Beginning

It's probably the autumnal weather that has prompted me to write here again after so long. That and the fact that there are at least two other things that I should be writing which are both important and urgent.

A lot has happened since May 2012 - I finished one course and then started and finished another, I moved to Swindon and Syd the cat retired to the seaside, where he is indulged with frequent meals and near-constant company. 

I had a three hour coach journey yesterday and saw gigantic tractors harvesting crops in the dark. This end of summer the days are shortening and it's getting cold. I had an enormous book with me but ended up listening to the reassuring voice of Donald Macleod telling me about Handel and looking out of the window. After it was dark I started listening to A Brief History of Being Cold, which is one of my favourite things ever - if it was a book I'd keep it by my bed in the emergency/insomnia pile. One to listen to again, in the deep winter.

The job I moved for will end soon (as anticipated) and new plans are underway. There are jumpers in the shops again, proper ones, in dark colours and made of wool, and there are enormous blackberries in the hedge by the path to where the bats are. A good time to begin.

Begin the Beluga

Yesterday there was glorious sunshine and it was hot and Augusty.  I spent yesterday indoors knitting.  Today it bucketed down for several hours.  Today I walked into town for a haircut. 

Nonetheless, I now have better hair, I have a complete mini cardigan, I have jars in which to bottle home-made passata (recipe from the excellent River Cottage Preserves book by Pam Corbin), and I had lunch with a lovely friend.   

Sometimes it is hard to know where to start.  I forget sometimes that it's not as important to know where you're going as it is to set off in the first place. 

Douglas Coupland is amazing.  Do you follow him on Twitter?  Do you use Twitter?  It's worth it if only for Mr Coupland's occasional remarks.  This morning he had posted this: "Life is beautiful: http://t.co/6uBq0xj".  As days go, this is a good way to start.