It’s warm inside which is lucky because it’s cold outside, because the sky’s realised it isn’t summer anymore and maybe it’s sorry for that heatwave which lasted for weeks.

There’s smoke in the sky because all the fires are burning and one day we’ll be sorry for that pollution which lasted for centuries.

But I like the cooling weather. I don’t like the impending winter but I like the cool mornings and the dark evenings, and bed socks and fresh pyjamas. My bedroom sits on the other side of the wall as the fireplace, so it’s warm to touch, and I’ve left teacups all over the place because chai with rose petals warms you from the inside out.

The assignments have subsided for now, like the returning ocean’s low tide, and some friends are coming back to visit.

Winter isn’t here but it’s waving a flag from the horizon, giving us fair warning.