Sunday
Had to rush a little to get to church in Munnekezijl by 9:30. We wanted to go to the old family church and it was all very familiar and similar to what we’re used to, but in another language and with a female minister. I followed most of the sermon - on the issue of faith.
Met tante Douwtji after the service (going to visit her for coffee later) and then went to the begraaf plaatz (cemetery) to see the grave of Wendy’s mother and a few other family members. Quite moving for us (and particularly the boys) as it’s only a small village cemetery. So, we went through the family genealogy explaining who was who and how they related to the people we’ve already met and will meet. Ww then walked over to the nearby molen (mill) nearby and tante Yantine saw a guy she knew and we managed to get a tour of the old flour mill. We walked up five flight of stairs and saw how each level was important to the functioning of the mill. It’s all very well engineered and the miller had a complex job ensure that the mill was oriented (to the wind) correctly, that it didn’t turn too quickly, that the mil/grinding stones were set correctly and that enough grain was going into the mill and that the flour didn’t get too hot. Each level got a bit smaller and at the top you had all the wooden gears, the turntable and brake, a fantastic tour!
It was getting a bit late and we had to get to tante Douwtje (she lives in the old farm house) and met with Gerrit (and Fokje) and Carla. Had a nice coffee and cake (baked by one of the daughters) and also went over to see Gerrit and Fokje’s place for a while. The old farm houses are built and according to style that includes the head (house), neck (corridor) and rump (shed) usually under the one large roof. The corridors usually had cows inside during the winter but the farms in the family don’t have cows anymore so it doesn’t smell like it did 23 years ago. The sheds contained all the farm equipment and space for keeping harvests and seed potatoes.
Back to Jantine for lunch and then Matt and Reubs went for a bike ride, and Anita and Martijn and Janieke came over for a coffee. After dinner Johan and Femmy came and also Wilfred (who came to visit us at Cape Otway 18 months ago). Tante Tina also dropped in later for a coffee and it was nice to see her again, she is 86 and still rides her bike around the village. So, by the end of the day it must have been about 6 or 8 coffees! Will have to make sure we keep drinking water as the Dutch don’t seem to drink much. In everywhere country we’ve been so far people carry drink bottles with them, but not here.
Had to rush a little to get to church in Munnekezijl by 9:30. We wanted to go to the old family church and it was all very familiar and similar to what we’re used to, but in another language and with a female minister. I followed most of the sermon - on the issue of faith.
Met tante Douwtji after the service (going to visit her for coffee later) and then went to the begraaf plaatz (cemetery) to see the grave of Wendy’s mother and a few other family members. Quite moving for us (and particularly the boys) as it’s only a small village cemetery. So, we went through the family genealogy explaining who was who and how they related to the people we’ve already met and will meet. Ww then walked over to the nearby molen (mill) nearby and tante Yantine saw a guy she knew and we managed to get a tour of the old flour mill. We walked up five flight of stairs and saw how each level was important to the functioning of the mill. It’s all very well engineered and the miller had a complex job ensure that the mill was oriented (to the wind) correctly, that it didn’t turn too quickly, that the mil/grinding stones were set correctly and that enough grain was going into the mill and that the flour didn’t get too hot. Each level got a bit smaller and at the top you had all the wooden gears, the turntable and brake, a fantastic tour!
It was getting a bit late and we had to get to tante Douwtje (she lives in the old farm house) and met with Gerrit (and Fokje) and Carla. Had a nice coffee and cake (baked by one of the daughters) and also went over to see Gerrit and Fokje’s place for a while. The old farm houses are built and according to style that includes the head (house), neck (corridor) and rump (shed) usually under the one large roof. The corridors usually had cows inside during the winter but the farms in the family don’t have cows anymore so it doesn’t smell like it did 23 years ago. The sheds contained all the farm equipment and space for keeping harvests and seed potatoes.
Back to Jantine for lunch and then Matt and Reubs went for a bike ride, and Anita and Martijn and Janieke came over for a coffee. After dinner Johan and Femmy came and also Wilfred (who came to visit us at Cape Otway 18 months ago). Tante Tina also dropped in later for a coffee and it was nice to see her again, she is 86 and still rides her bike around the village. So, by the end of the day it must have been about 6 or 8 coffees! Will have to make sure we keep drinking water as the Dutch don’t seem to drink much. In everywhere country we’ve been so far people carry drink bottles with them, but not here.
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