Today’s story comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.
Strangers are Leaving Strollers, Diapers, and Toys at the Border for Ukrainian Refugee Moms
Photo courtesy of GMA
An image recently shared around social media of empty strollers on a Polish rail border crossing has inspired a mountain of donations for Ukrainian refugees.
Now at Przemyśl Station, women, children, and infants fleeing the war are being greeted by mountains of clothes, stuffed animals, strollers, diapers, and more after they step off the train.
ABC reports that the number of spare carriers and strollers from Polish mothers have been particularly inspiring, with many donators leaving handwritten notes behind, with words of support.
“We see on the television and hear on the radio what happened, and we say ‘okay, we can help,’” one Polish mother and volunteer told ABC.
The effort has become more organized over the weeks, which CNN details has spread like wildfire, mostly by word of mouth. The Medyka border crossing from Ukraine involves taking a train to Przemyśl Station, which has become the center of the relief effort.
The rooms of the train station are now being transformed from waiting rooms into warehouses for food, diapers, and clothes.
Beyond the station, people from across Europe have been seen waiting in cars offering to drive incoming refugees to wherever they have relations or a place to stay.
here is the Good Morning America video with the story.
Today’s JohnKu talks about overshadowing evil actions with good works. I hope you have a super weekend.
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”
“Beats me, Trevor. Normally it’s a matter of opening the can and plopping the stuff into the bowl.”
“I don’t think trying to do something special is the case.”
“No, that would be on a birthday. We are not having any birthdays.”
“Maybe the can opener is busted.”
“Please don’t say that. Knowing these two, if that were the case, we would all starve.”
“I can’t think of another reason.”
“We should offer to help.”
“Yeah, how’s that going to work? A couple of barks, and we’ll find ourselves outside.”
“I guess you’re right. Plus, I don’t know a thing about can openers.”
“Me either. Did you notice one thing?”
“What?”
“There is only one bowl.”
“Whoa. You’re right. Where’s the other one?”
“You and I have been sitting here the whole time. Did you see another bowl?”
“No. Now I’m really worried.”
“What does a missing bowl mean?”
“That we have to eat out of the same one.”
“Ew. I can’t do that.”
“That makes two of us.”
“So if one is missing, that means one of us doesn’t get fed.”
“Hey, wait a minute. That better not be me.”
“Oh yeah, what if it is you?”
“I’ll just have to relieve you of yours.”
“You and what army, punk?”
“Who you calling a punk, you overfed hound.”
“Calling me fat? You take that back.”
“Not in a hundred years.”
“Well, here we are, children. Sorry about the delay, but I wanted to make sure the bowls were given a nice shine today. So let’s all go outside and have a lovely dinner. Shall we?”
This list was published on March 23, 2015, as helpful suggestions if a trip there is planned for spring break. Since this is the last week of spring break, I thought it might come in handy.
* * *
Top Ten Things Not to Do if You are Going to Disneyland or Disney World
10 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not tell the kids until you are there. If you do, at best, you will get there after what seems like an eternity. At worst, your fight has a detour to Fargo, North Dakota, because of the weather, and the snow will melt in ten days. (The kids will ask every three minutes when you are leaving. That’s only 4,800 asks.)
9 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not try to navigate the park without a guide-book. If you do, at best, a three-day visit will seem like three years of waiting. At worst, you and all the other uninformed visitors will be arriving at the same rides simultaneously only to all decide to go to a different ride at the same time and so on until you realize you haven’t ridden one ride in eight hours. (You sure have made a lot of friends, though)
8 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not think the weather will be the same in the afternoon as it is in the morning. If you do, at best, there will be a little rain you didn’t expect. At worse, you may get caught in a monsoon-like downpour or a North Pole-like cold snap, which will also be the perfect growing conduit for the flu virus you picked up on the airplane. ( No gin does not kill the flu virus.)
7 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not let your kids talk you into allowing a friend to come along. If you do, at best, they will all get along and only cost an additional five hundred dollars. At worst, after the first day, the friend is no longer speaking to your kids and insists they want to go home. ( They informed their parents you are holding them against their will. The state police and FBI are very understanding on these kinds of situations)
6 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not think the breakfast with the characters is going to be anything but a trial. If you do, at best, you will be dismayed at the lack of non-screaming picture-taking opportunities. At worst, your child will be the one who is afraid of a giant Mickey Mouse and makes a scene that is so traumatic you hear people talking about the reaction for three days. (Luckily, your child looks completely different when not screaming bloody murder)
5 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not think the cost of eating in the park will be reasonable. If you do, at best, you will discover the three meals you are used to will need to be trimmed to one and a half. At worst, you will have dinner the first night you are there and then will spend your time at the front gate with a cardboard sign that reads “Will write for food.” (Sadly, you are accompanied by 100 other parents doing the same thing)
4 If you are going to Walt’s place, do not try to make the actors break out of character. If you do, at best, you will simply be annoying for the kids. At worst, you may encounter a character like Jim Fink, king of the river, who will take great pleasure staying in character with a knuckle sandwich to your nose. (That came fast, didn’t it?)
3 If you are going to Disneyland, do not try to join the main street parade just because it looks all-American and you had one too many pops at dinner. If you do, at best, you will be sleeping in the car tonight. At worst, the parade, unfortunately, came to an abrupt end for you with fingerprinting and a drafty cell.(At least no one died as a result of your prank.)
2 If you go to Walt’s place, you cannot think the rides are for adults only. If you do, at best, your children will think you don’t know how to share. At worst, you will need to have a time out while your partner explains the purpose of going to Disneyland in the first place. (Of course, the session is in full view of the park visitors)
1 If you are going to Walt’s place do not forget the idea is to have fun. If you do, at best your family will have less of a good time. At worst, you will find your family has made up a little game of hide and seek, and you are it. After you count to one hundred, they have all disappeared, and the next time you talk to them is at the hotel through a locked door. (Fooled you they did.)
I’m also at Story Empire today talking about dialogue and gestures. Here’s the link if you would like to visit
Today we are going to hunt down signs of spring. Since this is the first day of spring, there must be signs, so we will find them. We are being catered by the Cherrywood Coffee House in Austin to fuel our adventure. Our entertainment is The Loving Spoonful.
Menu
BENEDICT
poached eggs nestled on a toasted English muffin topped with homemade Hollandaise with choice of spinach and tomato or ham, plus one side dish
SHRIMP & GRITS
shrimp sauteed in white wine, pico de Gallo, and applewood smoked bacon
BISCUITS & GRAVY
homemade buttermilk biscuits smothered in creamy pepper gravy and sausage
add two eggs any style
STEEL-CUT OATMEAL (V)
served with raisins, walnuts, and brown sugar
add two eggs any style
HUEVOS RANCHEROS (V)
two over-easy eggs, black beans, salsa, cheese, and cilantro served on freshly fried tortillas
AMERICAN BREAKFAST
two eggs any style, hash browns, choice of toast or English muffin, and choice of bacon, sausage, or grilled ham steak
BREAKFAST QUESADILLAS
monster tortilla stuffed with bacon, egg, and cheese served with salsa and pico salad
TEXAS CHEESESTEAK SCRAMBLE
egg scramble with thinly sliced steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos, and American Swiss cheese. Served with hash browns on the side
VEGAN SCRAMBLE (VE)
soft tofu scramble, mushrooms, topped with avocado and served with hash browns (no butter)
CLASSIC BREAKFAST SANDWICH
eggs and cheese topped with one choice of avocado, bacon, sausage, or grilled ham
served on a wheat bun, white bun, or multigrain bread
BREAKFAST BLT SANDWICH
bacon, bibb lettuce, tomato, avocado, over medium egg, swiss cheese, light mayo on rye bread
Anything you want to drink.
There’s the bus. Let’s go.
The first stop is the garden shop. Can’t spend a lot of time here, though. Impatiens anyone?
Next are the famous Texas bluebonnets. These are the first I’ve seen.
Good ole redbuds are in bloom.
The mountain laurels and popping out.
The verbena is making itself known.
The Carolina jasmine is just starting.
A spicebush swallowtail butterfly takes off from the hibiscus.
The strawberry plant is in bloom.
The roses are budding.
Talk about hibiscus? They are going crazy.
And finally, The Producer’s herb garden. (with tomato)
I hope you enjoyed the hunt for spring. I think we found signs that it is here in central Texas. I hope it is arriving in your neck of the woods too. Have a great week. Have some food and enjoy the music.
Walking toward the coffee maker in the kitchen, a flash out of the corner of my eye caused me to look out the window into the backyard. Sure enough, something had fallen onto the turf. Not wanting to hallucinate, the decision is made to get coffee and then investigate the object.
The machine did its thing, and after several sips of the frothy caffeine-laden liquid, it was time to venture to what should be an astounding discovery. Reaching for the rear doorknob, a text message on my phone caused a momentary distraction. It was a text from the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. They offer to comp a room for five nights provided; I bring bags of money to “invest.”
Setting the text aside in my mind, the problem of what landed in the yard had to be addressed. Being cautious out of fear of three-dimensional cartoon characters, the approach to the object could only be described as serpentine. Finally reaching what appears to be a pile of fabric, it occurs that this cannot be connected to cartoons and looks like a banner towed behind an airplane. Unrolling the banner took some energy and space. It was a huge message from Linda Hill. (of course) When finally unrolled, it said. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “comp.” Find a word that starts with or contains “comp” and use it in your post. Enjoy!
From March 2nd to March 3rd, people from around the world booked 61,000 nights in Ukrainian cities via Airbnb, likely not one ever planning to check-in, or reschedule.
It’s part of a creative social media campaign to channel funds into besieged cities where something like aid drops or supply trucks can’t reach, and it has seen $1.9 million raised for Ukrainians in just those 48 hours.
In the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Volodymyr Bondarenko had 10 people book into his room in a single day. “This was surprising, it’s very supportive at the moment,” 36-year-old Bondarenko told CNN early Friday. “I told many of my relatives and friends that I plan to use this money to help our people who need it at this time.”
Airbnb has said it is offering temporary housing in neighboring countries to up to 100,000 Ukrainians who are fleeing. It’s also waiving guest and host fees in the country to support individuals donating.
“We are so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our community during this moment of crisis,” said Haven Thorn, a company spokesperson. He asked those willing to help by hosting Ukrainians or donating to their efforts to visit Airbnb’s website to find additional ways to support or information.
One way anyone can help is by opening their home to Ukrainian refugees as an Airbnb host, for which the company will cover you with Aircover, a one million dollar hosting insurance policy. Airbnb also partners with non-profits and charities to help contribute to the guests’ basic needs.
The hospitality service isn’t the only community-based service that is helping out. Etsy has decided to cancel the current balances owed to Etsy by all sellers in Ukraine, which includes listing fees, transaction fees, advertising fees, and more—a roughly $4 million relief package.
The good news here is people and businesses are working together to help those being brutalized by Putin and his army. Today’s JohnKu talks about the best sides of humankind. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”
I no longer live in an area with a homeowners association. This post was published on March 9th, 2015, when I did. If you live in an HOA, maybe there is a helpful tip or two.
Top Ten Things Not to do While Attending a Home Owners Association Annual Meeting
10 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not challenge everyone who disagrees with your point to go outside and settle things. If you do, at best, you will come off as a crackpot. At worst, several bigger neighbors may take you up on your offer. (Leading to a hurried trip to the ER.)
9 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not tell a long-winded speaker to sit down and shut up. If you do, at best, you will appear to be a bully. At worst, the speaker may be a black belt Karate champ who will show you how he breaks cement blocks using only a head. (Yours)
8 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not ask questions just to show how smart you are about the covenants. If you do, at best, your neighbors will make a note to avoid you at all costs. At worse, you may be appointed as the rule cop for the neighborhood that will endear you to everyone to whom you point out errors (not to mention the joy of egg on your windows)
7 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not try to convince everyone your idea is the next best thing to whipped bread. If you do, at best, you will delay the meeting while contributing to the boredom. At worst, someone in the crowd will yell at you to shut up and sit down, which will expose them to the remedies in item nine. (They will be waiting outside to settle the deal.)
6 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not bring your Italian sub sandwich to eat during the meeting. If you do, at best, everyone will move away from you. At worst, the biggest guy in the room will invite you to join the sandwich. (It is now in the garbage can outside.)
5 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not get up and ask for donations for your book’s marketing fund. If you do, at best, your neighbors will think you have lost your mind. At worst, they will discover you are an author and warn their family members to stay away from you. ( Especially if they see you carrying books.)
4 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not bring the kids. If you do,, at best, you will be distracted and lose sight of what is being voted. At worst,, your kids will see a bunch of new people and ask some potentially embarrassing questions like, “why is that man wearing hair on his head that doesn’t fit?” (True but embarrassing none the less.)
3 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not try to pretend you haven’t forgotten a few names. If you do, at best, your charade will be transparent, and some will believe you to be an idiot. At worst, you will run out of introductory statements like “Hi there” and be forced to admit you’ve forgotten the name of your next-door neighbor. (He is the man who was kind enough to run out in the rain to help you catch your dog.)
2 If you are attending an HOA meeting, do not be the first to “second” every motion. If you do, at best,, your neighbors will think you have no friends. At worst, you may be seconding things that will cause frictions among the neighbors, and you will be seen as in favor no matter that you didn’t even hear the motion. (Don’t try to stamp out that burning brown bag on your front porch.)
1 If you are attending an HOA meeting and the President is reading the agenda, do not sigh and mumble, “Another long boring meeting.” If you do, at best, you are quickly losing a friend in the President. At worst, your outspoken comment may be shared by others, but because you said it, you will be the one who the neighbors will talk about tomorrow. (They’ll begin with the words, “Can you believe how rude he was to his wife?”)
