You can tell it's winter and Christmas is fast approaching because my creativity's suffering a bigger slowdown than the global economy! Still...

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I'm not in recession yet, though there's fewer irons in the fire than usual. But I keep telling myself that life taking over will mean plenty of inspiration once I have time to stop and take it all in, fingers crossed! (Does anyone else tell themselves that?)

Around me everyone else seems well prepared for Christmas already (I can't believe next Saturday is the town's light switch-on!) but I've barely bought any presents or even thought about cards (we have some to send abroad, as well as the UK) or what we're going to do where this year. Instead, I've been busy sorting more press coverage for my younger son's pre-school, sorting older son's birthday party, getting involved in various school projects and trying to sort out PTA requests for items for the Christmas fair. No worries though, only a school meeting and parents meeting this week, then the next thing will probably be costumes for nativity plays!

Anyway, I have at least got the Nottingham Poetry Society Awards event to look forward to this coming Saturday and the November 30 official publication of Earlywork Press's Misfit Mirrors, which includes two of my competition-shortlisted poems. And after that...I'll probably hibernate!