Home again...
but it is going to take a while for that term "home" to sink in!
So, I'll just add "design a new Blog for 2019" to my list of things to do...and post a few Holiday Photos here...
...and wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Saturday 5 January 2019
Saturday 24 November 2018
Week 47 Tying up a few Loose ends
Week 47
We're off to the Land of Oz next week. Janny's sister Ankie is moving in - to look after the dog, cats and Mum and Dad while we're away. She is also running the business in her spare time! A very capable niece, Lotte, is looking after the kids - with the aid of a couple of (equally capable) extra workers (who just happen to be sisters - of each other).
The roof ""should" be finished this week - but we don't care anymore - at least it is not leaking! If it is not finished then we won't have to pay them before we leave!!
(So off to the chore of packing the bags...)
The roof ""should" be finished this week - but we don't care anymore - at least it is not leaking! If it is not finished then we won't have to pay them before we leave!!
(So off to the chore of packing the bags...)
Solar Panels
This project is moving quickly now - they should be ready to start soon after we get back.
Even the dog (Zoey) approves...
As with most things around here, I don't always fully understand...but here goes...
For taxation purposes the Federal Govt. has introduced an idea called Postcode Rose (roos is actually pronounced "rose", so it is very close). In our case, Wijnjewoude is the "bud" of the rose and the adjoining Postcodes are the "petals".In this way, the Govt. is trying to ensure that the taxation benefits remain "local".
Postcoderoos project
You want to generate solar energy but you can not or do not want panels on your own roof. WEN has the solution: Your solar panels on the roof of care farm De Twa Bûken!
How does it work?
Individuals (including tenants), companies and associations can participate in a so-called postcoderoos project. Coöperatie WEN takes care of the purchase, installation, insurance, maintenance and management of the solar project. You decide how many panels you want and for 15 years you get the energy tax on the solar energy used by you and self-generated, returned to your bank account.
What is PostCoderoos?
The name already indicates that it is a local project where the postcode serves as a starting point. Addresses within and even directly adjacent * to the postcode of the project can participate.
The Postcoderoos arrangement is the popular name of the Reduced Tariff Scheme. This tax scheme is intended to stimulate the co-operative generation of renewable energy. The government guarantees a 15-year discount on the energy tax that you have to pay in the energy price. Currently, the energy tax and therefore the discount is approximately € 0.12 per kWh. Participating in a postcoderoos project is possible up to a maximum of 10,000 kWh per year.
How can you participate?
You can participate by buying solar participations. Such a solar participation represents one solar panel and is expected to generate approximately 250 kWh per year. An average household needs about 10 panels. You can already participate with a deposit of 99 euros per panel and an annual contribution of 17.50 euros per panel. This way you help to make our village more sustainable and you also receive a discount on your energy bill for the next 15 years. You get the energy tax paid by you on electricity back and that provides a yearly saving.
What happens to the collectively generated solar power?
It is delivered to the cooperative energy company Energie VanOns **. Maintenance and management are paid out of the income. As a participant, you get the green electricity from VanOns. The transfer is arranged for you and the refund of the energy tax is done automatically. Other energy companies ask for a hefty fee for this or even refuse to arrange the refund. Through your connection with Energie VanOns you also ensure that Wijnjewoude receives 75 euros each year to spend on sustainable and social projects. This way the proceeds return to the village.
* Also inhabitants of the following immediately adjacent villages can take part in a postcoderoos in Wijnjewoude (9241): Bakkeveen, Waskemeer, Donkerbroek, Hoornsterzwaag, Hemrik, Olterterp, Ureterp and Siegerswoude.
And further to that story...
(also on the website and in one of the local newspapers).
The green heart of Janny and Ken Copeland from care farm De Twa Bûken is going to beat faster when they talk about WEN's first postcoderoos project that is being realized with them.
"We recently had the asbestos removed and now have a nice place for WEN's first postcoderoos project. We do this especially for future generations and want to contribute to the community. We also support the objective of WEN to make Wijnjewoude energy-neutral in 10 years. We would like to contribute to that. "
Zorgboerderij De Twa Bûken is located on Duerswâld, between Wijnjewoude and Bakkeveen. Janny and Ken do daytime activities for people with a disability, where the type of work is fully attuned to the wishes of the clients. They are also a guest address for children with behavioral problems. And now also 'energy supplier', again a completely different branch of sport.
This postcoderoos project is a collective sunroof that residents of Wijnjewoude and neighboring villages can join. For example if their own roof is not suitable for solar panels. Do you also want panels on the roof of De Twa Bûken? There is still room.
Fibre Optics (for internet, TV, and telephone)
Optical fiber? Success!
Posted November 21, 2018
Wijnjewoude gets fiber! Almost 75% of those involved in Opsterland have signed up for a fiber optic subscription at Kabelnoord. A great success, not least for the voluntary ambassadors who have moved from door to door in recent weeks. The registrations poured in, particularly during the last days.
"The success of the fiberglass campaign is due to the grand deployment of a very large group of ambassadors, the municipality of Opsterland and local village interests." According to de Niek Geelhoed, director of Kabelnoord.
In the course of 2019, the first subscribers in Opsterland will be able to use their fast connection. All who have registered will soon receive a personal message from Kabelnoord.
And pay attention: Those who are still thinking of signing up can still do so until 3 December without additional costs. Then costs are charged.
Diets a little better in the Netherlands
The Dutch are eating slightly more healthily than 10 years ago but many people are still failing to meet the official guidelines for a good diet, the public health institute RIVM says in a new report. The RIVM compared eating patterns between 2007 and 2010 with those between 2012 and 2016 and found processed and red meat consumption had dropped by 8%. The cheese and milk obsessed Dutch were also eating and drinking fewer dairy products. The biggest recorded drop was for alcohol, with consumption down 19%, the RIVM said. This could in part be due to the raising of the legal drinking age from 16 to 18. However, the consumption of vegetables, and of grains, rice, and pasta, has barely improved. Just 16% of the Dutch meet the recommended level of 250 grams of vegetables a day and only 13% 200 grams of fruit. The increase in fruit consumption in the survey is the equivalent of one mandarin orange a week, the RIVM said.
(On one of our trips to Melbourne - quite a few years ago - we couldn't help but notice the increase in obesity - so we are curious to see what has happened since we were last there.).
Totally unrelated...
(but has anyone else noticed how rude people can be when they give their phone more attention than the person in front of them?). I even have to dodge around kids on their bikes as they wobble along looking at their phones...
Ben in Sydney
He has been getting a little bit of modeling work - enough to pay for, but not interfere with, his traveling!
Sunday 18 November 2018
What Happened in 2017?
Week 46
We had an anxious few weeks when the Bank queried the "figures" from 2017. Our accountant had been sitting with us only a few weeks before and joking about the fact that he could have photocopied our report for the last few years!
I have often bemoaned the fact that some financial/bank/taxation stuff is " difficult enough in your own language" let alone trying to wade through it in a foreign environment.
So, we had to do a prognosis of the 2018 situation - happily, that seems to be way ahead of the previous few years - so the bank is happy - and so are we!
There still remains the question, for me at least. What happened in 2017? We had only one week of holidays in France, didn't buy a new boat - or spend money on the old one! In a rather sad reflection in some ways - we didn't do anything out of the ordinary - relishing the fact that we love what we do... and that's all we did in 2017.
Now, I was at the point of "finding a new bank" - somewhat intuitively knowing that everything is ticking over nicely and this was a stressful "blip" of some sort.
Part of the problem - as I see it - was that we had a change of Account Manager along the way. The old one gave us the go ahead with the new investment and then suddenly the new one says "wait a minute" - I admit to having unpleasant thoughts about the bank and its processes.
In what is probably a sign of the times, our new account manager's name is Mahmoud Al Sayed. When he finally came to have a look at the business (and us) and armed with the 2018 interim report - everything was sweetness and light again.
And, I have to admit that I don't think I have ever met a more likable person, at least in our business dealings.
Unfortunately, he couldn't shed much light on 2017... but is happy enough with 2018, that he also suggested that we go ahead with the Solar Panels (a separate investment) as well.
We're happy to wait on that one, even though I will have to make up a new application in 2019.
So, What Happened in 2017? Maybe the Russians hacked our account...
Sorry about that rather dull start to my Sunday Morning.
In the meantime, the roof is "closed" and only needs the imitation roof tile sheets to be placed. It is all nice and "straight" and has an extra layer of insulation that we hadn't reckoned on. We feel "warmer" already, but it's probably only our imagination.
On Monday, Tjeerd and I finished off some spouting and put a couple of plastic sheets up over the (previously unprotected) garage. Tjeerd is our "out of the work system" helper - he really seems to have found his "place" and is becoming quite indispensable to me. We have discovered that he has an amazing ability - I leave things here and there as I have finished with them and move on to the next job - if I forget, all I have to do is ask Tjeerd - he seems to remember everything! He also remembers stuff that he has tidied up - so we make a joke of it now - "ask Tjeerd, he'll know". And more often than not, he does!
Note the fleeting Autumn colours...
The new roof workers didn't arrive until Thursday - and had it closed in two days! That's how it should have been done in the first place...so I didn't get really busy until Wednesday...
Wed. 10.5kms
Thurs. 10.4kms
Fri. 16.18kms
Sat.10.12kms
Friday was a "clean up after the builders day"! in preparation for having kids again at the weekend.
With all this walking...I could be doing something more exciting!
Friend Horrie sent me information about a walk he did in Tasmania...
The Three Capes Walk
Sounds fantastic - but is fully booked for the time we will be in Melbourne.
And Frank sent me information about something a bit closer...(Spain)
And then there is our very own "Pieterpad" of 498kms.
But, I digress...
Around the farm...
Kids at work...
Lucas
Our little kids went to see Sinterklaas "arrive" in the Netherlands... (he arrives by boat, of course). (and it looks like we'll have the Black Pete controversy again this year).
Janny's Dad had his 85th Birthday Party at our place. Janny's Mum is one of 10 kids and Dad is one of 4 - so at some time in the past such a family gathering might have had 28 brothers and sisters and partners plus the kids. It gave me pause for reflection that there is now only a handful of the brothers and sisters left - but there were already about 6 great-grandchildren present - as life goes on!
Fibre-Optics coming to "Outer Areas" - we think...
Our Local Government area (Opsterland) is almost at the required 60% participation level...
In her "ambassador" role, Janny has been hard at work trying to convince people to sign up for it. In an obvious breach of the new Privacy laws, they have been getting names of people who have not yet committed. Janny has talked a few around, by explaining the obvious benefits. That remains the greatest wonder to me - that so many people have NOT signed up - it just seems such a "no-brainer". It reminds me that some people would have been against that new-fangled telephone, for example - or that some people will be against something/anything, whatever it is.
and some people will leave it to the last minute...
The "deadline" is Monday...
Solar Panels
This project is in two parts:
The part for Wijnjewoude Energy Neutral (WEN) is well underway - this one has no costs for us; we see it as a contribution to "the cause" of Community. They did promise a bit of publicity for our participation...
The electricity company has been here to see where they will dig - alongside our new driveway to the collection point on the outside of the garage.
Another company came to inspect and report on the load-bearing capacity of the rooves. (both approved).
Part 1 WEN
Part 2 Ours
Ben in Australia...
Ben and his nephew Tom 2018
1998
Ben and brother Paul - camping along the Great Ocean Road
and wow! Ben sky-diving! (with some delusional mutterings that "you should do it, too").
With Paul and granddaughter Georgia.
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