Feeling very September

Although it's (cough) several years since I had that back to school feeling for real, there's a whiff of Autumn Term here in Hereford. For one thing, the whole town smells of apple pie, from the Bulmers cider presses: delicious! For another I've got new shoes, from Clarks, the ultimate English September destination for black regulation lace-ups - one pair is gorgeous red suede but the other is sensible black patent, for puddles. (Mum, you would be proud) We've just moved into a new, very old house, with an Aga warming up the kitchen, and nothing says autumn like an Aga. The novelty of constant toast and a whistling kettle still hasn't worn off (brushes crumbs off laptop). To make the unpacking and redecorating even more complicated, I'm also house training our new puppy, Violet's son, Bonham. Anyone who's ever tried to house train a basset hound will know that the door to the garden needs to be open at all times, whatever the weather, so Violet and I are huddled next to it while Bonham trots in and out on his huge puppy paws. But what's really Back to School-y is that I'm deep in crisp notebooks and first drafts of a new book, which is exciting - new people to "meet", new relationships to nose around in, hopefully new jokes. It's set in Scotland in February, around a reeling ball, so I'm trying to immerse myself in imaginary snowbound lodges and roaring log fires, as well as the crackling romance. There's nothing like disappearing into a world of your own while the nights draw in - I'm looking forward to a very romantic autumn, even if most of it will be in my own head!