A cowardly affair

How many insults can you think of that include a cow...poor cow with its cow eyes and heavy bovine build, always ruminating....



They say curiosity killed the cat, but what about the cow?

And does the word coward have anything to do with our domestic and generous friend?

I think not, for the cow is incurably inquisitive and quite without cowardice as far as I can see. They really moo...ve me too - sometimes to great speed because let's face it, a cow when it feels bullish can steer me out of the field pretty fast!



These two are not cows, cowards or cowed at all, but they are most definitely bovine and just a touch divine too. No?

If....

If I wanted to change my house
I'd find one more fit for a mouse
than a lord with his lawns to mow
that are always on show.



I'd nestle behind trees well grown
with thick shrubs and grasses unmown
On a shady veranda, I'd sip my tea
and not tall glasses of dry sherry

If I wanted to change my place
I'd pick a house with a friendly face
It might need a lick of paint
but I've never been one to faint
over work to be done
that can be so much fun
with a house as sweet
as this one



Don't you agree?

As a footnote, both these little houses (the first and last)reminded me so much of South Africa......not so strangely, we found them in Flanders. By the way, did you see the cat on the roof??

Of cabbages and kings

I love that line. Not quite sure why but the idea of talking about random things.. from cabbages to kings rather appeals to me. That being said, the reason for this post is that this weekend has been somewhat random. For a start, I stayed in Rotterdam and I started off buying plants for my barge - you know, the usual assortment of geraniums and spring annuals that give it colour and life. Then I washed everything on the barge down with bleach to get rid of its winter green. In this case, its mould, moss and fungus, which spreads everywhere over the winter months!

Then, with the outside looking brighter, I attacked the accumulated clutter inside and put up two new shelves for books and CD's and finally, made the cupboard doors I have been planning for years to fit under the kitchen sink. Ever since I put the sink into place, I've had a curtain over the cupboard which in the course of time has been washed into faded limpness and which continually sagged in the middle, despite being propped up by a strategically placed screw. I am so chuffed to have these doors now, I cannot tell you, so it marks the end of an era for me and for Sindy. No longer can she go rootling in the rubbish bin for handy take away snacks! Poor baby - life used to be fun.....

cupboard doors in view on the left and new CD shelf proudly in place on the right.
Today, though, we went out of the city to escape the noise and pandemonium caused by the Rotterdam Marathon. Our trip took us north to a small town called Weesp, not far from Amsterdam. We also followed the Vecht river which is lined by mansions of unbelievable wealth and elegance and dived into village gems such as Muiden and Breukelen. What a visual feast it was. Almost too much! Strangely the only photos I took were these very Dutch, very peaceful scenes.




Now it's Sunday evening and the weekend is over. I've finished painting my doors and have done quite a bit of necessary 'opzomering' (cleaning up for summer), so the sense of satisfaction is great. No guilts then about escaping to the south again next weekend again. Have a good week everyone.

Anyone for a bit of smuggling?

Well, follow this route across the borders between Belgium and the Netherlands then....



And now...further signs of life


if you are reading this, then your drowning man probably already has....


Not your most obvious rubbish bin..but maybe the pictogram is ....



And finally, anyone towing a barge...this way please

HE'S OUT!!!! OR AT LEAST I think he is......

I have just heard on the news that Robert Mugabe has been defeated in Zimbabwe....if this is really true, it is absolutely GREAT news!!!!

Ain't she sweet

I know, I know, I'm totally soppy about my dog and my animals in general, but I found these old photos of Sindy when she was just a wee pup this afternoon, and I promptly scanned them so I could show my blog friends how absolutely irresistible she was. Sindy is sadly old before her time now. As you can see she was dreadfully thin as a puppy, and in these photos she is not as bad as she was when I first got her. She'd been very ill-used and abused, and the long term result is that from the age of 1 year she has been suffering from Arthritis. Just recently it has got so bad that the vet thought she had a tumour, but thankfully that scare proved groundless and it is simply that the arthritis has accelerated to an advanced degree. She's only six years old, so it's very sad to see, but she's still happy and with the medicines, she can manage fine. She really was adorable though, wasn't she?


By the way, all these photos were taken on the Hoop before I moved off it and into the Vereeniging. Those of you who have read Watery Ways will be familiar with this lovely old barge already. the last one, though, is on the top of the Vereeniging.