I feel like since Sun started school last week my life has been running to an alternative clock where 1 minute equals about 20 seconds of real time. I know we’ll all get used to the new school routine but for now I feel like I’m just about managing to keep us afloat, but if I stop paddling for one second the boat will sink.

I’m doing all that is advised: getting bags ready the night before school, laying out uniform, signing homework books, planning my own wardrobe.  Why then am I still finding it incredibly stressful to get ONE child ready for school in 90 minutes? I feel like all I’m saying is hurry up, eat faster, dress faster, brush faster, walk faster.

Yesterday after Sun had an almighty morning meltdown over me using the wrong bowl to make his breakfast (hello toddler territory) I knew something had to give. I did what works best for me to relax, bake. I felt better, and Sun felt better too with a tummy full of custard.

You know you’ve been silly busy when you haven’t taken the garbage bag you put at the back door to the bin, a whole 20ft away, because you thought you’d do it ‘later’. And that was two days ago. Walking to the bin a minute ago I noticed the garden has been neglected for a week. There are rotten apples all over the ground. At first I thought, great, another thing to add to the to-do list.

Then I looked past the apples and found a few lovely surprises. It’s not all rot and dead leaves afterall, the plants I thought had displayed their last flowers of the summer still have some more colour to offer up.

So, yes, apples to be collected, but also roses to be sniffed. Can’t complain about that.

Mammasaurus has been creeping round neighbour’s gardens at dawn this week snapping raindrops. Go check out her snaps, they’re beautiful.