Windmill 'De Valk', Montfoort

Remember Inspector van der Valk?  I could not believe it at the time -- an English detective series set here, complete with Dutch names!

'Valk' = pronounce the 'L' = means 'falcon'
'Montfoort' = the 'oo' sounds like there's only one, but make it sound longer

The original plan was the last windmill in The Hague.  Waited for a break in the clouds but forgot that the clouds were constantly on the move, and what was first a fabulous blue sky turned almost black in no time, like factory fumes or a building on fire.  Was already on the A13 and knew I would be sorry, so detoured through the polder and reached the A12, still dry, but the clouds kept moving, too.  Thought of Utrecht and then noticed the time.  If I didn't hurry, I would not make it before sunset.  The exit to Montfoort loomed up ahead and so I went for it.  Had a small window of opportunity.  Thankfully, the mill is situated right next to a supermarket, so no time wasted finding a free parking spot.  I think I know why supermarkets are sometimes opened next to mills -- the mill must have had its own shop already, selling grain, flour, pet food, etc., so it could have been an easy next step to just open a complete store close by.  Anyway, this windmill is smack in the middle of a building, and I would have loved to shoot the whole thing, but the building obscures the rump, making a full-length shot almost useless.

Was barely done when the clouds moved in, and I hadn't yet been a quarter of an hour on the road when the sunlight turned orange and sunset began.  The A12 was busy, the A2 was 'thick', and the A27 was a standstill at some points, which is typical of the A27.  I suddenly remembered the long, exhausting route going home after a day at work in Apeldoorn.  Glad that is behind me.

The moment I got back, went to the kitchen and prepared dinner, and then AW had Wednesday evening online bridge with Marie.  Poor woman -- after almost a year of COVID-19 and its after-effects, including an operation that removed her gall bladder and another that removed dead tissue as a result of a stoma infection, she has just been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Right now, she's doing her best to enjoy life while waiting for the final verdict from her oncologist, but she is just SO tired.  On the positive side, if she survived COVID, including six weeks intubated in the ICU, she could have a good chance of surviving everything else.  We hope so, anyway.

Laundry still damp, so no ironing for me, but the dishes and some gaming instead.