My Wartime Diary. Seventh day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Live update from Kyiv

I have started a new post. I should do it in the morning but I did not have strength and I simply updated my yesterday's post.

• At last I am home and I am able to enjoy a hot water and warm room. But I still cannot warm up since this morning. I drink hot herbal tea with lemon, it's really useful and healthy. And honey. And I eat, and move, and wear all my warm cloth but I still cannot warm up. It would be the worst time ever to get sick so I even checked the temperature of my body, it's okay. Good news. I hope.
• While I was taking shower I put my and Nick's cloth into washing machine. I need to use ALL resources as efficiently as possible.
• My arms and legs are covered in scratches, bruises and calluses. Calluses on my right hand, and it's a shame, because I really need it. There is no wound healing ointment at home, maybe Nick has it. The skin on the lips has become like paper, it hurts, flakes and burns. I use lip balm all the time but it doesn't help.

7 pm

• The siren howled, and I ran to the basement. I'm not going to die such a stupid death due to negligence. My daughter came up with an idea.
  Ukrainian company Ajax Systems has created an application Air Raid for smartphone. It turns on the siren sound on the phone as soon as the dispatcher receives it, and reports the alarm even if the phone is in silent mode. Now I can sleep and not be afraid that I won't hear the alarm. It has already been downloaded 1+ million times.

• Many ordinary, civilian people who live under shelling, before going to bed, take a shower, put on their best underwear and clothes. Do you know why? My grandmother always had nice NEW clothes that she wanted to be buried in. This is our custom. When I take a shower in the evening, I put on all the clothes that I need to leave the house in the morning.

• The problem is that I don't have much warm clothes that I can wear now. All that I usually wear winter, does not fit. I have only one more or less warm sweatpants, which I have been wearing for 7 days. When I come home to sleep, the first thing I do is wash them so that they have time to dry until tomorrow.

• My apartment is a terrible mess. I left in a hurry. You need to clean everything, wash the utensil, so that everything must be in its place. At night, I try not to turn on the lights at all, and I must be able to quickly find everything I need in the semi-darkness. I only slept in my pajamas once, but next to the bed my cloth was stacked in the order in which I would put it on. Even the shoes were on the floor with their toes turned towards the door. 😏

• As I write this, a family of my neighbors is here with me in the basement, they have 3 girls aged 10-12 years old. They calmly discuss Putin, who is afraid of himself and hid in a bunker, showing each other on the phone what children's toys look like or boxes of sweets that saboteurs leave on the streets, and inside they have a small bomb. They have such bright smiles and voices like those of angels. And their grandfather at this time is trying to retell me some old comedy.

• My dearest, in fact, I want to write not about this, but about what I do as a volunteer. What I see, what incredible people I have met and how does it look like. That amazing, powerful spirit! But now I can't do it. Russian agents can be everywhere: in neighborhood chats, in volunteer groups, and their goal is to collect as much data as possible. And then rockets hit the volunteer centers. THIS HAPPENS NOT BY ACCIDENT. After the victory, I will write more than one post about it, and maybe even a book 😉

• During these few days, Ukrainian IT volunteers, working in such stress, created a telegram bot for citizens who need help and volunteers who will provide assistance. It helps them find each other. You have no idea what an incredible wave of support we have inside the country. No, it's not a wave, it is tsunami.

• Today I did not turn on the TV, and almost did not watch social networks. Instead, I had a long talk with my daughter, and then with my mother. She is very worried, both of them, and this is bad for her heart. She already knows that I volunteered, without details, but I can't tell her the truth about Nick. Although she's starting to suspect.

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4 March 2022

• Another day, hooray!!

• It was the first night when I slept, did not woke up, did not run into the basement. And I slept at home in my bed. In fact, there was one air raid alert at night, I don't know why I didn't hear it. Maybe the app didn't notify me.

• Nick is okay. He hasn't drop smoking, moreover, sometimes I smoke too. This is the only excuse for myself to stop, to make a pause, to go out and get some air and daylight.

• Today, when I was smoking, I noticed that some of my neighbors' windows were covered with duct tape.

• Although I had enough time to sleep, my inner alarm woke me up at 7 am. It is time I usually get up on workdays. God, I still have a job. And it's funny, I took a leave, a time off. But this is my worst time off ever.

• Today is the last day I have to make my monthly mortgage payment. I will not pay for two reasons: I was given a credit holiday for 3 months, and I am not sure that my future property will not be destroyed by explosions or bombing.

• Sometimes we (I mean I and those girls from my volunteering shift) share stories from the past.... Our peaceful past. We miss it, and every time we tell each other - it will all return, after our victory.

• Okay. At 8 am I was noticed about another air alarm. But I want to have my breakfast! I miss fresh cooked meal. So I didn't go to the basement, I made a coffee and pancakes. 😀 Much more than I need. Yes, I was scared, I'm always on the alert, and everything inside me is stretched like a string. I was only able to eat two, I'll take the rest for my friends. The good news is that when I was packing, I found an avocado that I put in my backpack on the very first day. I carry this bag with me all the time. A couple of years ago, I visited our botanical garden with a guide, and a botanical garden employee told us an interesting story. In the homeland of the avocado, it was considered the food of the poor. Do you know why? The rich could eat well, but the poor could not. But avocado provides the body with many essential elements.

• My shift starts today. Hope it will and in 24 hours. But there is a possibility of curfew for all weekend, so I have to be prepared to spend there more than one night. God gave me a chance to sleep, so I hope to be okay. The only thing that is constantly disturbing, is my back. Alarm again...

• The information war is going on, and it is very powerful. Today there is information that Russia brought buses with people to Ukraine from the Crimea. They arrange performances for Russian television that the locals are happy and greet our enemy. It is not true!!! Be very, very vigilant and attentive, verify ALL information, trust reliable sources. Learn to think critically.

• Today, maybe for the first time in your life, every one should make a choice, and choose a side. It's the same as it was with Hitler. Putin is Hitler of 21 century and this is not a figure of speech.

Will update when possible.

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I can’t find words to express my gratitude to you for every comment, for every repost, every upvote. I read them all, but I cannot reply to all of them, although I would very much like to. My main task now is to save all my resources. For my new team, my country, and my family.

Although I didn't vote for Zelensky, but now I'm gonna finish my post with quote from his speech.

"Life will win over death and light will win over darkness. Glory be to Ukraine.”

P. S. Apologize for mistakes. Sometimes it's like my fingers type not they are ordered to 😏