winny’s blog

The man eating gorilla. Escaped in Blijdorp the other day. Yesterday we went to see him. Scary, isn’t he?

They even asked questions about him in parliament, can you believe that? Must be cucumbertime.

It was very nice to be in Blijdorp again after such a long time. For Graham obviously it was his first time.

What a wonderful software Skype is. Remarkebly easy to use and even to install. Since half an hour ago my mother is on skype and what do you know? We even also chatted. And after putting the computer off and on again, just to try and see if she could do it all by herself, she said, a bit surprised: ‘ it’s dead easy’.
She could see me but I couldn’t see her because she doesn’t have a webcam. That is the next thing, now she is in for that too.

But I have to tell you, you don’t want the webcam put on when skyping with your mother… The first thing she said  when seeing me was: ‘you don’t look at your best Win’. So I immediately put the thing out again. Thanks mom

Today Theo and I sailed the Watermeid back to her own dock. We had a lovely day. Starting with brackfast, Theo provided just after we set off. It all did go way much faster dan I thought it would go. The first strech the current was the opposit direction but after less then an hour we had the current with us. It made us go very fast. We sailed from Barendrecht, the lowest point of the yellow trail on the map to Rotterdam in 4 hours.

We passed by Dordrecht of which I made some poor pictures with the, by now well known, phonecamera.

 

This morning the Watermeid was put into the water again. I was at the marina to see if she was not flooded because of the pouring rain the past few days, and aspecially nights. But that was not the case at all, luckily. The matrasses were dry, that being the most important thing.

The Watermeid was still ashore when I came at the marina but they could put it in the water at once they said. And when I asked how long that would take, they said only 5 minutes. Yeah… used as I am to the Caribbean 5 minutes I was quit suspicious. But indeed, 5 minutes it was. They picked her up, drove her to the slope right into the water, where she belongs.

Last night a string of very strong lights was shown on the line where Rotterdam burned down the 14th of May 1940. The duration of the bombardment was only 14 minutes. Thereafter were many fires, burning down the centre of the city.

The picture which was in the NRC, shows the firewall and the spots where the lights are.

I couldn’t see very much of it from my house, but the neigbours on the other side of the building had a very good view I suppose. It must have been very impressive.

Just back home and again flying to Antigua. I have booked for a longer period this time. Its beginning to look like living there. Well, happily I won’t be alone. In fact that’s the only reason to go there again.

In the mean time I’ll have to find myself some things to do. Because the island is to small to travel around all the time. Although I do plan to do that for a couple of days. It’s a lovely island and I have seen only two or three places until now. And there are all these other islands around of which I want to see some.

But apart from traveling I’m going to dive of course. Didn’t get my license for nothing. And in the morning I can keep up with the news from Holland, English grammar, learning theory for my sailing license and there are some things or two of my administration I wanted to do for months and never did.

Also we want to rearrange the furniture to make the villa feel more at home. Maybe even I’ll pick up cooking. In fact, in a way I’m looking foward to that. I know, I know, I always said I really don’t like it. And that was true. But it wil give me something to do and, without being rude, it will tase better then in the most resaurants in the neighbourhood.

I’m flying with Easyjet to Londen on the 7th of june in the afternoon. We will stay there for a couple of days. I haven’t been in London since childhood so I’m looking forward to see all the highlights (what is the London equivalent of the Euromast for example?) and some.
And on the 13th of june we’ll fly with Vigin to Antigua.

Until then Graham is coming to Rotterdam this sunday. I’m so looking forward to that.
Tuesday we are sailing with the Watermeid for ten days or so to Dalfsen via the Lek and the IJssel. Back maybe via the Randmeren. And then what ever we want. Depending on how much time we have left. Click on the picture for an enlargment. The black line is suggested, the blue lines are optional. (sounds like a real itinerary…)

These two sweeties you read about yesterday made me beatifull presents, as you can see in the picture.

The drowing in the bacground is made by Marleen. She uses gold paint and wrote her name on it. Mind you, she is only to become 6 year this June. And Lisanne, she is just 10, made the paper giraffe, tree and fence. They can all stand by itself. Very nice. And what I particularly like is that she made it out of a book that was mine when I was her age (yes, a very old book ).

Today I visited my brother and his family in Dalfsen, in he Eastern part of the Netherlands.

The weather was good, we could sit in the garden. I don’t see them very often and we always have a lovely day when we are together. The girls would like to sail with me and of course I would love that. Maybe we manage to do it this year despite of my traveling so long and so far away. Wouldn’t that be nice?
My two sweet nieces played a bit with my phone and made this picture of me and I took a picture of them. I had learned from Theo what was wrong with my camera in the phone and this pics are therefore mutch better then the ones of the Watermeid a couple of days before.

will be Blair’s last day as prime minister.

Historic press conference this morning. There will be elections and probably Brown will succeed him. But until then Blair is still in charge. Let’s see if we will still hear from him.

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