Reality bit in for our columnist this week as the new school term started. But a camping trip without the tent, and some blackberry picking provided a welcome distraction. From here on in, it’s time to buckle up and be ready for some awful behaviour – and not just from the kids
• WRECKED! We’re absolutely wrecked so we are, with the first week of back to school behind us.
It’s the same every year, though, as it takes a while to find your stride (and the lunch box lids) and restore a bit of law and order to the household after the summer break.
But I think everyone was ready for it. Well I was at least, as I was well and truly after running out of steam to keep up any pretence that we were ‘living our best lives’.
There’s only so many ‘last hurrahs’ that you can muster and to be honest I was all out with the last week to go. Time to bring on a bit of routine and besides, mid-term isn’t too far off. In the meantime, buckle up and be ready for some awful behaviour from everyone (adults and kids) as we all readjust to real life (bedtimes and broccoli). Meanwhile, you can see page nine of this week’s Southern Star for some of my ‘tips’ on navigating the next few weeks, which come with a health warning, as I’m just making it up as I go along, like most of us.
• Having said that, we made one last burst and went camping last weekend. It was my absolute favourite kind of camping, sort of an a la carte variety where we visited friends who were staying on a nearby site, got to sit outside their caravan and camper van looking every inch the part (obviously wrapped in blankets – it was baltic), BBQing and melting marshmallows for s’mores over the fire ... before heading home to our own beds (toilets, showers etc). I’d heartily recommend it. It’s like skiing – my favourite part is the outfits (and the fact that it’s normal to put rum in your hot chocolate); the actual skiing part, I can take or leave.
• That unmissable touch of autumn in the air the past few days has helped put a natural ‘over and out’ line under summer ’24 but surprise, surprise, I read online that there’s a spell of hot weather on the way. Could you actually make it up? How accurate the forecast is, I’ve no idea, but I’m there for it as it will be a long old winter otherwise. Let’s see how that plays out.
• Of course some people treat September as their January and use it as a chance to set some targets and goals, get a few things ticked off the ‘to do’ list, reset, and all the rest. Not me. Did I mention how wrecked I am? Exactly. Besides I’m too busy getting all outraged over the fact that the Christmas shop has opened in Brown Thomas Cork (I know it’s the same time every year, but still!), and that my social media feed is flooded with notices other festive experiences.
• I’m not even ready to embrace pumpkin season yet as I’m currently all about the blackberries. You’d nearly mistake me for Bear Grylls as I’m navigating the highways and byways to try and find the ripest of this year’s fruit; fearlessly pushing through briars and nettles to get at the juiciest berries (the scratches and scrawls on my arms and thorns are evidence of my
efforts).
To be honest it’s the process of picking that I find most appealing. I’m still not entirely sure what I’ll do with my loot. I’m definitely no jam maker. I’ve tried and I’ve failed, and given that there’s a bit of effort involved in the process I think I’ll be leaving that to the experts from now on.
I’m very partial to a berry crumble (with custard of course), berry compote (in yogurt and porridge), and maybe a cheesecake. All berry nice indeed!
• Not that I’ll be including any of my berry delicacies in my smallie’s lunch box. When school wrapped up back in June, I pledged that I’d use the summer months to widen her palate, encourage her to explore new things, and be more adventurous when it came to meal time. That didn’t really go anywhere. At least I know now not to be wasting my time making mini savoury muffins, sugar-free granola bars, and the like – as we embark on year four of school, my big learning is not to sweat the small stuff (even if I do make a mean mini muffin).
• Finally, I finished Emily in Paris season four part 1 on Netflix – I actually think the makers were having a laugh, it was that atrocious. Bad Sisters’ second series is out on November 13th on Apple TV and the anticipation is fierce. I cannot wait, and until then I’ll mainly be on weather watch and keeping an eye out for this so-called Indian summer.
Enjoying the joys of the outdoor life and 'camping', before heading off home to bed, made for Emma Connolly's perfect evening in the great outdoors. (Photo: Shutterstock)
