October

(Source)

While my memory says autumn looks like the photo above, reality (as in Saturday's weather) tells me that autumn, October in particular, brings a lot of rainy days. Gray, rainy days, which tend to make me feel a bit melancholy.

So I turn to music, loud music. Makes it all better that does.

Anyhoo, still avoiding the war writing for the weekend, helps me recharge the batteries, not having to be creative for a few days. That and I am seriously, I mean world champion class, lazy. Give me a chance to lay about and do nothing at all, well, I'm your man.

Working all week is my excuse I suppose, that and I don't sleep much during the week, like to catch up on that on the weekends. Slept until 11:00 on Saturday, meh, didn't bother me, not at all.

Sure does make for short days though.

For now I'm making Sunday a music day, did last week, did this week, next week? Who knows where the road will take me ...

Love this version of the old Nirvana tune, lots of energy, multiple instruments from multiple artists around the world. Love the concept, love the music.

Heck, here's one more, found it after posting that bit above. This one touched me deeply.

To the lost ...

May they be found.

Be well.

Well, how about that?

He's not wrong, but ...

That tree in the neighbor's yard is well ahead of the game, never saw it do that before. Won't be long before that Japanese maple (the one in the middle, saying "Well") will be bright red, at least I hope so. There was one year where it waited and waited before donning it's bright red cloak, only to shed it all on a wind-swept rainy night in October. Barely got to see it in full grunt. Less than a day really.

Yes, fall is here. As a kid growing up the foliage was part of existence, it got so you'd look out the window and think, "Okay, colorful, nice," but you got so used to seeing it, it became almost blasé. Where we live in Little Rhody, not far from the Bay, it doesn't get all that colorful. So yeah, I miss it.

Yeah, there's a street I go down on my way to work and home again where the trees all suddenly have these deep red leaves and golden leaves as well, very striking. Then the guy down the street has a couple of trees that turn nicely.

But for the most part, when the conditions are right for max color, the conditions are also right for rain and wind. Strips all that prettiness away and flings it to the ground.

Sigh ...

Went to dinner with friends Saturday night, a Portuguese place, had a very good steak and a cuppla these -

Very crisp, lots of flavor. Went well with the steak. Next time I want to try the paelha, which is the Portuguese version of paella. My buddy assures me it's very, very good. But Saturday was a steak night, with an egg on top in a very delicious burgundy sauce, yum.

Speaking of my buddy, up until Saturday I thought that all we had in common was having Korean wives and having served in the military. Nope, there's more.

He was telling me of a trip up to Canada to sell off some family land which no one wanted.

"So where is this land?" I asked.

He pulls out his phone and shows me a map, "Here's Montreal, here's Quebec, here's where my family is from."

I looked, then I looked again. "Ya mean Trois-Rivières?" My voice betrayed my excitement I suppose.

"What? You've heard of it?"

"Heard of it, my great-grandfather was born there."

"No shit?"

"Ya, no shit."

Small world, innit?

A Day for Wondering

Vermont in Autumn
(Source)

It's autumn in New England.

Friday was a pretty day, a bit cool, the wind was up, the sun was shining, it was a good day to stop and thank God for another day.

Friday evening arrived and, to tell the truth, I just didn't feel like writing about war. Somehow the weekends just feel too peaceful to write about men fighting and dying, even in a good cause. So it was an evening for reflection.

And, oddly enough, listening to a lot of Jethro Tull. Back in the day when I was painfully lonely and shy, the music of that particular band kept me going. I knew that someday things would get better.

Boy, did they ever.

Anyhoo ...

Had one of these systems installed at Chez Sarge -

Ductless Mini Split AC System
(Source)

Got a good deal on installation and financing so we decided to go for it. I'd seen this type of system mentioned in Juvat's posts about his new workshop, so I was confident it was something that would work for us as well. (As the price of home heating oil continues to climb, it will also save us a bit on heating too. As a Scot, thrifty is a thing.)

Took the lads who did it three days, start to finish. Neat and precise they were, The Missus Herself was happy with their workmanship and their manners. I made sure their bosses knew that.

Downstairs bathroom renovation continues, though getting materials has proven to be a challenge at times. Our contractor said he could do the job in October, well, a couple of his jobs fell through and would we mind getting it done earlier?

Well, no, we wouldn't mind at all. But we had nothing in place to get going, which was okay, they had to strip things down to the studs anyway, do the basic plumbing and electrical work as well. Gave us some time to get the rest of what we needed.

We just learned the remaining materials to complete the job have come in and this coming week should see us in the home stretch of that project, before beginning another.

Sigh, homeownership is kind of a never-ending stream of "Oh look, this is broken" events. As a renter it's "Hey, landlord, fix this, it's busted." Now it's "Say contractor, ya got a minute? Yes, yes, I have the funds ..."

And so it goes.

But I'm in a position to afford all this, much as it pains me to part with those hard earned shekels. But I have them in hand so, hey, I've got that going for me.

Years ago, I was sad listening to this song, wondering, aloud as it were, if I'd ever get to that sort of place.

The answer is a resounding yes.

Wond'ring Aloud

Ian Anderson

Wond'ring aloud --

How we feel today

Last night sipped the sunset --

My hand in her hair

We are our own saviours

As we start both our hearts beating life

Into each other

Wond'ring aloud --

Will the years treat us well

As she floats in the kitchen

I'm tasting the smell, yeah

Of toast as the butter runs

Then she comes, spilling crumbs on the bed

And I shake my head

And it's only the giving

That makes you what you are

(Source)

I know what I've got, I'm a happy man.

OpRep 040018Apr22L

Just as an FYI, I'm writing this on Saturday, because Sunday is Easter and we've got familial obligations to look forward to. 

So....There I was...* It's early March, I'm up early. Mrs. J is using one of the sleep late coupons she's earned, so I'm emptying the dishwasher that had been run the previous night.  Get it unloaded and notice that the bottom is full of water.  Having phenomenal plumbing and mechanical skills, I deduce that something must have blocked the drain.  So...After several dozen scoop and dump's of water, I see a few leaves in the trap and clean it out.  Aha! I triumphantly trumpet.  "I have fixed it."  Do a little victory dance and go about my day.

Looks good, right?  Hidden beyond that sheen is a heart of evil. Loud as all get out.  Frigidaire used to be a good product line  All appliances in our new house are that brand.  Big Mistake.

You know how this is going to end, now, doncha?  Hubris begins the same way as humiliation.

In any case, on with the story.  A couple of days later, the dishwasher is run again and....Same thing.  I get the name of a guy who works on dishwashers and he comes over.  Looks the thing over, checks some things.  Then says the dishwasher's circuit board needs resetting.  I ask how that's done.  He asks me to go turn off the circuit breaker outside.  I'm skeptical, but comply.  

Indeed, in the circuit breaker box there's a CB for DW.  I pop that, leave it for about 30 seconds per his instruction then reset.

Voila'  Ze Dishwasher is draining.  He says this action didn't fix the problem which may return. If it does, the procedure may or may not work again.  If not, we'll have to replace the circuit board.  OK,  I thank the man, write him a fairly large check, and go about my dishwashing business.

3 days later, I get up early, go into the kitchen and...you got it.  Water in the bottom.  I call my good friend and relay the issue.  He says he'll get the part ordered and let me know when it arrives.  

So far, so good.  He calls back about a week later and says the circuit board is on back order (Yes, Beans, from China) and it may be another week or so.  Ok, I can live with dish pan hands that long.

I call him around the end of March, and he says there's no expected delivery date for the part, what do we want to do?

I relay the last to my beloved, who says "Let's go to Lowes!"  While we didn't buy from Lowes, (Backorder for the one we wanted), we did find it at Home Depot.

Just got a call from them.  It's expected to be delivered and installed in the next 45 Minutes.  (Remember it's Saturday as I'm writing this, but I'm optimistic). (Update 1: Delivered Saturday at 0900, installed and tested by 0951.)  First load of dishes, not washed by hand in 6 weeks, tonight.  Small pleasures...

AHHHH! Quiet.

On a separate note, MBD, SIL and MG decided to come visit for the Easter Vigil.  While we'd like to see them more often (a lot more often), one of the hidden advantages of monthly visits is it's a lot more apparent how much and how fast MG is developing.

MG rockin' some High Fashion!

Not quite 6 months, she's pretty much able to sit upright.  They've got that form fitted chair (above) that provides back and side support if needed, but she's pretty much mastered it.  She's also able to stand as long as they provide a little lateral support.  She's getting the leg strength, just working on the balance part now.

She's teething. 
The carrot is gel filled, so squishable and, when cooled in the fridge, comfortable to gnaw on.

She's also much more interactive.  If you talk to her, she "answers" back.  It's just babble of course, but it's progress.  

Yeah, I like being a granddad.

New Granddad skill learned.  Feeding MG and taking a picture simultaneously.  Whoop!

 

On another note, we've officially begun her "How to be a Texan" training.  Took her to lunch at our favorite BBQ Joint.

She didn't seem interested in the Brisket or Sausage but, she did enjoy a pickle.  Didn't eat it, more like licked it.  Girl's got potential!

Another bit of progress was made this past week.  As many know, SIL is working on a Doctor of Divinity degree.  He's still got a semester or two left, but got hired by a local church in CStat as a junior Pastor.  So, having run it by the naming committee, (OK, me) his Nom du Plume has been changed to "Pastor Bob". 

So it is written, So it shall be!

On a tertiary front, progress on the Pen Making skill set continues.  Still learning quite a few lessons.  The key one from the latest project is how to remove a pen blank from a pen mandrel that it's been superglued to.  Actually, the key lesson is check to make sure there are no gaps between the bushings and the blanks. The next one is how to fix it if you screw the key one up. Apparently, superglue while quick drying, is still a liquid and therefore flows towards the lowest point.  If that point is the juncture of the mandrel and the hole drilled through the pen blank for the pen mechanism...well...things get a little sticky. Duh!

This is early in the turning, but if you look at the right center bushing, you can see the small gap causing the issue.  Hindsight=20/20 right?

Fortunately, as with all things woodworking, YouTube is your friend and there's no woodworking related mistake that hasn't been made several times before by better skilled people than I.  So, I learned the fix is take the mandrel off the lathe, turn it so the pen blank is pointed towards your workbench,  Grab the mandrel with a pair of pliers butted up against the glued blank. Take a small hammer, (frustration level demanding a sledge hammer should be kept under control) and tap the edge of the pliers until the glue breaks free.  

Carefully clean all glue remnants off the mandrel (only if you intend to ever use it again).  In the future, spray the mandrel with WD-40 prior to putting the pen blanks on.

See how easy it is?

That having been said, the pen I was making was both a Birthday Present and a Congratulations present for Pastor Bob.  That works because the wood used for the pen was Olive Wood (Olive Branch = Peace offering) and was harvested in Bethlehem (not Pennsylvania, THE Bethlehem).  I thought that would be an apt gift as that's where someone else started His Pastoral journey.

As mentioned earlier, I'm writing this on Saturday as Easter Sunday we've been invited to visit Pastor Bob's extended family gathering in Austin.  Just a little out and back, but should be fun.

(Update 2: Proven once again, the saying "No plan survives first contact with the enemy" is still valid. MBD, Friday Evening, developed a Fever and was feeling pretty rotten even Sunday morning.  Since she'd been fine prior to Friday while she was here, we figured it might be a slow gestation flu  and we may be coming down with it also  We feel fine now, but....  Since one of Pastor Bob's Sister in Law is very pregnant (due date in a couple of weeks) we all decided not to risk it.  Would have been fun, maybe next year.)

In any case, Happy Easter to all.  Peace out!

*SJC

 

Guest Post - Ukraine: Update from Poland

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky visits positions of armed forces near the
frontline with Russian-backed separatists in Donbass region, Ukraine, on April 9, 2021.
(Source)

The following update on the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022 comes from our friend in Poland, Paweł Kasperek. Take it away, Paweł ...

Today it is 2 weeks into the war and a lot of things happened ...

First things first, Russian advance (with few exceptions in the south) got bogged down in spectacular fashion. It failed to be a thunder run in the Iraq 2003 style - hell it even failed to emulate German Poland 1939 campaign. For lack of better comparison, it reminds me of the WW1 or Russo-Japanese war - a slugfest where Russians are trying to crush enemy with pure numbers and fail at that too.  One of the aspects that seems to be highlighted is the extent of corruption where everything from food supply reports to training was falsified and/or embezzled by very officers of the armed forces. It seems Russia started to requisition civilian vehicles to carry out logistics... Which will feed into civilian discontent at home probably too. (More on that aspect later)

The monstrous traffic jam north of Kiev is still in place, and with every passing day is less of Ardennes traffic jam of 1940 and more of Winter War motti¹ in the making.

Everything that could go wrong for Russia, has gone so. Logistics, morale, they even failed to make total air superiority despite huge advantages in the air. Especially helicopter losses on the Russian side seem to be huge, with few dozens at least downed, mostly by ubiquitous MANPADS², some of them Stingers, some older ex-WARPAC Strelas (Even Germany scrounged up 3500 of them from old NVA³ stores!) and quite many Polish Pioruns which were major modernisation of Soviet Strela follow up, Igla. Russian habit of launching "Apocalypse Now" style air assault on enemy airfields did not help.

Talk about getting faceful of missile!

Either Stinger or Piorun, launched fully from frontal angle into Mi-24 and killing it instantly. (Some sources told me that it had to be Piorun since Stinger has safeties that won't let it engage below certain height - but as anything told on the net, take with grain of salt). About the only front where maneuver warfare went relatively well was assault from Crimea towards Odessa, with Cherson already taken and Mikolaiv under assault.

For 2 weeks of combat, Russia has taken maybe 10 percent of Ukrainian territory, and the hold is tenuous as they lack numbers to control the countryside. They have expended around 600 missiles, ballistic and cruise, and seem to turn to indiscriminate artillery and MLRS barrages against cities since they ran out of pre-planned military targets.

Moscow claims 500 KIA, Ukrainians over 11k, my estimate is 2-3k at least which is anyway big number for 2 weeks of operations where only 150k or so troops are involved, and attrition must be even more severe at tip of the spear infantry and tank units.

Speaking of tanks, 2022 Championship in Javelin goes to Ukraine ...

Already over million people from Ukraine fled into Poland, lesser numbers to Moldova and Romania, and unsurprisingly very few into Russia. Almost no one went into Belarus :P

There is great outburst of human help from people around me, welcoming refugees, gathering food and other necessities, even in my own workplace, local supermarket.

Some of my friends from tabletop wargames club are volunteering at Red Cross.

The global sanction regime seems to gather steam, though the most serious one, to decouple from Russian gas, oil and coal will take some time to implement. Still kudos to my government which regardless of party in charge for few years already built up LNG terminal (not far from where I live) and pipeline from Norway is scheduled to start operating this year, leaving us totally independent from Russia. 

If I can ask, send letters to your congressmen/women. Get rid of any red tape to oil and gas drilling, and make export facilities to Europe. Save friend in need and make a good $$, best of 2 worlds. Even Biden has committed to stopping imports of oil which will force him to ease up on local drilling.

There are some ill-advised pushes for no-fly zone, but I am with Salamander - and many other vets - on this one this would be highway to World War.

There has been talk of giving Ukrainians ex-soviet jets still in NATO inventories, Poland after some hesitation offered to transfer 28 Mig-29s to Ramstein for refit (removal of NATO IFF and comms?) and repainting, but US side seems to get cold feet after all.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian planes, and especially drones still roam the skies and occasionally down Russian plane, or bomb a column that was short on AD⁴.

What is interesting to me is how Russians themselves will react to stream of soldiers not answering calls anymore (it seems there will be no coffins returning because mobile crematoria were supplied ...) - and not getting anymore from cornucopia of global western market of the internet, fast food, utilities, or - horrible thought - returning to Soviet times food rationing.

Putin seems to double up on repression instituting penalties like up to 15 years of prison for even calling this war a war, not "military operation". Already few thousand of people were arrested for protests and this will get only stronger the more soldiers die, the more sanctions bite and the more people realise the truth is different from TV screens of propaganda machine.

Some more mobile Russians rush for exit - via Finland for example, no doubt realising they soon can get conscripted or mobilised into the meatgrinder. I wonder how this aspect will develop ...

The worst thing is, Putin has burned every off-ramp for himself. Now he is committed to total victory, regime change and all, but doesn't seem to capable of achieving it unless going total Stalin, and even then he gets huge insurgency and North Korea level isolation. And if he loses ... Remember fate of the last Romanoff?

¹ Encirclement (Finnish)

² MAn Portable Air Defense System, MANPADS

³  NVA = Nationale Volksarmee (East German National People's Army)

⁴ Air Defense

Guest Post - Ukraine: The View from Poland

Sunflowers at Museum of Folk Architecture and Ethnography in Pyrohiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
(Source)

The following comes from our friend in Poland, Paweł Kasperek. Go easy on him, for English is not his first language. He speaks from the heart and he's closer to this than all of us. Take it away, Paweł ...

A quick summary of the first few days of Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022.

“Yet across the gulf of space (...), intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.”

― H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds 

I never imagined I would be writing those words. As I write, I fervently hope this doesn't escalate into World War 3...

Where did this all start? With Vladimir Putin realising Ukraine is not gonna fall over from occupation of just parts of its territory? With Putin's rise to power in Moscow itself? In my humble opinion, it started in 1989 as Berlin Wall fell and young KGB officer in Dresden watched as his world collapsed around him.

It is now third time I see the world literally change trajectory in my life. First was 1989 "Fall of the Nations" as one after another Soviet satellites broke chains and went for new life of freedom and democracy - and prosperity. Second was 9-11 when USA - triggered by righteous anger at barbaric attack on its civilians - embarked on futile quest to change the Middle East into secular democracy. In the process, watch on European defence grew weaker and weaker, as brigade after brigade got removed, and politicians in the West were all too happy talking about "out of area" while perceiving internal political feuds as more important than threat slowly but surely gathering in the East. President after US president seeked "reset" or "cooperation" with about the only US politician clearly seeing Putin was McCain: When I see into his eyes, I see three letter: KGB. Alas, paths not taken... 

Meanwhile Putin busied himself rebuilding his Empire, on dual track of reforming and modernising armed forces, which are to large degree voluntary professionals now -  and of forming economic-political web of influence into Europe, and to a degree even into US. Every new pipeline, every lucrative investment in Russia, every politician retiring to Russian firm board of executives made us more entangled in this web. His propagandists, especially online under guise of "concerned commenters" have fueled flames of political debate, supporting most radical, aggressive voices on left and right alike, turning already difficult path to consensus almost impossible.

He went about recollecting Soviet republics - now independent - into de-facto protectorates needing to heed every command from Moscow.  Belarus was easiest to coopt, with local strongman painting himself into corner with increasingly blatant and brutal oppression of own society, making him dependent on Putin's support. Kazakhstan was seized when local protests gave occasion to intervene on behalf of threatened government. Ukraine slipped away twice from his grasp, first when 2004 revolution forced democratic elections, and later when Putin's satrap Yanukovych was forced to flee by angry nation. Putin elected early on the path of bringing Ukraine back into his colonial fold with capture of Crimea and Donbas, but was unable to trigger general collapse. Instead, those first conquests hardened Ukrainian patriotism and gave their armed forces badly needed combat experience.

Eventually at some point Putin has committed the cardinal sin of the drug dealer - he started smoking own propaganda stuff... And he believed Ukraine is really house of cards that will collapse when kicked with airborne troops boot. And West will do nothing.

I believe situation in the Kremlin is not dissimilar now to 3rd September 1939 in Berlin, when exasperated Hitler fumed at his sycophants: WAS NUN? What now? - after hearing UK and France kept their word and declared war. As I speak Russian banks are ejected from SWIFT system, and even Germany started sending Stingers and ATGMs to Ukraine.  Some of those missiles sent earlier by US and Poland possibly brought down helicopters assaulting airport near Kiev, and - if reports are true - 2 to 4 of paratroopers-packed Il-76s.

If Ukrainians reports are correct, and I think considering scale and intensity of fight, they are,  Russia suffered heaviest losses since the WW2, counted in thousands in mere days, overshadowing losses in Chechnya and even Afghanistan which accounted for 10k soviet troops, but over span of 10 years.

I don't know how long Kiev will hold out - maybe a month as Warsaw did in 1939 - but even when it falls Putin will have to contend with nation half the size of his own, supplied from safe havens in neighbouring NATO and fighting guerilla war with fervour borne of anger at being invaded for reason no more than wanting to elect own leaders and to join European club of free trade and prosperity.

Only thing I fear now is Putin will decide to up the ante even more and go for war with NATO as well. We have seen how detached from reality he is in his decision-making. He wants not only Baltics back, Poland and half Germany as well. He of course would fail  -he can't even deal with Ukraine for now - but that would probably led to him using nukes in last attempt to scare world into submission...

Good news is that unlike dictators in 1939, he faces a society much more autonomous and proactive. The very fact he had to arrest over thousand people in Moscow and Petersburg, for protesting the war, gives us hope. As the scale of carnage filters back into the society, the protests might grow strong enough to force the outcome Putin fears the most: his own deposition. As one wise man said, Russians love their children too... 

Pray for Ukraine