Columbine

I have blue versions of this wildflower but my in-laws have red ones and white ones too. 

I got to hear all three bullfrogs today and one had such a deep voice it was like a caricature. 

Tomorrow I fly to Pretoria. 

The second and third day Samuel could get on this high bed by himself, which astounded me. Fourth day on he’s needed help. He fell off the bed tonight which scared the crap out of me but he didn’t really seem to mind. I had him up and back on the bed in seconds. His focus seemed entirely on the treat he was getting. 

Mothers and wives of Russian servicemen whose whereabouts are unknown are pissed. They want to know where their men are and they want to know why no one will tell them or help them. Groups involving tens of thousands of missing soldiers' relatives and friends have sprouted up on Russian social media, where they share information. Russia didn’t invade with an expectation of so many losses and it was not prepared. Putin ordered that families of soldiers killed in Ukraine be paid 5 million rubles, the equivalent of $54,600, in addition to previously set compensation of around $26,000 for military personnel killed in battle. Some believe that the army deliberately leaves bodies in Ukraine to avoid this payment. 

Putin stole Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring. He asked to see it, Robert took it off and handed it to him, Putin put it on his finger, and then did not return it when Robert asked for it back. It is on display in the Kremlin Library. Over the weekend Robert was a guest on a Netflix show and he told Putin to give his f-ing ring back. 

Ambassadors from EU member states have agreed to seize profits from frozen Russian assets to finance arms supplies to Kyiv. It was agreed to in principle. If they agree for real on Tuesday then there will be 3 billion euros to spend on arms. The majority of the profits are being held in Belgium. Belgium was insisting on a 25% tax which everyone else objected to. Belgium has finally agreed to waive the tax. Moscow has said using their profits this way would be the "destruction of the legal foundations of European law and international law". The sort of comedy where you don’t laugh.