The summer seems to have passed in a blur of activities. Over the last couple of months I've tried my hand at some new stuff; mastered pinball at a basic level (thanks to the tuition from the Middle Eastern correspondent), been taught the tricks of table football (Miss Sensible's forte) & indoctrinated into pool (courtesy of Minor Mayhem)...it’s been great fun to regress but despite plenty of practice all I'm still no good at any of them and now it's time to go back to being a 'grown up'.

This last week of the hols always seems a bit of a break-point between one world and another…there’s a set of activities that define the transition into the new regime; purchasing school uniform & shoes (mission now successfully accomplished), sewing on name tapes, and organising stationery; all signals that the vacation chapter is coming to an end...