Week 23 Black Russians and Green Zebras

Week 23

In France last year, we were treated to home-grown Black Russian tomatoes - so I bought some seeds (including Green Zebra) for this year and here we go, albeit a bit later in the year than I had intended.

We shall see...

It is hard to know where the time has gone, so I plan to simply look at my photos to jog my memory.  

and the yearly attempt at growing my own pumpkins even though they are becoming more available in the shops as the years go by.

As mentioned earlier, we have Local Government approval to "house" one of our clients in an old "sanitary block" which had been provided for use with our caravans permit but never used.

A couple of the big boys helped (the old boy) to get the old roof off

and then we set up the garage as a workshop to make new trusses - using the old roof timbers.

we also used the old wall cladding to cover the roof - holding it all together!

then came the plastic and corrugated iron...

and then a delivery trip - Robin's boat to Weesp - 153 km in just over 2.5 days - not bad going.

We caught up with Andrew and Terry at Kampen. Robin had developed a rapport with the havenmeester who is a Crocodile Dundee fan (kindred spirits?). So, we had a mooring reserved for us (luckily) and the havenmeester assured us (and everyone else) that he had "cleared the crocodiles" for our arrival.

Our reserved mooring...

Andrew & Terry's boat

Some sights around Kampen - a historical city with it's Hanseatic League background.

We then went on to Almere Haven - again through the polder.
Still rather boring on the 2nd time through!

Again through the 5 metre lock

and the keersluis...which can be closed in the event of floods.

We had to go into the lock at Almere Haven - to go up again - but we could barely fit with only one other boat inside before us. We had to lay diagonally so that the doors could be closed!

A good meal at Almere Haven - moored about 5 metres from the restaurant!

Early morning (0530hrs) at Almere Haven - Johanna centre.

From Weesp, I caught the train back to Heerenveen - and was reminded just how good the public transport system is. I then took a bus to Drachten - winding through all the small villages on the way. Haven't done that for more than 20 years!

Back at work...

the pumpkins and other stuff - all growing well!
These planter boxes were part of a school project - made by a woman from the village - they needed to be "user-friendly" for our clients.

I'll need to thin them out during the week.

Flagpole re-location...

Our young worker had this to do as a project...

He is also interested in my "heugal kultuur" garden bed - which is going rather well!
So we built one for him as well - next week's project is to finish it off...
...and he cleaned up around the glasshouse - with the Black Russians and Green Zebras!

More works, including re-using an old kitchen block and making a doorway between the two units.

Cutting a hole for a new window...

Finally, a day off. 

Janny and I took the boat from Heerenveen to Felder's Boskje (near Wijnjewoude). 6.5 hours - 4 locks and about 25 bridges. The 'new" Turf Route officially opened this weekend - but not many boats up until now - we were one of 4 on Friday.

The boat in front of us - from Germany - didn't have much of a clue about opening the "self-service" bridges - so we did that and let them go through. We heard from one of the lockkeepers that they were looking for the Prinses Margriet Kanaal - so it appears that they were lost as well!! Oh dear...

I've been sleeping on board and going home to do some paperwork and pottering.

Saturday 9 june

Janny had two new boys for their first day - so she had to help out...

At their request, she had to be the "police" while they were racing around on the skelters...all in a days work!

Sunday 10 june

On Sunday morning, a small lone-handed yacht was heading off from our mooring - but his keel was stuck in the bottom - so I had to help him get away. He had come from Rotterdam and was heading to "somewhere" in the Frisian Lakes - I told him that I was very envious...

I managed to get a few jobs off my list...

fastened the ventilation flue from the new toilet...

Put in a raised floor in the toilet - for those with short legs!

Replaced the old cigarette-lighter socket with a double USB outlet - for phone and tablet. (might have to re-stain the old woodwork!).

So that just about brings me up-to-date. (although I'm sure to have missed something!)

In the meantime...the adventures of Ben continue...

In Shanghai, and often commuting to Guangzhou...

Guangzhou, also known as Canton, is the capital and most populous city of the province of Guangdong. Located in southern China on the Pearl River about 120 km north-northwest of Hong Kong and 145 km north of Macau, Guangzhou has a history of over 2,200 years and was a major terminus of the maritime Silk Road and continues to serve as a major port and transportation hub today, as well as one of China's three largest cities.