdYz5XUSd_JCTpET1UQzC0kIlh1in51I9ZQCcTElfM2r_B7etTF_SlY-Z5s4VIOEd4yQo0FWgj-QhakYr7OiH3KNyKc7X-TjYZX95IFzg_p03NWuUfEjYOpGJE1VlHTrrqgxXG4lrzb6yhp9jmXc5amB9jRUAApi/w640-h374/Screenshot%20(418).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />In a talk by Dr Edmund Gilbert, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, titled 'The Irish DNA Atlas: providing a map of Irish genetics in and out of Ireland', he presented the Irish genetic pre-history. In neolithic period, DNA evidence shows that the settlers arrived from the Middle East. In the bronze era, the DNA brought new ancestry that was predominantly of settlers from the Eurasian Steppes, and that ancestry forms the basis of modern Irish genetic makeup. <br /><br />I asked the following questions:<br /><br />I believe you said that the DNA of the modern Irish genome originated in Eastern Europe -- the Eurasian Steppes. Is that the area that would now be Ukraine?<p></p><div><div>Would you now be looking at the shared features of the current Ukrainian migrant population and the ancient Irish DNA?</div></div><div><br /></div><div>But they didn't answer questions being asked online. Very interesting. </div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">IMIRCE: MIGRATION & IRELAND THROUGH TIME</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Presented by the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and organised by Archaeology Ireland</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">By WORDWELL GROUP</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">273 followers</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Follow</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Date and time</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Sat, 7 Oct 2023 08:30 - 16:45 IST</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Location</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">The Printworks Event and Exhibition Centre</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Dublin Castle Dame Street 2 Dublin 2</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Show map</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Refund Policy</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Refunds up to 7 days before event</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">About this event</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>8 hours 15 minutes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mobile eTicket</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Imirce: migration and Ireland through time</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">From the voyages of the first Mesolithic colonisers to the present day, the island of Ireland has seen many new arrivals coming for many different reasons. Archaeology can provide unique insights into how these people adapted to their new surroundings. Imirce: migration and Ireland through time will investigate how identities were negotiated within these new contexts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">Imirce—migration, the overall theme of this programme—looks at the evidence for arrival in Ireland, alongside examples of Irish arrivals elsewhere, as a means of exploring and revealing the multiplicity of identities that have contributed—and continue to contribute—to Irish society through time. This evidence ranges from the growing body of ancient DNA evidence that is beginning to answer some lingering questions about Irish prehistoric populations to the legacy of new or introduced artefact, burial or settlement types that give us some insight into the lives of these new arrivals. Equally, such evidence has an important role in telling us about Ireland’s connections with the wider world. During the ages of exploration, colonisation and transplantations, ships crossed oceans to trade, raid or transport. Irish people were on board. The emigrations of the nineteenth century following the devastation of the Famine witnessed a population shift from Ireland to distant lands, where broader connections were forged and where the Irish diaspora expressed their identities in different contexts and emerging new communities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #6f7287; font-family: Roboto;">07 October 2023, The Printworks, Dublin Castle</span></p><div><br /></div>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-90877697626095653142023-01-05T13:03:00.001+00:002023-01-05T13:03:32.259+00:00Soccer or futbol in the new world<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm8otAD3HZsQ2UvASJFAGrmM8KE0sL7hLI7wEyJWa0bJW8gG4U1cHkuXmB7x6yw3lpZnmrsPVJuxgdAbjc1nK344BR3xBGk5A2UfQ4-ApaV6BFMAy2vqD3mK5fK4OWvcoRmapKvLXBb1bmDMcZFIJYXFN6bzYIEniLSNl0F7JxRmWMWR1v4dfTZVnYQ/s2048/SoccerTeam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1977" data-original-width="2048" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm8otAD3HZsQ2UvASJFAGrmM8KE0sL7hLI7wEyJWa0bJW8gG4U1cHkuXmB7x6yw3lpZnmrsPVJuxgdAbjc1nK344BR3xBGk5A2UfQ4-ApaV6BFMAy2vqD3mK5fK4OWvcoRmapKvLXBb1bmDMcZFIJYXFN6bzYIEniLSNl0F7JxRmWMWR1v4dfTZVnYQ/s320/SoccerTeam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, circa 1959, greeting the Ukrainian National Football Team in the US. <br />My favorite player was Noha (a name meaning 'leg') standing to my right.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>My father, Marian Korzeniowski, was coach of the Ukrainian National Football Team in the US, Philadelphia to be exact, in the late 1950s, early '60s. Theirs was a powerful team that traveled the country and occasionally the world to play 'футбол' or 'копаний мяч' or kick ball as my father called it. They were considered the best in America, not that soccer was very big in America at the time. </p><p>Tato recruited players from all over the world, including Brazil, which meant he had to learn all their languages. My father told me he spoke 13 languages. I know he spoke Ukrainian, Polish, German, Austrian, Italian, Chech, Slovakian, Portuguese and English. I don't know what the others were, perhaps Spanish and Russian among them.</p><p>It was the Ukrainian diaspora's way of kicking it to the Soviets who kept them from returning home after the war. They made their way the only way they knew, by being the best, the strongest, the most fit and ready to defend their honour, their liberty and their freedom. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WsJcPmchdRqsw0QPkkqtDCJHLTqV0J6j1gbqU4S4Ruy1zgOe2agASqKWXTR5PffRD3ZFt5xa-kWn_hTJwL2-y5R306W6eOyqgue-AeNOmbdx21cHIhp30jl6sV6bH6c1y-LGInFV65QtFCvrbBAYPOkeAlUacXuNNkDUwxlTWcZxY1NcwrbaKd2iw/s558/Screenshot%20(243).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="558" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WsJcPmchdRqsw0QPkkqtDCJHLTqV0J6j1gbqU4S4Ruy1zgOe2agASqKWXTR5PffRD3ZFt5xa-kWn_hTJwL2-y5R306W6eOyqgue-AeNOmbdx21cHIhp30jl6sV6bH6c1y-LGInFV65QtFCvrbBAYPOkeAlUacXuNNkDUwxlTWcZxY1NcwrbaKd2iw/s320/Screenshot%20(243).png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, on the left wearing a suit.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKN_QKco-5gFO8A3-PBjyY0yMJv2QvKiXql91uNloGOw-tDtvGkcNaA0EmZmjSmqL_xNxRGydGInpH8Y41SNcvsetkAATh-vfwKl0t5CBxRDwkghFElAd6DsoaG7DCRUj76GTbcqZTmoIjJTFfnFYFde2M-2JUA2jL9kqg7WlQisW87NECvK1UhQmoug/s849/Screenshot%20(247).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKN_QKco-5gFO8A3-PBjyY0yMJv2QvKiXql91uNloGOw-tDtvGkcNaA0EmZmjSmqL_xNxRGydGInpH8Y41SNcvsetkAATh-vfwKl0t5CBxRDwkghFElAd6DsoaG7DCRUj76GTbcqZTmoIjJTFfnFYFde2M-2JUA2jL9kqg7WlQisW87NECvK1UhQmoug/s320/Screenshot%20(247).png" width="203" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1NODMt2F1a6nYBCAKPJNmCrJJZo6d8Ac4a5MkbGcQy-TLRqjPd5lozJkeB5bxy-ZZcIDkSAr4stOF3GpKYKJwbWfvX0m6rEfkO6PgNTENQDBj6CqnxyJdheMdQxtMFofYCXLKtNVIZNebK-UJH9GLPVGotH-6xGERAxHH7ynchA4iNzG2GC5w-_C6A/s1692/Screenshot%20(240).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1692" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1NODMt2F1a6nYBCAKPJNmCrJJZo6d8Ac4a5MkbGcQy-TLRqjPd5lozJkeB5bxy-ZZcIDkSAr4stOF3GpKYKJwbWfvX0m6rEfkO6PgNTENQDBj6CqnxyJdheMdQxtMFofYCXLKtNVIZNebK-UJH9GLPVGotH-6xGERAxHH7ynchA4iNzG2GC5w-_C6A/s320/Screenshot%20(240).png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3mH1gfIQIWLvFRFAw8XzSl1QF2--7MenXWHv-oUhdBAxztSjRuyRz8ijPFlVWfgv1jg-t6NIBirYhaSHXciUKnTkaC6AKvC_XbYygWU-ALRNyDU2B1-1dxJXehDQF0azm556piexaaDkC2isEfmovXc0H-PZqgDGRjK4NW9mkBjuOi7tloTU_wtCXg/s834/Screenshot%20(241).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3mH1gfIQIWLvFRFAw8XzSl1QF2--7MenXWHv-oUhdBAxztSjRuyRz8ijPFlVWfgv1jg-t6NIBirYhaSHXciUKnTkaC6AKvC_XbYygWU-ALRNyDU2B1-1dxJXehDQF0azm556piexaaDkC2isEfmovXc0H-PZqgDGRjK4NW9mkBjuOi7tloTU_wtCXg/s320/Screenshot%20(241).png" width="223" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhoJbv3Lkm3FfDgqxL7Z_0nRcHyB-k-JsLTzvAn80g2rMiqdcXHEoslgiSwbLyVXSKsIp_WrvFw2b3jQPGxiubgS6yJiF1murXQI9cU6URIiBwCMw4pkVkfNc8f5RUSxfhffOxM05o90a1eVetxFktE5pdSUDY2-a0EpUPLApWgHENzxvLeW0GnEboA/s837/Screenshot%20(245).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="573" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhoJbv3Lkm3FfDgqxL7Z_0nRcHyB-k-JsLTzvAn80g2rMiqdcXHEoslgiSwbLyVXSKsIp_WrvFw2b3jQPGxiubgS6yJiF1murXQI9cU6URIiBwCMw4pkVkfNc8f5RUSxfhffOxM05o90a1eVetxFktE5pdSUDY2-a0EpUPLApWgHENzxvLeW0GnEboA/s320/Screenshot%20(245).png" width="219" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKM9WiXV66Y41G6xfsdaTBrdFFNpXKBJlGoBuWSROkxp0X-9T_x4JkPZ4ovw7XOUyJHhwmQkOe-DjcbCIh7okOn9EflxkiQMKP6RIFWVXEReVqMua9xsuJzhzT9hlgoOx2-xhtM6K3CCLsMGWd-5TfH07f6T5nMhGGT6SdzLqW-DJWhDYshV9mPZMBw/s751/Screenshot%20(248).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKM9WiXV66Y41G6xfsdaTBrdFFNpXKBJlGoBuWSROkxp0X-9T_x4JkPZ4ovw7XOUyJHhwmQkOe-DjcbCIh7okOn9EflxkiQMKP6RIFWVXEReVqMua9xsuJzhzT9hlgoOx2-xhtM6K3CCLsMGWd-5TfH07f6T5nMhGGT6SdzLqW-DJWhDYshV9mPZMBw/s320/Screenshot%20(248).png" width="229" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1320" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSMccLDa5ATTvnE4wiD_10-a1fvsdX9b1RHr2zemoBVFluKt6RQdIYBAobdZJU1zoQtOpeJjmx_wpK9YMfnNnXIcVADcy-OC-9R1BirB6sD_84znh-LCU56rZ8ptyg3Q2OW4YPMlUMefeD4lxU70GluFBQ_DtVMBdysT8Tm8pC8cyzKTQtx2Vmi7-xg/s320/Screenshot%20(246).png" width="320" /><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSMccLDa5ATTvnE4wiD_10-a1fvsdX9b1RHr2zemoBVFluKt6RQdIYBAobdZJU1zoQtOpeJjmx_wpK9YMfnNnXIcVADcy-OC-9R1BirB6sD_84znh-LCU56rZ8ptyg3Q2OW4YPMlUMefeD4lxU70GluFBQ_DtVMBdysT8Tm8pC8cyzKTQtx2Vmi7-xg/s1320/Screenshot%20(246).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSMccLDa5ATTvnE4wiD_10-a1fvsdX9b1RHr2zemoBVFluKt6RQdIYBAobdZJU1zoQtOpeJjmx_wpK9YMfnNnXIcVADcy-OC-9R1BirB6sD_84znh-LCU56rZ8ptyg3Q2OW4YPMlUMefeD4lxU70GluFBQ_DtVMBdysT8Tm8pC8cyzKTQtx2Vmi7-xg/s1320/Screenshot%20(246).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_FkHaojFnfvJ3hmBEJidFPuQQDwDgUolg2xB6VrJmwkq7PfUp4UkggyDaRYcJiGVBHkNJQWVWpjGHZJLAm1lEj0D3-Crn2VbfhwhAXIV6C5mNHLVOv6b56gTK51jbQkR4M_SnYfF6FjOOQ-oLCioJ_GZbRq3CXyRU6EHARlRA1FrnuAQB9pqZhilYQ/s1295/Screenshot%20(244).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1295" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_FkHaojFnfvJ3hmBEJidFPuQQDwDgUolg2xB6VrJmwkq7PfUp4UkggyDaRYcJiGVBHkNJQWVWpjGHZJLAm1lEj0D3-Crn2VbfhwhAXIV6C5mNHLVOv6b56gTK51jbQkR4M_SnYfF6FjOOQ-oLCioJ_GZbRq3CXyRU6EHARlRA1FrnuAQB9pqZhilYQ/s320/Screenshot%20(244).png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><br />Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-49568167408405021942023-01-05T12:10:00.003+00:002023-01-05T12:14:33.957+00:00Keepers of the culture<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuYf0xa_3BSnYvaoU78gAOe2pSCRz3OBSWc7tmq5UkvOVhm5muXirZJuifk9K6R5e8SMT6oXwPd_brEhfX2_Fg7Nr8HeYBYrds86Sq-IjdbXWjb09WCsx3IvLcbcpaiLWY4-paT4CYYwmTXFHx-hvedWo8au3EXgu8_6ppeQV4AifPGjzmG6waFpUWA/s416/Dzi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuYf0xa_3BSnYvaoU78gAOe2pSCRz3OBSWc7tmq5UkvOVhm5muXirZJuifk9K6R5e8SMT6oXwPd_brEhfX2_Fg7Nr8HeYBYrds86Sq-IjdbXWjb09WCsx3IvLcbcpaiLWY4-paT4CYYwmTXFHx-hvedWo8au3EXgu8_6ppeQV4AifPGjzmG6waFpUWA/s320/Dzi.jpg" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, circa 1959</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I am going through such revelations with the Ukrainians in my circle here. The Russian speakers don't believe that I do not understand Russian because everyone in Ukraine understands both languages. They think I am pretending to make a point. So many words the Ukrainian-speakers use are Russian without them knowing it. They have very little understanding of Ukrainian history before the Soviet Union. Fortunately, I kept all my books from Uki school, and I am sharing my Encyclopedia for Young People so they can study pre-soviet history. It includes history, culture, archeology, anthropology, sociology, literature and more. Such a fascinating and heart-breaking journey. We have about 60,000 displaced Ukrainians in Ireland, none of whom wanted to leave their country, all of whom are grateful to be welcomed here.</span></div></blockquote><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-31479187372991028052023-01-03T11:56:00.003+00:002023-01-03T11:56:39.014+00:00Dream with Ukraine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxWgKGeKOMw3mbMnT4EzLEsMFnLPflzVcDszH3jgbSYn9jZZXI50e24SBSAec1XE_WJJDgCNof43HE--MTzHCiJtm5VAQqv6fHmhRWkdpx6PlAxC_168nKESz12RyYGHNcl2h-zJKmT3gwZbb1zlrKv_M2fKWuXlJX2NNQipGe88jlGdq0T363SkIEQ/s1024/Houston_2022_Poster_HS-793x1024.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="793" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxWgKGeKOMw3mbMnT4EzLEsMFnLPflzVcDszH3jgbSYn9jZZXI50e24SBSAec1XE_WJJDgCNof43HE--MTzHCiJtm5VAQqv6fHmhRWkdpx6PlAxC_168nKESz12RyYGHNcl2h-zJKmT3gwZbb1zlrKv_M2fKWuXlJX2NNQipGe88jlGdq0T363SkIEQ/w310-h400/Houston_2022_Poster_HS-793x1024.png" width="310" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I feel for the youth of Ukraine. But what Russia doesn't understand is that they've cemented the resolve of the Ukrainian people to relearn what it means to be Ukrainian and to maintain freedom and sovereignty at all cost. The people born under the Soviets were not permitted to speak their language or practice their religion. They were not taught their own history, only some fabrication of untruths. They lived their lives in relative harmony with their reality.</p><p>They are now searching out and relearning all the things the Soviets tried to stamp out. We in the diaspora are the keepers of the culture. In my classes, I am not just teaching English to Ukrainians, I am sharing what I learned about Ukrainian history and culture, and I am teaching what I know about Ireland. The past, the present and the future carry equal weight. And the youngest of them are very hopeful. They are determined to create a strong Ukraine for their future. It is their duty.</p><p><a href="https://wapo.st/3WINZA4" target="_blank">Washington Post article</a> 'As war drags on, young Ukrainians are rethinking their futures'</p><p>By Siobhán O'Grady and Kostiantyn Khudov </p><p>https://wapo.st/3WINZA4 </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-91956079451121726722022-12-24T16:13:00.002+00:002023-01-07T13:06:45.532+00:00Slavic Languages<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5DbeRj1I6Y0IB2AMbKDVCEiFUClkZxpeAXYxaMpL37yghlZ3uy6ycT0zvCqarlr5HX0ETthC_Wov4MDTyNWp25I0g7_zslmVPuaNJ7MkBMCoLNustrZFgXgYChg_0UD0OyCDQ-OFG5ybQvFOSZG0L-fbGu-w1h9vi2nZkQvCjBnegHPxEpe7n79cEA/s1156/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-12-22%20at%2012.31.34.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1156" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5DbeRj1I6Y0IB2AMbKDVCEiFUClkZxpeAXYxaMpL37yghlZ3uy6ycT0zvCqarlr5HX0ETthC_Wov4MDTyNWp25I0g7_zslmVPuaNJ7MkBMCoLNustrZFgXgYChg_0UD0OyCDQ-OFG5ybQvFOSZG0L-fbGu-w1h9vi2nZkQvCjBnegHPxEpe7n79cEA/w400-h300/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-12-22%20at%2012.31.34.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of my students in Westport</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I haven't written in some time and so much has happened. I have started teaching English to Ukrainians in Newport on Tuesdays and Westport on Thursdays. It's interesting that the Russian speakers do not believe that I cannot understand Russian. They have, however, started to respect that I do not wish to understand Russian, even though I really cannot understand most of it. What is also interesting, is that the Ukrainian language has evolved so differently in Ukraine. They use many more Russian words, like Da instead of Tak, and ponimayu instead of rosumiyu, and harasho instead of dobre. </p><p>So I asked ChatGPT, the AI chat box what the difference is between Russian and Ukrainian. I have often told people they have different letters in their alphabets to start. Russian has also many more gutteral and Asian sounds as it had a lot of Far Eastern influence. Here's what AI had to say. </p><p><i>"Russian and Ukrainian are two closely related Slavic languages that are spoken in Eastern Europe. They are both members of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages and are therefore closely related to each other, with a high degree of mutual intelligibility. However, they are distinct languages and there are some important differences between them.</i></p><p><i>One of the main differences between Russian and Ukrainian is the alphabet that they use. Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which is an alphabet of 33 letters that was developed in the 9th century based on the Greek alphabet. Ukrainian, on the other hand, uses the Cyrillic alphabet, but it also includes some additional letters to represent sounds that are specific to Ukrainian.</i></p><p><i>Another important difference between Russian and Ukrainian is their vocabulary. Although the two languages share a common Slavic root, they have developed a number of distinct words and phrases over the centuries. For example, Ukrainian tends to use more Ukrainian-derived words, while Russian tends to use more Russian-derived words.</i></p><p><i>There are also some differences in pronunciation and grammar between Russian and Ukrainian. Ukrainian tends to have a more complex grammar, with more cases and verb forms, and it also tends to use more nasal vowel sounds. Russian, on the other hand, has a simpler grammar and tends to use more palatalized consonants.</i></p><p><i>Overall, while Russian and Ukrainian are closely related languages, they are distinct and have their own unique characteristics and features. It is important to recognize and respect these differences, and to use the appropriate language when communicating with speakers of Russian or Ukrainian."</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxI-cvNEGYta78ElDHboV7nJQmH1fbMWxh0sBev2-2K3zcFu1Nziz3jgRz_amLrNc86qKRjunsiiEOnh8VTuHUoZOZullXYFbYk9Z3hgoorPPopZQlIjgbJcERELJkaMKR1z-blZn00oSbYVjAddQiXVp1-_4sJYXqRRPOjkj4P7opYQRGBix3P9Blig/s1280/RussianAlphabet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxI-cvNEGYta78ElDHboV7nJQmH1fbMWxh0sBev2-2K3zcFu1Nziz3jgRz_amLrNc86qKRjunsiiEOnh8VTuHUoZOZullXYFbYk9Z3hgoorPPopZQlIjgbJcERELJkaMKR1z-blZn00oSbYVjAddQiXVp1-_4sJYXqRRPOjkj4P7opYQRGBix3P9Blig/s320/RussianAlphabet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The modern Russian alphabet consists of 33 letters: twenty consonants (⟨б⟩, ⟨в⟩, ⟨г⟩, ⟨д⟩, ⟨ж⟩, ⟨з⟩, ⟨к⟩, ⟨л⟩, ⟨м⟩, ⟨н⟩, ⟨п⟩, ⟨р⟩, ⟨с⟩, ⟨т⟩, ⟨ф⟩, ⟨х⟩, ⟨ц⟩, ⟨ч⟩, ⟨ш⟩, ⟨щ⟩), ten vowels (⟨а⟩, ⟨е⟩, ⟨ё⟩, ⟨и⟩, ⟨о⟩, ⟨у⟩, ⟨ы⟩, ⟨э⟩, ⟨ю⟩, ⟨я⟩), a semivowel / consonant (⟨й⟩), and two modifier letters or "signs" (⟨ь⟩, ⟨ъ⟩) that alter the pronunciation of a preceding consonant or a following vowel.</span></span></p><p><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfxds6H22U-Or4wUkGbOzJskqHEcGMTybb6L1HwEiMMWsbp5AgKsFEyx2A1ay-r3i3DXK-nM9nPbVzzGuQLplOlH_dQz8aceZux7xXQs_4WoKfG1yshftjuFcWLAlSgedg9wlz-qq7Igih_6pKROSSaC1IoF0fX31kE2y4N-xm_U4g1CQ777Z6120HQ/s600/UkrainianAlphabet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfxds6H22U-Or4wUkGbOzJskqHEcGMTybb6L1HwEiMMWsbp5AgKsFEyx2A1ay-r3i3DXK-nM9nPbVzzGuQLplOlH_dQz8aceZux7xXQs_4WoKfG1yshftjuFcWLAlSgedg9wlz-qq7Igih_6pKROSSaC1IoF0fX31kE2y4N-xm_U4g1CQ777Z6120HQ/s320/UkrainianAlphabet.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"><p><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p>In the modern Ukrainian alphabet, twenty letters represent consonants (б,в, г, ґ, д, ж, з, к, л, м, н, п, р, с, т, ф, х, ц, ч, ш, щ), ten vowels (а, е, є, и, і, ї, о, у, ю, я), and one semivowel (й/yot). The soft sign (ь), which appears only after consonants, indicates that the preceding consonant is soft (palatalized).</span><p></p><p>Note: When I responded to what I thought was an error in the AI answer, <i>"I would argue that it is Russian that has additional letters to represent sounds that are specific to Russian rather than the other way around. Otherwise, it's pretty accurate.</i>" here's what it said:</p><p><i>Thank you for your feedback. You are correct that I made a mistake in my previous response. Ukrainian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, but it includes some additional letters to represent sounds that are specific to Ukrainian. Russian, on the other hand, uses the standard Cyrillic alphabet, which consists of 33 letters. I apologize for the error in my previous response. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.</i></p><p>Russian and Ukrainian, at first glance, look very similar. This is not so. In reality, they have more differences than similarities. In fact, Ukrainian does not use the letters Ёё, Ъъ, Ыы, Ээ, but does have Ґґ, Єє, Іі, Її, which are not present in Russian.</p>The following table visually shows how much closer the basic vocabulary of Modern Ukrainian is to other Eastern European languages and how far it is from Russian.<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-18722" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_18722" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: auto; margin: 0.5rem auto; padding: 0px; width: 692px;"><picture class="wp-image-18722" decoding="async" loading="lazy" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><source sizes="(max-width: 692px) 100vw, 692px" srcset="https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1.png.webp 780w, https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1-300x77.png.webp 300w, https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1-768x198.png.webp 768w" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="lazyloaded" data-ll-status="loaded" decoding="async" height="172" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 692px) 100vw, 692px" src="https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1.png" srcset="https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1.png 780w, https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1-300x77.png 300w, https://folkways.today/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tablica1-768x198.png 768w" style="border-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="670" /></picture></figure><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #868e96; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.4px;">Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Slovak, and Czech (Note: all country names are in Russian)</span></span><br /><span style="color: #868e96; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">https://folkways.today/different-russian-ukrainian-language/ </span></span></p><p>It's not just the alphabet and words that diverge, but also grammar. Ukrainian is more closely related to other European languages than to Russian in grammatical structure. My Ukrainian friends who thought they could get by easily by studying Russian in school often were tripped up by Russian grammar. </p><p><br /></p><p>Addendum: "For example, English and Dutch are 63% similar as to their lexical composition, which is more than Russian and Ukrainian. Modern research has shown that Ukrainian is more similar to other Slavic languages: to Belorussian (29 common features), Czech and Slovak (23), Polish (22), Croatian and Bulgarian (21), but as to Russian there are only 11 common features.</p><p>Proceeding from this, some linguists even question the unification of Russian and Ukrainian into one language group.</p><p>According to statistics, only 62% words are common in these languages. These characteristics rank Russian fifth after Polish, Czech, Slovak and Byelorussian. For example, English and Dutch are 63% similar as to their lexical composition, which is more than Russian and Ukrainian."</p><h1 class="text-xl leading-snug text-blue-c1 md:text-3xl font-roboto font-semibold" style="--tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.5); --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; background-color: white; border-color: rgba(229,231,235,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #004d7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1.875rem; line-height: 2.25rem; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.capstan.be/ukrainian-and-russian-have-common-slavic-roots-but-are-about-as-different-as-dutch-is-from-german-or-even-english/" target="_blank">'Ukrainian and Russian have common Slavic roots but are about as different as Dutch is from German (or even English)'</a></h1>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-36160205271520939332022-07-23T18:31:00.003+01:002022-07-24T11:25:11.043+01:00Notes on war<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3cKyFYBU1w0O8So-XMBEjq9SFi1iI3-Qa_pnQ8Z3GTXBqw1l6yIgPEMi_xsOwYNl5zoW0TsDZOdXQjU3wgw1LH6fuKEQ46oGMPneIyeJ0765HNEqdkVRDA9HJ3XUbGxIQkOXiKmZMlI0kJkcuX2h1Ny5FtkZATIr51XP-jQVAbA1zAcJPec7B-q7Hw/s640/FQRkIYEXwAglQkb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="640" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3cKyFYBU1w0O8So-XMBEjq9SFi1iI3-Qa_pnQ8Z3GTXBqw1l6yIgPEMi_xsOwYNl5zoW0TsDZOdXQjU3wgw1LH6fuKEQ46oGMPneIyeJ0765HNEqdkVRDA9HJ3XUbGxIQkOXiKmZMlI0kJkcuX2h1Ny5FtkZATIr51XP-jQVAbA1zAcJPec7B-q7Hw/w400-h283/FQRkIYEXwAglQkb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I haven't written much lately. I could not bring myself to concentrate on the ravages of war or the effects on its displaced and tortured people. I didn't want to document what I was seeing and feeling. So many things got in the way as well. </p><p>So let me start with a brief outline of what has happened in our lives. On the 24th of February, a date none of us will forget, Putin attacked Ukraine. The horror had begun and the madman was progressing his vision of restoring the former USSR to a new glory. But it didn't go so well. The Ukrainians did not welcome his troops, the Russians weren't always sure why they were there, and the people took up arms to defend their sovereignty and their freedom. They even got really even when they shot down the Russian ship that had taken Snake Island -- that's an iconic story reflected in the stamp which one of my Ukrainian families acquired for me. </p><p>We always knew this day would come. The Ukrainian diaspora was prepared to fight and to support Ukrainians on the ground against the terror of Russian aggression. </p><p>To my utter surprise, Ireland opened its doors to all Ukrainians who wanted to flee the country -- no visas required, not even passports were necessary. Just some means of proving you were coming from Ukraine. And come they did. Within days they started flooding into the country. Mostly women and children as the men were staying behind to fight. Men with medical issues and men with babies whose wives needed support could come. Some did and stayed. Some helped their families and then returned to Ukraine to fight. </p><p>Friends who knew I was of Ukrainian decent, offered housing and other forms of support -- money, clothing, food, children's things. I started intercepting people who were asking for help and putting them together with places that were suitable for their needs. Most of the places were in Newport and Rosmoney, but we also had Galway and Westport in the mix. </p><p>We got the early folks, before there were any systems in place. We got transport to get them out here, we organised food and clothing for those who came with nothing. We got medical cards and doctor's visits for those needing medical assistance, like insulin-dependent diabetes. We got the children into schools. We organised rides into town. </p><p>It was an extraordinarily emotional journey. For those who had left everything behind and accepted the help of a stranger they did not know anything about and for us volunteers. My mother had always impressed upon me that we would not be here but for the kindness of strangers when my family was displaced during WWII. I took that to heart and this was coming full circle now where I could pay forward that kindness. </p><p>I wish I had documented all the really special moments. The people of Ireland really embraced the Ukrainians into their communities. I will try to remember and frame experiences with time. I really could not at the time. My husband's mother, Meike, had had a stroke a year before. As the Ukrainians began to arrive, she suffered a second more massive stroke and never recovered. She hung on for days but finally let go of this wretched world.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnfORHgUKYdDLYv9aTQNvcqPZT2-l_qAg1PQ5kNzcpVoMDyKU27BIvU4iQQu78lcycBbeC8HLF889VawYP-zoqCWgKh-V-dqfMDBQT-znGvMQySglcQi-df2K_SeZ_HiaCNp3HkK5ETuZhNwUFZ0kMo-cK7-ma4UxsCjpx80jLohAhgglUS_jih5CwQ/s1626/Card%20back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1626" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnfORHgUKYdDLYv9aTQNvcqPZT2-l_qAg1PQ5kNzcpVoMDyKU27BIvU4iQQu78lcycBbeC8HLF889VawYP-zoqCWgKh-V-dqfMDBQT-znGvMQySglcQi-df2K_SeZ_HiaCNp3HkK5ETuZhNwUFZ0kMo-cK7-ma4UxsCjpx80jLohAhgglUS_jih5CwQ/s320/Card%20back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9n_YNEfTZMciz3gr0Bjxbb9kuQ-e3MHSyxxwUR8R6pDPoIm86EAXtpanDN0owdxa1LzeaYbAyrgqmU7exmUoOLqh095FJDgyyVHWqJepOs4hdRI0rsnJBcQiDeN1JDd4AkjZ0rBLmnggq9GyE_CQp6BbqmJflIbV9i7igyEcRVs-CIQznk-z-7xckg/s1641/Card%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1641" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9n_YNEfTZMciz3gr0Bjxbb9kuQ-e3MHSyxxwUR8R6pDPoIm86EAXtpanDN0owdxa1LzeaYbAyrgqmU7exmUoOLqh095FJDgyyVHWqJepOs4hdRI0rsnJBcQiDeN1JDd4AkjZ0rBLmnggq9GyE_CQp6BbqmJflIbV9i7igyEcRVs-CIQznk-z-7xckg/s320/Card%20front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>So in the midst of the Ukrainian crisis, we had a funeral service that was massively attended in Westport, followed by cremation in Cavan, and an overnight stay with the Moores in Monahan. We would wait and celebrate Meike's life with burial on the island in April at Easter, when more friends could attend. <br /></p><p>The following week, we were due to fly to the states for an Ocean Cruising Club AGM, of which I am Vice Commodore and was instrumental in orchestrating the first OCC AGM outside the UK. It was in Annapolis and we were to see the Moch family, my niece's. I hadn't seen them in almost 3 years and Alex had never met the little one, Miles. We decided to go despite reservations about Covid rearing its ugly head again. </p><p>It was a wonderful trip. The AGM was great, the stay in Annapolis a trip through memory lane, the Moch's were in great form -- we love those guys, and we got lots of banking, licensing and business done. The day we returned home, Alex became symptomatic. I developed symptoms the following morning. We tested very positive by antigen test for Covid a day later. We had 10 days before Easter Saturday and the funeral on the island. </p><p>We organised an island clean-up, a bagpiper, and MultiMax for the day remotely and prayed that the weather would hold and our symptoms would clear up. Alex tested negative the day before but had symptoms that persisted -- shortness of breath and tiredness. I had very mild symptoms that resolved quickly but I still tested positive the day of the burial. I wore a mask all day and as far as I know, no one got infected. It was day 10, and I was not obliged to self-isolate. </p><p>One of my Ukrainian families came to the burial and to the reception at Ross House afterwards. It was an interesting introduction to Irish funerals for them. It wasn't really typical but not atypical either. That's when I realised that Ukrainians and Irish also share some funeral practices including an open casket tradition. I wrote a poem for the memorial card which people said reflected Meike's life perfectly. I was happy with the personal nature of it.</p><p>So that was how March and April transpired. Kirstin and I started cleaning out the house while Alex continued to manage the estate and the farm.</p><p>We launched our boat, <i>Aleria,</i> in May and sailed her home because we had a cruise in company coming up mid-June that Alex was organising. Two weeks of sailing from Clew Bay to Galway Bay and back with members of the Irish Cruising Club. The weather was shite as they say here, so it wasn't the nicest holiday ever. In fact, it wasn't a holiday at all, but rather too much like work. </p><p>Meanwhile, the Ukrainians settled in and are helping us get the gardens at Ross in order, we had a heat wave upon return from sailing, and it sort of feels like we may have an okay August although we will have lots of visitors. I feel bad as I have been unable to interact with the Ukrainians as much as I'd hoped, but most seem to be settling in fine. </p><p>More than <a href="https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/first-ukrainian-refugees-arrive-gormanston-27524453">43,000 Ukrainians</a> have settled in Ireland to date and more are on the way. It's very interesting that I can now walk down the street and hear Ukrainian spoken. Not only that, my Ukrainian is becoming more fluent every day. After not speaking a word of it for at least 15 years, I am quite conversational now. How interesting. Our languages have evolved differently. Mine has more English and Polish in it, theirs has more Russian. When I learned, there was no internet, no mobile phones, no technology really. So I have no words for those things, but then again, most of those are from American. Internet is eenternet. </p><p>Meanwhile, Zelenkiy has become a world hero, his wife is doing great things for the mental health of her people, and the Ukrainians have held their ground against massive assaults which took the lives of thousands of civilians. Countless crimes against humanity have been documented and yet Putin continues his relentless attacks unchecked. Somehow, Ukraine has to win. Ukraine must prevail or the continent will suffer. Ukraine is being fast-tracked into the EU, while Norway and Sweden have applied to join NATO. </p><p>Will WWIII break out? I hope not. </p><p>In the meantime, the US falls deeper into the divide with the Supreme Court dismantling rights and Congress investigating the former President's role in the Jan 6 insurrection, Italy's government has fallen, Boris Johnson got kicked out, millions face starvation due to the destruction of grain in Ukraine, and the earth is baking and burning due to climate change. What more can go wrong? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAbvWEnqvKn9gE7G-80JbC8Wq4Vc5xc8pBy6JhHSWdO-778KYn2HeWjJbZ0cGnSWTHoGg02oc7KmmBq1yQgENjJ3JJT8YSwkGUPc82g8Rffs4k7F5Y9w7611tPDpS5DNv7NMFXzCFUV9w6DbUqT58Zv4H9P6S8ioJNoaCTSrG8IHLLQUyqYVTng45vw/s680/FJxWTFzX0AEPgMW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="680" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAbvWEnqvKn9gE7G-80JbC8Wq4Vc5xc8pBy6JhHSWdO-778KYn2HeWjJbZ0cGnSWTHoGg02oc7KmmBq1yQgENjJ3JJT8YSwkGUPc82g8Rffs4k7F5Y9w7611tPDpS5DNv7NMFXzCFUV9w6DbUqT58Zv4H9P6S8ioJNoaCTSrG8IHLLQUyqYVTng45vw/w400-h268/FJxWTFzX0AEPgMW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-29621909762719604762022-07-12T19:16:00.005+01:002022-07-12T19:16:45.757+01:00Why children of immigrants succeed<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/07/11/opinion/immigrants-success-america.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxfs9gGPzNiGeVTdcwqNPW9LavB-SIvM6INwr3jKaQ9kGMboqRfNox-lDJAl2VgKjr4Cf3Z0ALj80oov1Xn8z29iFe4EExgLQTzvzLvZjlvr4vhSaPSK5CuGEliE8I11joJU1fVm13XECkbPCRrYjxoJ8j6g-Vpt9Fz5UMXOK6KXuGAw-bIvdFmzU6QE8XOhZWTvBz5XLu_9bLlIkWR-RR2h_4G089NpZJNsXWa76JBMrc8D66q4DXi0qdMz6Qs1sGPWH0uliorXPqheTycupx_1QFKtcubPMsGnSJ083VM3V0fsnPmQchmrgvtS5&smid=url-share" target="_blank">Fascinating article</a> about the success of children of immigrants in the US. I love the new way of doing interactive graphics. </p><p>I was often asked what my parents did to raise three successful children in one immigrant family. I only knew that my parents (from Ukraine) stressed doing well in school (A was not enough -- it needed to be an A+), choosing the 'acceptable' professions (doctor, lawyer, engineer), and working hard. And my father always told me I could be anyone I wanted to be -- even President of the United States of America since I was the first in the family born there. </p><p>My brother was an engineer and high-level executive at Unisys. My sister was a highly respected infectious disease physician known globally. I broke the patterns - I was a scientist turned marketer who ended up running companies on Madison Avenue. My mother wanted me to be a lawyer but later used to call me her daughter the President. Hahaha!</p><p>It was the American story. Three immigrant kids making their way in America, the promised land.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-55075119626058913762022-05-03T10:43:00.003+01:002022-05-03T10:45:50.955+01:00The war<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlr67JebTIjBnzZPAa4X3MkcFK6f7HGcQ5Ne1idYS0C0aYDAyKX14LFO3v2OZogIYcOJrduqOljCjlIDKdzR7MGudsD7NO_-1e2uchuKTy_EBr4TlS9EUqZTlq0z4HsIuysPHkzTqp7781q0P-ZUn2Znf-srO3qgIuzD5jrTSdJsqXx_NTT31NH0hWQ/s1080/FR0mgsfWUAAFQpX.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlr67JebTIjBnzZPAa4X3MkcFK6f7HGcQ5Ne1idYS0C0aYDAyKX14LFO3v2OZogIYcOJrduqOljCjlIDKdzR7MGudsD7NO_-1e2uchuKTy_EBr4TlS9EUqZTlq0z4HsIuysPHkzTqp7781q0P-ZUn2Znf-srO3qgIuzD5jrTSdJsqXx_NTT31NH0hWQ/w400-h400/FR0mgsfWUAAFQpX.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Despite heavy losses, Russia presses on in Ukraine. And in a fit of retaliation, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-nuclear-tsunami-will-wipe-out-britain-kremlin-backed-media-threatens-jwsrg2z0t?&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=nuc&utm_medium=branded_social" target="_blank">Russian media</a> have reported the threat of a nuclear tsunami for the British Isles (that includes Ireland). </p><p>“The explosion of this thermonuclear torpedo by Britain’s coastline will cause a gigantic tsunami wave. Having passed over the British Isles, it will turn whatever might be left of them into a radioactive wasteland.”</p><p>The comments came in response to calls by PM Boris Johnson and FS Liz Truss to boost western military aid for Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russia’s offensive. Not that they themselves have done much to help since the conflict started in February. No, just a visit to Kyiv for publicity photos for Boris the spider. </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-5290575491857917072022-04-24T14:35:00.009+01:002022-04-24T14:35:00.169+01:00The fall of Mariupol at Orthodox Easter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbhZLpVWQ6vka4P0lJbhxhZmVIHI8HhzVraRxEmDhJr5L3MPW2WuA3iZ5JvIDSUxFaWR3Ai2aj2_M2IleGriY8hviDZjXiiYM_c-QV1L1VXERNm8h1x0_BD4VUlvipjJfhrtA3qjZVE18TwecpnfMov1N16RSFtWZD0r3nhR4bmlUyrJcyNkuy5DBLA/s614/Mariupol.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="614" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbhZLpVWQ6vka4P0lJbhxhZmVIHI8HhzVraRxEmDhJr5L3MPW2WuA3iZ5JvIDSUxFaWR3Ai2aj2_M2IleGriY8hviDZjXiiYM_c-QV1L1VXERNm8h1x0_BD4VUlvipjJfhrtA3qjZVE18TwecpnfMov1N16RSFtWZD0r3nhR4bmlUyrJcyNkuy5DBLA/s320/Mariupol.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/ukraine/2022/0422/1293826-family-escape-mariupol/" target="_blank">one family</a> walks out of Mariupol with four children, a <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/ukraine/2022/0423/1293844-ukraine-russia/" target="_blank">last-ditch effort</a> to remove those holding strong in the underground caverns beneath a steel factory is taking place. Ukrainian forces and civilians have been stuck underground for weeks. Food and water is running out. And Putin says to just surround the place and wait for them to die. </p><p>There's a field about 19 km outside of Mariupol where a <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/22/europe/mariupol-ukraine-russia-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">possible mass grave</a> holding thousands of dead has been identified. It is several football fields long. A <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-united-nations-6dd0269cf17fdb64e9b7e5ab482b1d43" target="_blank">second mass grave</a> was also spotted. The international tribunals have their hands full. But it will take a long time to bring anyone, especially Putin, to justice. </p><p>Today is Orthodox Easter. The Russians who claim to be Christian have no remorse, no scruples, no Christianity in their bones. </p><p>Christ is Risen! And so shall Ukraine. </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-21084553096995608162022-04-23T14:34:00.003+01:002022-04-23T14:34:59.176+01:00New evidence of Norse connections in Kyiv<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6ijEjhWVq0mSq8AuRy7B0ijv2HjQJ7GaGMdBlIXtLOHZHmBU7Q8M8qCB5X66lCIEEicmW1oDRC9YdraRLhr-4eHvB0JJKhPbiNvtrMCZAVn6nsxG4g0en_k6sXVrpPWaRgoqpxbgl0J8IJZI6-8ZafmXmjFFrDPqhpwWyYyW2QHMXyN6Aijn-5WPmw/s1216/_20220412_on_kyivwalrus_carving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1216" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6ijEjhWVq0mSq8AuRy7B0ijv2HjQJ7GaGMdBlIXtLOHZHmBU7Q8M8qCB5X66lCIEEicmW1oDRC9YdraRLhr-4eHvB0JJKhPbiNvtrMCZAVn6nsxG4g0en_k6sXVrpPWaRgoqpxbgl0J8IJZI6-8ZafmXmjFFrDPqhpwWyYyW2QHMXyN6Aijn-5WPmw/w400-h265/_20220412_on_kyivwalrus_carving.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walrus ivory carving from Norway</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>My speculation about the connections between Dublin and Kyiv has been confirmed by the evidence of trade between Norsemen in Greenland and Dublin and Kyiv. A researcher, archaeologist Natalia Khamaiko, digging on a site along the Dnipro found a treasure trove of items belonging to the Viking era of Kyivan Rus. Among those items was a sample of walrus ivory which provided DNA evidence that the ivory originated in Greenland. It happens to be that of a distinct population of walrus that exists only in Greenland and Arctic Canada. So they were trading and travelling between continents - a 4000 km trade route. Amazing!</p><p>The study was written up in <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/vikings-shipped-walrus-ivory-greenland-kyiv-ancient-skulls-show?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WeeklyLatestNews&utm_content=alert&et_rid=40181025&et_cid=4204326" target="_blank">Science magazine</a> by Andrew Curry. It's a small world and small wonder I feel at home in Ireland. </p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-14400277169190268142022-04-12T17:29:00.001+01:002022-04-12T17:29:22.394+01:00What it means to be Russian today...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt-iqcg__bY2op0XQ1QsTr13TBWJybYR7VD9LeoAHehFcoN7QFbVDqqT1QJ9REldwAd6vl-M5cXdslh7tonGotfjsbXl8k1a1txl5ZLmaWQOqCdN-tWUg6THXXiHzp4kItUObHXaQM71nTzaYYmLedKMI9ggG2zSswTy-PbHPg61ueqIHKxZ3XfPbUA/s960/Ukrainian-English-Russian-No-War.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt-iqcg__bY2op0XQ1QsTr13TBWJybYR7VD9LeoAHehFcoN7QFbVDqqT1QJ9REldwAd6vl-M5cXdslh7tonGotfjsbXl8k1a1txl5ZLmaWQOqCdN-tWUg6THXXiHzp4kItUObHXaQM71nTzaYYmLedKMI9ggG2zSswTy-PbHPg61ueqIHKxZ3XfPbUA/w400-h225/Ukrainian-English-Russian-No-War.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Because of Putin's war on Ukraine, Russians everywhere are having a hard time as a result of wide-reaching sanctions. Credit cards don't work, savings in Russia cannot be accessed, and borders are closed to Russian passports. Russians and others are saying it's not fair, that they didn't start or approve of the war. But they didn't stop Putin when they had the chance either. They allowed him to continue to grow more powerful with every term. </p><p>I do feel bad for Russians who are truly dissidents and have had to leave Russia due to persecution for speaking the truth. They did try to change things. But this is war. And war is never fair. The New Yorker today had a great <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/18/the-collective-shame-of-putins-war?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Magazine_041122&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5be9d56f3f92a40469e3bdb0&cndid=20895865&hasha=b9a8dfbb204099e98df802eb0186aa4d&hashb=71a0bf1754aa04e38f1d3e076968457ebe268035&hashc=ecb0d60b9a9b268cc955ac95c63de0d97a3df53cb689542a9e4d26157cf551c2&esrc=subscribe-page&utm_term=TNY_Magazine " target="_blank">cartoon</a> explaining the situation from the Russian's perspective. </p><p>My prediction is that it will remain difficult to be Russian for a long time after this, much as it was difficult to be German or Japanese after WWII. Russian oil is tainted with Ukrainian blood. And so it will remain. </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-67377696832660013382022-04-11T16:55:00.001+01:002022-04-11T16:55:17.187+01:00The state of winemaking in Ukraine<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4VnxD9ookPEuSJCySe_NzWuVgghdrq5fkLkSc9PeeKELL1nU1TJBDi1cXvjXo2ErBwXOtdhde6oATVGZjaQbu0AvH7v99zfh4d4R_IHYsZriU9u0AThVmb1UuzU9UU2X5-ZURnj4uD8__ntnv3ByDeZjrGtsNAeCw-hCFipZHwH0MN7HXeZYt2QXag/s1000/slivino-grad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4VnxD9ookPEuSJCySe_NzWuVgghdrq5fkLkSc9PeeKELL1nU1TJBDi1cXvjXo2ErBwXOtdhde6oATVGZjaQbu0AvH7v99zfh4d4R_IHYsZriU9u0AThVmb1UuzU9UU2X5-ZURnj4uD8__ntnv3ByDeZjrGtsNAeCw-hCFipZHwH0MN7HXeZYt2QXag/s320/slivino-grad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Slivino Village winery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Instead of bottling wine in Ukraine, they are using the bottles to make '<i style="background-color: white; color: #3a3a3a; font-family: "Libre Baskerville", "Book Antiqua", Georgia, Times, serif;">Bandera smoothies</i>'. The men have gone to war and there's no one to work the vineyards. Those who remain are too afraid to move about for work. The glass bottle-making factory was destroyed. Many of the wineries were pillaged and destroyed. </p><p><a href="https://www.hudin.com/ukrainian-winemaking-in-war/" target="_blank">Read all about the tragedy</a> from one fledgling industry's perspective. Named after Stepan Bandera, a controversial Nationalist who died in 1959 after being poisoned by Soviet agents and is seen by some as a national hero who fought for Ukrainian independence during the 1930s and 1940s, the 'Bandera smoothie' may be the only viable option for the winemakers at this time. </p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/airbnb-pledge-target-house-ukranian-refugees-reality-check/#:~:text=Lieselot%20is%20one%20of%20more,house%20up%20to%20100%2C000%20Ukrainians." target="_blank">lots of celebrities</a> have jumped on the bandwagon to help Ukraine. Actor Mila Kunis — who was born in Ukraine — and her husband Ashton Kutcher have already raised more than $35 million for refugees of the war in Ukraine through their Stand with Ukraine GoFundMe page.</p><p>Chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen has served more than 5 million meals to refugees as well as civilians and emergency responders in Ukraine. </p><p><a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/airbnb-pledge-target-house-ukranian-refugees-reality-check/#:~:text=Lieselot%20is%20one%20of%20more,house%20up%20to%20100%2C000%20Ukrainians." target="_blank">AirBnB</a> has vowed to house up to 100,000 refugees on a short term basis. But are they up to the task? Logistical issues are problematic. </p><p>There are many good people in the world. I wish a few would stand up to Putin and oust him from his long table. </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-52055231924413217312022-04-08T13:15:00.003+01:002022-04-08T13:22:14.042+01:00Blood money<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIa7e7fun8LL4pFIOa-0yqMKU3r5MNHJ6hpu3_k11df_1QkkE7kfBPK73xNBMwZ-sGQJWwxlB8ccVGcuPt4RwaOR9h1HYP5NVvoduDfY_743MrHaYgxDlemdwHBkSLrj4GyWf5CNYHl3yCgfAciTiGxbeN9qGYHkWUqTwVjhx7WNH2ma_DaEL0ALEccA/s299/oilrig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIa7e7fun8LL4pFIOa-0yqMKU3r5MNHJ6hpu3_k11df_1QkkE7kfBPK73xNBMwZ-sGQJWwxlB8ccVGcuPt4RwaOR9h1HYP5NVvoduDfY_743MrHaYgxDlemdwHBkSLrj4GyWf5CNYHl3yCgfAciTiGxbeN9qGYHkWUqTwVjhx7WNH2ma_DaEL0ALEccA/w400-h225/oilrig.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">As long as Europeans buy Russian natural resources, there will be money flowing into the war against Ukraine. </p><p style="text-align: center;">In each barrel of Russian oil you import, there's Ukrainian blood. <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">- MP</p><p>Mr Shmyal spoke to the BBC's Clive Myrie and described money given to Russia for oil and gas as "blood money... to buy weapons from which they kill Ukrainians." Buying it is financing Russian war crimes. You can't buy just a little bit and be complacent. </p><p>Vladimir Putin sells 5m barrels of crude oil per day, a large share of which goes to Europe. As EU leaders gather to discuss the crisis, we call on people everywhere to boycott Russian oil now. Russian oil is funding the invasion of Ukraine and the murder of innocent people. We must cut off this funding at the source. This trade can and must be stopped through pressure brought by you, the consumer, on companies and governments.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-14752274872179237262022-03-17T20:06:00.002+00:002022-03-17T20:06:53.656+00:00Happy Saint Patrick's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8dZT9RpjgrtLKpFV1-SO4C9cDXsLGqi0lonZm08san6_2SKaTCE_ooxwJy5Vu9ib_vh_2VycbEHHbBnImHoZmUHaathHF-9BZcYZNR-jkwucdoJeBrZB1KiDVEydyIxdvvKHVFPUxIZcxC-HX2fvBxpTurmpIKMz3VUAH70FW3Kq4KNm9yz--5dfiA=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8dZT9RpjgrtLKpFV1-SO4C9cDXsLGqi0lonZm08san6_2SKaTCE_ooxwJy5Vu9ib_vh_2VycbEHHbBnImHoZmUHaathHF-9BZcYZNR-jkwucdoJeBrZB1KiDVEydyIxdvvKHVFPUxIZcxC-HX2fvBxpTurmpIKMz3VUAH70FW3Kq4KNm9yz--5dfiA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Well, the weather has been shite here as they say until mid-day when it cleared up and the parades were held, finally, in sunshine. There is little progress in the vineyard as the temps have been cold. </p><p>Our lives are complicated as I've been helping Ukrainian refugees coming to Ireland at the same time that my husband's mother is dying. Reconciling war and death are eating me up. It's hard to be positive about a vineyard in the interim. </p><p>Meanwhile, Vitis Vanessa has woken up and is doing well in the polytunnel. As are the fruit trees - apple, peach and avocado. And Jenny the kiwi has started doing her thing. I've even started a peach and mango from seed and have bought a lemon and calamondin orange at Aldi. A bit of solace.</p><p>Now all I want is to be left alone to tend to my flock. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3P-7To7e61NEM8kccQbO8iY9XAoCC-yqhDV3de7PNRs1wt8rwvQQG2HYL5wsMYeYj7SZHqrPMcDSPkq1r9tTeCjrHGI0_Vp_d1a2J2i6-Hr2QJOUqAJjdvG9eW0E3iRKSAPTCChSuK4vgsFuTgPli7VYrn0yi2TvkOs0wayWmu5RI9KByHjkt2xx-FA=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3P-7To7e61NEM8kccQbO8iY9XAoCC-yqhDV3de7PNRs1wt8rwvQQG2HYL5wsMYeYj7SZHqrPMcDSPkq1r9tTeCjrHGI0_Vp_d1a2J2i6-Hr2QJOUqAJjdvG9eW0E3iRKSAPTCChSuK4vgsFuTgPli7VYrn0yi2TvkOs0wayWmu5RI9KByHjkt2xx-FA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkuZ4UjoKxzYbgo7Td5qpA2HH4X5BOjsuWgirbxOFZcqLM5SBMPBtTFlXuBsmoCvjVTuIRmJY1ldCKmNoTKvEKubX4w0qpS_ujkj-aOZn8D-dLEm3me8Bb8QulUTPtwMmy6nwb8_dHB-7enEcH8IOB0m5mB4M0Me36aYnB6th22XiFIdYx7gAS9sJ9Rg=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkuZ4UjoKxzYbgo7Td5qpA2HH4X5BOjsuWgirbxOFZcqLM5SBMPBtTFlXuBsmoCvjVTuIRmJY1ldCKmNoTKvEKubX4w0qpS_ujkj-aOZn8D-dLEm3me8Bb8QulUTPtwMmy6nwb8_dHB-7enEcH8IOB0m5mB4M0Me36aYnB6th22XiFIdYx7gAS9sJ9Rg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA_Bdl4QB49sHhbio9xOZDjUePQMAm1M5N06bzDCAVjJ80Ra5F3XzA8G09Fcu3LxZkFshTvWyGnlx64XH1J7q0hVZU2c-yiDostOsS-ylkqacMzjJ-yFM7n7wG8yaXM0ExuZ7zs-_A5yzMEf-w5O_et1OEhdeiVCX73Y7knYgYamy0ortqLEltYrJXEA=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA_Bdl4QB49sHhbio9xOZDjUePQMAm1M5N06bzDCAVjJ80Ra5F3XzA8G09Fcu3LxZkFshTvWyGnlx64XH1J7q0hVZU2c-yiDostOsS-ylkqacMzjJ-yFM7n7wG8yaXM0ExuZ7zs-_A5yzMEf-w5O_et1OEhdeiVCX73Y7knYgYamy0ortqLEltYrJXEA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqyAQcVhkeQ87S3grqyJATXpxDTJBRHVLpXEjqQwfggX14YrroKXXYr0ha2vB85mqRZnFRsan6t8Mt0XtY9cjlES8dyxuG_g1kx9tv5XunhnNOn5GYeVqLCyHJpK5koE0ejT6y4Yuzbn1HwImoODts3EGqCsYE8ozICYyv5kGAydyOIZLSjNO2Z0YMIg=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqyAQcVhkeQ87S3grqyJATXpxDTJBRHVLpXEjqQwfggX14YrroKXXYr0ha2vB85mqRZnFRsan6t8Mt0XtY9cjlES8dyxuG_g1kx9tv5XunhnNOn5GYeVqLCyHJpK5koE0ejT6y4Yuzbn1HwImoODts3EGqCsYE8ozICYyv5kGAydyOIZLSjNO2Z0YMIg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkTG7ZMTnos_jA_r3PlqCEvsLhzp_eOW_1IjnpAYBxq6cgmpCCckRSHMTqo7EbUqmhJCJQNw1zRSn7a0IJrn-tK_ezOXbXGUui_k9_wjNY_FzQT43KMI6sDK7YmqRByWoxVyvKT10CWwzDSKcvR_86tJ0Bz2SJk2BETmNaRwpo0QI0Es8iG-g8-lu4eA=s4624" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkTG7ZMTnos_jA_r3PlqCEvsLhzp_eOW_1IjnpAYBxq6cgmpCCckRSHMTqo7EbUqmhJCJQNw1zRSn7a0IJrn-tK_ezOXbXGUui_k9_wjNY_FzQT43KMI6sDK7YmqRByWoxVyvKT10CWwzDSKcvR_86tJ0Bz2SJk2BETmNaRwpo0QI0Es8iG-g8-lu4eA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-66275081796603721872022-03-12T17:52:00.019+00:002022-11-09T15:50:43.316+00:00Process for Integrating Ukrainian families<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-keKUVvi5BLmAMK8OmRIhudzRup5s8TuMlGPIbtC1RNv_QyW8IghM3odF8R8luKVJxbj0EWzoSLFCueeVWW9oTIms8F8cfAEC9PRbaCGozh1q3Ctpfcj-hJ4S-uYConfy0XGYsY0DTyXXmK0nR_3FjspLSXoJ4j5JNs-V1FDeEXr_UdsYrsyWo3ES-A=s603" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="603" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-keKUVvi5BLmAMK8OmRIhudzRup5s8TuMlGPIbtC1RNv_QyW8IghM3odF8R8luKVJxbj0EWzoSLFCueeVWW9oTIms8F8cfAEC9PRbaCGozh1q3Ctpfcj-hJ4S-uYConfy0XGYsY0DTyXXmK0nR_3FjspLSXoJ4j5JNs-V1FDeEXr_UdsYrsyWo3ES-A=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We now have experience with getting several families settled in Ireland. Here's what we've learned. It's best to set up a local action group with defined responsibilities so everyone does not duplicate roles. Set up a What's App group for coordinated communication. I will keep updating this page as we learn more. </p><p>1. Social media is a critical means of ongoing communication with the Ukrainians arriving in Ireland and with their relatives at home. Their mobile service stops working at the border, but Facebook Messenger works everywhere (except Russia) with WiFi. So having <b>WiFi </b>at the accommodation is essential. The Facebook page for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Ukrainians.in.Ireland/permalink/4976086459094178" target="_blank">Ukrainians in Ireland</a> is very helpful. </p><p>2. Their devices use European two-pronged plugs so they will need multiple <b>adapters</b> from EU to Irish three-pronged for recharging devices ASAP. </p><p>3. <b>SIM cards</b> (unlocked for calls to Ukraine) are the second thing they need. This enables them to communicate with community volunteers and family when they are outside the home without WiFi. <b>An Post </b>has started supplying free SIM cards to Ukrainian refugees.</p><p>4. They should immediately make an appointment with the local <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/directory/category/e1f4b5-intreo-offices/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/intreocentres/" target="_blank">INTREO Office</a> to register for a <b>PPS number</b>. It takes a long time to fill out the forms. Pick them up in advance and fill them out before the appointment. PPS number enables access to all social and medical services. It also allows people to work.</p><p>5. Organise the community around them for <b>transport.</b> They don't have cars so they will need to get to shops, to interviews, to government offices, and to schools and churches. Spare bicycles can be handy in improving mobility. Access to public transport can be vital and needs to be explained. Consider organising a local transport minibus route. </p><p>6. Ukrainians speak either <b>Ukrainian or Russian</b>, but they are by conviction wholly Ukrainian. Try to organize a translation capability for the community. </p><p>7. Both the <b>Church and the GAA</b> can be great social and support links to families in the area. Ukrainians are mostly either <b>Orthodox Christian or Byzantine rite Catholic</b> and for the most part deeply religious. The Orthodox may not think they are allowed to attend services in the Roman Catholic parishes so they need to be invited. </p><p>8. The schools have been remarkably supportive and welcoming. There has been no question about children attending the <b>National Schools</b> and receiving full support in terms of books, bags and uniforms. We have even created a registration form in Ukrainian and English in Google docs which we will gladly share. <b>iPads with Google Translate</b> are really useful in the first days. A few cards that will help communicate needs like going to the toilet will help. </p><p>9. <b><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/abf3e-social-welfare-supports-for-ukrainian-citizens-arriving-in-ireland-under-the-temporary-protection-directive/?fbclid=IwAR2y3hy-uq4keU80auNmij91dYOtapa1ZHDnL45pyZK0X-uLI3q_MRkFTDw" target="_blank">Social Welfare</a></b> payments will start Wednesday 16/03/22 at An Post office. Bring passport and letter with PPS number. (Be sure to write down your PPS numbers on a separate card first so you have them later.) Once signed up, the payments will come every month. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/abf3e-social-welfare-supports-for-ukrainian-citizens-arriving-in-ireland-under-the-temporary-protection-directive/ PSC cards are necessary for welfare payments. </p><p>10. <b>Medical cards</b> are offered to Ukrainians in Ireland. The information about how to obtain medical cards will be <a href="https://www2.hse.ie/services/healthcare-in-ireland/ukrainian-refugees.html" target="_blank">updated here</a>. </p><p>11. <b>Jobs</b> are important for preserving self-esteem. The <b>hospitality sector</b> is in need of staff and has been interviewing Ukrainians who arrive and are able and willing to work, which is just about everyone, although some knowledge of English is required. Create a liaison, someone in the local business community, to forward resumes to local businesses. </p><p>Assistance with a job search can be found <a href="https://www.uatalents.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Oy4iFE4DfIwk2eOnF7Qo8APd-KX6j-mtzPfEGMUAKUBchm5gwKt6FCS0 " target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>12. Many businesses have offered <b>donations </b>of clothing and other supplies to refugees, many of whom arrive with just the clothes on their backs. Appoint a local contact for businesses that would like to contribute. </p><p>13. The <b>Community Family Resource Centres</b> have experience with support services like the translation of pamphlets with vital information and language courses for adults. Let them know what you need. Identify Ukrainians who have both English and Ukrainian skills to assist. </p><p>14. People arriving in Ireland having fled the war in Ukraine can now travel to their final destination for free on <a href="https://buseireann.ie/service_updates.php?id=5680&month=Mar" target="_blank">Expressway and Bus Éireann</a> services. Also now train service is free for Ukrainian refugees.</p><p>15. <b>English for beginners</b>, for Ukrainians in Ireland with a Ukrainian-language teacher.</p><p>Beginners. Higher levels are possible, depending on demand<br />Classes will be held on zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 18.15 - 19.15 pm.<br />The first meeting is on Wednesday, March 16.<br />Welcome!</p><p>Join Zoom Meeting</p><p>https://zoom.us/j/5650921101...</p><p>Meeting ID: 565 092 1101</p><p>Passcode: hhxJ6g</p><p>16. <b>Secondary schools</b> are accepting students but require a bit more planning. <b>School bus</b> has to be arranged separately from the school and directly with the company providing bus service for insurance purposes. </p><p>17. An Post will provide <b>social welfare payments</b>. You must come in person with your PPS letter and photo ID after the 5th of every month once registered. </p><p>18. An Post will also provide <b>money transfers</b> between Ukraine and Ireland with fees waived for the first year. Also, they will provide a <b>current bank account</b> for refugees and free postage for letters and packages to Ukraine. https://www.facebook.com/120409074730549/posts/4628562977248447/. </p><p>19. <b><a href="https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/mhml/english.html" target="_blank">My Health, My Language </a></b> (added 09/11/22)<br /><br />Find information about the public healthcare system and common health topics in your language.<br /></p><p><i>About the Irish Health Service</i></p><p>The guide is in three parts;</p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Part 1 gives information on how to access different types of health care, the services that are free, and how the GP, Pharmacy and hospital systems work.</p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Part 2 gives information about specialist services (dental treatments, eye tests, hearing aids, vaccinations) and some of the staff you may meet in the health system.</p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Part 3 advises what to do in an emergency.</p><div>20. <a href="https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/primarycare/socialinclusion/about-social-inclusion/news/directory-of-resources.pdf" target="_blank">HSE Directory of resources </a></div><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Useful websites:</b></p><p><a href="https://help-ukraine-ireland.notion.site/help-ukraine-ireland/Ukrainian-Crisis-Centre-in-Ireland-015a19325d1d434db975cd77ec47f36f" target="_blank">Ukrainian Crisis Centre in Ireland</a></p><p><a href="https://www.redcross.ie/" target="_blank">Irish Red Cross</a></p><p><a href="https://www.ukrainetakeshelter.com/" target="_blank">Ukraine Take Shelter</a></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-20084261976292348742022-03-03T10:53:00.009+00:002022-03-16T10:11:33.020+00:00Summon the Viking ancestry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiagF6PETjB64gxpgP0FRNotbhmZ3EU1TqStVHBUS7mlTXw-tg-YQbN0XxcE-k8JyiGHMxIWyy9BTEb1PRXYsYzW_mOU_KgQl1w6y1VoTgA_gzBmZjH1-sGosmoPrSVh3PORzVKINbZtdH5zAEb7WnWL4FcJVvIkEmD5sTh38nArOwBmJrQEXY_lGLVQ=s700" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="700" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiagF6PETjB64gxpgP0FRNotbhmZ3EU1TqStVHBUS7mlTXw-tg-YQbN0XxcE-k8JyiGHMxIWyy9BTEb1PRXYsYzW_mOU_KgQl1w6y1VoTgA_gzBmZjH1-sGosmoPrSVh3PORzVKINbZtdH5zAEb7WnWL4FcJVvIkEmD5sTh38nArOwBmJrQEXY_lGLVQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv and Lybid found the city of Kiev, 482</td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Both of the capitals of Ukraine and Ireland were founded by Vikings. </p><p>Ukraine by three brothers and their sister who sailed down the rivers until they found the perfect spot to found Kiev and Kievan Rus. It is said to have been established in 482 and Christianity reached it in 988. </p><p>Dublin was founded by Vikings. They founded a new town on the south bank of the Liffey in 841. It was called Dubh Linn, which means black pool. The new town of Dublin was fortified with a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. The Danes were slowly converted to Christianity and the first Bishop of Dublin was appointed in 1028. </p><p>The Vikings are <a href="https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220222-netflixs-vikings-valhalla-why-weve-got-the-vikings-wrong?xtor=ES-213-[BBC%20Features%20Newsletter]-2022February25-[bbcfeatures_vikings_culture]" target="_blank">portrayed</a> as fierce warriors in the western world. But in the Eastern world they are seen as smart, benevolent business people who created centres of trade and excellence. Perhaps Ukrainians have some of both chracteristics -- they want peace and prosperity and are willing to fight for it. </p><p><a href="https://ecoclipper.org/News/clinker-boats-the-viking-era/" target="_blank">Read abou</a>t clinker-built Viking Ships and their routes. </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-61601474416705733082022-03-02T10:44:00.006+00:002022-03-02T11:11:45.294+00:00Putin strengthens NATO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTkrPZ7IWuxHmOJycMU8d0hVtEqWKy6zclTtX9rTzuAqOJBzeXzKr43RvB4wiOsv2WfxU-vv5davOPrO7Y5yNVlxaZCOq8Qn90PTVePJf2I5aNJo4N53IuEj8SWUSJ2I34S4EYEAkk3Ytf9M83Wf7U_3V9B8axJ_hhbEXIZzGMAe6g3EoiKHSlBt3_Ug=s589" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="589" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTkrPZ7IWuxHmOJycMU8d0hVtEqWKy6zclTtX9rTzuAqOJBzeXzKr43RvB4wiOsv2WfxU-vv5davOPrO7Y5yNVlxaZCOq8Qn90PTVePJf2I5aNJo4N53IuEj8SWUSJ2I34S4EYEAkk3Ytf9M83Wf7U_3V9B8axJ_hhbEXIZzGMAe6g3EoiKHSlBt3_Ug=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Every morning I wake up and wonder if Kyiv is still standing. </p><p>Putin's assault on Ukraine has done more to unite the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-west-eu-nato-f810a6d94524b804730a9704ad4f0a87?user_email=ecb0d60b9a9b268cc955ac95c63de0d97a3df53cb689542a9e4d26157cf551c2&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feb28_Russia_Ukraine&utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers" target="_blank">NATO alliance</a> than anything else could have. If anything, it has united the world to rally around Ukraine and against Russia. Putin is a monster. </p><p>Meanwhile, Kharkiv is close to toppling as Kyiv and Lviv hold strong. The 40 km long column of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/03/01/ukraine-convoy-stalled-heavy-fighting/?utm_campaign=wp_todays_worldview&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_todayworld&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F363350d%2F621efb429d2fda34e7b50291%2F607aaeb1ade4e2105818ace6%2F9%2F48%2F621efb429d2fda34e7b50291" target="_blank">Russian forces</a> advancing toward Kyiv seems to be having difficulties with fuel and food supplies. Small wonder. They didn't expect to be there so long, did they. </p><p>Yesterday, I placed two Ukrainian families soon to arrive here in Irish homes. I have had several more offers of homes and money available for refugees. It's going to be a tough year ahead. A woman who works in the refugee counselling agency for the Irish government is to call me later today. I will then have a formal ally to refer people to. Many thanks to all the volunteers who are doing extraordinary things to help fellow humans in need. </p><p><a href="https://help-ukraine-ireland.notion.site/help-ukraine-ireland/Helping-Ukrainians-in-Ireland-015a19325d1d434db975cd77ec47f36f" target="_blank">Here's a page with some answers.</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-47979964625267913272022-02-28T14:36:00.003+00:002022-02-28T15:11:20.049+00:00War is not going Putin's way<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisZvfS40awjUZoLZhidIsNaB3RngIDvww43Ni3tmlD7_gh3PLRDElB9NRmPvqSphOr_D6FAtkqzCpiQjH83OOmBgvkJBN8secdbR5DIGfjGpnrwadf9ErfZAMN3B72lMJ0ryMw2Dt9kN1GvRfck2KWFmFXgyqx3nZ7PNdEk3Ha45dSxpQ0gfOWXjjYyA=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisZvfS40awjUZoLZhidIsNaB3RngIDvww43Ni3tmlD7_gh3PLRDElB9NRmPvqSphOr_D6FAtkqzCpiQjH83OOmBgvkJBN8secdbR5DIGfjGpnrwadf9ErfZAMN3B72lMJ0ryMw2Dt9kN1GvRfck2KWFmFXgyqx3nZ7PNdEk3Ha45dSxpQ0gfOWXjjYyA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The David and Goliath war. The Bible says David won. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The war has been going for several days and Ukraine still has not given up. The main cities remain under Ukrainian control, civilians are taking up arms, the diaspora is coming home or supporting those fleeing. Some 500,000 have already crossed borders into Poland, Moldova, Bulgaria and the Chech Republic. The Polish have been enormously supportive and the world has rallied around Ukraine's cause chanting 'No War' even in Russia. <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-protest-georgia-invasion/31725406.html" target="_blank">Thousands</a> hit the streets in cities around the world this weekend. </p><p>Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian soldiers, and the Ukrainian people are being seen as heroes, dedicated to preserving their freedom and protecting their homeland. Ireland has opened its borders to Ukrainians wishing to enter who don't have a visa. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXJxNwD5NtQi7jSnSqyCjIMVRAUpcCgh0NEIHjeen8jbDTR4YA70F3hThvkTWsHkmBV1h1gQrWvLw1G1fv-QM7IkU7G4wwwEp1I9Qo3Hc4gjKBVOKMoDxbEDocL7i46341WMA1f-3Bm-Njt0fsU_poDO9voUm619ttd_J9ES8X9c7E6KwxKasIgObo0A=s843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXJxNwD5NtQi7jSnSqyCjIMVRAUpcCgh0NEIHjeen8jbDTR4YA70F3hThvkTWsHkmBV1h1gQrWvLw1G1fv-QM7IkU7G4wwwEp1I9Qo3Hc4gjKBVOKMoDxbEDocL7i46341WMA1f-3Bm-Njt0fsU_poDO9voUm619ttd_J9ES8X9c7E6KwxKasIgObo0A=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I was hoping to offer accommodation in a friend's renovated CG station and help with transport and translation, but the place isn't fit for occupation just yet. I have donated money to Ukraine's fund for medical supplies, propagated fact-checked information, created a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/2996986280819426037/4698261589134622858" target="_blank">list of Russian-owned companies</a> to avoid, and offered moral support where possible. I also prayed. And I cried - tears of sadness and of pride. <p></p><p>Meanwhile, the sanctions have hit Russia hard. Russian currency lost 30% of its value today and the central bank doubled interest rates to prop it up. Everyone is dumping Russian assets. BP is dumping its share of Rosneft, Norway is dumping about $3 billion from its sovereign fund. Europeans are giving up their board seats and Russian-owned companies are exposed. Lukoil and Holland & Barrett are owned by Russian oligarchs and should be boycotted. </p><p>Students and grannies are making Molotov cocktails to use against the Russian troops. It's their way of saying we don't want you here. </p><p>Airspace over Europe has banned any Russian planes, including oligarch's private jets. Pretty soon Russians won't be able to go anywhere in the Western world. I'd say they won't be happy with Putin after this. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcvGlhcPCL9r2GzLihnDaBpHEdvkpnXlIV_K9fha268ZQF56sPbE1GBImjj4pkdXteiL3yr3z7CyDDQGMOdZr6cAQyHVf83GkzOZpJDk42z2YUe8MFuK412A4Em2I1mUFdKC0nMQKntNiNPcjelc2cF46W3YiOos83acxV8jvQ_Towl1MK2IONAV1xuA=s900" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcvGlhcPCL9r2GzLihnDaBpHEdvkpnXlIV_K9fha268ZQF56sPbE1GBImjj4pkdXteiL3yr3z7CyDDQGMOdZr6cAQyHVf83GkzOZpJDk42z2YUe8MFuK412A4Em2I1mUFdKC0nMQKntNiNPcjelc2cF46W3YiOos83acxV8jvQ_Towl1MK2IONAV1xuA=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisKW4-3C9jL5JHxC33oC3apUUEzXGiXGuKt01rojpRShIDgOct_i91btQeDSo2Upm5NRoWX8k94VQ6afR_im8z76VYPSdqZVZFMYTF8Tnb_m5dC_wBrVkk3UxaZRvvfshHCDBwqk4Houx8RJEcB-ZcdKMWOT0DOfO1lr0LFKNrWgyXYhNxeJLs7GgJJQ=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisKW4-3C9jL5JHxC33oC3apUUEzXGiXGuKt01rojpRShIDgOct_i91btQeDSo2Upm5NRoWX8k94VQ6afR_im8z76VYPSdqZVZFMYTF8Tnb_m5dC_wBrVkk3UxaZRvvfshHCDBwqk4Houx8RJEcB-ZcdKMWOT0DOfO1lr0LFKNrWgyXYhNxeJLs7GgJJQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiMoWDucQm1i5ugjW7lXS2EbEoLBKsyZ7N_HLSWi1Ys7AyRdvGoH6HFisHPXze_OaoCLbtjc_upUaibCqrhumKUazJz27bV1gxOrEFDSMLLJWmIvbFS_3I8Yfw9WEszfSpKBqGPDGvoCY8iow7QmH084SXIDETLqVVaVqWT28COvVHk2R456IkRdlw3Q=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiMoWDucQm1i5ugjW7lXS2EbEoLBKsyZ7N_HLSWi1Ys7AyRdvGoH6HFisHPXze_OaoCLbtjc_upUaibCqrhumKUazJz27bV1gxOrEFDSMLLJWmIvbFS_3I8Yfw9WEszfSpKBqGPDGvoCY8iow7QmH084SXIDETLqVVaVqWT28COvVHk2R456IkRdlw3Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU1RUk6tsyIECGNcN7DBMGjnCme3C9PxkQU5vuq6uRr1JLdMLhaG0jnkTM9Gv8FirWvTBOLuIE_rhovWXSYZ5CMpHJqDv399uIvVqJTSFwmHfSBSDHBKr3bvdc3hWGNDxe6nMTvECeq-rSs5AquMr7q06g-M0SNcPtP2q8va4Z8oSJa6SDMCA0S0nm1w=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="960" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU1RUk6tsyIECGNcN7DBMGjnCme3C9PxkQU5vuq6uRr1JLdMLhaG0jnkTM9Gv8FirWvTBOLuIE_rhovWXSYZ5CMpHJqDv399uIvVqJTSFwmHfSBSDHBKr3bvdc3hWGNDxe6nMTvECeq-rSs5AquMr7q06g-M0SNcPtP2q8va4Z8oSJa6SDMCA0S0nm1w=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0YqqxU7D0rMB-KQBuNRvwZY0u9Rznr-6AP83glQythEVpYHPy-RWtmEmQYPclsVOVFxGKAq0V2Pelsg1OmWArJt7cWgaLcrdrVSAYmF6qUUl4iR2LUakQylfeZsc6mNLdTjq2OifRx2ozJ4_kkbb6uoQ04rPOHX-gvLfMXUgdU1m3XKByAh3jgHHUAA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="960" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0YqqxU7D0rMB-KQBuNRvwZY0u9Rznr-6AP83glQythEVpYHPy-RWtmEmQYPclsVOVFxGKAq0V2Pelsg1OmWArJt7cWgaLcrdrVSAYmF6qUUl4iR2LUakQylfeZsc6mNLdTjq2OifRx2ozJ4_kkbb6uoQ04rPOHX-gvLfMXUgdU1m3XKByAh3jgHHUAA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9k-lQOcP0e8NVgY5GEYbfu1-bhxX_crhLsjIaUvRYnSyqo0WzY1Lk_-kStchHIvMIhQZ4f9lXU9HyuY4oPVwpiq5SfQdL0Xu41SuU1k5bZ34i2_Z70T5fUBZg-MeOCMTeXQT5OygHpNHIWzNlu31p3x07XbsctYIfFBjE_cY__Gglms-RrZaCio8aqQ=s927" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9k-lQOcP0e8NVgY5GEYbfu1-bhxX_crhLsjIaUvRYnSyqo0WzY1Lk_-kStchHIvMIhQZ4f9lXU9HyuY4oPVwpiq5SfQdL0Xu41SuU1k5bZ34i2_Z70T5fUBZg-MeOCMTeXQT5OygHpNHIWzNlu31p3x07XbsctYIfFBjE_cY__Gglms-RrZaCio8aqQ=s320" width="254" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpHSEqHtz_LuXhfuQswaahvFHUet5LraUat0lzadLCUuXudaP5GSUT_mlnLV-mhqB0MDAE44qo-aH6Xdu94mWarnNeh575JB7j0m8L26yVaDLOu9BJ6UCmAn700RnSACkVSYIaSqvt-XpnigNOiERsEtec-MHVNYceK_8ITI9EjOwkKc8i5roirAOk6Q=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpHSEqHtz_LuXhfuQswaahvFHUet5LraUat0lzadLCUuXudaP5GSUT_mlnLV-mhqB0MDAE44qo-aH6Xdu94mWarnNeh575JB7j0m8L26yVaDLOu9BJ6UCmAn700RnSACkVSYIaSqvt-XpnigNOiERsEtec-MHVNYceK_8ITI9EjOwkKc8i5roirAOk6Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiq_0yoJI_ixUYWjYM2mHxrNrVOZMG6LSsKoAnIjIvAlec-pi4ioLMZkcq9BvhoJhh-m5il2MjN0xVDry8RBsjCX3kKew87Mzo2091zpq-1mV3OUp0D-kgX2GmTJTNkVqDlTdXxCJW1SmE9-7gBrDrOcpVFJPHUfpj4thg82umAmjYs3q4XStOyCzZzA=s2500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="2500" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiq_0yoJI_ixUYWjYM2mHxrNrVOZMG6LSsKoAnIjIvAlec-pi4ioLMZkcq9BvhoJhh-m5il2MjN0xVDry8RBsjCX3kKew87Mzo2091zpq-1mV3OUp0D-kgX2GmTJTNkVqDlTdXxCJW1SmE9-7gBrDrOcpVFJPHUfpj4thg82umAmjYs3q4XStOyCzZzA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-58703054212725338932022-02-26T17:24:00.001+00:002022-02-26T17:24:16.619+00:00Versions of history<p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1497189408113573890</p><p>Russian warships shelled Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) in Black Sea in the Odesa region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said border guards on Snake Island in the Black Sea who shouted ‘go f*** yourself’ at Russian warship all "died heroically” as footage emerges on social media.</p><p>UAWire </p><p>@uawire</p><p>Feb 25</p><p>Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island, Black Sea</p><p>Russians: This is a Russian warship. I ask you to put down weapons and surrender to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, otherwise, you’ll be bombed.</p><p>Ukrainians: Russian warship, go f**ck yourself.</p><p>All of them were killed.</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1497120712909369345 </p><p>President Zelensky is the 13 soldiers killed rather than surrendering. Meanwhile, the Russians are circulating a video suggesting that 82 solders on that same island surrendered and asked to be returned back to Ukraine after signing a paper that they would not kill Russian soldiers. Right. </p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1497547265501806599 </p><p>Russia claimed that these people are 82 Ukrainian soldiers from Zmiinyi (Snake) island, who gave up and asked to return them back to Ukraine for signing a document, which says they won’t fight against the Russian federation.</p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-16591263434060456112022-02-26T16:51:00.002+00:002022-02-26T16:51:17.666+00:00Heroyam Slava!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4X7OiPCFFhdzDThYMk-qb6N0KImhLF3Kvfb9E7m_R41abTtQtd9RaKr232gGATaUOVFmheerqVlED2q3XAeL8fKf51EfwvIXCazPngb6DzmOE0rzd38WTF5ZlWplHUovm7c_NGjfWTrxnxeUof94gpeV8pAYQMnla8F_3dBZcnZHRcQ266kGAQ84Mbg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4X7OiPCFFhdzDThYMk-qb6N0KImhLF3Kvfb9E7m_R41abTtQtd9RaKr232gGATaUOVFmheerqVlED2q3XAeL8fKf51EfwvIXCazPngb6DzmOE0rzd38WTF5ZlWplHUovm7c_NGjfWTrxnxeUof94gpeV8pAYQMnla8F_3dBZcnZHRcQ266kGAQ84Mbg=w248-h400" width="248" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996986280819426037.post-1925218833402756502022-02-24T12:47:00.004+00:002022-02-24T13:17:01.584+00:00What it means to be Ukrainian today<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGjBZkZjzfp5xwy34hKksNAUB_dZfHlfgTkR5nSueCHbgOOzhnqesDD86OYqCL04OuoXOAaaQBaXqE_bMm1B3wi85uIRLK2Pgguom2U9YIsP7AUu6skkAzxoXMZQGSOeSRDqHcl9UYhRBGsCbdN-KmjXc_3VuRhb_6q89oTBWyKYB8mp21lb2Cl0Zmbw=s680" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGjBZkZjzfp5xwy34hKksNAUB_dZfHlfgTkR5nSueCHbgOOzhnqesDD86OYqCL04OuoXOAaaQBaXqE_bMm1B3wi85uIRLK2Pgguom2U9YIsP7AUu6skkAzxoXMZQGSOeSRDqHcl9UYhRBGsCbdN-KmjXc_3VuRhb_6q89oTBWyKYB8mp21lb2Cl0Zmbw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember this image and this day: 24-02-2022</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Even though I knew it would happen, I can honestly say that I truly hoped it wouldn't. Today, Russian forces invaded Ukraine in a full out assault from the North to Kharkiv, from Crimea to Odesa, and from Byelorus to Kyiv. The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-attack-a05e7c4563ac94b963134bba83187d46?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP" target="_blank">Associated Press</a> reports that 40 people have been killed in the initial onslaught. War is underway. </p><p>My heart breaks for the people who finally had a chance to celebrate Ukrainian sovereignty. We woke up to a different Europe and a different world today. Everyone had thought that the war to end all wars did just that. But that didn't take Putin's madness into account. He is Stalin's disciple and wiping out the Ukrainian people would be his major goal. Stalin killed 40 million Ukrainians in the Holodomor. How many will Putin target? He is not to be outdone. Putin is a madman. He is a murderer. He is a war criminal. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpgrQY5VS3MHOTefJzxggAxFbvl7_3joL9L5y1Y-QcslotvWDT5rnP-uAETaKaQb1EWuGSCWnvUWjm6JVA1A6_e_RjIIIm6LWyoxigt2UotGrE0w1FbxLELW447m8j5IjXPOqKsWHjMy24Lph15MSbDYT3Lph9DXqgTAhZZ7DzMobAxyDdAcD4TqtDqA=s1273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpgrQY5VS3MHOTefJzxggAxFbvl7_3joL9L5y1Y-QcslotvWDT5rnP-uAETaKaQb1EWuGSCWnvUWjm6JVA1A6_e_RjIIIm6LWyoxigt2UotGrE0w1FbxLELW447m8j5IjXPOqKsWHjMy24Lph15MSbDYT3Lph9DXqgTAhZZ7DzMobAxyDdAcD4TqtDqA=s320" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyiv under attack</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Remember this day: 24 February 2022. Solidarity with Ukraine. When will the world stand up to him?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTmIcnHlVw1yksznpetXpZLiclxwT6O5RDDpaQKx5AWAgcLWHWeitidJlkUfNRhdf1kaXWJo2BWJ9OPb7OB7IYnCVaxTC0UFIULer0PMXCmp5Z7IrV91AlA04qF4Iq9mKUtHPG645UimEGPESgMsY_pbBizzBj6d05MvoCN46qgEGUK8U8hfqVBxmcwQ=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="400" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTmIcnHlVw1yksznpetXpZLiclxwT6O5RDDpaQKx5AWAgcLWHWeitidJlkUfNRhdf1kaXWJo2BWJ9OPb7OB7IYnCVaxTC0UFIULer0PMXCmp5Z7IrV91AlA04qF4Iq9mKUtHPG645UimEGPESgMsY_pbBizzBj6d05MvoCN46qgEGUK8U8hfqVBxmcwQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496799736744996866 <br /><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496823374835818502</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496805284068700161</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496795404268146694</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496802459049549824</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496817380424617986</p><p>#Ukraine 🇺🇦: somewhere near #Kyiv a Ukrainian MiG-29 (low-flying) is taking on a Russian Su-35.</p><p>https://twitter.com/i/status/1496821171119079430</p><p>BBC Updates page: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60454795 </p>Daria Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12400274355158993168noreply@blogger.com0