October 2, 2026

Friday. Left at 11:56. Blacksmith. Mild, light winds out of the southwest, partly sunny. The endless summer lingers on, as does the drought. A little test loop through the city's back yard: Blauwkapel, Ruigenhoek, Kooijdijk, Westbroek. Cows outside everywhere, grass still being cut, fields being plowed and seeded. Nedereindse vaart, Molenpolder, Tienhoven all very peaceful, as was the Bethunepolder. Scheendijk only to Gunterstein, since the construction signs were still up. Through Breukelen, and Straatweg to Woerdenseweg and Otterspoorbroek. ARK to Maarssen, then Oud Zuilen and Zandpad back into town. A purchased Volkskrant with a two-page spread on whether NATO already can be considered at war with Russia, or whether it's still more appropriate to speak of something like hybrid war. The secretary-general keeps declaring that Russia is testing the alliance, but the Kremlin essentially says that through its support of Ukraine, NATO--at least the Europeans--are in the war. This matters more than many Europeans care to acknowledge. Also in the news that the U.S.--the Pentagon--is excluding some key NATO members from its consultations over the future of the alliance: the UK, France, the Baltic states. It says something--and nothing good--that this administration retains the power to issue invitations for a process such as this one. The alliance, apparently, still depends on the choices of a key member state that in the past two years has become entirely unreliable. In light of this, it would be good if media in Europe meanwhile stopped using the term "war in Ukraine," and instead referred to "the conflict with Russia." Like it or not, we are in it, and push may come to shove well before we're ready.