Week 35 A quietish week

 For the over 60's

(oh yeah, that's me - and Janny, now)

New Covid vaccination available...

A new variant of coronavirus known as FLiRT took hold in the Netherlands this summer and people can still become extremely ill, experts say. However, the number of people admitted to hospital and the percentage of virus particles in waste water indicate infections are now going down.

“A new vaccination won’t prevent every infection but will reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill, hospital admission and death,” infectious disease expert Chantal Rovers said.

The vaccine on offer was made by Pfizer and according to the national health council it offers the best protection against the current variant.

The first appointments can be made from September 16 and the campaign runs until December 6.

We'll both be sent a letter inviting us to participate.

More on Solar Panels

The demand for solar panels is collapsing amid confusion over payments for feeding energy back into the grid and the next cabinet’s plans.

According to lobby group Techniek Nederland, companies specialising in installing solar panels have “little or nothing” to do at the moment, because of the uncertainty surrounding costs.

The number of new contracts has collapsed by 95% over the past 10 months when the concerns first surfaced, the organisation told RTL Nieuws. The Netherlands has some 3,000 firms that focus purely on solar panels and, Techniek Nederland says, a wave of bankruptcies is looming.

Janny and I have been to Groningen quite a bit lately. We saw this house boat (live aboard) for sale...

Asking price €198,000 - but the more interesting thing was that it has it's own mooring which costs only €280.00 per year...and all shore connections, including sewerage. Might be a nice "starters" accommodation, but Janny thinks that the banks don't give loans for houseboats.

We've been looking for a table for a while...and finally settled on this from IKEA. Cheap enough to change our minds, but already it feels like it belongs :)

Haven't done much this week - there seems to be a million little things to finish off - door handles, painting in the apartment, beading, sorting out boxes - we have to get the wreckage cleaned up before the kids come again next weekend - so there'll be a trip or two to the recycling centre and/or the tip!

And...I desperately need to get my workshop back in order - after 10 months of heavy traffic it is a real mess :)

For some reason I bought this bookcase in Australia - must have been when we were at Lower Plenty - it was on special at a shop in Stud Road, Wantirna South. Shortly after, it was bundled into the "Heading for a New Life" container and made it's way to Birdaard, near Dokkum, along with the rest of our belongings.

When we moved to Wijnjewoude it lived in the sunroom - usually filled with books and the larger cooking pots.

It has now found it's final resting place, I think...I spent about 5 hours yesterday clearing out part of the workshop and getting my screws and other fastenings in order :) . It took some creative thinking to even find a spot for it - there is hardly a spare corner anywhere!

I also sanded some teak tables - another little job off the list :)

We have good weather at the moment but it is changing rapidly. I think there will be some stern words with the builder tomorrow - we still don't have the heat pump installed - and that was the reason we started the whole rebuild! The installer has some domestic problems, apparently - but he has been erratic for the whole job - even though he is likeable enough...but we usually light the fires in September so they'd better get on with it...

Moles again, luckily in the front paddock...

This year's Christmas (church) project...350 pieces required