Like everyone else I’m finding the current horrors hard to deal with - of course it’s nothing compared to the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Today the wild plum blossom has really burst out and I wondered about blipping such a hopeful sign; in some ways it feels disrespectful but also we have to find coping mechanisms even from the far off safety of the UK.

I’ve been discussing the war (yes Putin, it’s a WAR) with my elderly mum who was a child during WW11 and a young mum during the Cuban missile crisis. She’s very edgy at the memories it’s triggered. We’ve agreed to limit our individual exposure to the news for the sake of staying sane. I may or may not manage to keep to that pledge…

Today’s news of a nuclear near miss and the banning of all dissent and truth in Russia is very frightening. I feel for Russians too, not knowing the truth, taking huge risks to complain and having their sons fight in a pointless conflict. Despite all of that it’s humbling to see and hear of the incredible solidarity across Europe - the sight of Berliners meeting refugees at the airport and railway station to offer unconditional safety is what we really are as fellow Europeans.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60611188.amp

Has it really only been 9 days since the world was upended?