We’re off to the Savannah Philharmonic tonight, in historic Lucas Theatre.

So many memories of great evenings in the theaters of D.C. — the Kennedy Center, the National, the wonderful Signature repertory theater in suburban Arlington, Virginia, and summer evenings under the stars at idyllic Wolf Trap Farm Park.

These days, a theater night is a rare treat. And I can’t wait.

Details to follow.

‘Bye for now . . .

Brendochka
1/18/25

They’re still out there, you know — those mysterious drones, flying over the U.S. eastern seaboard, the U.K., and now Germany. We in the U.S. and U.K. are still waiting for some official word as to what they are — or at least an indication that some action is being taken to identify and eliminate them.

Germany, on the other hand, isn’t messing around; the German Cabinet has authorized the army to shoot down suspicious drones seen near military sites or other critical infrastructure.

A statement was issued by German Interior Minister Nancy Faesar, saying that “. . . especially since [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we have seen that drones are being used more and more frequently, which poses an increasing challenge for the police and their current technology.” [Paulin Kola, BBC News, January 14, 2025.]

Way to go, Germany! No hesitation, no secretiveness, no pussy-footing around. Bring those trespassers down and find out just what is going on in your air space. Because this is not just one random event; it’s a major security issue. And it’s no longer limited to drones.

*. *. *

Two days ago, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a news conference in Warsaw:

“I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland but against airlines around the world.” [Mike Eckel, RFE/RL, January 15, 2025.]

He was referring, among other things, to a series of incidents that took place last July in three different parts of Europe, all involving cargo carriers or storage facilities:

— In the eastern German town of Leipzig, a package shipped from Lithuania suddenly ignited at a DHL storage facility. The fire was quickly extinguished, and damage was minimal.

— Around the same time, a similar incendiary device ignited — again at a DHL warehouse — this time in Birmingham, England. It had arrived on a DHL plane.

— And, still within the same time frame, a device exploded and caught fire at a transport company facility in Jablonow, near Warsaw, Poland. That one took firefighters two hours to put out. [Id.]

*. *. *

Throughout Europe, there is a growing fear of a “shadow war” being conducted against the West by Russia. Taken together, there have been too many recent incidents to be considered coincidental.

In early 2024, an assassination plot was uncovered and averted. The target was Armin Papperger, CEO of Germany’s Rheinmetall — one of the world’s largest producers of artillery and tank shells, which had been producing shells for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

There have also been a number of maritime incidents, mainly on the Baltic Sea, in which undersea power or telecommunications cables have been broken or damaged. In December, the EAGLE S, a Russian-operated oil tanker — though flying a “flag of convenience” from another country — was detained by Finnish authorities en route from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Port Said, Egypt. It was determined to have dragged its anchor and damaged a cable in the Gulf of Finland. [Id.]

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, speaking before a meeting of NATO ministers, said last month that “This year [in 2024] there were 500 suspicious incidents in Europe. Up to 100 of them can be attributed to Russian hybrid attacks, espionage, influence operations.” [Id.]

Intelligence reports from the United States, the U.K., Germany, Poland and others all indicate a Russian connection. U.S. intelligence agencies have obtained intercepts of conversations of Russia’s GRU — its military intelligence agency — describing how the ignited packages were actually a test run for further activities. [Id.]

*. *. *

There is little doubt among Western officials that Europe and North America are the targets of a Russian “shadow” campaign — including sabotage, espionage and disinformation — to destabilize the West and undermine its support for Ukraine.

Russia, of course, vehemently denies any and all such suggestions. Our old friend, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, called the accusations of an airline sabotage plot a “vague fabrication.” Well, of course he did.

In the meantime, Europe is increasingly on the alert for whatever may be coming next from its eastern neighbor. North Korea drops garbage-filled balloons on South Korea. Russia, it seems, has a far more fertile imagination, greater technological capabilities . . . and a willingness to go the extra distance.

And that is frightening.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/18/25

It is often said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that certainly proved to be the case when, on this date in 1920, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect, and the era of Prohibition came roaring in. America was officially “dry.”

There was a reason they called it the Roaring Twenties. It wasn’t just the jazz, and the short skirts, and the women’s right to vote (19th Amendment, same year). It was also the speakeasies, the bootleg liquor, and the gang wars that arose as a result of that well-intended 18th Amendment.

And wow! Did that ever backfire!

Originally aimed at reducing “crimes, corruption, social issues, prison and poorhouse taxes, and to improve health and hygiene in the United States” [calendarr.com, January 17, 2025], what it actually did was create a whole new set of the same problems, along with an additional one — a sharp decrease in government revenues that had once been received by way of taxes from the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages.

It took 13 years and a Great Depression, but in 1933 Congress finally woke up and passed the 21st Amendment; the bootleggers were put out of business; and people were once again able to buy beer, wine and liquor that they could be pretty certain wouldn’t kill them — consumed in moderation, of course.

*. *. *

Other than that, not much else seems to be worth commemorating on January 17th. But looking ahead, I can suggest some excuses for planning a party or two during the second half of January, such as:

January 20th – U.S. Inauguration Day. You may or may not be inclined to celebrate this one; it’s entirely up to you. But if you are one of those who won’t be making merry on this day, take heart . . . because the very next day is:

January 21st – National Hugging Day. And there’s nothing more comforting than a big, sympathetic hug from a like-minded individual. So find a soulmate, lean in, and hug away. It’s only for four years.

January 22nd – National Blonde Brownie Day. In case the hugs didn’t do the trick, a sugar rush might help.

January 27th – National Chocolate Cake Day and National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. A double catharsis for those still in mourning from the 20th.

January 31st – National Hot Chocolate Day. To wash down the chocolate cake, of course. And just because it’s more chocolate.

*. *. *

I haven’t looked any farther ahead on the calendar, but I’m hoping there will be something in February on the order of:

National Snap Out Of It and Get Back To Eating Healthy Day. Because by the end of this month, we’ll all have ten pounds of sugar-induced bloat to get rid of.

But what a way to go!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/17/25

As I read yesterday’s “This Day In History” column, I focused on an item that brought back a vivid personal memory:

“January 16, 1991: The Persian Gulf War begins.”

It was the memory of a death, a quick round-trip visit to New York, a memorial service, a surprise message from the Kremlin . . . and the start of a war in the Middle East. It was quite a day.

And immediately I was transported back to a time when our law firm had just lost one of its senior, and most distinguished, partners: David A. Morse: former U.S. Undersecretary of Labor; for 22 years Director-General of the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO); old-world gentleman; and one of those people you could honestly say you were privileged to know.

Although he spent a great deal of time in our Washington office, New York was his home town, and that is where his memorial service was to be held. A group of us from the D.C. office arranged to travel to New York that morning for the service, and I offered to go along with Mr. Morse’s assistant, Diana Minghi, who was also my good friend and in need of a bit of moral support. Leaving my car at Washington’s Union Station, we took an early express train, arriving at Penn Station in plenty of time for the service at the prestigious Temple Emanu-El on upper Fifth Avenue.

We had expected a good turnout; but we were not prepared for what awaited us upon entering the synagogue. There was a security detail that would have sufficed for a president or a monarch — metal detectors, bag searches, and a complement of guards positioned every few feet around the sanctuary. What was going on?

We had part of the answer to that question once we were seated and looked at the program for the service. Among the speakers — in addition to former Maryland Senator Charles McC. Mathias, who had joined our firm following his retirement from politics — was then Secretary-General of the United Nations Javier Perez de Cuellar, who was there to honor the former head of the ILO.

So the big, scary-looking men lining the walls of the sanctuary were United Nations security. That made sense . . . but it still seemed a bit excessive for a private event.

And then the service began. It was — as are most funerals — sad, inspiring, and infused with memories both sorrowful and funny. When it ended, our group from Washington gathered together, hailed a couple of taxis, and headed for the New York office where a luncheon had been organized for us.

*. *. *

Even the worst of days can have its moments of levity; and the day of David Morse’s memorial service was no exception. I was standing with a group of our New York people in the office when Senator Mathias walked by. Spotting me, he stopped and walked toward us. He had flown in from Paris that morning on the Concorde, following a business trip to Moscow, in order to speak at the service, and was looking a bit jet-lagged.

“Sir Senator,” as I used to call him, had a droll sense of humor, and could drag a story out endlessly while still keeping your attention. As he began speaking, no one could have imagined what was coming. He started out slowly:

“Yesterday morning . . .” (looking at his wristwatch) “. . . at about this time . . . I was in Moscow. In fact, I was in the Kremlin. In the Great Hall of the Kremlin. At a reception for President Gorbachev. I was talking to some people, when suddenly I heard a booming voice call out to me from across the room: ‘Senator Mathias! Say hello to Brenda Lipson for me!’”

At which point, Sir Senator stopped talking and just stared at me, a slight smile showing itself in his eyes. And all I could do was stare back, open-mouthed . . . as did every other person in the room. And after a few seconds it hit me: I knew who he was talking about.

“Dmitri?” [Not his real name.]

The Senator nodded.

“Oh, he didn’t!” I exclaimed in disbelief.

He nodded again, and went on:

“Oh yes, he did. No ‘Hello, Senator.’ No ‘How are you, Senator?’ No ‘Good to see you, Senator.’ Just, ‘Say hello to Brenda Lipson for me.’”

And we both laughed, leaving the bystanders wondering who in hell I knew in the Kremlin, and why he would think to send me such a vocal greeting.

I never did enlighten them, but my anonymous “admirer” in Russia was someone I had met, through our firm’s commercial dealings on behalf of clients, when he had been stationed at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, and who was now back in Moscow on President Gorbachev’s staff. I just grinned and left them in the dark, probably imagining that I was leading some sort of intriguing double life. I figured a little mystery never hurts anyone’s reputation.

And it did break up an otherwise depressing day.

*. *. *

But by now, you’re no doubt wondering what any of this has to do with Desert Storm. Actually . . . everything.

Because after we had left the New York office, and Diana and I had arrived back at Union Station, I still had to drive her home. It was my long-standing habit to immediately turn on the car radio to my favorite music station, and as I did, we heard — instead of soothing music — a special news bulletin.

At midnight (Iraq time), U.S. and British forces had begun bombing Iraq in retaliation for its five-month occupation of Kuwait. The deadline for Iraq’s withdrawal of troops had expired; they had been warned; they had ignored the warnings; and we followed through.

President Bush had announced the start of Operation “Desert Storm” while we were attending a funeral, eating lunch, and riding a train from New York back to D.C. There were no cell phones in those days, and no internet; we had to wait until we could turn on a TV or radio to find out what was going on in the world.

We sat in that garage for a full ten minutes, listening to the broadcast, before I could begin the drive home. It was the perfect dismal end to an already dismal day . . . and it finally explained the extent of the security for Perez de Cuellar, who had been giving his eloquent eulogy while knowing that yet another war was about to be launched in the Middle East.

And it was the day I received a hilarious message from a friend in Moscow by way of a retired U.S. Senator following a funeral at a Fifth Avenue synagogue in New York some 250 miles from my home. It was a day I wouldn’t be likely ever to forget.

Life is endlessly surprising . . . as it should be.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/17/25

In his farewell speech to the nation yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his concern that our country is descending into oligarchy. And this, of course, immediately brought to mind the existing oligarchy in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

In the 1990s — the “Yeltsin years” — Russia’s economy was in free-fall. The Soviet Union had ceased to exist as of Christmas Day 1991; and in the absence of a solid structure to replace it, most of its assets were up for grabs by those shrewd enough to know what to grab, when to grab it, and for how much (usually pennies on the dollar).

And thus was born a whole new category of Russian big shots who became known, rather derisively, as the oligarchs. Suddenly, a handful of billionaires found themselves wielding previously unheard-of personal power; and Boris Yeltsin seemed quite content to let it happen as he watched his country’s economy growing with the creation of new industries and services.

But in December of 1999, Yeltsin suddenly resigned the presidency, passing the torch to his then Prime Minister — a considerably younger, previously unknown former KGB officer and career opportunist from St. Petersburg named Vladimir Putin — to complete his term of office. And in March of 2000, Putin ran in his first election and won. Today, 25 years later, he’s still in power . . . and shows no signs of letting go. Ever.

He has kept his position as absolute ruler of Russia — some liken it to being self-appointed “Tsar for Life” — by various heavy-handed, even ruthless means, including pushing through constitutional amendments to extend the number of years for each term of office, and the number of times he can be reelected.

And by reeling in the oligarchs.

One of his early acts upon first being elected was to call a closed-door meeting in the Kremlin during the summer of 2000, summoning 21 of the wealthiest men in Russia to hear what the future had in store for them. These men were not what one would call pillars of society; they had gained their wealth and power through shady deals, corruption, and sometimes even murder. But there was a new kid in town, and the rules were about to change.

What Putin told them that day shook them — and the foundation upon which they stood — to their very core:

“I want to draw your attention to the fact that you built this state yourself, to a great degree, through the political or semi-political structures under your control. So there is no point in blaming the reflection in the mirror. So let us get down to the point and be open and do what is necessary to do to make our relationship in this field civilized and transparent.” [Greg Rosalsky, NPR News, March 29, 2022.]

The deal he offered them was this: bend to his authority, stay out of his way, and they could keep their mansions, super-yachts, private jets, and multibillion-dollar corporations. [Id.]

And most of them did just that. But some didn’t; and they didn’t fare well. Some — like Vladimir Gusinsky and Mikhail Khodorkovsky — ended up in prison, were forced into exile, or both. Others — such as Boris Berezovsky — died in suspicious circumstances.

Bottom line: Vladimir Putin no longer has an oligarch problem. Easy.

*. *. *

And today I ask myself if this is the future that President Biden foresees for America under the incoming administration, with its innately autocratic leadership and its “Billionaires’ Club”?

I pray not.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/16/25

Okay, bad pun. But in this January of sub-zero temperatures in half the world, blistering heat in the other half, continuing wars in various and sundry places, and TikTok fans in the U.S. facing serious withdrawals, I thought a smile might be a welcome way to start the day.

And so I present to you “the world’s happiest animal” — the quokka.

An Australian marsupial, he is one of the smallest wallabies, about the size of an average house cat, and lives in family units, hiding from predators in swampy places with heavy vegetation. He loves a diet of shrubs, berries, seeds and succulents, and can store fat in his tail for those times when food may be scarce.

Look at him. (I’m just guessing it’s a male because I don’t see a pouch.) Look at his perpetual smile and those big brown eyes that radiate love and trust. Those stand-up ears, the freckles, and the adorable little arms and fingers.

I have dubbed this little fellow Quincy, and I want to bring him home with me, though it would undoubtedly be illegal. Still, I can look at his picture, imagine how sweet it would be to have a little cuddle, and I feel happier somehow. Don’t you?

Live long and prosper, Quincy.

With love and hugs,
Brendochka
1/16/25

Vladimir Putin — amidst much fanfare and hoopla — declared 2024 to be Russia’s “Year of the Family,” shamelessly touting the alleged joys and benefits of having more children than you could ever conceivably afford, take care of, or find space for. His purpose was to get everyone busy replacing all the souls that have been lost in recent years as a result of his “special military operation” in Ukraine and other causes (such as suicide, and mass migration from Russia to almost anywhere else in the world).

And what a grand year-long party it was! There was even a competition to choose the outstanding families of 2024, with award ceremonies in various locations throughout the country . . . one of which, at Nizhniy Novgorod, included Putin’s favorite new emigre family from Canada, Arend and Anneesa Feenstra and the eight little Feenstras.

In one region — Chelyabinsk — the local authorities even offered a benefit of 1,000,000 rubles ($10,000) for producing an offspring, provided both parents are studying at a higher education institution in the region. [Chris Rickleton, RFE/RL, January 13, 2025.]

Never mind that the student couples would presumably be quite young — perhaps in their early twenties or even late teens. And forget about the difficulties involved in balancing studies, some sort of paying job, and caring for a child. And don’t worry about the stress of building toward a post-graduate career, or perhaps enjoying life as a young couple for a few years before settling down to family life. Just crank out those kids, kids.

I don’t know how successful Putin’s year of encouragement and incentivization has been in terms of the number of babies born or on the way; but it is apparent that 2024 was only the beginning. Because — in addition to the already-established, rather draconian fines for so much as disagreeing with or speaking against his baby-boom obsession — he has come up with even more means of increasing the population of Mother Russia.

Would anyone be surprised to learn that criminal prosecution is among them?

More than a dozen regions have passed laws banning “coercion to abortion,” calling for fines of up to 100,000 rubles (around $1,000) for doctors and employers who have “forced” advice on pregnant women. In fact, women are telling of being given advice against it when visiting medical clinics for legal abortions, or having the procedure delayed under one pretext or another. [Id.]

Anti-abortion films are being shown in movie theaters, with special screenings arranged for government employees, university students, and even for school children. In addition, a new subject — Family Studies — was introduced in schools at the beginning of the current school year to teach children that “family is the foundation of any state.” [Id.]

And last year, an amendment was proposed to the law “On the Basics of Healthcare in the Russian Federation” to include the concept of rights “before as well as after birth.” [Id.]

Now, this has nothing to do with whether you’re anti-abortion or pro-choice; that’s a strictly personal, individual matter. Rather, it’s about one man — Vladimir Putin — taking away another long-standing legal right for the wrong reasons.

*. *. *

All of this follows on the heels of 2022’s legislation prohibiting “LGBT propaganda.” And added to Russia’s list of extremist organizations in March of 2024 was a nameless — in fact, non-existent — “international LGBT social movement and its structural units,” thereby officially criminalizing any support of LGBT rights.

But wait . . . there’s more.

Divorce has long been rampant in Russia — which, of course, flies in the face of Putin’s promotion of family values. So in September, legislation was submitted to the State Duma subjecting spouses filing for divorce to a three-month waiting period to attempt reconciliation, and mandating psychological consultations for both parties. The law, if passed, would also require the couple to undergo “reeducation” if they have underage children, or if the divorce is contested by either spouse. [Id.]

And what about cases of domestic violence? Apparently not an issue. It’s all about increasing the population, at any cost.

Is it any wonder I’m having flashbacks to George Orwell’s “1984”?

*. *. *

Now, there’s certainly nothing inherently wrong with promoting family values: honesty, loyalty, decency, and respect for one another are of supreme importance. In fact, don’t we all give in to a little soggy sentimentality when we watch the old movies and TV sitcoms about big, happy families? And remember the Andy Williams Christmas shows, with all the parents, grandparents, siblings, children, neighbors, and anyone else who happened to drop by, laughing and singing and making merry? There’s nothing more comforting than sharing your life with people you love, and who love you . . . right?

But that’s not always the way it works out. Life intervenes, with its day-to-day problems, differences of opinion, personality clashes, illnesses, financial difficulties, job issues, and so on . . . and so on . . . and so on. And we each have to handle our problems in our own way, according to our individual circumstances.

The bottom line is, not everyone wants a big family; and not everyone is cut out to have a big family. And it’s none of the government’s business how many children you have, when you choose to have them, or if you choose to have any at all . . .

. . . unless, of course, your government is controlled by a heartless autocrat.

If Vladimir Putin wants to stop the population drain, perhaps he should just stop sending hundreds of thousands of young men to Ukraine to become casualties of his lust for empire. Then let Mother Nature take her own course.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/16/25

On the heels of the news that TikTok may be banned in the United States if its present parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell its U.S. assets by January 19th, along came the inevitable rumors concerning prospective buyers. And of course, the first name that came to mind for many — in fact, probably most — people was . . . drumroll, please . . .

Elon Musk.

Well, that’s no surprise. After all, who else would have both the money and the chutzpah to be able to pull it off?

Frankly, as a non-TikTok user, I don’t care who buys it. And I’m not about to get into a discussion here as to the free-speech-vs-national-security issue. But if it did turn out to be Musk’s newest venture, I can’t help wondering what he would rename it. Under his stewardship, “Twitter” inexplicably became “X” . . . so what would be TikTok’s fate?

I don’t claim to possess an imagination anywhere close to Musk’s. Let’s face it: not many people do. Honestly . . . do you know anyone else who would name a child “X AE A-12,” “Techno Mechanicus,” or “Exa Dark Siderael”? I mean, aside from the issue of cruelty, that’s just weird.

However, I did manage to come up with a couple of possibilities for his consideration . . . not that he needs my help. But just for fun, how about one of these:

Elon’s Eloi: In the H.G. Wells novel, The Time Machine, the Eloi are descendants of the British elite, which should fit nicely into Musk’s recent obsession with all things British.

Toys Я We: Yes, it’s a knock-off name, but it would be a grammatically correct appellation for Musk’s newest plaything.

QJZ: No particular logic here — just a meaningless, Musk-ish, unpronounceable grouping of consonants. And since they do happen to be the most valuable letters on the Scrabble board, they would probably appeal to his inherently money-centric nature as well.

Donnie: An homage to you-know-whom, because it’s what narcissistic BFFs do to feed one another’s egos.

. . . and finally . . .

Screw-You-China: This one should be self-explanatory, and completely in line with the incoming administration’s philosophy of the best way to conduct international relations.

As an afterthought, it occurs to me that he might even name it Mexico or Canada, since — if his best buddy has his way — one or both of those names could soon be available for use.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/15/25

Step right up, folks . . . plenty of front-row seats available on your nearest smart phone or tablet . . . date and time TBA. But all indications are that it is going to happen.

Will it be an instant replay of this?

Or will there be a distinct chill in the air?

That, of course, remains to be seen, as both of the participants are playing their cards close to the chest. In fact, they’re still sparring like a couple of school kids:

“He says he wants to meet as soon as possible.” – DJT

“No, I never said that. But I’m open to negotiations.” – VVP

So let’s turn to the actual grown-ups for some clarification. For example, Mike Waltz — President-elect Trump’s appointee as national security adviser — commented on Ukraine’s demands that Russia withdraw from all presently occupied territories as follows:

“I just don’t think it’s realistic to say we’re going to expel every Russian from every inch of Ukrainian soil, even Crimea. President Trump [jumping the gun by about five days] has acknowledged that reality, and I think it’s been a huge step forward that the entire world is acknowledging that reality. Now let’s move forward.” [Mike Eckel, RFE/RL, January 14, 2025.]

And eight time zones away in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that his boss might be willing to listen, as the incoming (i.e., Trump) administration has “started to acknowledge the realities on the ground.” But he added: “We will be waiting for specific initiatives. President Putin has said on multiple occasions that he is ready to meet, but no proposals have been made yet.” [Id.]

And back to Trump himself, on January 13th: “I know he [Putin] wants to meet and I’m going to meet [him] very quickly. I would’ve done it sooner but … you have to get into the office. For some of the things, you do have to be there.” [Id.]

Yes, you read that correctly: “For some of the things, you do have to be there.”

But moving on . . .

Finally, we hear from the one who has been absent from the news for a while, and whose dulcet tones have been sorely missed . . . by me, at least: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. All he had to say to reporters, shortly before Lavrov’s news conference, was that there were “no specifics” agreed on as yet for a meeting between Trump and Putin. [Id.]

Well, that was helpful, Dima.

So, it looks as though . . . quite possibly . . . just maybe . . . if all goes according to plan . . . and provided the conditions are just right . . . there may be . . . at some future date . . . sooner or later . . . an actual meeting. Ta-da!

But no one really knows for sure.

And if there is to be a meeting, where will it be held? Presumably, it would have to be in Moscow or a Russia-friendly country, since Putin is still subject to an ICC arrest warrant in most of the rest of the world. So, will it be a closed-door, one-on-one session, or will there be aides and lackeys present?

Again, there is much to be decided. So stay tuned, folks — I’m afraid that’s the best we can do for now.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/15/25

After following this Canadian family of ten throughout their first year of adjustment to their new home in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia — during which time most of the narration has been provided by the father of the large brood, Arend Feenstra — we have been treated to a solo presentation by the eldest daughter, Cora-Lynn, whom I have frequently heard addressed simply as Cora.

At 16, Cora is a charming and poised young lady, who says that many of the followers of her family’s YouTube program have asked about her impressions of life in Russia, how she occupies her time, what her interests and goals for the future are, etc. And so she was on camera to fill us in — clearly reading, at least partially, from a prepared script.

Cora’s emphasis was on two life goals: becoming a wife and mother, and serving God. She has been raised in a very religious, conservative family, and seems to accept this as her preordained role in the world. She talked about the supreme importance of “faith, family and freedom,” saying that these were the reasons the family had decided that Russia was the best place in the world for them to live their lives.

Her days appear to be filled with work, work, and more work. She says she helps with whatever is needed: cleaning, cooking, laundry, looking after the younger children. Although she didn’t specifically mention it, earlier videos have shown her, along with the other children, working on the farm during the warmer seasons as well, and the endless construction work on the house and farm buildings.

In addition, she teaches the little ones reading and writing, studies Russian online, and enjoys sewing and reading. There is no talk of a social life, other than occasional trips to the villages to interact with the older people and practice her Russian.

Then there was the obligatory homage to Russia: how glad she is that they moved there; how happy she is with the way things are in Russia; and how grateful she is for the opportunity she has been given. There was a brief moment of nostalgia when she mentioned missing her grandparents; but then she immediately changed course and said again that she is excited to “strike out on new adventures,” believing this to be “a better place to live.”

And then it was back to talk of fulfilling God’s plan for her. She wants more than anything to be a wife and mother, which she considers the best way for her to honor God. But if He has other plans for her, she will, of course, accept His will . . . though she still hopes there will be room for marriage and motherhood. I suppose her mother makes it look easy.

She closed with a couple of well-worn aphorisms about light at the end of the tunnel, and sunshine after every storm . . . which sounded strangely out of context after her glowing accolade to life in Russia.

*. *. *

I’ve tried for a year to look on the bright side of this family’s move to the land of tsars and dictators, and I’m saddened to say that I haven’t been able to find it. They are a very close-knit group, and obviously share a mutual love and respect that many of us would envy. That’s a wonderful thing; but they would have that anywhere. Why Russia?

Because of the “freedom” to live their lives as they choose, away from the “evils” of liberalism? Because of the “opportunities” to live fuller, more comfortable lives on a farm in Nizhniy Novgorod than they did on their farm in Canada? To provide their children with a wider range of opportunities and choices for the future?

That’s what they were promised, and what they prayed for and anticipated when they made their choice. So far, they have behaved as is expected of them, and are being treated royally.

I do hope their second year goes as well.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/14/25