The incredible weather continued. Using the solar generation metric, 33% YoY compared to 2024. A couple of international trips, with the work trip being a clusterfuck of a travelling experience.
May got off to its usual start with the local carnival parade; our school theme was Past, Present and Future so our household obviously built a papier mache rocket. The school didn’t win this year, but I reckon the Saturn V inspired effort looked great.
My work trip to Milan got off to a bad start when I realised on the train to Manchester airport that I’d lost my passport somewhere en route that morning. My trip had already taken in a barbers and two coffee shops, but after ringing around it turned out that it had fallen out of my pocket on the train into Leeds. I therefore had to make a detour up to Skipton station (where that original train had terminated) to collect it, then head back over to Manchester. Having missed my direct flight, I had to rebook on a later one via Amsterdam. My flight into and out of Schiphol were delayed, meaning having left my house at 8:20am I arrived at my Milan hotel at midnight. The trip home wasn’t much better; a baggage handler strike meant our flight was cancelled on the morning, so the only option was to head to Gatwick and get trains back north. All for a 1.5 day workshop (which was admittedly pretty productive).
Making the most of a gorgeous late spring day, we walked over the moors with friends for a lunch at The Hermit, a fantastic local that was saved from conversion to housing by a community campaign. It’s now an Asset of Community Value and drinking a pint while looking out over this view, I wholeheartedly agree with that definition:
Another walk up to the moor and the lad spotted an enormous caterpillar which turned out to be that of the Oak Eggar moth. The photo doesn’t really do it justice – it was approximately 7-8 cm and the longest I’ve ever seen.
We ended the month with a lovely family trip to Amsterdam, a city I’ve not been to for perhaps 15 years. Despite the wet weather, the city charmed us all. The relaxed yet buzzy atmosphere, it’s a delight to stroll around; I’d love to go back.
Books read this month: