This week - and from now on -these posts will be getting shorter - probably - just a heads up.

Last week I went through my blog posts from Feb. 25 and my efforts relating to Ukraine relief. At the end, I was completely exhausted!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. No wonder so many of you told me to “Take it easy” and “Don’t burn out”. I actually went to bed early that evening after looking at all those posts.

Thank you so much for the advice. During the height of all of that, my Adrenaline was keeping me going. I know that as I looked back through the posts, I didn’t feel nearly as tired as I did once it was all over and I reread it.

LOL

The reason I did that was to find out how many trips my husband has taken into Ukraine with loads (13) plus some significant loads that we helped by filling vans or giving about a half a van load.

Anyway, as my husband was going to again this week - on Wednesday, I did have some shopping to do. Here is how the week went.

Monday -

Here’s a photo of the first aid kits we paid for and then put together for families in Kharkiv, Ukraine. On Monday I spent some time flattening boxes. They started working on the road in front of our house complicating coming and going. :)

Tuesday -

We loaded up our trailer for the trip to Ukraine. Completely! Here are those photos. I had the wholesale place deliver another load of food and then help us unload it right onto the trailer. We marked half of the food for Kharkiv - and the other half went to a different group of refugees.

The trailer ended up being more full than we have ever done before, except the one time when we sent fabric and quilt packs. This was a load filled with all kinds of goodies from warm socks, manicure sets, various medicines to combat nuclear leakage - iodine, charcoal, etc - power banks, flashlights, water filter jugs and filters, toothbrushes/paste, shampoo, soap, adult diapers, baby diapers and wipes, etc. I wrote a blog post about it earlier in the week.

Wednesday -

I worked on adding some borders to the tops people sent me. As I was sitting in the living room and looking it, I saw this. Should I fix it? I probably will - even though it’s not my quilt top.

Mike and the two people with him left about 5:30 am I think it was. He actually arrived back home at 6 am on Thurs. morning. He had had to stop for a couple of hours and rest at a rest area.

Weeks ago I had promised a lady named Oksana that I would fill up her van with stuff - including baby sets and quilt sets and other things. It was time to focus on that.

Thursday -

I bought some diapers for Oksana’s load - found this interesting brand of diapers at a store called Pepco. I had already bought a few things for Oksana’s load and stored it in the garage. I asked them to come on Friday, if possible, to fill up their van.

Friday -

I went to a couple of grocery stores and bought diapers and wipes for Oksana and her husband who are supposed to come and get it. Also, I had the grocery order for her load was delivered at about noon. We put it in the garage at church as I didn’t know when she would get here. She wrote on Viber and said that their van had some mechanical issues and her husband was trying to get the part. I assured her this stuff would keep and we would hold it for her - never fear.

Here are the photos of both the diapers in the car, the shopping for more diapers and the food delivery.

The load for Oskana and their organization is geared more for children and young moms - so I focused on diapers, some wipes, pads, some food like meat paste spread, some juices, milk without lactose, biscuits, cookies, baby food - first cereals, and something called kisiel, which I don’t know what it is in English but it similar to a runny, lumpy ungelatized gelatin - is sweet and runny. (I strongly dislike it - but they love it).

In addition to the pile here we will give them some baby sets - several boxes of them, plus a couple of boxes of our older blankets/comforters, and then will finish up by topping off their van with quilt sets. :)

Saturday -

Oksana wrote and said they had to change vehicles as their van wasn’t cooperating. Her husband had been working on it but apparently couldn’t get it repaired - so they borrowed another van and began their trip to Poland to get our goods waiting for them in the garage at church. Last time it took them 15 hours to get across the border. It is Saturday night as I write this and so far they haven’t written or called that they are in Poland.

I actually didn’t do anything photo-able with Ukraine relief. I did go with Rachel, an American who is here in Poland, to meet some refugees who are living in our town. We also gave out about 10 quilt sets to two different families - but failed to take photos. :( Sorry.

So there you are! My week. While I did do some things relating to Ukraine - it is taking a bit less time of my week. I have had some time to be in the garden this week plus have been adding borders to quilt tops so when it cools down I can press.

Sunday -

Just before church started Oksana called me and said they were about 200 km away. They ended up making it to us about 1:30 pm. We went home and changed clothes and met them at the garage at church to load up their van.