Well, as the summer holiday draws to a close, it’s time for a recap I think. A wee state of the nation moment. So here is my summer, in numbers:

Countries visited: 4 (not including the People’s Republic of Dorset)

Beaches visited: 7

kgs of sand hoovered out of my car today: 238 ish

Picnics: numerous

Remnants of picnics removed from back of car: 5 loaves, 2 fishes

Seemingly endless coach journeys: 4

Days spent at home: negligible

Hours spent working: not statistically significant

Police escorts: 1

Episodes of goosing by French customs sniffer dogs: 1

Glasses of Leffe or equivalent Belgian beer in the sunshine: just about enough

Novels read: 12 (yeeeeeeessssssss! VICTORY! This has involved quite a bit of child-ignoring, aka ‘encouraging independent play’.)

Blog posts: 48

Hours of fretting about blog posts, musing about blog posts, asking other people anxiously about blog posts: 217 (approx)

Moments of boredom: 0

Hours left till Real Life kicks in: 12

So, with 12 hours left, I should probably be packing my school bag, shining my shoes, sharpening my pencils, right? Well it turns out I am going to watch a very loud Scottish Celtic fusion band The Peatbog Faeries. Not sensible I know. But just before the holidays started, TicTacGirl gave me a compilation CD. The first track is by the Specials. It goes like this: ‘Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think’. And that has been my motto for the summer.

For the autumn, I am going with ‘It’s not wise to be a footstool.’ At least I think that’s what he’s singing.

Wish me luck, and enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink.
The Peatbog Faeries