If we thought the smell of smoke was bad last week, today has been truly unbelievable. Last night I was lying in bed, and had to check downstairs to make sure something wasn’t burning the house down. Riding into work today the usual daylight that’s around at 5.40am was hidden under a thick blanket of grey, and even now the sky is totally covered.

Because a couple of the squash courts at Hunt’s are being upgraded, some of the windows downstairs were left open so the tradies could carry their giant sheets of cladding through, so after about an hour, the gym was full of smoke as well. Quite surreal, and hard on the eyes. I can only imagine what it must be like where the fires actually are.

Things are really starting to wind down at work. A couple of my clients have headed off on holidays, and I have only two and a half hours of work tomorrow, and two on Friday, then bam, I’m out of there.

This year I’ve given Christmas cards to my clients for the first time ever. I’m not really a card sender/giver, but it’s a nice thing to do for people you like. Today I was given presents by nearly everyone, which kind of trumped my cards, groovy though they may have been. Even Miss M scored a rather large gift, which she’s desperate to open.

So the year rolls on. I think tomorrow afternoon I’m going to see Casino Royale, and check out the new James Bond, who appears rather hunky, and although Sean Connery will always be the quintessential Bond for me, I’m prepared to be diverted.

Today I’m loving: my gorgeous friend Jade, who I can have coffee with for four and a half hours and not even notice the time!