CURLY AND CANDID

I adore Autumn, it’s my favourite season. I know so many of you will be shaking your heads, thinking of sandy beaches, sun and ice-cream but for me, Autumn is where it is at.

I love the colours, the reds, oranges, browns and golds, so rich and full of promise. The crisp leaves crackling underfoot makes me smile. Ok, it rains quite a lot and is pretty cold but I don’t mind that either. Autumn means wearing boots (I love boots), and snug, warm jumpers, putting the fire on for the first time and enjoying hot buttered toast and coffee with the curtains closed against the dark evening. I love autumn!

Autumn often has a smokey smell to it too, burning leaves and chimney-pots I expect and I love the fresh cold-cheeked feeling when the rest of you is wrapped up and warm.

Then there is bonfire night – I adore bonfire night! Please note bonfire night is on the 5th of November, it doesn’t start mid October and finish mid November. Yes local people / teenagers with crackers going off at all hours – I’m looking at you! Kieran loves the fireworks and every year the whole town troops down past the racecourse in wellies, gloves and scarves with torches and smile and a great time is had by all. Last year for the first time there were chinese lanterns too and the effect was startling!

So there you go, clearly Autumn is the season for me! What about you, do you love it or loathe it? What would you call your favourite season, and why? (Yes I am this nosy!).

I’m feeling very relaxed today, but also a bit excited!

Kieran sailed into school today without so much as a backwards glance so I’m guessing he’ll be fine. Everything was organised last night, everything clean, shined, creaseless and named. His packed lunch has been filled with yummy goodness and his hair had been cut. I’m pretty sure we remembered everything.

He’ll have a fantastic day no doubt, catching up with the friends he’s missed over the holiday and getting back to grips with the routine. I can hardly wait for 3.30pm and watching him bound out the door to give me a hug and tell me about his day, but to be honest, as much as we’ve all had a fantastic summer holiday together, it was time.

How am I? No lumps in the throat, no damp eyes… I’m quite excited! He’s fine so I’m fine but on top of that, I can get organised again! We have a good daily routine and of course have stuck to it as best we can but it’s been holiday time and lets face it, rules are meant to be broken! Now it’s my time new term, with my new sharpened pencil (or new unchewed biro), new notebook (my Dodo Pad is being given some welly this morning!) and I am already catching up.

You see, I work from home full-time a freelance writer. I still have nine month old Taylor at home but he has big naps and I can work around him while still making sure he gets plenty of attention. It’s a bit harder with a 5yr old who can’t find the craft clue, wants a playdate, or NEEDS to do some baking right away. It’s very quiet today, and very autumn feeling and I’m loving how productive today has been already! I am half through catching up on the bits and pieces that haven’t been finished due to the holiday fun, have cleared my emails, renamed files and folders and am loving every minute of it.

I’m glad he’s back now, he was ready, and so was I!