This Week in Wijnjewoude 2024

Week 39    The weather is slowly changing - officially into Autumn now, but I still call it winter :)     We have to stoke the floor heating  for a while - to further "cure" the concrete - sometimes it feels too hot and uncomfortable. We'll have to find a "normal" and lower temperature - probably about 18 degrees, in deference to the higher energy prices - and then light the fire for the colder evenings when they arrive. Walkin' the dog... Janny and Mum on the Duo-fiets (two seater electric bike). Janny's youngest sister, Greethilda turned 50 - we had the surprise party at our place. (although totally organised by others!) Including a snack food truck strategically placed in case it was going to rain... There was just 1cm to spare on both sides... I managed to "retire hurt" before the singing and dancing started :-) Around the farm Very little work done this week... (Tjeerd has one more week off) Beading on the bathroom door... The "tocht ...

Week 38 Ron and Nettie returned to Heerenveen after their long trip Netherlands, France and Belgium. Ron called this photo of Jacoba "reflections". We've only used her twice this year - maybe a late trip in October...the boat lift is out of action, so there is no hurry to take her out for the winter Featuring the Expedition France T-shirt... I had another try at crumpets...just because   All her own work... Maybe the last of the mowing for this year..."they" are talking of a strong winter - but who really knows these days?. There were fewer wasps (and more mosquitos), the acorns are prolific this year, I've hardly seen a frog - all reliable folklore indicators of...something. This is my favourite view of the property - looking west.... Not such a pretty sight - out the back - time to grab the ladder! A few finishing touches... Our heat pump is finally in sight (the installer remains totally unreliable, however). We have the floor heating on with the old gas ...

  Tanks In 2011, the Netherlands got rid of all their tanks. The Defense Department has just announced that they will be purchasing 50 new tanks due to the present "Russian threat". The Dutch army is to reconstitute its tank battalion, 13 years after it was abolished during a round of spending cuts, sources have told Dutch media. Defence minister Ruben Brekelmans will include plans for a 50-strong tank division in the departmental budget later this week.. Brekelmans’ predecessor, Kajsa Ollongren, estimated earlier this year that it would cost between €260 million and €315 million a year to buy, maintain and operate a fleet of new tanks, including personnel costs for 350 military staff. The "Water Line" defences of the Netherlands. I have written about this before...the "waterline" was thought to be a means of defence for hundreds of years - a system of rivers and areas that could be flooded to hinder an invasion. The Germans just flew over it in WWII An in...