There has been a period of quiet on this side of the blog world. The summer has passed so quickly. We had so much hope – there was sunshine and heat. The promise of barbecues hung in the air. I unpacked all my summer clothes – shorts, linen dresses, linen trousers.

A June trip to Thessaloniki, on the mainland of Greece, was hot, so hot.

And then, just as I began editing of The Essex Girls, illness struck. It was a cold – or, in the words of a long forgotten advert – was it flu? But flowers have adorned the house which has been very nice.

But it means everything has slowed down, meetings missed, films abandoned, reservations ignored.

But as the days draw in and rain spatters the window, I’m feeling better. So, much to look forward to. And Strictly back on Saturday.