The diary of a Scot in Amsterdam

I have been very busy during the last few weekends with a new project, this time aimed at earning some cash. All this came about when I was called a few weeks ago by Emily to ask whether I would like to become involved with a little business that she and her friend Maaike were setting up. The purpose of this business was to carry out general decorating and other handiworks, such as wallpaper stripping, electrics, and so on. Since I have been very keen to find a source of income that does not involve working with my laptop the whole time, I was keen indeed to be involved.

Our first piece of work is fixing up a room in a doctor’s surgery not far from my old house in Amsterdam. We’ve been busy every weekend stripping wallpaper, sanding the floor, and decorating. So far it’s going well; let’s hope it will turn into a regular source of income. Coming home in the evening caked in plaster dust with a toolbox under my arm, I feel like a real bouwvakker (builder), and to add to the atmosphere, we’ve been drinking plenty cups of tea and listening to a cheesy classic rock station on the radio. It’s all stuff like Genesis and Status Quo, the sort of music that you wouldn’t be seen dead with in your record collection but which kinda fits with the job.