NORTHERN PLANNER

Because my office looks like this right now:

 
I'm working at home, enjoying the comforts of hot soup and very thick, very comfy clothes. The news is all about winter 'misery' and the UK in the grip of winter.

Well, that's true up to a point, but as this article suggests Winter is also pretty special. There's nothing that's quite so hauntingly beautiful freshly fallen snow. Ask the kids off school, currently enjoying the uncomplicated joy of hurtling down hills in sledges or pelting each other with snowballs, i doubt they would say winter is a misery.

For myself, I quite like the long, dark nights too. A chance to slow things down, huddle in together and do the strangest things like not bother with Facebook or Twitter, or even the telly and do more quiet stuff. Just sitting and chatting in front of the fire with a glass of wine when Will's gone to bed, getting lost in a good book or spending ages cooking something slow and rich.

You can do all this anytime of the year of course (maybe not the fire) but somehow the dark nights make you want to do them more.