Bluebirds on the ground. A post by Laura in Romania.

Many of you are friends and followers of Laura through the comments each week.   If you haven't already it would be good to read her original "on the ground report" which is here.    It is best you read this to understand but I will introduce you to her by telling you she lives in Romania and at the end of her street is a bridge.   The other side of the bridge is Ukraine.  So the grain trucks bringing grain out to Europe go right past Laura's bedroom!  

So here is Laura's update which I asked her to do since things have escalated so intensely.

In advance I want to thank Laura because I know to write this report she found it very emotional.  I think as we write things down sometimes that is hard as we see our reality in a different way.  I know that is true for me.  

Over to Laura...

I am living on the border with war and on the edge of democracy

”The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent and the stakes too high – to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future”.  President John F Kennedy 

I have hesitated much about writing this report on the ground from my part of the world, mainly because I was afraid not to write everything on dark colours. Not all is black and, if you ignore the news and people, our spring/summer weeks are just wonderful, filled with flowers, perfumes, mountains and rivers, birds, baby animals, laughs, anniversaries and love – textbook wonderful world! But then I see the reality and the possibility of war and I watch my husband and son talking about cars and, I admit, some days I feel real panic about the future.

Two years on from the start of the war, it is now clear that Russia will not stop in Ukraine just as Russia did not stop ten years ago in Crimea. Russia continues its destabilizing tactics — in Moldova, Georgia, the South Caucasus, the Western Balkans and even further afield on the African continent.  

Russia is a serious military threat to our European continent and to global security. If we do not get the EU’s response right, and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we are next. All over Europe there are talks about war, as you know some governments are warning their people to prepare but the political leadership in my country is focusing only on the election year, and as a consequence, many people ignore/don*t believe/don*t want to accept the news, the danger and the reality around and ahead of us. We must therefore be defence-ready and shift to a “war economy” mode. It is time to take responsibility for our own security as we can no longer count on others or be at the mercy of election cycles.

As Humanity focuses on local and regional conflicts. Russia*s aggression against Ukraine, Israel in Gaza and Iran regionally contaminating the East, China putting enormous pressure on Taiwan and the Philippines, people all around the world is vulnerable. Besides the conflicts, there are record breaking heat conditions, draughts, wild fires and floods, so who knows what the future could bring?

I am living on the border with war and on the edge of democracy. In the mountains of northern Romania, more and more young Ukrainians are risking their lives to escape the new mobilization rules in their country. Every day border guards encounter between 50 and 60 male fugitives. This year twenty-three of these defectors died during the crossing, freezing to death in the mountains or drowning in the Tisza River, which separates the two countries, but still, many of them say "they would rather die here than in battle". So horrible the reality can be! And many of them are just boys in their 20*s, not even proper grown-ups…

How we prepare for what is coming:

If you pay attention to many reliable sources, compare and filter the news, you can understand there would probably be an attack on the infrastructures, and probably next winter will come with heating and electricity problems. And that means also that many people will try to flee from war zones and will pass again through our country. 

Prepping and survival are not foreign skill to us as a family. We have lived with basic survival skills for a very long time during communism, when we have lived without all day electricity, hot running water and modern convenience. And only 2 hours a day of TV broadcast, half of that time was fake news about how good the communists were and how much they have done! 

We know how to, have the tools and can do:

• cook outside on wood or coal; We organized a nice place in the orchard with concrete blocks and bricks, where we can cook with pots or barbecue in any season.

• butcher/preserve/smoke meat as our grandparents and their ancestors did for hundreds of years. My husband repaired his father*s old smoker, as big as a wardrobe, where you make fire at the bottom. The preparation method is a traditional one, the raw meat is kept for around 48 hours in a brine or salt, then in the smokehouse at the temperature of the beech and cherry wood for 7-8 hours. Repeat if needed for several days. This way, any meat / ham / sausage can last about 6 months without refrigerator (Think of Little House on the Prairie). 

• Sew, mend, knit, crochet clothes. As you know, I am a good knitter, self taught crocheter and learn as much as I can how to sew clothes with patterns, I save any clothes and scraps of yarn and fabric, which then I reuse while mending clothes or creating new dresses, blankets or little gifts. I will never be a minimalist, I am afraid…..

• Do repairs, plumbing, taking care of things. If you take care of things they will last more, so it is an investment in the future. My husband is an excellent plumber and driver and he is using both his skills to earn money. 

• Cook meals from scratch and foraging/fishing. I am lucky to have a family that is not fussy or with special health problems, we never have leftovers, we have food !!! All three of us (I have taught my son, too) can cook with what we have, not waste food, have on hands what we like best and create familiar meals that everybody around the table likes. It takes a bit of organisation and thinking ahead. I walk with open eyes and always come back with something to eat, either for us or for the chickens. As a child we always went out foraging for plants, mushrooms or fruits. The berries and fresh nettles in the Spring were my favourites. Better then spinach. My husband*s hobby is fishing and me and my cats love fish, a win-win situation.

 

• The basement/cellar is a very important part of our preparation. It is a sheltering-in-place under the house. It has a good concrete protection on three areas: foundation, walls exposed to the ground, and ceiling, and my husband put inside the cellar a good old manual water pump which brings up fresh spring water. Also, here I have the shelves with preserved jars, full of jams, pickles, compote, cans, different root vegetables in the sand box and the home made grapes red wine. We have electricity and enough space to put up a place to sleep, to store important documents, family treasure and cash for a few days in case of anything happens.

• But still have to remember skills as they are to be learned. We must prepare for war, and I do lists after lists of necessities for home or bug out bags, prepare food and water at home, but evacuate anyway ?? It is emotionally draining.

What is helping me:

I prepared backpacks with food, water, some medicine, documents, pet food and his document, cash and some clothes. Also lists of things to take down in the basement if needed (candles, matches, puzzles, yarn and crochet, pet toy and toilet paper, you know you will forget the exact most desirable thing when you are shacking all over).

I had conversation with my boys to decide what to do in case of emergency, when will be panic and probably no callings available. I made sure everyone knows where to meet up if… I am terrified about having to evacuate or what we will do if russians are having military training near our border.

I am physically fit. I do walks or jogging every week, I know hard times require hard work and, God willing, my health will be good. It is very important to be able to move or do anything if something hits, being war or any other disaster. If you can, work out as much as possible. 

What I am doing financially:

• We very slowly build up an emergency fund, 
• Have more than 50% of our liquid money in foreign currency, and in small bills. 
• Invest money in canned food and necessities because sometimes these worth more than gold and pile up some things to barter or gift. 
• Don't trust government. They won't tell you that there is war coming. Nobody wants country's economy to collapse. So you need to think for yourself and your loved ones.
• We still have to work on the car. Some repairs still needed in order to function properly, then fill it with full gas. And additional gas. We have to add an emergency kit for the car, first aid box, blankets, bug out bags, too. 
• We still have to work on the heating system, to be able to use wood instead of gas. This is what summer is for. 
• We still have to prepare international passports for us and our pet.

I hope and pray war will end. I hope, because Romania is a NATO and EU member, Russia would not be that dumb and directly start a war with the entirety of Europe and the US, but that is almost directly linked to who will win the American elections. I hope the Global Peace Summit hold on 15^th of June in Switzerland will mean something. I pray that our children will be protected.

We all live in the hope of a safer and happier world. And, as Mrs. President said, ”We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future”

With much love and consideration,

Laura_s_world from Romania

Thank you dear Laura.  You are both doing a wonderful job.  I have taken your observations to heart and mind.   I observe many countries moving chess pieces and advising citizens to stock up and instruct them on war times all while, as you say, we are entertained with news of drivel and celebrities and not important things.

I want us to support our sister Laura and I want to avoid political opinions.   We probably all have a view from our own country, of Russia, of Ukraine, of NATO and politicians generally!   This post is not about these things.  It is about.... do you know what time it is?    Looking well to the ways of our households changes from summer to winter,  we have different jobs to do.   We are meant to be watchful and discerning,  wise and industrious.  As there are good times and bad times, peace times and war times,  times even of sickness and health...  we need to be doing all we can towards any of them as nothing stays the same.   

There are people dumb enough to think their country would not be affected by a wider war in Europe or the Middle East for that matter.   I always say I could sell cheap tickets to a nice cruise on the Black Sea and people would buy them.    I hope you will be inspired by Laura's bravery and efforts.  There are many things I picked up from her report.

Thank you so much Laura.  We are praying for your family and we love you! xxxx