Half-term

It is half term.  My two sons are two school years apart and there are three half-term holidays in each academic year. Each will have been at school for 13 years. During their combined school careers spanning 15 years there are 45 half-term holidays.

This is number 45, the last one. Technically there will be one more next term but since it is in the middle of exam study leave it will probably not feel like a holiday being overshadowed by the coming exams.

I have always liked the half-term break. It does not carry with it the same expectations as Christmas or the long summer holiday.  In February the weather is likely to be cold and damp, so if we have clear sunny days they are viewed as a bonus and we make sure that we spend time outside, catching as much of the sun as possible. Today we got that bonus sunny day and we have been out for a walk, enjoying the relative warmth. 

Hard to believe that school time has passed and the routines of half-term, dentist, hair cuts etc will be no more. As I only work term times I will still have the break but it will be very different with no-one else at home.

I am feeling very grateful today that I have been able to spend all the holidays, half-term weeks and the main holidays (45 of those as well) with my boys. 

The photographs are from our walk today, a place we have visited at least once in most of our school holidays.