August 19, 2026

Thursday (and KU arrival day, 1988). Left at 9:51. Nikor, because a chance of a shower. Mostly cloudy, many different, still mostly white clouds everywhere, also room for the sun. Moderate winds out of the west. Damp pavement here and there, but otherwise dry. Gele brug to 't Zand and Alendorp, Rivierpad. Suburbs still looking dry, in spite of the recent showers. Breudijk to Gerverscop, where it was green and quiet. Rodendijk and Wagendijk. The views. Alongside the latter also a newly erupted stretch of poppies and other wildflowers. Schutterskade, then left toward Zuideinde. There, Eendracht sighting (Onno). The views north from the Groote Heicop; cows down below in the land behind the canal. Breukelen and Gunterstein, then Scheendijk and Strook. All fairly quiet as more gray clouds appeared in the west. Bethuneweg, Herenweg, Oud Zuilen, and Møs. AD with two stories on Ukraine. The arrest of a second suspect in the 2022 Nordstream explosion. Germany is prosecuting, while continuing its support for Kyiv. Also a report on a new corruption case (and dismissal) close to the Ukrainian president, this when the open challenge to the president by the former defense minister (his call for elections) still resonates. And, in other news, last night the bigger Russian attack on Kyiv we could have seen coming. Ukraine has hit another Russian oil depot and refinery, Russia is now importing fuel, and reportedly Russians are withdrawing their money from the banks, in fears of government confiscation. Domestically on both sides, things are deteriorating, and meanwhile Rumania has had to strike and destroy a marine drone armed with explosives which was headed for one of its oil fields, currently under construction. And Moscow has warned London of unspecified consequences for Ukraine's use of one of its drones. Every month, NATO countries are pulled in a little further, without much awareness of this among the public. Since Ukraine's needs are only growing, and both sides are escalating, it is high time that European leaders go beyond the EU Commission president's warnings to Russia about its escalation; it is high time that the public gets told directly that there's a war going on and we're in it. Two drivers ignored the do-not-enter sign during the half hour at Møs (one more as I rolled home), and during that time the first shower also arrived.