The end of my summer...

We’re hitting the road down to London later on today and staying overnight before helping move Gemma (and her stuff!) back home tomorrow morning. Her summer internship, working all sorts of god-forsaken hours in one of the big offices in Canary Wharf, finishes today and I cannot wait to bring her home. Having said that, she’ll only actually be home for one night as she’ll be off again on Sunday - as she starts back to Uni on Monday - but she’ll still be home in the sense that she’ll be back in Scotland and only a short car journey up the road! 

I kind of feel that this is my official 'end of summer'.  Ever since April, I’ve been saying how great it was to have Ross ‘home for the summer’, even though it was really Spring! And ever since early June, I’ve been saying that Gemma was working away ‘for the summer’, even though she wasn't finishing till mid-September. Earlier this week, Ross moved back through to Glasgow to prepare for the start of his second year at Uni and tomorrow Gemma comes home. So, it’s officially the end of the summer! 

I’m missing Ross and it was with a heavy heart that I saw him off on Tuesday. It’s been brilliant having him back living at home these past five months, and I’m so very proud of how committed he's been to his full-time 'summer' job (he's had one week off since April!). No long lazy student summers in this house! It's definitely easier saying ‘Cheerio’ to the kids now than it was when they first started leaving home - but I think it’ll always still make me a little bit sad. It’s more of a feeling of gentle tugging at my heart strings, rather than a feeling of having them wrapped round knuckles and harshly yanked out – but it still hurts.

Having said all of that, Gemma will be back in her own wee bed – even if it is just for one night – on Saturday, Ross is coming through to see her (and stay over because he’s running in the Stirling 10k on Sunday morning) and Gordon has taken the night off work. So, we’ll have a night all together – and you know how good that makes me feel!  

Roll on Saturday! It’s the end of the summer and - come rain, high winds, or shine – it’s going to be a lovely day.