LIFE, LATELY

Hello there – long time no speak, right? I thought the blog was overdue for a catch up- but I feel like there are vastly different versions of this post that depend on which hour of the day I write it on. These days my mental state can oscillate wildly between stare-at-the-wall heaviness about the state of the world and the lightness that comes with recognising my luck at having a job, a family that has kept safe so far, and someone to share these strange times with. As I write this I’m very much in the latter camp – there’s a winter sun shining and the whole house smells of the oranges and cloves that are drying in the oven.

I have to say that I was pretty nervous about heading into autumn and winter this year, especially with this weird de-facto travel limit imposed by not wanting to risk public transport and not owning a car. I needn’t have worried – Norwich is so beautiful that it’s hard to get bored of it. Wildlife wise there’s also been plenty of things to see – I’ve been enjoying the flocks of geese that noisily pass over our flat in the afternoon, and there are whistling wigeon and rook roosts an hour or so’s cycle away.

My favourite thing that’s come with working from home this season has been taking a short lunch then heading out to Kett’s Heights to watch the sunset, with its glorious view of the cathedral. It’s all tangled ivy and old bricks and ruined chapel walls, with a herb garden to run your fingers through sage and rosemary and mint. It even has a climbable apple tree, perfect for afternoons with a book and a flask. It’s been a place where it’s been easy to take that well-worn advice of taking joy in little things – these are photos from afternoons where the light has been particularly good.

So what are things looking like for 2021? The vaccine gives me so much hope, but if anything this pandemic has taught us not to write it off prematurely. As the news seems to be getting progressively darker it’s looking like a few more months of sunsets from the hill will be in order. But maybe- just maybe – we’ll be to go further afield in Spring. The thought of being able to see my family again gives me butterflies.

I hope you had a peaceful Christmas, even though it very much may not have been what you had planned. It definitely wasn’t what we’d pictured, but the two of us went for a cycle and a picnic, and despite everything it was bliss. Here’s to hope for more days like that shared with people we love. Now where’s that chocolate orange…