The weather is starting to warm up and, once again, we begin the annual ritual of turning the heating off and opening the windows all day, while sitting in the garden complaining about how it’s too hot and we’re melting. It’s time to put the winter wardrobe away and start digging out this summer collection to wow your peers while on the beach or by the pool.

This was the point that I looked at my summer wardrobe and thought that it could do with a little freshening up. Actually, truth be told it’s the same as it has been for years now – 3/4 length cargo shorts, geeky t shirts, and baseball caps. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit like most autistic people.

So I decided to go to our local department store to get some dazzling new clothes for my summer wardrobe and some treats from their amazing gluten free range of food stuff. It’s while I was dodging the usual old folks who were creeping round the store like a geriatric version of the walking dead, that I started looking at their summer line up and found I actually liked stuff that I wouldn’t normally think goes together, and colours that I wouldn’t normally wear either. By the time I left the clothes section to look at the food, we had bought quite a number of un-Bob-like bits, ranging from pink polo shirts to brightly coloured deck shoes!

It was only when I got home that I realized that I’m getting older – not necessarily wiser, but definitely older. In fact, if you’d told me six years ago I would be where I am in life now, and that I would have a beautiful granddaughter too, I would have not believed you. I’d have said something dumb about never getting old dudes or some other such saying.

The fact is I am getting older and I’m moving in much different social circles now. I also have a responsibility as a grandfather to keep up with, I’m not saying I’m not fun anymore, I’m just learning to dress appropriately too. Who knows what my summer wardrobe will be like in future years. I may be on the slippery slope to wearing socks and sandals, but I’m finally comfortable with that.

Stay Safe X