Hola, pumpkins! Is it possible that it could, finally, be Spring? Fellow hayfever sufferers will know that we have been hitting the antihistamines hard for the past month, yet the weather has remained resolutely cold. This morning, when I dared to break out the sandals for a trip to the dentist, as the forecast promised sunny and dry, my toes were freezing by the time I was in the chair. Still, at least the birds were singing at dawn: a daily reminder to remain optimistic through the coughing and sneezing, and the running left eye (no, I am not crying, but thank you for asking).

London in the Spring is always full of excitement. The tourists return in their droves, clumping together according to their national holidays and habits. The Italians arrive first, before Easter, then the Germans and the French, and now there are many Spanish voices. The marathon will pass the flat on Sunday, which is always nice, if chaotic, messy and inconvenient if you actually need to get anywhere or do anything. And someone inevitably asks if they can use a loo, which I understand, to a point, but no. It’s a block of flats, not a public convenience. On a brighter note, it’s lovely to watch the athletes and the ‘fun’ runners, their passionate supporters and also, to witness the astonishing job the clean up crews do, even as the last stragglers drag themselves through the final stretch, with no one cheering or clapping (except us few). It is a profoundly ‘London’ event.

In more Spring news, the paperback cover for Born has been designed and I think it looks lovely! Very different from the hardback but the same in spirit. It will be out in June.

Also, pumpkins, I still have some books waiting for annual subscribers - so if you didn’t receive yours, please drop me a line and I will get it out to you.

I hope 2026 is going well for you all. We are living in strange times, and it easy to become unmoored with all the news that never stops coming. I find videos of baby elephants and wiener dogs a great antidote. x