Today’s my first proper day back at my desk in Terra Infirma Towers for almost 3 weeks, although as any business owner will tell you, you are never truly on holiday. This year we went on a mad family road trip in a hired campervan.

First stop was one of the best campsites I have ever stayed at, on the Welsh coast overlooking the Irish Sea and Anglesey. Every evening we had choice of a spectacular views, either the setting sun shimmering over the waves or low clouds wrapping themselves around the Snowdonian foothills bathed in that beautiful light. Our stay coincided with the Perseid meteor shower so we would sit toasting marshmallows on the campfire and watch the shooting stars. The Northern Lights even put in a (somewhat understated) appearance as a bonus.

Crossing the Irish Sea, our next stop was in the gorgeous Wicklow Mountains before we headed north across the border where we sat out quite a lot of weather in my late great aunt’s house in Portstewart. Another ferry crossing took us to Galloway and Dumfries where we only stayed one night before we briefly went home to avoid more storms, before me and the Prof set off on our own for two nights at St Abb’s before returning the van to Edinburgh.

I love being outside and in nature. We were slightly surprised at St Abb’s at how everybody else would park up their vans and stay inside the whole time, whereas we wrapped ourselves up, cooked dinner on the beach and drank red wine while watching the tide come in and a seal play in the bay. It’s been a wet old summer and we were going to squeeze every last moment of dry we could get.

So back to the grindstone! We have lots of great projects in the pipeline for the autumn, but unfortunately almost all inside!