Summer seems set to stay

I'm slacking again. It's nearly two weeks since my last post. I've had my weekend away in Limburg with my daughter and been back for so long it barely feels as if we went away at all. I should really write about what we did, but I'll save that for next time when I've had a chance to go through all my photos and decide on which ones are worth keeping.

For the time being, I'm just enjoying the fact that summer seems to have arrived at last and looks set to stay with us for (at least) another week. After that? Well, who knows? This is Holland, after all, so even forty-eight hours ahead is never certain.

Koos has been busy cleaning out the Hennie H's fuel tank, which is now completely empty and devoid of all nasties (we trust). We have hopes of salvaging some of the fuel as much of it looks clear and clean. I bought a diesel bug testing kit from a supplier in the UK, which we're going to use in the jerry cans that look suspect. On that note, I was a bit horrified by the cost of shipping from the UK now. The test kit itself was €10,50, but with shipping, tax and all the other costs that seem to have come with the dreaded 'B' word, the total amount was €32. We have to live with it, I know, but I'm afraid it's undoubtedly a deterrent to buying other goods from the UK now. I wanted to buy a composting loo for the HH from England too, but since the additional costs amount to nearly as much as the loo itself, I have decided to look elsewhere. Say no more. 

As for me, I'm busy with finalising my end of year courses. It seems to be taking up far too much time in this glorious weather. I'd much rather be outside working on the boat, but let's hope we get more of the same during the holiday period. I can but dream, can't I? Meanwhile, I'm enjoying doing my local trips by bike again and appreciating the beauty of the scenery in its lavish June glory. These photos are all taken with my phone, which has a truly horrible camera, but nothing can diminish the loveliness of great clusters of poppies and an avenue of oak trees with the sun-dappled cycle path. On that note, the poppies are absolutely stunning this year. The banks along the highways are completely smothered with them and they're breathtaking. It always makes me wonder why some years, the blossom and wild flowers are so much more prolific and beautiful than others.

The barges are looking lovely too. I think other people are having more luck with painting than I am, because the three beauties below are vivid with bright paintwork. I never get tired of seeing these gorgeous old craft.

 

Tomorrow, I'll be back in Rotterdam for a few days. It will be lovely to be on my Vereeniging once again, and the Oude Haven is a wonderful place in the summer. But now the cafés and terraces are open again, the noise levels will rise dramatically. Remember what I said a few weeks ago about a possible new mooring? It's beginning to look even more attractive. 

On that note, I'll wish you all a wonderful week, allemaal and next time I'll tell you all about the castles, art in the park and houses in the rocks that I saw during my lovely weekend in Valkenburg. That's a promise.