Malbecfan - hats off to your DD for swimming in the Cam! We're all into wild water swimming and there's nothing like an icy cold dip - but she's a real stoic!
DS1 is home! He seems very happy and well and feels he's settled in at his college and adapted to the different experience than the one he'd expected. He still hasn't had his essays marked or returned or had an end of term 'report' but intends to read as much as possible across the vacation and hopes he's on the right track. It's lovely to have him home and there wasn't even much laundry for me to do either!
Tomorrow I collect DS2. Sadly, there's not enough room in my car to take DS1 along too, although he'd have loved to come. DS2 has had a spectacular first term, brilliant end of term report, has won an essay prize for a competition from one of the societies he joined, got a position of responsibility in the JCR and in a wider subject-based association, a place on his college University Challenge Team (though they rarely make it to the finals) and the rowing team, is part of the Chamber Choir and has had various 'university-wide publications' of articles, as a sideline to all his work. He's got some lovely new friends and had a delicious Formal Hall meal last night. I am so so happy for him after everything he went through to get to Oxford and his brother is also really pleased for him too.
Ironoaks, I also love Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium and will miss carol concerts this year. We do a lot of singing and music as a family and each year we have our own mini carol service at home where each of us writes and performs a comical song based on family events of the past year plus traditional carols. So I'm going to have to get some singing practice done!
Meanwhile, I feel like all I've done is work since I saw my DCs but have managed to make a homemade Christmas wreath and put up some Welcome Home signs to greet them both. Really looking forward to having us all togther again by tomorrow night.