Any road up...

Well, would you look at that! No sooner have the blissful summer hols begun than they seem to be racing towards the inevitable end with considerable velocity. I had a week of overlap with my Tefl course and the first week of Jordan's hols which took some organising to get care arranged, but arranged it was and all seemed to go well. In fact, I was scarcely missed, which bothered me far more than it bothered Jordan. Then we had a week to pack then off to Wales for two weeks, which was fab, thanks for asking. No one had a prima donna tizzy, not even me, and I went on a steam train. Now, holidays are not restful in our family necessarily, as no one lies about on beaches reading Michael Crichton or gawd 'elp us, Dan Brown novels (which are burnt ceremoniously at the England/Wales border anyway). And thus we ruturn to a rather inclement August, even with London's micro-climate. Good heavens, I've even had the heating on! It's an outrage...

Jordan has the day well organised: French toast (his new culinary obsession) for brunch, lashings of hot tea, a go with MY iPhone, if you please, then off he goes on his iPad, which he manipulates like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. He adores YouTube and just the other day found one of his all-time faves, Heigh Ho from Snow White set to an animated film of lego characters which I present below for your viewing pleasure...

Back to school

Yes, it's the end of the holidays. I often feel I am the only mother who really enjoys having the kids at home! What's not to love? We get up earlier than term time, wander round sipping coffee and chatting. I can write, the boy can chill. Most relaxing and indeed conducive to literary inspiration. The house is now MUCH too quiet...

He's back!

Yes, the boy has returned. He had a great time. He reported that girls in bikinis were not much in evidence. Possibly because the clubbers are up all night and asleep all day. He talks a lot about having a girlfriend but as I said to his neurotypical sister, he may have to leave the house once in a while to find one...

Still waiting on results of blood tests for possible genetic conditions. In one sense, it doesn't make a whole heap of difference. Nothing alters in Jordan's educational provision or his daily life. I suppose it's one more piece of the jigsaw.

It's too quiet

Yes, the boy has departed for sunnier climes. See post below. It's far too quiet in the house.

Jordan was ecstatic to be going. I think it's weird that he's going but think it's a good thing. It will challenge him to be more independent. I'm not even convinced that he thinks about us that much when he's away; his autism means he lives very much in the moment and deals with the here and now.

The person who is really suffering is his father who hates it when his son is away.

YAY! It's the summer holidays!

Jordan is thrilled that the long-awaited holidays are upon us. He has a busy schedule involving checking out his favourite YouTube clips: he particularly recommends Little Shop Of Horrors, Hey Baby by DJ Otzi, The Last Unicorn and fave Elton John songs. He's also busy collating what he has and hasn't got on video and DVD. Any suggestion from mama that a little swimming trip might be in order was met with a firm refusal as he has taken a 'no-shoes' vow for the duration.

So, determined to get him to do SOMETHING that I think is important, I have a cunning plan to photocopy the titles of some of his favourite videos and see if he can recognise the words without the pictures.

"I'm back!"

...which is how our little soldier greeted us last Thursday as he emerged, bronzed and smiling from the coach.

His school were brilliant, as they had kept a diary and compiled photos of activities that the students undertook all the way along to bring home to parents.

Jordan swam, walked up the slopes of a volcano, made a new best friend, ate out in restaurants, haggled in markets, did indeed ride a camel and lie about on the beach. Now that's what I call a holiday!

It could be a function of his autism but he didn't miss us at all while he was there which is a good thing, I think. His father and I suffered far more from his absence. We went to Dublin for a couple of days. Time slows right down without the boy.

The boy is off on his school trip...

...to Lanzarote no less! Y viva Espana and all that. Now he's been away on school trips before but not abroad so I'm torn between pleasure that he really wants to go, and worry well, because I can. Mercifully his father and I are off to Dublin for a little break and quite frankly, a little Guinness. It's that or I lie weeping in Jordan's bed until he gets back.

I hope he sees the camels.