Routine is returning. The world is winding down here in the northern hemisphere, taking stock and wrapping up warm in preparation for the reflections of winter’s gaze.

This year has brought many challenges to my post-once-a-week system, and I’m grateful that you, dear readers, continue to wait throughout my periods of quiet.

When stress arises, the first things to fall away are the enjoyable, non-required items. Blog posts, reading and even writing take a back seat to packing, cleaning and somehow eating food in the midst.

• We were meant to move house at the beginning of August. Instead, we moved house twice in the space of ten days. The house was not as clean as I would have liked, and we spent a week camping in the living room on an airbed.
• My new-ish job of two months had a restructure; creating a lot of different and extra work during the transition (Aug-Oct). 15 new staff started and many people left as the academic year reset.
• The health issues mentioned in January resurfaced as treatments became complicated and are only now moving forward once more.
• Writing and reading both dwindled, as I shift the keyboard for cleaning agents and spend time unpacking boxes.

We were without internet for a while, and even now, have a week to wait for our new bed, mattress, sofa and chest of drawers. I can’t wait to have clean clothes in drawers instead of a suitcase.

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But things are settling down. Other Half started his new job in September, and has now found his feet enough to know what his shift pattern is. We even attended a social event together with his colleagues. This weekend he’s working while I unpack, tidy and make some space to write.

I’m registered with a doctor and a dentist, have found the two local big supermarkets and I even have some writing news from the summer to finally share at the year’s end.

So things are settling, and space is gradually returning to our house, our heads and to my story. I’ve let things sit, and now sparks of remaining scenes are flickering to life from the embers, ready to tie up the loose ends.

As things around us settle in for winter, I can settle in to write this novel’s ending.