Two and a Half Men and a Dog.

How quickly we move from summer straight into winter.  This isn’t really a comment on the atrocious state of the weather, as talking about it will only encourage it.  The noticeable gear change from the theme of summer happens more or less overnight, as soon as the kids go back to school.  (Apologies to those North of the border who operate in a whole different term time universe).

The programming on our TVs is the biggest indicator of this change, with the rolling out of “the big guns” like Strictly Come Dancing.  The mere appearance of this in the listings brings sundown forward by at least an hour.

It was but five minutes ago that we were bathed in late April, early May sunshine, thinking this would mean a summer of hose pipe bans, frying eggs on car bonnets and water fights in the streets.  Well, I suppose the rioting in early August qualifies as the water fights, and maybe the torching of several cars was just someone getting the egg frying terribly wrong?  No doubt a hose pipe ban was in place at one point or other, which would explain why Cameron refused to roll out the water canons to disperse the rioters!

So we’re into the next regimented phase of the year, which for me means I’m back to making packed lunches every day for me and the girls.  For a task that takes about two minutes I cannot begin to express my hatred of it.  Well I did just begin, but you know what I mean?

Inevitably, folks now are mentioning Christmas, and it will only be a few short weeks until we hear the unwelcome strains of the usual crowd; Slade, Cliff, East 17 and George Michael.  Hmm, why do all my blogs reference George Michael???

Both Louise and I, feeling the groundhog nature of the festivities would love to go away for the whole thing, just to do something different.  We have done one Xmas overseas, and that was back in 2005/6, when we went to Florida (shock horror!) just after Christmas and stayed into the new year.  It was brill.

It is a very different holiday in some respects to a summer jaunt, with evenings being downright chilly, but the “magic” is tenfold if that is possible, with the decorations and lights being simply second to none, apart of course from that one house we all have locally who turn their semi into a fairy light filled grotto for two months every year!!  Classy.

With this distinct plunge directly into winter from summer, do not pass Go, do not collect £200, comes a very significant event of course on the 20th of September.  It is an event that has caused great excitement in our household, and there will be much happiness and merriment upon that day.

Yes, the new series of Two and a Half Men is shown on Comedy Central.  Sure, Charlie Sheen is no more, and it could all be pants with such a major change in the cast, but I have enjoyed all of the previous episodes so much that I am ever hopeful that it will continue to be genuinely funny, perceptive, filled with smutty innuendo and at times nice and silly too.  Of course, with Ashton Kutcher now in the show, getting any and all of the females in the house to watch it with me should not pose a problem.

Oh yes, our new dog, Oli, comes home on the same day too!!

So all this talk of Xmas holidays is not a pre-amble to me announcing a surprise trip to Orlando for Christmas.  Imagine for a second I had somehow embezzled or borrowed the required funds, then we have the fact that within a matter of days now, our family will be swelled with the arrival of Oli the Old English Sheepdog.  Running off on holiday weeks after his arrival would be downright bad form, but hey, it doesn’t stop me dreaming.

However, dreams for next summer are absolutely valid and are in full swing!  Oli will be housed with some willing (or unwilling) volunteer I’m sure.

The girls are now fully embroiled in the new school year, with Emily getting to grips with being treated quite differently now she is in sixth form.  She has study (free) periods in her timetable, and the teachers seem to be treating them like the mini-adults they are I suppose.

Not having to wear a uniform now, has of course meant a minor shopping spree to increase the collection of jeans and tops so that she fulfills her required level of coolness.  Readers of my trip report will not have missed that we spent fortunes in Hot Topic a month ago, but still it seems more clothes were required.

Rebecca is still trapped within her uniform, and like most pupils is trying everything she can to push the boundaries on what is acceptable whilst avoiding punishment!!

So with Oli’s arrival on the horizon it feels very much like the calm before the storm, with last week being quite uneventful really.  It contained lots of work of course, in which I still have pretty much no interest other than how long it is until pay-day (too long is the answer).  I know I am doing a really bad job of hiding my resentment that I have to spend so much of my time doing things I don’t want to.

This plethora of work is also impacting the old trip reportage with progress quite slow, and when I do get to sit down and do one, my brain feels worn out from all the stuff I don’t want to do, which is maybe making them not all they could be.  C’est la vie.  Folk are still leaving very kind comments, and when I look at the number of people reading them it is a little mind-blowing.  If only they all paid a pound each????!!!

So a wandering, non event of a blog this week, no doubt a symptom of the current malaise, which is a state of mind, not a salad dressing.  Next week will be the last blog pre Oli, and after that it will be chock full of mischief, cute photos and messy floors, and I’m sure the dog will feature too!

Onwards and…..well onwards really.

Till the next time……