Ukrainian roots add to my concern about invasion

My mom was Ukrainian, so I'm intensely following Russia's current invasion of the Ukraine.  I'd follow it regardless, of course. I make no pretense of fully understanding the methods or motives of Russian President Vladimir Putin. I know what I read, and I read that bombs are falling and people are dying. And that much of the world is united in opposition to Putin's invasion. Add my name to what I would assume and hope is a long and growing list. My mom's family came from the Ukraine -- she and my grandfather spoke Ukrainian in the house --  and it's possible we still  have some relatives in or around Kyiv. No one in my family has the time or inclination to find out for certain let alone try to make contact. Regardless, if my mom's life and behavior are any indication, Ukrainians are generous, hard-working and decent people. Perhaps they're ill-fated, but that's yet to be determined. I can only hope at this point that there's a peaceful resolution, quickly, and no more lives are lost because of politics, power or whatever else that is driving this senseless and cruel invasion.
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Coronavirus remains very active in Vietnam, with nearly 78,000 new cases reported yesterday along with 88 deaths. I'm not sure which variant is responsible for the uptick, but I would guess Omicron, which apparently is extremely contagious but not as severe as other variants. I've had family members get sick with Omicron and fortunately all have fully recovered. In-person school started here last week and some cases were reported, which prompted  more testing. I'm not sure how extensive the outbreak was or what the next step will be.
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One of the big supermarkets in town, Mega Market, is undergoing another remodel. It seems like this place remodels every three or four months, making finding groceries something of an epic journey. The place is huge, and sells just about everything, but the problem is ... everything could be anywhere, including inside boxes ready to be hidden away in some far corner of the store. My daughter and I went this week and fortunately the fish in the tanks were in the same place so my daughter could look at the sturgeon and goby. I got discombobulated with the remodel and forgot some key items, but no big deal. I asked where the ostrich is and an employee told me they no longer have it. I walked around and found it close to where it used to be. I asked a girl where the cereal was relocated to, and she sent me down an aisle with no cereal. Probably a language thing. Never did find cereal -- the shelves were bare at the old location. None of this really matters. The whole point is to get my daughter out the house, where we hunker down due to the wicked sun and 98-degree heat each day. We have walked at 3:30 p.m. or so quite a bit, but the heat wears us down.
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I took my children Joanna and Elijah to Kim Koi 2 last week to see the fish. I sat in my usual seat with Elijah, and Joanna ran off to look at fish. Then some woman I've never seen there before comes up to me and points to the concession area. I say thanks and that I'll order in a little bit, and continue showing my son the fish.  The woman persists with talking I didn't understand and pointing. I guess she's an employee -- I'd never seen her before and we've gone to this place about 10 times since it reopened a few weeks ago, buying 4 boxes of pretzels and a peach tea each time (and I always leave a tip). Well, the woman didn't leave, and then she lost an icy staring contest with me, got agitated and called for security, and the security woman comes over -- with a badge on her shirt, no less -- and points to the concession area with a scowl on her face. Sorry, folks, but I like to order at my own pace at a place like this, which doesn't seem to have waiters or waitresses since it reopened. I didn't make a fuss. I just got up and told Joanna we're leaving, and away we went. I'm sure the two women could care less about my style of ordering or my son and daughter's happiness, or the lost business, for that matter. Besides, this place smells like, well, fish.
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I mentioned the heat earlier -- upper 90s daily -- and lately there have been showers most days at around 4 p.m., which gives the humidity a little boost. ... Currently reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Good stuff. My Kindle streak is at 813 days in a row, owing to the heat and limited entertainment here. ... The bee swarm remains on our third floor balcony. ... Poetry has been added to my homeschool curriculum with Joanna, and it's a big hit, especially the rhyming. So, later gator.