The editing seems to be taking me quite a while, it feels intense. My deadline for finishing my first working draft is just two weeks away. So, after a busy morning I took some time out at Polesden Lacey to get outside and connect with nature. All around me I could see the autumn tinges starting to show through. The air smelt of smokey bacon and fermenting apples. It’s the first time I’ve felt chilly this autumn, wishing I had gloves for my bare hands. But it was worth it, nature is so rebalancing. It lends an almost instant connection with perspective and calm.

Now to make time for that every day. A space to breathe, take stock, and rediscover hope. To park the fear and push on.