Schiphol experienced its busiest day of the year yesterday, as 170,000 passengers milled through the airport and headed off on their way.
It’s the start of the May holiday here, which this year includes Koninginnedag (the queen’s birthday), and Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day). That means workers only have to take three days off work to get a nine day consecutive run, so many people have decided to go on holiday this week.
We were originally planning to be a part of this group ourselves, and go to England today to visit Fenella et al in Cornwall. Time is short, however, as Sarah’s folks arrive next weekend, so we’d need to be back by then.
Car, plane and train all seemed inappropriate for this trip. Lucas isn’t yet used to travel and we were reluctant to start him off with a trip that, one way or another, would mean quite a long day in transit. He’s still so young and tiny at the moment, and I feel that we need to stay close to the nest for at least another few weeks.
Not only that, but there are things going on at home, too. The garden, for example.
Yesterday, Eloïse’s climbing frame was delivered and installed; and today, the lawn sods were laid down on top of chicken wire (to thwart the moles), thereby rendering the initial laying of the garden more or less complete.
As I’ve written before, we have yet to put in the new lighting and there are a few places where plants and flowers are still missing, but this should all be taken care of in a matter of weeks. We’ve started looking for new garden furniture and may already have found something appropriate. We’ll know in a few days.
We had beautiful weather today. The Vondelpark was teeming with people. When I got home from having my hair cut, Eloïse was standing atop her climbing frame and clearly enjoying herself.
She spent the rest of the afternoon riding around the garden path and patio area on her outdoor tricycle. She, for one, is clearly going to get a lot of use and enjoyment out of the garden.
The sods need a week or two to settle without being trampled underfoot, so we’re going to have to try and keep Eloïse off them. The problem with that is that the slide of her climbing frame lands on the grass. We’ll have to see how well we can control her tomorrow.