The Netherlands - Tuesday to Thursday (dinner, geocaching, Ikea)

Like I mentioned in my last post I headed home on New Year's Day.  As Steve had 'borrowed' some of my food items I had to find a shop that was open.  Not an easy feat on a public holiday, but I did find one and so I did the necessary shopping and then was home.

The house was dark and cold when I arrived and I discovered that the central heating wasn't working.  I went upstairs to investigate and noticed that the pressure was low and the error code told me that the water needed to be topped up.  This I did, but the only result was a leaking connection.  I rang Steve, who couldn't come out, so left it for the following day and went to bed to warm up...

The next two days were busy and interesting.

I had joined a geocaching group on facebook a while back and asked if there were group members who would join me for a day out geocaching.  I had two positive responses.  So on Tuesday I left for Sint Oedenrode where I met Ingrid de Mol and together we went in search of some caches.  She hadn't found many in the area, so we were in for a productive day.

Tuesday, 2 January 2018

#1810 - Kanniewaarzijn 7 Mega bout cache (serie 2)! (cache)

#1811 - Nr. 48 (cache)

A clever puzzle

#1812 - Kanniewaarzijn 8 Spin petling* set (serie 2)! (cache)

*Petling for the Australian readers is the same as preform

#1813 - Het geheim van het Verborgen Rijk. (multi cache)

Here too was a cup of coffee ready for geocachers

#1814 - Kanniewaarzijn 11. Filmkoker!(serie 3) (cache)

#1815 - Kanniewaarzijn 12. Kakkerlak petling! (serie 3) (cache)

A wobbly little 'bridge' across the creek was
not my favourite crossing on a cold and wet day,
but we made it across safely

#1816- Kanniewaarzijn 13. Micro - Bout type 1!(serie 3) (cache)

#1817 - Kanniewaarzijn 14. Knotwilg! (serie 3) (cache)

At midday we had lunch at a lovely little restaurant in the centre of town and took our chance to warm up a little.  We stopped at about 3.30pm as I had a 'dinner-date' with my cousin Jos and wanted to be home in time. Ingrid and I said our goodbyes with the promise to keep in touch.  A great day!

The town is getting ready for carnival

The central heating was still not working of course.  Jos and Steve arrived almost simultaneously.  Both had a look at the boiler, but to no avail.  So, I decided to shout Jos dinner at a restaurant of his choice, which was De Likkepot at Rosmalen near Den Bosch.  We were early and started with a drink and a borrelgarnituur, the latter being a dish of miniature fried items like e.g. loempia's, croquettes, etc.  The main dish was carpaccio with a side dish of garlic bread.  We had a lovely meal.

As it was, Steve had been able to get the heater going (temporarily) during our absence, so the house was not too cold and Jos and I spent the rest of the evening chatting.

Wednesday, 3 January 2018

Wednesday shaped up as another great geocaching day.  That day I met Ria van Kuijk.  She lives in Sint Oedenrode and thus had found most of the caches in the area, but was prepared to take me to do the rounds and finish the day with a recently published series which she hadn't found yet.

It was a bitterly cold day and the weather bureau had issued code orange, meaning that everyone was advised that it was safer to stay indoors because of the storm.  It was indeed very windy, besides wet and cold, but hey, we're geocachers! We're a bit mad! ;-)  I could add the word muddy as well!

However, Ria and I set out to find a few caches and find them we did:

#1818 - De legende van het Kienehoef volk Extraatje (cache)

#1819 - The invisible cache (cache)

#1820 - Kanniewaarzijn 3, magnetische Electra plaat (cache)

#1821 - Kanniewaarzijn 2, geocaching Paal box 2.0 (cache)

#1822 - Kanniewaarzijn 6 Magneten (Serie 2) (cache)

#1823 - Eerbetoon aan Djpebe -Magic Boxen- (cache)

#1824 - Teek Away (cache)

#1825 - GSM Verbelst (cache)

#1826 - Kanniewaarzijn 16. Reflector! (serie 4) (cache)

#1827 - Kanniewaarzijn 17. Aansluitdoos-Hengelen (serie 4) (cache)

#1828 - Kanniewaarzijn 18. Kraai! (serie 4) (cache)

#1829 - Kanniewaarzijn 19. Slakkenhuis - leeg! (serie 4) (cache)

#1830 - Kanniewaarzijn 20. Paddestoel Bonus! (serie 4) (cache)

#1832 - Spiegelei (cache)

Another productive day.  For lunch we went to De Helden van Kien, a delightful restaurant with good service and great food.  We were very, very cold and wet and needed time to warm up and dry out, which I did with a bowl of an original Dutch dish of ham-and-pea soup with a side of roggebrood met katenspek (rye bread and a kind of speck).

I think the hardest part of the day was getting hoisted in our cold and wet jackets again! ;-)

When we had gathered enough caches, even one of Ria's, we said goodbye and I attempted to drive back to Liempde.  I said 'attempted' because somehow my data hadn't been topped-up automatically and my phone could not find the route without internet connection, so I had to try and make my way from memory and by using the road signs. Getting out of the built-up area was not easy, but once I hit the main road it was less complicated.

Unfortunately there was no warm house waiting for me, nor a nice hot shower, so all I could do was dry off and put on some dry clothes...  Not nice, but sometimes one doesn't have much choice.

Thursday, 4 Juanuary 2018

On  Thursday my bestie, Jose, came to visit.  Together we enjoyed a cuppa and a chat, after which we went to the nearest Ikea, where we had lunch first and then had a good look around.  As you do! :-)

Jose had a shopping list. I didn't, because my suitcase is full enough as it is, although I did fall for a couple of runners for my new table.

Once home again we had dinner and had to say goodbye after a pleasant evening together.  Luckily we didn't have to sit in the cold, because Steve had arranged for a cv repairman to come out earlier in the day and the central heating was working again. And I could have a hot shower again. Yay!