Can’t beat a late afternoon walk by the sea, so quiet, just the gentle lapping of the water. ‘Make hay while the sun shines’ they say is so true. A few hours later, ferocious Storm Eowyn blasted in to pound this lovely harbour that’s been landing fish since Tudor times. And then, as it abated, Storm Herminia arrived from Spain with such force, it uprooted trees already loosened by the earlier gale force winds.

The drenching rain is loved by the plants that can stand the salt blasting like the agapanthuses and heathers that grow wild here. And while the garden is on its winter break, pops of colour in the daffodils and primroses remind you that spring is on its way.

Time to retreat to my writer’s den for book work. The revised and further reworked all important first chapter is now with my test readers for their opinions on whether it has sufficient pace, tension, and ‘turn the page’ quality. But work has stopped for now as the builders have moved in to take shelter from the storm. It’s a bit crowded and very messy!

Will I get my den back? Will chapter 1 hit the mark? Will I get chapter 2 done by the end of next month? Come back next time to find out.