However, all things were restored by mid-morning, so I have chased everyone under the sun about the frighteningly close first round of Freshers’ events. And some (oh thank you, thank you!) blessed people are even beginning to reply, hurrah. With information too. Good Lord.

Today’s food excitement is the first of the new season’s apples, courtesy of Mr Waitrose. You always know autumn has truly begun when you’ve bitten into your first English apple. Though, being an apple farmer’s daughter, I suppose I would say that, wouldn’t I? Anyway, suitably fortified by fruit, I strolled round the campus at lunchtime in the rather dull weather we’re having – which is nothing like what we were promised. Did I really expect otherwise?? Not many people around, thank goodness, so had a pleasant sit by the lake for a while and watched a young squirrel and ducks. Very nice.

Meanwhile, this afternoon’s big thrill was the Health Centre doctor popping in with a copy of Maloney’s Law for me to sign for her holiday – so lovely to be able to touch my latest book again, and I definitely had trouble handing it back to her (ah, my baby, my baby - don't take him away ...). But thanks for buying, Vicky, and hope you enjoy the read.

And tomorrow the University is having a complete electrical shut-down and clear-out in the morning so we have to – on pain of death – switch off everything and unplug the whole of the office before we leave tonight. Which we are indeed all geared up to do – but they’ve now sent us so many reminders about it that I suspect we’re going to assume we’ve actually already done it, and then forget. Sigh …

Oh, and I’m chuntering on with my long poem, slowly slowly. Three pages and 134 lines now. And I’m still only on the morning in the text. Hey ho.

On my way home, I’ll pop into see if Gladys and I can get in the same room together for a chat – what with the enormity of our noses, it might be tricky … And later tonight, there’s a new comedy drama – “Mutual Friends” – which I have my eye on. Hope there’s more comedy than drama in it though – I could do with a laugh or two after the alcoholism trauma of yesterday’s “New Tricks” (poor Brian …).

Might even do a sentence or two of Hallsfoot’s Battle if I can dredge up any ideas from the pot, that is. Hey, miracles can happen! Though, actually when I hit home, the downstairs neighbour wasn't very well and was (or wasn't, depending on whether I spoke to the daughter or the friend) waiting for the doctor to arrive. He'd (the neighbour, not the doctor - that would be too weird really ...) apparently taken delivery of a parcel for me (books? Maloney?? Who can say ...) before he fell ill, and had completely forgotten about it by the time I turned up waving my parcel note briefly before getting up to speed with what was happening on the health front. So I have abandoned it and restocked his water supplies instead, left our phone number (which he'd also forgotten) in case of difficulties and will check up on him again before the evening draws in.

I'll sort out the parcel crisis tomorrow and see who I need to reorder from. Heck, it'll be something to do if we don't have any electricity again at work!

Today’s nice things:

1. Tidying
2. Apples
3. Lunchtime walk
4. Signing a copy of Maloney
5. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website