Today is Saturday, March 19, 2022. As of today, Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials. Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance. Heavy shelling and missile attacks, many on civilian buildings, continue in Kyiv, as well as major cities like Kharkiv and Mariupol. Russia also bombed western cities for the first time this week, targeting Lviv and a military base near the Poland border. The smallest victims from this unprovoked war are the more than 100 children who have been killed in the conflict so far. The Russians have launched 1,080 missiles at Ukrainian targets, according to U.S. data. The continuing devastation being inflicted upon his country has sparked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to press Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin negotiations for discussing avenues toward peace in the war-torn country. Zelensky has said, “It is time to meet.”

The bloodshed hasn’t been curtailed here in the United States as word has just gotten out that up to 10 people have been shot outside a car show in Arkansas, state police say. Therefore, Arkansas state troopers are investigating a shooting outside a car show Saturday night in the town of Dumas, officials said.

A spokesperson for the Arkansas State Police indicated that as many as 10 people were wounded by gunfire at the car show. Dumas is about 80 miles southeast of Little Rock, the hometown of fictional character Lorelei Lee who was created by writer Anita Loos and is a prominent character in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the popular movie starring the sex goddess of the 50s, Marilyn Monroe. This is a still-developing story, so there aren’t many details as of yet. What could incite someone to take out a gun and shoot indiscriminately at total strangers at a car show? Today it doesn’t take much to stir someone to commit acts of violence! How regrettable!

Not much happened today other than my driving myself to the Briarwood Cafe to have breakfast by myself since Elliot was still lazing around in bed at the time. This time I decided to have a cup of oatmeal with bananas and old-fashioned French toast. Before leaving the apartment, Elliot asked me to bring back some soup for him, so I ordered the chicken noodle soup to warm his palate.

Later we drove to our adopted “niece”s house to meet her and her mom who drove in from Easton, Pennsylvania, to help her daughter with her move tomorrow to Astoria. We all decided to go to a neighborhood Thai place called BKNY Thai, located on Francis Lewis Boulevard, which is just about five minutes away from “Elizabeth’s” house. I called earlier to make a 6:30 reservation for four people. We left the house at about 6:10 and arrived promptly at 6:30.

The restaurant inside was very spacious, so we were ushered to a back room by a hostess who acknowledged our prior reservation. So we started out with ordering Thai spring rolls for an appetizer, which were very good. Then we all ordered separate entrees. “Sandy,” Elizabeth’s mother, ordered panang curry (red Thai curry that is thick, salty, and sweet, with a zesty makrut lime flavor) that consisted of panang curry, coconut milk, string beans, kaffir lime leaf, chili, and bell peppers. I had the traditional pad Thai with chicken. The dessert we had was extremely mouth watering and delectable: lychee ice cream.

After dinner, we drove both Elizabeth and Sandy back to Elizabeth’s house and we wished Elizabeth good fortune tomorrow with her move. We said we’d call her during the week to see how it went.

Then we drove home and parked on the street. Rain was forecasted for the evening and we were fortunate in escaping getting wet.

Tomorrow is supposed to be dry, so that’s good.

Have a good Sunday.

Stay safe and be well.