April 5, 2026

 Easter Sunday. Left a little before 10:30. Blacksmith. Mostly cloudy skies, with many layers and shades of white and gray, and space for some blue, more so as time went on. Fairly stiff winds out of the northwest made it on the chilly side. Overvecht and Klopdijk to Gageldijk, Herenweg, and Maarssen. People out, but not the usual Sunday groups. Maarssen ARK bridge, then left to Zuylensebrug. Toward Oud Zuilen, but back to the Straatweg, to the Deka brug with its inadequate way up. Empty ARK as seen from the top. Lage Weide deserted, first going north, then south toward the Gele Brug. Past the coffee corner a little bit along the Merwedekanaal, and into Oog in Al. Daphne Schippersbrug, then left toward the De Meernbrug. A bit of ARK to, under, and up the Prins Clausbrug and the alienation of Papendorp. Jutphasebrug into Laagraven and the headwind up the Nieuwegeinsebrug. Plofsluis was the tenth crossing. Home by way of Wayen, Lunetten station, and Singel. In the news more reports of Ukraine hitting Russian oil refinery and shipment installations. This should make Moscow's ability to wage war more difficult while also complicating economic conditions in the country at large. How, or if, this will also cause the regime to give up on at least some of its war aims, is much less certain, but it certainly can't hurt. Same with political turmoil--in the country (not so likely) or in power circles (perhaps more realistic). It can't be ruled out that if this keeps up, eventually the battlefield will be affected also, as in no more Russian advances, and perhaps retreats here and there. The current leader may never yield at the negotiating table or anywhere else; but if others get the feeling he's taking the whole ship down with him, it could be time for a forced retirement, a new leadership and, presumably, a way out of this horror.