Today feels like a cusp-day to me.

One example of this is that I’ve finished one journal and, although I’ve set up the next one, I won’t begin it until tomorrow. It is my habit to quote a reasonable-length passage from a favourite poem or song on the first page, something I can enjoy flicking back to at regular intervals during the lifespan of the journal. This time round, I resisted the temptation to splurge on decoration so that the page provides a warm hug of an introduction, like being wrapped in a lovely wool overcoat.

I also feel that I’m halfway between seasons, with Autumn reluctant to leave whilst Winter nips at its heels. There has definitely been a change of late and this morning we saw our first few dreamily drifting snowflakes. But those sabre-sharp winds that Chris Rea refers to are missing, and when the sun breaks through the clouds, it lights the glowing embers of the fiery autumn leaves.

Perhaps this explains my sudden reluctance to move on from the Burgundy Royale ink that I’ve been using for the past month, despite having a winter green all inked up and ready to go. Of course, frequent fliers here at Pamalison Airways won’t be surprised, for such a change of heart is in my nature. Anyway, the Burgundy Royale lives to fight another day, but I’m going to pair it with Diamine’s Honey Burst for the first part of the month then see if I feel like moving on to the green ink later on. Perhaps my Christmas letters will be the only green thing this season. Speaking of which, why is it that my well-stocked envelope of stamps refused to be found until I had admitted defeat and bought some new ones from the Post Office?

I’m easing myself into the approaching season with the sweet, spicy smells of Yankee Candle’s “After Sledding” and a quick delve amongst my Christmas goodies to remind myself what I have in the way of cards and gift-wrap. Thankfully, I love the cards I bought in the January sales and I have enough of the gift wrap I used last Christmas to (quite literally) cover this year too. The way I look at it, everyone enjoyed it the first time round, so think how thrilled they will be to see it for a second year! In our family, we are a trifle miserly about wrapping. For example, we don’t throw away a gift bag until it falls to pieces, and you’re bound at some point to receive a gift in a bag you originally bought. This year is the first time I’m going to follow in my sister’s footsteps and put up the Christmas cards I’ve received in past years. The number of cards people give is dwindling and I, for one, think that’s a crying shame because they do add to the decoration in a room. To be honest, if anyone goes ecological and sends me an e-card I will take a screen-shot, print it out, and put it in up with all my other cards!

In other news, I’ve expanded my cassette collection with a couple of treats. This weekend I scored a double-cassette of classic Christmas songs, along with a copy of “String of Hits” by The Shadows. The latter is definitely on the easy-listening end of the musical spectrum, but sometimes it’s nice to hit the brakes on life and just let Hank Marvin twang some familiar tunes for you. It’s probably a good album to knit to. Sometimes if I knit along to something very pacey I find myself gripping the wool and needles very tightly in some kind of death-race with the music. Much better to select a nice mellow saunter if you ask me.

And how about you? Are you ready to embrace winter, or are you clinging on to the last vestiges of autumn in the hope that nature will find a way to stick the few remaining leaves permanently onto the trees?