SO THAT is that. Summer holidays are over. Labels have been sewn into school shirts and shiny new shoes are just waiting for their first scuff.

While daughter is excited at the prospect of a return to school and the chance to see all of her friends, son is reserving judgement.

Well, that’s not entirely accurate. In fact, his judgement is very clear. "I don’t want to go," he says. I tell him that it is always hard to go back to something after a holiday. "I feel the same about returning to work but I know that when I am there I will enjoy it," I tell him, sagely.

"That’s because you eat biscuits, drink tea and chat at work," he says. "Can I leave school and go to work instead?"

I explain that if he studies hard at school and passes his exams, then he too can have a job that involves biscuit eating, a nice cup of tea and a bit of a chat.

With summer over, it is time to pull on the wellies and get back to the plot.

Dandelions have been allowed to continue their relentless march this summer and are now threatening to engulf whole areas.

In amongst the weeds, carrots and sweetcorn are waiting to be pulled and picked.

Cauliflowers, nurtured by husband in his first year as a grower, are making regular appearances on our table, sometimes just as interesting decorations if I run out of ways to cook them.

He is so proud of these creamy white flowery things that he has emailed photos of himself holding them to some of his friends.

I notice that he is not so keen on emailing photos of his decimated broccoli around.

He returns from the plot muttering that if son is desperate for a job he will employ him next year to pick off the caterpillars – tea and biscuits included.