It’s my birthday at the weekend so after being inundated with lovely housewarming cards and gifts, I am now enjoying an influx of birthday stuff (I am keeping all the cards up, I don’t care, it makes me feel wanted and I look super popular if you don’t look closely enough to spot they are from the same people). God knows I will be facing the emotional equivalent of a sugar crash when the gifts stop but for the minute I am very much enjoying being spoiled.

And what gifts! As well the always welcome Amazon vouchers – which I am using for a mix of house stuff and pre-ordering books, which stretches out the whole present thing a bit longer, and champagne and chocolates (because, dahling, one must have champagne and chocolates in the house) I have had a stash of wonderful notebooks. People often ask if I regret saying I love notebooks because that means they are often a default gift, to which I say: hell, nah. I write most things in longhand and I journal, which means I get through a huge number a year – easily over 100 – and while I love buying them, there is also a particular pleasure in using ones people have sent.

So I am rather thrilled with this stash. I also love that my friend U chose a Geordie theme for my birthday gifts (and included some Halloween chocolate, which I am utilising for shameless promo…