Autumn Arrives | Life as a UK Leatherworker — LwLeatherworking

September's in full swing. The evenings are colder, and there's a change in the air - autumn's properly here.

I can usually tell exactly when it hits: my wife telling me she's cold about twenty times a day, and the heating bill jumping by what feels like 300%. But I digress. The leaves are turning, the evenings are drawing in, and there's woodsmoke in the air. Winter's on its way.

September's a busy month in our house - three birthdays back to back, each with its own cake, presents, and day out. First was my wife's birthday: the usual cake and presents, plus tickets to the theatre, which was her main present. Then my son's birthday - toys, cake, a new ride-on tractor, and a day out at Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park.

I'll be honest, I love that place. Pigs, polar bears, lemurs, tapirs, goats, camels, zebra, arctic wolves, crocodiles - they've got the lot. Petting zoo, soft play, an indoor restaurant, a beer garden. We went this last weekend and had a brilliant day. The kids fed the animals, I had a cold beer, everyone had chips, and Jimmy's Farm happened to be running a rock and pop festival in the main arena that same weekend. That was the highlight for me - singing along to songs from my youth while watching my kids make their own memories. It's the little things.

Another good one in the books.