A lot of work to do. Regular horse, dog goes well, running training is getting better. But there still are so many other things to do. Just to mention a few: soon we’ll harvest the grapes. First the stainless steel juice containers have to be emptied. They are at brother Jack’s in Eindhoven, 120 km. from here. Some still contain last years wine. This week brother Jack and I bottled, corked, packed and stored 1350 bottles of our own wine.
Preparing the upcoming crop: a daily walk along the grapes, picking out rotten grapes, hanging nets against birds, put wasps traps, mowing grass. A lot of work. Often I walk from home in Cottessen to the vinyard in Wahlwiller with pony Leon and dog Tosca: 8 km up and eight down. With some detours it adds up to 20 km all together. Today my sheep will be inspected by our sheep breed organisation. A few days ago I had to go to town hall to ask for a new passport. Because I have many different activities the following went wrong: I used to live in the town of Gulpen-Wittem. And I am still working there. So automatically I go to townhall Gulpen-Wittem for a new passport. After waiting in line for a long time finally it was my turn. Sir, you live in the adjacent town of Vaals. Oh yeah, that’s right. A lost effort and lost time. Fortunately in Vaals in the town hall I met girlfriend Astrid and her son Mike. With Mike, I have shared a room with skiing. So again a nice chat. Mike wanted to join me walking during my trip. Good idea, Mike. So, I’m through the crowds scattered, but is still good.
Recently I had brought all my sheep to Zeeland, 2.5 hours driving from here, to be guarded there for one year by lady shepherd Hanke. Suddenly I remembered that I had promised a certain Henk to save three sheep for him. Damn! Like crazy I asked everywhere if someone still has three sheep for Henk. Henk was disappointed and didn’t want the 3 sheep anymore. I gave him money instead. Weather scattered ere me. This morning our sheep breed organisation had its yearly fair of inspecting the quality of lambs. I got up early and went to Paul’s to pick up him and his lambs. Says his lovely wife, still in pyjamas, Paul is already gone. Damn, we had agreed we would go together with his and my lambs. Arriving at the fair’s lambs inspection I missed Hub. He is always there with a few nice specimens of lambs. 1.5 Hours later Hub shows up, but without sheep. Hey, Harry, where were you this morning? You’d pick me up. Oh wow, I was mistaken. Well, I constantly need a secretary, I believe. My head is occupied with too many things. Alzheimer light?
And then, a few days ago in my blog, I called my gym club an old men’s gym club. That aroused critical reactions. Sjef, 60 y. old, recently finished a 24 km. run. Sjef ran at a pace that I accomplished when I, 20 years old, ran only 10 km. Well, Sjef is from the village of Epen and Epen people are still more special than the rest of the world. Like in the books about the village of Asterix and Obelix. That’s why I also joined the local history association of Epen. How do they get those genes? Also Jeu, one of our elite athletes, is from Ieëpe . Thanks to Jeu the level of Limburg education is highly regarded in the rest of the country. If the kids want to enter the classroom today, they first have to sing a song or tell a rhyme to the lady teacher. I’m Jill and I’m loving my teacher still. You may enter. I’m Ann and I’m giving the teacher a hand. Ann may enter too. I am Sjoan and I’m going to sing my teacher a song. O.k., go inside. And I’m Chuck and I guess I’m not allowed in. Ieëpe always! (all names are fictitious !
Last night farewell dinner (albeit only for one year) of my ten employees, all ten equally beautiful. One had a blouse with two pockets, which attracted much attention. I do not know why. Clothes! I emptied my plate, half of the food of Sonja and part of Marietje’s and some fries etc. from others. That walking consumes calories. Collegue Merie speeched, an almost-speech by Lia and Yvonne together, followed by words of thanks from me, very serious like always. Conversation about tatoes and where on the body. The toilet had no running water! A nice place to be. This was another nice evening. So that is still possible in this stressful period. An evening for me to relax, even though I don’t find time to get all my preparations ready in time.
I made my first horse Luka loose a lot of weight, being scared that otherwise he will get laminitis again. Whenever I go hiking he wants to eat constantly, and that is not good. In that case I just yank on the rope. Tosca, the new dog, often walks one hand before my feet. That’s rather difficult walking. On a narrow path I walk in front, behind me follows pony Leon and then dog Tosca wants to walk right between me and pony Leon. Tosca runs again right in front of the horse’s feet. Suddenly Tosca stops abrupt and relieves herself: tug on my shoulder. Often a bicycle or car races like mad past me, as if we are silent statues. So I’m getting a little exhausted by all that pulling in all directions. My shoulders feel centimeters broader since I’m training with those monsters. On stony ground I often have to pull ahead horse Leon. Are we going downhill on soft soil, I have to pull the animal back. Real bodybuilding.
Now my planning for next week: Customizing Website. A possibility to sponsor my charity purpose Mama Alice should be put on my website. I want contributers to sponsor 1 cent (or more) per run km. That should be clear on the site. And I want to offer advertisers the opportunity to be placed on the site if they make a contribution to Mama Alice. I have to meet the site creator again. After adapting the site a flyer on sponsoring Mama Alice can be distributed in the villages of Epen and Mechelen. Next I have to learn how to operate the GPS and I need instructions on how to hanle cineast Rudie’s movy camera. Meanwhile, I started packing for the long trip and I continue my walking training during the day of course. So my preparations are going okay, even though there is not too much time left. Rome, we come.
Geef uw mening