Week 5 Code RED

Week 5

A highlight from the 2nd Quarter...

In the 1980's a couple of friends and I chartered this boat in the Whitsundays - the actual boat we chartered was unavailable, so they asked us if we would mind having this (much larger) ketch instead...

Janny started (yet another) big cleanup out the back - finding a box of photo and video cd's and dvd's - so I have the job of going through them all...almost got stuck at re-living this one :-)

We get our Friesland mooring flag delivered early - we pay a bit extra as a donation because we think that they do an amazing job.

Kids' Weekend again

Janny is in full "I'm watching the Olympics" mode, so I've had to lift my game a bit...

cooking dinner and taking kids home

Bowel Cancer Testing

 (I've been doing the test regularly but I think it has stopped now that I'm 75 - Janny still gets hers done).

 The number of cases of advanced bowel cancer in the Netherlands has fallen in recent years, and the drop is probably down to the introduction of a national bowel cancer screening programme in 2014, according to monitoring body Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland (IKNL).

Bowel cancer is more common among older people and experts had expected an increase as the population gets older.  Instead, the number of people diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer fell from 7,200 in 2013 to 5,900 in 2024, the most recent year for which figures are available.

Overall, 11,300 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer last year, compared with 13,000 in 2013, before screening was introduced.

Everyone in the Netherlands aged between 55 and 75 is invited every two years to take part in the bowel cancer screening programme.

Around the Farm

We had to close again on Wednesday - due to the icy roads - a Code RED warning in the north (us).

We always err on the side of caution, of course - so we knew that we would have the day off...but I still had to go out the back to get some more kindling for our  own snuggle-in  fire.

I got about half way and decided that I wouldn't make it back with a box in my hands - it was so treacherous, I was almost on all fours just to make any progress - "silly old man breaks hip", or some such - so I went back inside and changed my shoes so that I could fit a pair of socks over them...it helps!

...and then got the fire going and laid back for the day - Boeke had a little walk once we made it to the cycling path, which had been salted. Later in the day we heard that even some of the salt trucks couldn't get out...

We sent a warning to the residents - they all stayed home as well - getting to the cars was probably the hardest part - but the Code Red warning said stay home if you can, or words to that effect.

Public transport was cancelled until 1200hrs.

Skating on the roads...

Code RED lays life in Friesland flat...

The man working in the forest was there before 0700hrs...his work (cutting down trees) was OK once he managed to get there...

On Thursday, for our more normal walk...

Also on Thursday, I made some new shelves for the Jigsaw Puzzle Library...nice work to do inside...

Tjeerd and Ankie stacked the shelves...

Also on Thursday we had a new chap come to have a look - so see if he wanted to do some Day Activity with us - he rang back on Friday to say the he will start on Monday (tomorrow). Just Mondays and Thursdays, which suits us best because Ankie is also working.

He's older than me but still seems pretty bright - so we hope that we are the right place for him.

Still doing minor touches to the house

There never seems to be enough space for Imelda's  Janny's shoes :-)

Glen, Nicole, Jaz and Lily arrive this week. Only for a few days after their European holiday, but at this stage it is even more meaningful than usual - the gift of time - last saw them in 2018 - Jaz and Lily were so keen then to show me their violin skills - and now, suddenly, they are all grown up! (with many more skills, no doubt).