"Don't Just Do Something, Stand There" - Is That Our New Motto?

Monday night's dinner, the final portion of my chickpea pasta with seasoned ground beef, lay on my stomach like a brick. I found it hard to get to sleep because I was so uncomfortable. I don't think I'll be repeating that recipe. I don't like feeling like that at the end of the day. Lesson learned. 

I enjoyed the flavor of my chickpea pasta and ground 
beef meal, but last night, it was like I had 
swallowed a brick, lying in my intestines very 
uncomfortably. I think I'll skip a repeat of that meal 
and see what else I can make instead. I'm sure I 
can figure something else out. 

It seems that Mariupol, Ukraine is now 90% bombed out and overtaken by Russian forces. At this point, if those sheltering in the basements and other hiding spots haven't left, they will likely be rounded up and taken elsewhere, away from Ukraine and into Russian territory. I'm not sure that will be worse, frankly. To live elsewhere, but have food and water and maybe some heat, to not be in the way of bombs all the time, and maybe to take a deep breath for a change, might be an improvement. That's actually saying a lot because I think the population should be allowed to leave the city and move more into Ukraine voluntarily. Unfortunately, I doubt they will be given that option. 

More than 90% of this bustling city of half-a-million 
people has been destroyed. Less than 100,000 people 
remain here, sheltering in basements to hide from the 
bombardment. Yesterday Mariupol declared it was 
"occupied" by the enemy. Those poor people! 

The TV-feed we were seeing last night had DH and I both in tears. Those poor people. How long can the West sit on their hands and let this happen? Diplomacy is all good and fine, but it's quite obvious that diplomacy isn't going anywhere in this war. The misery keeps escalating, people keep being displaced and killed, and families keep being torn apart. How can this be condoned by any of the powers striving to help Ukraine? 

It seems as if this is what's happening to the rest of 
the world while Ukraine defends itself against the 
Russian aggression. There's something so very 
wrong about this! 

I'm grateful I've got swimming ahead of me today. I'll be able to work some of my frustration out in the water, and listening to the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden seems a much better option than turning on the television to see human misery in real time. I think my psyche needs a bit of a break. I only watched the war for a half-hour or so last night, I can't take it 24/7. DH is semi-attentive to it during the hours when he's awake - so he's much more immersed in this than I am. I guess he can tolerate it better, but I can't. I fully admit it. I need some rainbows and lollipops. Have an excellent Tuesday, I'm heading over to the pool. I'll be back tomorrow.