Aukje de Vries' Diary Day 63

In spite of the poor weather forecast it is still sunny and I can sit and read in my garden. The new neighbours (they are French) are working in their garden. They cut some of the trees the previous owner had planted. The latter was fond of trees and had far too many for a city garden. I used to ask him to cut them back occasionally, because his garden is directly to the south of mine, so that his trees take away a lot of sunshine in my garden. I like to grow plants and flowers, but on the side of his garden this is hardly possible. I see my new neighbour with a simple hand saw work on the trees. It is amazing how much he gets done, but he does it in a rather unprofessional way. I have more light in my garden now, but I cannot say it looks particularly nice. And then he starts building a cabin, in the remains of one tree and puts three big red flags on top of it. I am sure his three young boys will love it, but to me it looks horrible. I wonder whether he is aware of the regulations by the city: we are not supposed to take trees down without a permit from the local authority. Earlier my gardener used to do it without permit: who will see it other than the neighbours? But he recently told me that at present the local authorities take pictures from the air and they can see where trees are cut. When you are being found out you get a fine. I consider telling my neighbour but the harm has been done now, there is no point in disquieting him. I do at least one useful thing: I clean the balcony behind my bedroom. There is always a lot of dirt on it from leaves, and what not. It is surprising how much I have collected recently.. In the evening there is on television, what is called a docu-drama. It is about the nomination of the Dutch Secretary General of NATO. As the programme says: Since we do not know what has happened in reality, we can have our fantasies about it.