First day of school for the new year. Lots of talk about what schooling will look like with omicron here on our shores. Some people opting for home schooling instead of facing the uncertainty.

Leila’s keen to go, knows she needs to be careful with her mask, and she’s had one jab. I think she needs it, in the same way I need to regroup myself after six weeks of family time.

Garden first: a good watering, and then some lettuce, kale, Brussels sprouts and dill planting. The garden is haphazard but I like it that way. Things twist and turn around each other and somehow seem in harmony? Some interesting things in there this year: the peppercorns are fruiting for the first time, the blueberry is cooperating. And my favourite: a geranium with star-shaped leaves and flowers that look like wings.