Put your feet up? New world order on it's way **I do at times, especially during cold Winters but today the sun shines unexpectedly (just started after a lot of rain).** Suddenly the garden looks green and the grass (and weeds) I mowed only two days ago is long again. I try to read a bit in between which is my only chilling time. It's a book about Dutch history, the history seen in through the eyes of us living today. Norms and values today are different from 500 years or…
Yelling I'm tired of the yelling, my mother's yelling, cursing, scolding, the fights. I want her to be quiet or better go away. It's hard to live with her and I don't think I can handle it any longer. No one will help me and I'm afraid to be with her. I never know what she will do, or how she will respond. Today she was angry again. I better write when she is not angry. Her being mad is normal. She threw all the fish in the aquarium away. She flushed them through the toilet!…
Christians & movies - Early warning **'Early warning'** is a film from 1981 that probably caused little attention in that year. Today, however, it is up to date again and the link of this film is therefore widely shared on the internet. I myself had never heard of this movie before and I don't think I saw it in 1981, now in early April 2022 I did (it's always good to see what people are talking about and form your own opinion instead of judging something you haven't seen).…
Inflation In recent years, there has been a lot of emphasis on a minimalist lifestyle and, of course, shopping and collecting are out of the question. Older people, like perhaps my best friend's parents, save up everything they can to have something in the house, for emergencies and 'if war breaks out. That last sentence, by the way, is a remark I also know from grandparents and partly parents and elderly people around me. Well, these older people appear to have been right.…
Lack of food? **If you know me you know I don't like to waste anything.** *Shame on you if you throw with food (TikTok) so not funny no matter if it's rice, pasta, tomatoes, pie or egg.* **Waste is waste**. It doesn't matter if it comes to food, clothes, electricity, water, gas, toothpaste, shampoo, soap or what items are wrapped in. It might be hard to buy things not being wrapped in plastic but it's possible and if not I simply do not buy them. So... I don't eat cucumbers…
Vision - bad eyes **A pair of glasses** Are the stories about how to wear spectacles, reading spectacles or spectacles for faraway people true or does every specialist say something different? Anyone who investigates will come across very contradictory stories. When it comes to spectacles, only one thing is clear. They are an aid for those who do not see well in certain circumstances and this aid costs a fair amount of money. The complaints of spectacle wearers are legion.…
Final shot Euthanasia How easy it is to kill an animal. It's called humane if we let man's best friend, the dog, die with a jab or two. It doesn't always work in the way we had in mind. Some animals suffer if they get the death penalty for one or several reasons. Reasons which not always make sense but if humans had it with their caretaking if the animal adds nothing to the owner's life if it only costs money the decision is easily made. Humane is what we like to call it and…
Homemade compost I am trying to hatch seeds in front of the window. When the sun shines, it can get quite warm on the windowsill. So far, my only success is the dill I sowed and the piece of potato that hatched in the cold kitchen, which I cut off and planted. In low temperatures, you have to be patient and cover what you have sown. I sowed the dill in a plastic egg box. Now I have planted aniseed and maggi in it. So far, nothing is happening. **Sowing in the ground is not…
Defence - armoured **Do you have an armoury or at least something you can defend yourself with?** Defending yourself is not allowed for those who live in the Netherlands. Housebreaking? We know the word, but if you repel an intruder, rapist, and cause bodily harm, then you are wrong and the thief, rapist, violent person is suddenly the victim. This has been working like this in our country for several years. We have to pity the perpetrator, cuddle up with criminals and are…
Self-sufficient & gardening Yesterday was a gray and cold day and I did not work in the garden. It also became a lot colder in the house. Self-sufficient by gardening? What I have sown does not really sprout. What have I got so far? Dill, some tomato seeds have sprouted and are 1 centimetre high, 1 potato seems to be doing well and 1 onion seed (2014-2015) sprouted. This is really disappointing. *There is mould on the soil where I planted beans and also 2 sticks in another…
What is this? "Why do you bring this?" Still in bed, although awake but too tired from last week's hard digging, I forcefully look into the pot pushed into my face. Sand falls on my bedding and face. I don't like sand in bed any more than I like food in bed. Crumbs feel just like sand, dirty, hard and no I am not like the princess on the pea who slept badly because she had to lie on 40 bad, wobbly mattresses after climbing a high ladder. Just try it on in a long nightgown…
Children - empty nest syndrome *"What are you going to do when I leave"*, my youngest child asked. I have no idea and don't know what to say. What I wanted to do, not so long ago, is no longer possible. In two years, the plans, if I had any, are no longer possible. I am not the only one, the future of my children is also at stake. When we were looking for a school for my youngest, it was very difficult. The child could not really get excited about what was on offer at…
Poor versus rich - Advice There are many tips and tricks on how to go from being poor to being rich. Is this possible, or rather, has it been possible? "He who neither works nor inherits remains poor until he dies" is a Dutch saying. The saying says it all, the only way to become rich is to work hard. However, the reality is that the poor work hard, and often have more than one job, while the rich let their money work for them. The poor are in debt and the rich are also in…
Gardening diary **It started raining which is good**. My plants need water and so does my own well I just hope those cold nights are over and my plants won't rot. Gardening on a daily basis isn't easy but I try to hang in. Something changed. I do more outside, more extra work which means my garden might look better one day. It should be after all these years but most of what I planted died. What has also changed is that I no longer have so many angry thoughts while…
Feedback When I look at one of the definitions of feedback, I cannot help but conclude that free writing with a prompt I am participating in is feedback. At the same time, when I think of 'feedback' I think of criticism. Anyone who gives feedback is criticising something or someone. Criticism is not negative although the average person thinks so. On the contrary, criticism is the act of giving a reaction, a comment, of expressing one's opinion about something. In this case,…
Babysitting Sometimes I babysit. I look after the neighbour's baby. The neighbours are old but have a little boy. His name is Edwin. They are happy with him but every now and then they go away. I don't know why my mother lets me banish but I am happy about it. The neighbour is nice and it is quiet in the house. I take a book with me but she says I can also watch TV. I don't do that, I like to read. The baby is quiet but I always check twice if he is still sleeping. Sometimes…
The scam we all fall for Beter listen to your heart. How easily we are manipulated. Do you honestly believe that others have your best interests at heart? Modern man has learned to outsource everything. Large sums are paid so that the government takes care of us. A house, a road system and water from the tap. In addition, waste has to be collected and we don't like to walk through mountains of waste on the streets and we certainly don't want to be bothered by the neighbours.…
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