back to school

Our kids are back at school which has its good and bad points. Good: I have missed writing and need to get torn into the current book, which should be finished by now but, er, isn't. I don't know how I ever think I'm going to keep a book rattling along during the summer hols. It's never happened until now, so I should just accept that - even though plenty of people manage to write huge tomes while holding down other jobs. One guy I know wrote his first novel by getting up at 5 am before his three young children woke up and started charging around the house. Such willpower! My first novel, Babyface, was written at night, as I had to keep the day job going - but I was younger then, not so addled, and I can't imagine being able to do that ever again.

Other good things about the start of school term: seeing people again. Yes: adult-sized people. I mean those casual school gate encounters which don't sound like much but are a bit of a lifeline when you spend most of your time holed up in a teeny workroom, bashing a keyboard, and slurping coffee. Oh, and running and getting out on my bike again, after two months of inactivity and the midriff to prove it.

One bad thing about term time: lunchboxes. Agh. These start with such good intentions but, alas, I fear we'll be back to the tedious cheese sandwich and tragic, bashed-up apple by friday...