For six weeks every summer there is a little know species that takes over the streets of the U.K. they roam in packs hunting food, friends and fun like wolves in the wild. The survival of the fittest is the way of the world with those with superior personalities
having the greater impact on the social circle of these wondering things. They come in all different shapes and sizes. Any age boundaries built up during the course of the rest of the year are broken down as they mingle freely….the name of this species “Humanous Youngous”.

They are built to be omnivores although some at the insistence of there family groups do become herbivore and forgo the delights of meat and it seems for the last 3 weeks of this 6 week period a good proportion of these beings could be found frequenting my house……

I think I fell asleep one night and awoke in a youth club. In any one 24hour period we could have had anything from 1 to 12 little people through our front door, sometimes in the company of responsible adults but more often than not just just in the company of even more little people.

The most consistent visitors being the 3 vagrants from across the road, Shannon, Jordan and Conner and the blonde kids best friend from 5 doors down Craig.

Then in addition to this motley crew there was Chloe, Leah and their baby sister Keira from round the corner. Josh and his sister Grace from just down road. Then yesterday we also had Thomas (my nephew) Sophia (our cousin) some skater punk called Harry and a girl (I secretly think Jordan has a crush on) Nicole who recently play Joseph in her school play (see previous blog) and is very excited to be starting senior school today (definitely better stay a secret crush she’s way too old for him!)

We had lots of fun in the holiday and in the gaps in his diary between visiting family (he spent 3 weeks with his Dad) and his busy social calender we also managed to….

Decorate the blonde kids room…

Plenty of trampolining…

Dinners out with friends…

(Trust Jordan to find the best looking woman in the resturant to fall asleep on!)

Trips to Brighton….

Trips to Ikea

Also we had a trip to Silverstone, BBQs with friend (20 of the damn things in my back garden 23 if you count us, 25, if, as Jordan insists, you include the rabbit and the cat) build new bookcases, move in new office furniture, redecorate the bathroom, visit James parents and my parents, help Stat move house, go to gigs, shop for new school uniform for a brand new school and in amongst all this found time to do the normal mundane everyday stuff like WORK!So not much really.

The kids (well my kid) went back to school today and for the first time since, well since it feels like forever the house is quiet. There is no one running up/down the stairs. Nobody knocking the door, shouting in the garden, jumping on the trampoline, arguing over the Playstation/Wii/football/particular chair/T.V channel/what game to play or piece of fluff on the floor because “I was there/saw it first”.

Nobody asking “Can I stay for dinner?” or “Can I come and play again tomorrow?”. Nobody laughing or giggling, nobody shouting or crying, just the sounds of the world drifting in from outside and “The New Amsterdams” playing on Itunes…

…Roll on 3:20 when I can fetch him from school, I miss them all already!!