This Week In Wijnjewoude 2017 Week 1

2017 Week 1

Back to Business

We started work again on Monday. I'm sure it is just habit, but it felt better than being in bed sick! Light the fire, set the coffee, tidy up, cars out and ready for pick-ups, too much coffee and business as usual!

Trying to do the right thing

I finally spotted one of the Syrians (they stay inside a lot and their windows are always blocked off - so the women can take their head coverings off whilst inside). 

I wanted to see if I could connect an Internet cable to their TV. I asked the husband if the women were covered up, so I could go inside. This was done by me gesturing and pointing at my head and covering my eyes... all very dumb, obviously... as he said aha! and went and got a beanie for me!! duh!
As it was, the daughter appeared without head covering.... and promptly ran away. So, the creepy old infidel had seen her hair!

Janny's Mum says "ah they are so beautiful - why do they cover it up?".

Black Ice

From the TV News

13 million kilos of salt spread on the roads on saturday. People are driving too fast for the black ice. Some freeways were restricted to 50km/hr - but even this doesn't help once you start sliding. This time last year people were literally skating on the icy roads. Code Orange Weather Alerts were issued for about two thirds of the country.

5G Internet in Groningen

From the TV News

A story about superfast internet proposed in Groningen - mainly on the back of medical/care purposes. An example was given about an 87 year old man who didn't want to go into aged care. . His tablet/pills box was connected to ensure that he was taking his medicine. The toilet was connected and capable of detecting bladder infections. The fridge could also be monitored for use and content. The story gave an example of ambulances being connected with scanners to send patient information en route to the hospital.

Getting Wintery...

Boat talk

Luckily, the boat is inside - with heating! (the greenish shed on the right)

Along the Maas

One of 7 weirs along the Maas was severely damaged by a ship. This meant that the water level could not be maintained, resulting in many residential houseboats being left stranded at odd angles.

The turf Route 

A few friends know about the Turf Route; a waterway near us that was originally dug in order to extract and transport peat, between 1630 and 1830.
In 1994, there was an organisation, not unlike the Puffing Billy Society, say, whose original goal was to "save" the canal and the idea of the former "Peat Colony" of Gorredijk. These days the canal is only for recreational use, although all the waterways are also part of the "national drainage system" (my thoughts, at least).
The society is hard pressed to keep going due to a shortage of funds. I understood that the local govt were going to take it over in a few years. (maybe I misunderstood, as is often the case).
In a newspaper article it is stated that the entry fee will be removed (maybe in 5 years time?)..... we were always pleased to pay in the knowledge that it helped to keep it going. There is always maintenance required, of course. If the various local councils don't want to pay and the society can't charge an entry fee.... I hope a solution is found. "Professional marketing" gets a mention but not sure about this. I have to do some more research....

edit: One of the websites states that the entry fee is €20 for 2017- so that gets us through this year, at least. In fact it will be first on the list when we start boating again!

One Year Ago

January 4 2016. THIS year we had high winds, rain and hail! The Eritrean kids were gawking out the window - I imagine they have never seen it so cold before. Hope we get some snow soon.
Edit: Woke up on Saturday morning to...... SNOW! (I believe Melbourne was expecting 36 plus).  

.....and no photos of the Eritrean kids in the snow; they went for a sleepover at the Refugee Centre in Drachten. They were going to catch a bus, but it would have been too cold for them waiting at the bus stop, so Janny drove them.

The Eritreans seem to be doing it hard; we wonder how Mum had the ability to undertake the trip with three kids in tow. A lot (too much?) responsibility is falling on the eldest son (10/11?) as he has been going to school and picked up a bit of Dutch. The volunteers have too much to do and even their "support" organisation went on holidays for the Christmas/New Year break. So, a few grumblings....... and the tough weather doesn't make it any easier. No sign of the father yet. We (they) had expected him by the 5th of January (from Sweden).

Virtual Reality

One of our nephews has learned computer programming and focussed on making apps for VR. He has registered himself as a business and works as a freelancer. He has an "employer" in Sweden and was recently invited there to meet other members of the team. It was the first time he had been in a plane... all very exciting.
For New Year's Eve, he had all his equipment set up for everyone to have a go. The games still look very cartoonish and were of little interest to me. I did, however, try the English Church and Graveyard, which was very lifelike as I walked around. It's early days yet, but you can see that it is going to be something very special. One use, mentioned by Durk, was by Real Estate Agents - for prospective housebuyers to "look" at a place whilst still in the office, before deciding to go and look at the real thing.

Ben Home at last......

Janny hired a bus so we could take his long-term friends with us, to pick him up from Schiphol.
At the Hello, Goodbye Bar.
Jicky (not sure of the spelling but it is pronounced Yicky), on the right, is a World Champion Street dancer! All 3, including Petra and Eliana, are long time friends of Ben.