crumblingbiscuit

It’s been 6 weeks since starting the #pension #adventure

It still feels like an extended holiday. Which, as far as it goes is fine. BUT it also means that I’m mentally waiting to agree what to do today with E. which does not help with establishing new habits.

Here’s a short recap of what happened

clearing out the work flat

Done, was as much fun as it sounds like

vacation

We did spent a week of vacation on Walcheren, which was, as always, very nice and relaxing. Though because of weather the kites stayed in their bag.

cycling

September was not a good month, I was still working half of it and then we did clean out the flat.

Oktober is much better, I’ve done 375 km so far, and there is still a week (with a lot of rain forecasted) to go.

photography

Still getting to grips with the new camera. I’m quite happy with it. I’m now about 1800 pictures in and starting to appreciate the possibilities. Also I’ve started sorting through our photos and putting them into more of a system than one big bucket.

Still open to do’s:

• Finish the organizing
• Finish sorting into family photos and “good” photos
• Start grading the “good” photos and distill what lessons there might lurk for future photos
• Finish scanning the pre-digital photos. Both ours and the photos I inherited from my parents

local history, cycling and photography

The library membership was achieved, first books lended and almost finished. The books I took out look at Colognes early medieval and medieval history. I’ve also looked through a lot of online sources and am compiling a list of goods that were traded in Cologne.

This compilation has already given me some future cycling destinations, so the basic idea seems to work.

I also had some ideas on visualising the flow of goods and have recruited the daughter to help draw / map this.

other stuff

My plans for retirement also included

• Learning the ukulele (pending)
• Start archery (pending)
• Start Tai Chi (pending)
• Languages (pending)
• Volunteering (pending)

But, other, useful stuff got done

We renovated the kids rooms and now we each have our own room to do stuff in without regard to the other. Which will be helpful, as, see above, I’m still feeling a bit like vacationing. I’ve also cooked a quite a few new dishes, some of which will go into rotation

Spelt Wholemeal Loaf

Somebody, I name no names, forgot to stock enough of my usual bread flour. So I give you a wholemeal spelt loaf. The dough spent the night in the fridge and was baked in a pot.

#bread #brot #baking #backen #sourdough #sauerteig #bread #Brot #teamsauerteig #brotbacken

Apple Gorgonzola Focaccia

Yes apple, pear is more traditional, but, I didn’t need the additional 1,5 kg of pears. So I bought a Wellant, crisp and sweet.

#focaccia #bread #brot #sourdough #LievitoMadre #Sauerteig

Rheinauhafen

Today I had an errand in Colognes south. So on the way back I took some pictures in the #Rheinauhafen

It was quite foggy, the last few kilometres rainy.

#photo #foto #Cologne #Koeln

A small loaf

The usual dough in a small Japanese glass tin. Went well. One thing remains, I’d like the crumb a bit dryer.

@teamsauerteig@a.gup.pe @brotbacken@a.gup.pe #bread #brot #baking #backen #sourdough #sauerteig #bread #Brot

Wurzenbrot / Baguette

My old dough survived well in the fridge and got quite active after a refresh and a few hours in the sun.

This time a Wurzenbrot (twisted baguette).

@teamsauerteig@a.gup.pe @brotbacken@a.gup.pe #bread #brot #baking #backen #sourdough #sauerteig #Baguette

Yesterday I got my new library card in the big city next door. They have a whole floor with history books, that should help with the research on Cologne trade goods.

I’m also going through a book on Colognes medieval street names, looking for trades and goods.

A preliminary list of bike excursions is growing.

#history #photography #cycling #ebike #Cologne #Köln #retirement

Veere

Quick visit on the way home. Would warrant more time.

#Veere #photography #photo #travel