48 Mind Controlling Aliens
Week 48
Monday
The secret stairway...
It had been closed in from the back when we built Janny's parents' apartment. This wall was non-loadbearing, so we decided to open it up - to become a walk-in wardrobe.
A full day to get it out and cart the rubble in buckets to the skip...I thought I heard Frank in the background somewhere, muttering...."I'm nearly 80, you know"...
The installation guys came on wednesday - they do ALL the plumbing, gas and electrical installation - the first bit was to do the drainage (sewage) and supply of hot and cold water - so we had to know where everything is going to be placed - shower, toilets, washing machine, kitchen sink, dishwasher, laundry trough - and supply to the apartments and the rest. I think we have it all covered - I guess we'll find out later if we forgot anything. Over the years, I have taken photos of drains, electricity, telephone, gas pipes, etc. I could sometimes ask Janny's Dad or brother - so, method in my madness with so many photos - but I probably won't need these again (unless something goes wrong).
The floor heating and gas and electrical goes on top of the foam concrete - and then another layer of real concrete. And we still have a couple of walls to knock out before then. We have also decided to have our wood fire back again - so we have to sort out a new chimney.
Foam Concrete
We were told that it would be coming on Friday - so we had a lot to prepare before then. We worked into the darkness on Thursday night, with Janny also pitching in...and still didn't get it all done.
We had to line the whole of the inside floor area with plastic - to prevent groundwater entering the "schuimbeton" (foam concrete) - and to prevent the water in the concrete leaking away.
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The video shows the stakes we had to put in to determine the depth.
This is the foam that is introduced into the mix.
My Work, eat, sleep routine seems to be best - 2130 to bed and 0530 awake - and with luck, no pitstops in between.
In the meantime...
The convoluted process of Dutch politics begins - with a verkenner and then a formateur...it took 271 days to get it sorted out after the last election.
Wilders emerged as the big winner in last week’s general election and must now kick-start the coalition process. The role of the scout, or verkenner, is to look at possible coalition options and report back to parliament. The formateur then has to put it all together...
Wilders’ hopes of being prime minister have been dented by the decision of the VVD not to take part in a coalition with the far right party. However, party leader Dilan Yesilgöz has said she is prepared to support some policies that will make a centre-right coalition possible.
From Dutch News.nl
Trevor Noah has won this year's Erasmus Prize.
The Erasmus Prize, named after the Dutch philosopher and satirist Desiderius Erasmus, is awarded annually to a person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts. The award consists of a cash prize of €150,000.
In 2017, Noah warned about the dangers of right-wing populism and included Geert Wilders in the list. “In the Netherlands it’s Geert, in the UK it’s Boris and in the United States it’s Trump.
It’s obviously happening, we have been invaded by mind controlling aliens who look like bad hair!”
6 years old, but still worth a look...
https://youtu.be/VW1pdY3sNcA
On Wednesday evening we went to a meeting of the Corporation, Wijnjewoude Energie Neutraal (WEN). It was mainly a lot of gobbledygook legalese - they're getting fair dinkum now and everything has to be scrutinised and above board - so there is going to be a Council of Oversight from within the village.
WEN has become a big deal of sorts - it was recognised originally as a Pilot Program and attracted a fair bit of money for projects - including giving every household €2000,00 for energy related home improvements. Another €1000,00 has been announced for next year. Our own solar panels and a huge solar panel farm are visible examples of some of the projects - both of which generate income.
The local government has been behind the project and the Corporation is now generating interest in the Province of Friesland AND nationally.
It occurs to me that it is bordering on scandalous that the national electricity grid is hopelessy unsuitable for all the solar panels and future development. They're working on it...
I've said from the start that we should be looking at household batteries - good grief, IKEA are selling them in Germany and Belgium...but for some reason the network provider here deems them too expensive and more to the point "not profitable" (for them, not the consumer) - another privatisation blunder. (our spokesperson at the meeting just seemed to accept this, but I remain sceptical of the "for profit" aims of privatisation).
An 0530 podcast then a cuppa...on Tuesday it was "Oh God, What Now" - a post-Brexit look at UK politics. My ears picked up when they were talking about "both sides having to work at solving the many problems, including immigration, or the Far Right will step in like Geert Wilders".
The convoluted process of Dutch politics begins - with a verkenner and then a formateur...it took 271 days to get it sorted out after the last election.
Wilders emerged as the big winner in last week’s general election and must now kick-start the coalition process. The role of the scout, or verkenner, is to look at possible coalition options and report back to parliament. The formateur then has to put it all together...
Wilders’ hopes of being prime minister have been dented by the decision of the VVD not to take part in a coalition with the far right party. However, party leader Dilan Yesilgöz has said she is prepared to support some policies that will make a centre-right coalition possible.
From Dutch News.nl
Trevor Noah has won this year's Erasmus Prize.
The Erasmus Prize, named after the Dutch philosopher and satirist Desiderius Erasmus, is awarded annually to a person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the humanities, the social sciences or the arts. The award consists of a cash prize of €150,000.
In 2017, Noah warned about the dangers of right-wing populism and included Geert Wilders in the list. “In the Netherlands it’s Geert, in the UK it’s Boris and in the United States it’s Trump.
It’s obviously happening, we have been invaded by mind controlling aliens who look like bad hair!”
6 years old, but still worth a look...
https://youtu.be/VW1pdY3sNcA
On Wednesday evening we went to a meeting of the Corporation, Wijnjewoude Energie Neutraal (WEN). It was mainly a lot of gobbledygook legalese - they're getting fair dinkum now and everything has to be scrutinised and above board - so there is going to be a Council of Oversight from within the village.
WEN has become a big deal of sorts - it was recognised originally as a Pilot Program and attracted a fair bit of money for projects - including giving every household €2000,00 for energy related home improvements. Another €1000,00 has been announced for next year. Our own solar panels and a huge solar panel farm are visible examples of some of the projects - both of which generate income.
The local government has been behind the project and the Corporation is now generating interest in the Province of Friesland AND nationally.
It occurs to me that it is bordering on scandalous that the national electricity grid is hopelessy unsuitable for all the solar panels and future development. They're working on it...
I've said from the start that we should be looking at household batteries - good grief, IKEA are selling them in Germany and Belgium...but for some reason the network provider here deems them too expensive and more to the point "not profitable" (for them, not the consumer) - another privatisation blunder. (our spokesperson at the meeting just seemed to accept this, but I remain sceptical of the "for profit" aims of privatisation).
Apartments full again
A woman with a 2 year old wants to move into the small apartment. And the woman with 3 kids starts tomorrow with getting the other one ready.
I forgot to mention last week that one of the big election items was housing (or lack thereof). The housing system is totally beyond my comprehension - so many rules and regulations - perhaps this is one area where "privatization" could actually help...even in our neighbourhood there are a few "missing teeth" that could be filled in quite easily - but people look aghast at me if I mention it - it seems that it is part of the culture/mentality - "nah, you can't do that" seems to be the starting point...
Kids Weekend again.
They hopped in and did some tidying up - all the rubbish at the back of the house...we bought them all some gloves.
Ben heads off to Argentina today - then Chile and Brazil. He had a modelling job in Mexico and attended his last Spanish lesson.
Kids Weekend again.
They hopped in and did some tidying up - all the rubbish at the back of the house...we bought them all some gloves.
A lot of time spent indoors with this weather...as ever, "next week will be better" :-)
I've also had to fit in making some "houses" for one of the Church groups - the chap who normally makes them is sick - so I had a deadline to meet for the order :-(
8 sets (24 houses) in total
Ben heads off to Argentina today - then Chile and Brazil. He had a modelling job in Mexico and attended his last Spanish lesson.
In the forest - good to get away at the moment...
From nu.nl (snow)
Almost all of the Netherlands will experience snowfall and freezing of wet road sections on Sunday. The KNMI warns of traffic disruption and has issued a code yellow. Snowfall has caused nuisance in several European countries in recent days and on Saturday.It is going to snow for a long time in many places. The chance of a white landscape is greatest on Monday morning in Friesland, Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen. Moreover, even more snow may fall on Monday. "Also elsewhere in Europe. In France, for example, it can snow in the mountains and in other regions it can rain a lot," Willemsen (forecaster) explains.
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