Editor’s Note

My sisters will laugh at reading this, but one of the highlights of any new year, for me, is getting out the coloured pens and coordinating the year ahead. It is a very happy day for me spent on the floor of my office – literally a corner of the kid’s play room – marking out print deadlines, holidays, appointments and events on my wall planner.

I am a stationery nerd from way back and one might also say wall planner perfectionist, as I have been known to start all over again should I make a mistake. But I adore starting the new year afresh, with everything laid out ahead of me for future planning, and of course planning around.

Why then can I not seem to apply this level of detail and coordination to the rest of my desk? Piled with pieces of paper jotted with story ideas, pictures from the kids, cards from readers, pens, and an assortment of miscellaneous bits and pieces; the top of my desk is organisation chaos! Underneath is not much better – I barely have room for my legs, as it has been claimed as Sybil’s bed. Sybil is Miss Two’s absolute favourite doll, and complete with her own cot, sheet and clothes, has taken up residence there and I am under strict instructions to leave her be.

While I am not one for long lists of resolutions, I have promised myself that this will be the year that my desk is tackled – and regularly presented as a calm and soothing place of organisation. However, 2020 is already well underway and I am no closer to achieving this… I hope your resolutions are coming along better!

Enjoy our first official installment of latitude for the decade! Happy reading,

‘I adore starting the new year afresh, with everything laid out ahead of me for future planning.’