My son Dante starts back at school today after close to six months off, due to the Covid-19 lockdown and then school holidays. It's a big, exciting, scary day for him and all the other children who are venturing back into the classrooms, so I thought I'd devote today's post to some pictures of Shan Jnr, taken during that long, extended break.

The first one was taken at Ringmoylan Pier, just a short stroll from our home, when he went swimming (well, paddling!) in the river Shannon on a rare sunny summer's day a month or so ago. I used to swim here loads when I was a boy (there used to be an outdoor pool, but that was bulldozed long ago) and would have gone in with him, but I had to look after Gaia.

The second was taken at Torc Waterfall in Killarney -- one of our favourite places to visit, and again, a place I went to and loved a lot as a child myself back in the 1980s.

The third picture captures him chilling in our kitchen at home, wearing a hat. Why is he wearing a hat indoors during summer time? Why not?!?

The final snap is also the most recent, taken just yesterday when we went on our final summer day trip, to King John's Castle in Limerick. I hadn't been there in years, and was very impressed with the place -- definitely worth a visit if you're ever in Limerick City with an hour or two to spare. Who knows -- if you're really lucky, you might even spot a young Shanster on the cannon outside, striking a pose that would even put Michael Flatley to shame... :-)