Back to normality

So this morning the house was awake a little earlier than usual for a Sunday - 5am, in order to take The Brother and his daughter to Belfast, so they could catch the 7am coach to Dublin Airport.  Then all being well they'll be on an Aer Lingus flight to O'Hare.  It'll be a long day for them.  At least the rest of us could get a couple of hours back in bed once we'd got back home.

The man himself, in the Guildhall Cafe, Derry/Londonderry.  Missy's Kindle just visible on the right there - she spent most of the summer on it.  I'm about to find out exactly how much time she has spent on it when I get my credit card bill, but you have to encourage reading, right?!  On the rangefinder/21mm combo, HP5+ in ID-11 and printed on MG RC Warmtone.

It was a busy few weeks, hosting the Americans, but a good time was had by all.  Lots of days out, in spite of the weather.  At least it wasn't cold, just kind of grey and windy and damp.  We saw the sun briefly at least 3 days, I think.  I'm sure they enjoyed the fresh air, though, coming from the Mid-West where the temperatures are in the 90s and the humidity to match.  It's just too hot for me out there in the summer - well, we're not exactly used to those conditions in this part of the world.  And it's too cold in the winter out there.  We get cold here, but nothing like Chicago cold, which is brutal.  The Brother says he's used to the extremes out there now, after some 25 years and likes the heat.  I'd be happier with just a little more sun and a little less rain here in The Liberties - that would do me.

The other American, adding as much sugar as she could to her coffee, as it was a tad bitter for her.  I think the coffee won in the end.  

So now we've a couple of weeks to get the house back to normal and take a breather, before the new school year starts.  Missy already has a packed social diary, catching up with all her friends.  Sleepovers have been planned.  

The Brother reckons that it's harder for the hosts when guests leave.  At least the ones that are leaving have something to do - travel.  And then for them it's back home to catch up with the rest of their family, hear all the news and get back into their routine.  For the hosts you're left feeling somewhat out of sorts - the house feels a little empty now and a lot quieter.  For the first time in a few weeks we don't have to think about what we're going to do today or how to cater for everyone's food preferences.   Strange how our lives seem to merge for a while and then suddenly we all go back to our own, separate lives again.  Skype next Sunday, as usual then bro?