Week 43

 Week 43 in Wijnjewoude

Not much this week - I had a cold, so I stayed clear of everyone. I didn't arrange to get tested for Covid - that's how certain I was that I was having my "regular" end of year cold which usually ends up in sinus problems! But using the salt nasal rinse and staying in bed certainly helped.

I had to cancel taking the boat out of the water, but I have that arranged now for the coming week. I also have to do the "winterklaar" service - new oil, drain out the water, diesel additive and antifreeze.

I'm also having the gas installation checked to see if it still complies with the current regulations - we had it all done in 2012, but I think the rules have changed. The flexible hose on the regulator has to be changed every 2 years and the fire extinguishers every 3 years (or vice versa)!

Daylight saving ended this morning, so it was light at 0700hrs. My personal trainer took me for a walk in the forest even though it was raining a bit. The 1000's of geese were flying over us - they are resting on the pools opposite our place - on their way to...

The leaves have only just begun - somehow they will all eventually find their way to our front lawn...

Around the farm...

In 1999, we had installed a new hot water boiler and heating system - in preparation for getting our first batch of refugees. The cost was a whopping f26,000 (guilders) and we both thought at the time that "at least we'll have that if nothing else". Luckily, the contracts lasted for about 3 years and we were able to do a lot more around the place.

Anyway, that hot water and heating system was only serving Apartment # 2 - and the gas bills were fairly high - so we promised the new tenant that we would put in a new system.

The new system is tiny by comparison - hot water on demand and the same capacity for heating - circulated hot water through radiators. 

Just have to see what happens with the gas bills...

 

Repairing the old wood heater

This 16kw heater used to be in our house - but it was always "too hot" after we had the place insulated - and with the thatched roof. So we shifted it "out the back" - where it does a mighty job of heating the large recreation room.

Sadly, it has seen better days - the internal plates have deteriorated quite noticably - so we have ordered  all the replacement parts...

Covid news

Our neighbour has tested positive! But she doesn't know how she got it - she works from home (administrative work for a school) - none of the kids have it - they get their groceries home delivered - so it remains a mystery. Their dog is even being tested as part of the protocol to see if they can learn anything.

Meanwhile, the numbers continue to rise.

Ben has been to Madrid again for modelling work...

He is going to be tested when he gets back to Amsterdam and again before he comes up to Friesland.

We're expecting another lockdown, but it hasn't been announced as yet.

Photos from Madrid

(at the studio)

Out and about

House for sale €495,000

Euthenasia

It's a thing here. A very good friend of ours chose for it in 2004. (he was only 45, but seriously ill).

I found an article on the subject here...

https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2020/10/euthanasia-for-people-with-dementia-remains-a-minefield/

Including the dementia dilemma....

Dementia

So should doctors continue to administer euthanasia to people with dementia under these circumstances? Without clear due care criteria, new warnings by medical disciplinary boards and subsequent decisions by the Supreme Court can only be a matter of time. The root cause of the problem lies in euthanasia for people with dementia who had previously made living wills. The care criteria have not been made explicit enough in the euthanasia legislation, and an additional problem is that these written statements are often open to more than one interpretation. In some cases patients are no longer capable of stating clearly whether or not they want to go through with the euthanasia, or indicate if they are suffering unbearably. The result of all these doubts and uncertainties is that doctors are faced with the task of interpreting the due care criteria, the living wills and the oral wishes of their patients.

For the love of peat

 Week 42

I skipped Week 41, simply because I felt like I had done very little - but in fact, we had a big week catching up on a lot of paperwork in anticipation of the 2nd Audit.

It all paid off, as we passed the 2nd Audit with flying colours!

As part of the audit, we had to smarten up on some of our electrical "bad habits". Basically, too many extension cords! So, we put in some more powerpoints - fairly simple, but time consuming. (and this in the kitchen where I had already planned (in 1997) for 10 powerpoints using the theory that "you can never have too many")!!

And yet more shelving! Using all the bits that I had left over!

We also checked and updated our list of 23 "groups" (circuits) in the rear section.

The emergency lighting batteries are all out of date but instead of replacing them, we'll be looking for an LED alternative.

My title for week 32 refers to a podcast that captured my attention...

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/for-the-love-of-peat/

Bog, mire, fen - all words for peat areas - In Dutch the word is "veen". pronounced "fane" - so probably closest to "fen".

Much of our boating, particularly in Friesland, relies on canals that were dug for the peat industry from the 1600's until the early 1900's.

It seems that even today's (world-wide) peat bogs still store twice as much carbon than the rest of the world's foliage combined.

A few weeks ago there was a TV program showing the management of a peat area not far from us. It is actively maintained as a peat bog, including the measure of cutting down any trees that might think to grow there!

and, speaking of words, I was delighted to find this one...

Around the farm...

We cut down some more trees - now that the neighbour's corn has been removed...

Unusually warm weather - and dry! so I was able to catch up on all my mowing - hopefully for the last time this year - but the grass keeps growing until the temperature drops to 7 degrees - so maybe one more time - very unusual for late October.

Cornfield cleaned up...

...and speaking of corn....

The dairy farmers get subsidised to grow corn as feed for the cows. It is totally unfit for human consumption, unfortunately.

Next door to us, the farmer grows a "normal" variety, using fertilizers. About 2 ears per stem - it has all been harvested and transported to nearby drying kilns. To be used as feed over the winter when the cows are confined indoors.

One of our nephews has been growing a different type of corn - directly behind our place. I have been pondering the difference for a few months now... this type of corn attracts an increased subsidy as it is deemed to more ecologically sound - presumably less fertilizer, for one. It actually looked more like weeds than feed, but apparently the "weeds" are also a feed sort.

The corn stems are only as thick as a little finger...and my source (Janny) tells me that the corn is a variety from Australia! (I haven't been able to find any more information on this)

Also of note...In this photo there is a short row of oak trees on the right. There used to be an old house there - it was cleaned up about 15 years ago. The forestry/lands management people have just begun works to make a new walking track through there - which we will make use of, no doubt.

They are also transforming a large area at the back into a new "heath" area... it should end up like this...(these photos are from the other side of the road).

Partial Lockdown

Support for the government’s basic measures to combat coronavirus, such as hand washing and social distancing, remains high but confidence in the overall approach has fallen, according to the latest survey by public health institute RIVM. 

The survey, conducted ahead of Tuesday’s decision to impose a partial lockdown in the Netherlands, showed that while 84% of people thought the government was trying to do its best, just 57% thought the measures were being properly explained. And only three in 10 said they stayed home if they had mild symptoms or had been in an area considered to be risky, despite the guidelines. 

‘Organising the practicalities remains the main obstacle to self-isolation,’ the researchers said. Six in 10 said they would stay home if a someone else in the household tests positive but only half said they would stay in if contacted by a health worker as part of a track and trace programme. And only four in five said they would stay home if they had tested positive for the virus. Health minister Hugo de Jonge slammed people who ignore the recommendations to self-isolate, saying ‘advice is there to be followed.’ ‘If the health board tells you to sit on your backside on the sofa, that is what you do,’ he told reporters after the Friday afternoon cabinet meeting. ’Don’t start thinking you know better than the health board.’ 

Positive tests The number of positive coronavirus tests registered with the public health institute RIVM reached just three short of 8,000 by 10am on Friday morning. The increase takes the number of positive tests over the past week to an average of 7,171, compared with 4,837 in the week earlier period. 

The number of hospital patients rose by 27 overnight to 1,533, of whom 345 are being treated in intensive care wards. The RIVM survey also showed the number of people who are worried about catching coronavirus has almost doubled from 10% in the previous survey six weeks ago to 18% now.

Things to do in lockdown...

We're very lucky here, of course

The day work clients are still coming (with one exception). The kids are here this weekend - but we couldn't combine them for the school holidays this time.

Our one exception is strange indeed - the girl's mother "has done her research"  (Facebook anyone?) and believes that it is all a hoax!!! They are both in a high vulnerability group, but they refuse to wear facemasks and so the taxi company won't bring her to us! 

Janny did her best to remain diplomatic on the phone...(imagine that... :-) )

Pumpkins...

My pumpkins were another EPIC FAIL this year. I did have one! which I made into Jamie Oliver's Pumpkin and Ginger Soup.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/pumpkin-ginger-soup/

...and this one grew by accident where I had been mucking around with the seeds!! Oh well, maybe next year...(I'm trying to get my Volunteer interested - he has green thumbs).

I also made some  Aussie meat pies. and some bread in the bread machine.

...and walking, walking

The Dayworkers

The Christmas gifts for the Church are all finished - nice and early, this year. So, they have been working on another Christmas idea... 

and a new Ferrari...

Week 40 Some Things in Life are Priceless

Week 40

A quiet week, as I spent 3 full days trying to get the hang of our new Client Management System.

It all seemed so easy when we first started this - the clients would come, we'd write it all down and I would send out the bills (by maill!) at the end of the month.

Now that it has been taken over by Local Government, there seem(s) to be so many complications. 

Every client need (ie the reason that they are a client) has a different code. There are literally hundreds to choose from.

Privacy Laws are having an impact - and I'm sure that I am seeing only the minor things - like the fact that we are not allowed to keep paper copies at our place (duh!). Everything has to be on a secure site (our Client Management System). We can't refer to clients names when we send an email - initials have to be used. Some emails have to be "secure" - ie for one set of payments I have to "request" a secure email - they send me a code to reply - and then I can attach the bills.

From my low-level view, there seems to be a huge number of intermediary companies/organisations set up in between the provider of the money and the provider of the service. ( That''s us!! )

Some of the intermediaries get the money in bulk and I often get the feeling that we have to claw it out of them. ie "if only they didn't have to give it to us", they would get to keep it.

We are the ones providing the service to the clients, after all. The rest is just administrative BS!

(end of rant)

On a lighter note, I have officially "retired" a pair of Blundies...

I usually keep an extra pair polished up for casual wear during the winter. They will now become my next work boots! (They are not really Blundstones, but an Italian lookalike).

With Face mask!

And because I've been doing office work, my fitness level has been dropping off - I noticed it when working with the kids yesterday! So, I took Boeke for a long walk this morning, just to see if he could handle it! (Better than me, of course!)

Covid-19 news

(Every time I write Covid-19, I can't help but think of the Fox News person who complained that "they should know all about it by now now, as they are up to the 19th version of it".

Oh, my...

On Monday the Prime Minister and the Health Minister gave another Press Conference, announcing the reintroduction of tougher measures...

A total of 3,831 new coronavirus cases were reported to the Dutch public health institute RIVM in the 24 hours to 10am on Friday morning, up almost 600 on Thursday. 

The number of hospital patients has also risen by 42 to 733, including 160 in intensive care, the national patient coordination platform said. The death toll rose by nine – the RIVM has recorded an average of 14 deaths a day over the past seven days, compared with eight in the week earlier period. 

Prime minister Mark Rutte said on Monday that he expected the number of positive cases to reach 5,000 on a daily basis in the next few days, before the impact of new restrictions was felt. The new restrictions include a 10pm closing time for cafes and bars, restrictions on group sizes and an ‘urgent recommendation’ that people wear face masks in public buildings, including shops, museums and government offices. Most positive cases in the past 24 hours – 352 – were again recorded in Amsterdam. 

Meanwhile, campaign group Coronavirus Waarheid (Truth), which opposes government restrictions and gets funding from far-right party FVD, has said it will start legal action against schools which introduce a face mask requirement. The measure, currently in the form of a government recommendation, would be ‘illegal’ and ‘abuse’, the group’s founder Willem Engel said. Universities Higher education minister Ingrid van Engelshoven has said she does not see the need to recommend the use of masks in colleges and universities. However, a number of students demonstrated on Museumplein in Amsterdam on Friday, calling on the government and universities to do more to ensure students can attend physical lectures. ‘Some students are sitting at home for weeks in a row, staring at screens,’ Maarten van Dorp, chairman of student union LSVB told the AD. ‘It is not good for mental health, it is demotivating and everyone is longing for social contact.’

Ben has to work from home, so he may come back here - where he can have a bit more freedom than in Amsterdam.

We're happy to wear facemasks - and do anything else that might help, for that matter.

A look at the Netherlands (changing) views on facemasks can be read here... (it was too long to cut and paste)

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/10/despite-the-government-u-turn-the-dutch-are-still-unwilling-to-wear-masks/

Some things are priceless.

and finally, I copied this quote from a European site (which was reflecting on the turmoil in USA).

It made me think that, yes, there could be worse places to be living in this strangest of years...

The ultra-rich should also think hard about the benefits of living in a democracy and under a competent government, rather than being ruled by corrupt, bumbling autocrats. Some things in life are priceless.