My Week

Leaves, leaves, everywhere! There’s been a bit of leaf crunching, but it’s mostly been leaf-squelching this week. The weather has been horrible – damp, mild and grey. The jewel-coloured leaves, littering the ground like confetti, have been a welcome contrast.

Last weekend consisted of a big post-holiday catch-up and sort-out. Our house always seems very cluttered and grubby when we return after a holiday, so we did a bit of much-needed sorting, sifting and culling. Lots went to the charity shop, the rest went in the bin. Now we just need to keep the momentum up!

None of us can get over quite how dark it feels since the clocks went back. To try and embrace the gloom, we bought the boys some new torches and had a fun walk round town in the dark with them on Halloween night. We don’t do trick or treating, but a torch-lit walk felt like a fun way to embrace the occasion.

Monday was a training day here, so we had one last day to ourselves before school started. The boys spend the whole day deep in imaginative play together (love it when this happens). It felt like a really simple, sweet day – with no need for electronic distractions.

On Tuesday morning we all managed to get up in time (hurrah!) and made it to school. The boys  were actually pleased to be going back, and their scooter wheels seemed to have a little bit of extra whizz in them.

I choose the wettest day of the week – Wednesday – for an outing to Cambridge. It didn’t stop raining once, but it was still good to have a wander round on my own. I visited the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, which I’d never been to. It’s free, and quite small, so didn’t take long – I think the boys would like aspects of it, so will try and take them at some point.

I also managed to squeeze in a visit to a few of my favourite shops. Tiger now has lots of festive stock in. I got a great haul, including lots of little mushrooms on wires which will be brilliant on wreaths and things. They definitely don’t count as clutter.

And some teeny, tiny bottles – perfect for a little present of sloe gin? 2 for £1.

And I may have taken a peek at the new Cath Kidston Christmas range and brought a little piece of it home with me…

Thursday – Bonfire Night – was another sludge-coloured, wet day. We were planning a few garden fireworks, but they were rained off. Fingers crossed for better weather this evening!

Here’s what else I’ve been doing this week….

Enjoying… using my lovely new motivational stationary from Alexia Claire. The boys and I have all got our to-do lists now, and I’m hoping it will help encourage my eldest to do his homework.

Watching… More Made in Chelsea, but also catching up with the final of Gareth Malone’s Naked Choir.

Eating… Not very much after eating my own body weight in Manx ice-cream last week. Dieting is a bit dismal, really.

Wearing… a raincoat permanently and feeling very soggy and drippy.

Drinking… sherry. It’s November: officially time for sherry.

Has the weather been as dismal where you are too? As much as I love Autumn, I’m definitely ready for it all to be swept away and replaced with sparkly frosts and clearer days.