Wednesday 3 October

A very wet day at times here, with good spells of rain. Not too cold, around 15C, which is pretty good for early October here. Spent most of the day updating this blog and getting ready for my return to Stornoway tomorrow. This will mean that the Shell Gallery will go back under wraps until my next visit to the Netherlands. Went for a walk to the graveyard to lay flowers on my mother's grave. Did take a few snaps on the way there, which I'll post to close this entry - and (for now) updates on this blog. I'll resume blogging on Atlantic Lines on Friday.

Tuesday 2 October

Went to the west of the country to attend to my sister's birthday. She was a certain age, and did not really want to know about it. Well, everybody was made to know about it. I won't post those pics on a public blog, but everybody that was there (and a few others) knows exactly what I'm talking about. I will share a few pics of the pets of the household. My dad and I were very generously treated to a dinner at a tapas restaurant in their town; after three helpings, I was quite replete. Returned to base at 10.30pm, after a train journey that went as smoothly as the one going there.

Oh, did I mention the big tits that were looking for a nestbox? Well, they did here.

Monday 1 October

A beautiful autumn day here in the east of Holland; the west had to make do with cloud and later rain. We managed 18C / 64F. Went on a long walk, over to the town of Dieren, some 6 miles by rail and road; but our walk took nearly 10 miles. We went up to the Zypenberg and Posbank, a mile or so north Rheden, then through the Onzalige Bossen [Unholy Woods] to the Carolinahoeve, thence the final 3 miles to Dieren. The Carolinahoeve, an old farmhouse converted to a restaurant, was closed for the Monday. Otherwise, there were not many other walkers or cyclists around. It took us four hours to cover the distance. After a cuppa and a piece of apple pie at a relative's house we went home by train - which left us with just over a mile to walk back.

Again, I'll post piccies at a later stage, as I'm very behind with uploading photos. A selection will appear on my Facebook page.

Picture post - 1 October