Birthday's Still Come Even In War

Our news: Saturday, March 26, 2022, Kyiv, day 31

Deja Vu

So the main personal holiday of the year has come - Birthday. How good that it has come and there is an opportunity to celebrate it, even in a narrow circle. I recall the first such option for birthday isolation - the 2020 lockdown. Then the only guest at my table was Roxy. Then I also celebrated this day virtually, but the optimism of the virtual guests was at a higher level. In the eyes of friends there was anxiety, but not despair and fear.

This year I was supported by my new friends from the Cockatoo Lovers group and other, who filled this day with a really strong energy of optimism, which my Ukrainian friends and acquaintances practically do not have.

The marathon of congratulations began with such a distant and dear Australia, where March 26 came before anyone else. And it was from this country that the first gift came - I was given a new Australian visa. For record short lines - 45 minutes after sending the application. So as an intro to my today's post, I have an Australian cockatoo in front of my favorite bridge in Sydney Harbor. It seems to me that it is here that cockatoos look especially harmonious.

Once again, thank you all for your congratulations and support. You gave me wings and I can escape from hell. Thank you all! It is your collective support that creates real miracles.

On Roxy's condition: Our princess is happy. She is no longer disturbed by the sounds of shelling. During the walk (there were three of them yesterday) Roxy was calm and busy with cardboard boxes. I wanted to shoot a congratulatory video yesterday, but this lady did not allow me and snatched my phone away.

About my condition: Everything is fine and I am recovering quickly amid good news. I was a same upset yesterday, and I created these emotions myself. While the cake layers were baking, I turned on Paul Verhoeven's classic WW2 movie “The Orange Soldier” (1977). This movie is based on an autobiographical story and tells about the fate of a group of friends who lived in Nazi-occupied Holland. It was in this movie that I first saw the Moluccan cockatoo. I also have several friends who are experiencing this horror. Yesterday one of them died while trying to leave the city.

About the situation in Kyiv: Shelling has already become commonplace, but yesterday very strong explosions were heard. In addition, Russian troops began to intensively shell not only Kyiv, but also the conditionally safe Lviv. Yesterday I learned about the death and injury of several of my friends. War knocks on every door.

Another zoo burned down near Kyiv, just a few kilometers from my country house. A lot of birds died, incl. ostriches, peacocks and even parrots. They just couldn't get it out.

About the cake:

the cake that I recited yesterday is called ”Esterhazy”. It is one of the classic Austro-Hungarian cakes and is popular in Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, much like the Zacher cake. I will be able to share my grandmother's recipe in the coming days, as I need to do typing and translation of the text. The recipe was handwritten in a notebook. Sorry.

Sending love and joy to everyone! XoXo