It seems like a long time since I last wrote anything here. Time for a catchup perhaps?
I completed the work related course last week, and came away as a certified Microsoft SharePoint 2010 developer (I can use the letters MCTS in official correspondence if I choose to - I’m not enough of an egotist to do so…). Between last Friday evening, and the same time 7 days later, I never left the hotel - days were spent in the classroom, all mealtimes in the restaurant, and every evening in my room, studying. We remarked several times about perhaps going for a walk - to get some fresh air - but it never happened. All time became consumed with learning in a head-long rush toward’s Friday’s exam.
Arriving home late on Friday night was odd - the girls were already in bed, and a relieved W opened the door and gave me a hug.
Living in a hotel has become a strangely normal experience - although it seems strange to not be making breakfasts and lunches at 7am, as I would be on a school day at home. Evenings do run on rails - typically I get back to the hotel room, fire up Skype, and try to get a sensible conversation out of the children before heading out to wherever dinner is coming from that night.
Why did I title this post “Heading north again”?
After spending a weekend at home, I’m heading back north on the train tomorrow evening to another hotel, far from home. Another couple of evenings in my own company - and I will be doing the same again next week too.
I will miss the girls going back to school, miss the opportunity to meet their new teachers, and miss the greeting them when they come away from their first day back. I wont hear the stories first hand, and wont be there to give anybody a hug.
It sucks.