It’s officially winter here in Patagonia, although the volcanoes outside my window seem to have missed the memo. They’re still waiting for their proper blanket of snow, which makes me wonder whether this year’s much-discussed El Niño has a few surprises left up its sleeve.
In the meantime, I’ve made it to my desk by 8:05am, fresh from the school run and armed with coffee, a slightly neglected piece of toast, and a reassuring tower of books.
This morning starts with preparing language classes alongside my trusty collection of Headway textbooks. I’m about to be up to my eyes in modal verbs and passive narrative structures, but teaching certainly keeps me on my toes. Then it’s on to some reading: On Writing by Stephen King, The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepúlveda, and In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri. Most of them will probably find their way into future posts sooner or later.
And tucked underneath the pile is my Beginner’s Guide to Tarot, picked up in Covent Garden last year—because every desk needs at least one book that raises more questions than it answers.
My coffee needs a refill, the toast has seen better days, and the to-do list is patiently waiting. All in all, a very good start to a winter morning in my favourite corner of the world.