Tookie saves the day!!!

I had no silly pictures. None. Nada. Zip. Bubkis. It was very sad. Tragic even. When was the last time I posted nothing silly for Saturday? I don't even know. 

Tookie saves the day!!! This is a Christmas tree ornament in honor of my very smart visitors AND a real bulb for the squirrel who keeps coming by and eating something on my deck. Tookie, you are the BEST! 

Samuel had the most awesome day. Samuel and I went on a nice long walk and then saw our neighbor Alan and his dog Max. Samuel INSISTED we go back and accompany them. We walked all the way to Lake Frank and then Samuel chased a frisbee back and forth, racing around, getting pet. One of the women there thought I said he was two years old and believed it. When we came home he climbed on the couch and passed out, sprawled all over. 

The World Bank has established a multi-donor trust fund to help Ukraine. It is called The Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Trust Fund. 

The EU is allocating 100m euros for the rehabilitation of war-damaged schools. The European Commission has allocated ~14 million euros to purchase school buses. They launched an EU-wide campaign to get other school buses donated. 240 buses are now on their way from the EU and its member states.54m euros will do repairs of windows, roofs, doors, sanitation, and heating facilities and provide classroom equipment in classrooms and bomb shelters. 

Germany is giving another 100m euros for the restoration of Ukraine's power system. This is after an earlier contribution of 30m euros to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. 

Yesterday Bulgaria approved the second and final reading of an agreement between Bulgaria and Ukraine on the supply of arms, equipment, and ammunition. 

The head of the Institute for the Study of War had interesting things to say. It is her belief that Russia lacked the ability to fight NATO before and definitely lacks the ability to do so now. When Putin tries to say scary things it isn't because he can deliver, it is because he is trying to divide us. He doesn't have what it takes to beat Ukraine, he has grossly underestimated our willingness to support Ukraine and how important Ukraine is to the defense of the West. She said Putin would not escalate to nuclear weapons, he cannot risk using them unless they are decisive and he hasn't shown "an apocalyptic aim for himself or the Russian state." I know it is weird that reporting that someone says Putin isn't likely to start a nuclear war is good news, but the Institute has had great analysis so far. She also said we should not be talking about Ukrainian intransigence, we should be talking about Putin's intransigence. Either Ukraine wins, or Russia keeps attacking it.