I'm an idiot but it is ok

My friend's mom was in town for her birthday and I suggested we have brunch so I could meet her mom and celebrate the birthday. I sent her emails asking when we were getting together and she didn't respond BUT she sent me a text asking when we were getting together AND I DIDN'T SEE IT - EVEN THOUGH I LOOKED FOR IT. Space cadet.

After we realized what happened this morning I asked, assuming the answer was no, if there was still time before her flight to get together. I was wrong, we got together, We had a lovely meal. I went to the waitress and said I'd like to surreptitiously pay the bill because it was her birthday. She offered a birthday treat and a sombrero. I envisioned a tiny sombrero on the treat but no, they brought this huge silly thing, they sang happy birthday, she was both emotionally thrilled and totally embarrassed and her mom was overjoyed to see her daughter being treated to a fun surprise. SO GLAD I didn't completely mess things up. 

The day was beautiful. All the trees and flowers are blooming and a lot of the ground cover is too. I went to the nursery and bought some replacement plants and some soil.  New plants are growing in my garden and I look forward to seeing what they are. 

People have been speculating on Putin's health or a year now. He arrived in Crimea today, limping. 

There are 22 "sister cities" - relationships between US cities and Ukrainian ones. The US cities are providing material support to their counterparts. One is between Baltimore and Odessa. A local Baltimore Jewish org raised $2 million to purchase sleeping bags, blankets, food, generators, fuel, and charging stations for Odesa. The group also sent armored ambulances from Israel, evacuated residents at home for at-risk Jewish children, and funded collective housing and a camp experience for Jewish kids. 


The Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership raised more than $500,000 to purchase medication for a child with a rare genetic disease, an SUV to help relocate residents from damaged areas, generators for local hospitals, and gifts for 750 children. 


Sister city committees are helping to resettle refugees in the US.