February 15, 2026

 Sunday. Left a little after ten. Blacksmith. Sunny and cold; wind chills well below freezing. Moderate winds out of the southeast. Berenkuil and east, toward Zeist, seeking shelter from the wind. Sunday morning traffic through Zeist, Driebergen, and Doorn. One estate after another. Ruiterberg very quiet, Hoogstraat equally so. Some other riders. The woods barren and cold. Straight at the bottom of the hill. Darthuizerweg to Langbroekerweg. Then, it soon became clear, east instead of west on Gooijerdijk. Amerongerwetering--cars--to Langbroekerdijk--more peaceful. Over-Langbroek as it's supposed to be--nothing ugly. Steenen Brug, Langbroek, and beyond in balance too. Tailwind, light traffic, all of nature asleep, save for some swans in the fields, and a lone white heron. Odijk to Bunnik and straight to Koningslaan, Laan van Maarschalkerweerd, and the city. News of new Ukrainian attacks on Russian port facilities on the Black Sea. Long may they burn. And the address by the Archivist of the United States in Munich. We are still allies, perhaps even family, and that's not incorrect. It's certainly much better than sanctimonious hectoring, but the man he works for is not trustworthy, and that man is in charge. The Ukrainian president also spoke, and he made the crucial point: Washington is asking Ukraine to make most of the concessions, and not only does it fail to ask Russia to give in, it also fails to put any meaningful pressure on Moscow.