I’m starting this newsletter by stating my horror at the awful events in the Ukraine with the invasion of a sovereign country by the Russian and Belarusian forces under the command of President Putin. Cards on the table. I’m half Ukrainian, and in my past worked there as the country moved away from its communist legacy. Hence, I have strong feelings about what’s unfolding. I’m fairly certain that Putin and his military commanders were expecting Kyiv to fall within 24 hours as special forces and airborne troops were deployed to seize the capital and decapitate the government. However, the fierce defence of the airfields and city, coupled with the tenaciousness of the Ukrainians not to give up, repelled the initial onslaught. Now, heavy armour is moving towards the capital, probably to encircle it, then pound and starve the people into submission. These tactics were used in Chechnya and honed more recently in Syria.
The west should be concerned about Putin’s actions as Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden have been threatened. Putin will claim he’s the only leader who can face off against the west and make Russia great again… I hope I’m wrong.
Back to the newsletter
Well, February should have been an action packed month, however, events conspired against us at almost every turn. I’ll tell you more about what had been happening later in my newsletter.
Before I go too far, I’d like to thank those who responded to my call last month about being a named character in the book I’m working on which will be released after ‘Framed’. So, a big thank you 😊. You know who you are.
On the writing front, I’d like to introduce you to a fellow author, Frank Daley from Waterloo, in southern Ontario, Canada. He’s married, with two children and a small Golden Doodle named Gracie.
Frank writes both non-fiction and fiction work. On the fiction front, Murder in Moscow: The Oblast Court Trial, is based on a real court case in Russia in 1958. Frank originally wrote Murder in Moscow as a stage play. The story is an easy read with a court setting, which I finished over two sessions.
Book Description of Murder in Moscow
An accidental shooting, a teenager’s death, and the resulting trial lead to some astounding results. Alexandr Bazenov only wanted to protect his property from thieves. Instead, his murder trial raises questions from Russian law students on the bias of the judge, laws concerning private property, and the realization that there might be a deeper agenda – one that concerns all citizens.
Reviews:
I liked this novel a lot. Truly shocking! The author did a good job writing it with a cold (dispassionate) tone. It felt almost as if he was reporting it. The story was fascinating.
Excellent for book clubs or anyone interested in law!
Great writing! A really great story wonderfully put together. Intense!
I’m supposed to be preparing for meetings tomorrow, but I made the mistake of starting to read your novella. It was like eating potato chips on an empty stomach. I couldn’t stop reading until I finished. Beautifully written (which I would expect), suspenseful, but also informative. It all ties together at the end as a commentary on Russian culture. Thanks for writing this.
What’s happened this February?
At the beginning of February we had planned to spend several days on the Central Plateau with four days hiking the “Round the Mountain” walk, which includes the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (day 2).
The weekend after the cancelled hike, we should have been out on an organized bike ride along a disused railway line, the event included transport back to the starting point from the end of the ride. With Cathy out of action, I was due to cycle it with our son. However, another storm was passing over the region and the event was cancelled (the weather was horrendous).
Last weekend, we’d both booked Friday to make for a long weekend and we were booked to spend the time down at Awaroa Lodge in the Abel Tasman National Park.
We’d spent Christmas and New Year at the lodge just over 14 months ago when Cathy and I walked the Abel Tasman track both ways. We wanted to experience getting there without a heavy pack on our backs and sweat in our eyes. Knowing it would take 12 hours (with a ferry, driving and a water taxi), door-to-door, I decided we’d fly in as that would make it 3.5 hours door-to-door and without the need for a 4am start. We’ve walked the track three times, kayaked around it for five days, but never seen it from the air, so this was a different experience, as well as a time saver.
We arrived late afternoon. Checked into our room and unpacked before heading outside for pre-dinner drinks. After a lovely meal, we retired to our room. The following morning we found a letter on our welcome mat informing us that a staff member had tested positive for COVID and they were closing the lodge for the season and had to leave. I arranged our ride back to Nelson and booked us into a city centre hotel.
We just chilled in Nelson as we explored the city. Not quite what we’d planned.
The following day, after a leisurely brunch, we headed to the airport for our flight back to Wellington.
After what should have been an action packed February, we’ve planned for March to be quieter.
So, that’s all from me in this newsletter. Remember to grab a copy of Murder in Moscow: The Oblast Court Trial by Frank Daley.
In the meantime, stay safe and stay well.
