Sanctuary?
22 November

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I'm spending a lot more time in the bedroom.

It's only really been since we introduced the new curtains that it's felt like a complete sanctuary. Although we finished decorating the main bedroom a year ago, it's was the advent of the curtains that brought the whole thing together so that it feels like Ross's and my refuge against the world.

I've mentioned before, that I've taken to using ear plugs in my attempts to minimise the effects of Ross's snoring on my sleep patterns. Well, they seem to be working and I'm getting a consistent seven or so hours at the moment rather than the five and then some bits that had become the norm.

And then, when I wake up, I don't feel driven to get up as I was wont to do. I stay in the bedroom. I've begun to take advantage of the fact that Ross does not wake up if I put the light on in the bedroom or play music quietly. So, most mornings I breakfast up there and listen to music and just chill before the day begins.

Consequently, even at this late stage of the year, it is beginning to get light when I finally come downstairs to get ready for work.

There's been nothing on television hardly all year. Now, suddenly, we are having to timetable in lengthy viewing sessions to keep abreast of all the programmes we want to watch.

Spooks is back and is as good as it has been for may a year. Plots as slick and fast-paced and remarkably prescient - plots concerning the financial collapse of a bank thanks to bad debts for example. Last year, we said that Alex Lanipekun, who plays Ben, should be asked to get his kit off as often as possible. However, he hasn't yet. Boo. Hiss.

We've also been watching the third series of Heroes but as I've said before it really has lost the WOW factor. Even Milo Ventimiglia's obligatory bare chest moments are scant compensation since he is now tarnished goods after his bare but shots in Pathology.

Towering over all of these two series, however, is Little Dorrit - the latest of the BBC's magnificent productions based on the novels of Dickens. It doesn't seem like three years since we were entranced by Bleak House. As ever, the cast is a treasure trove of British character actors, the production values are impeccably done and the whole venture likely to add to the heritage of the BBC's back catalogue.

One of the main characters is Alex Wyndham who plays Henry Gowan. He has been seen before in The Line of Beauty where he played the beautiful Wani. (He was partnered in that series by Dan Stevens who played Edward Ferrars in this year's Sense and Sensibility). Alex was also in Radio Four's Classic Serial Fortunes of War earlier this year along with Alex Lanipekun. We like the Alexes.

I also need to mention yet another excellent Radio 4 Classic Serial - this time based on Nevil Shute's On the Beach. It was chokingly moving to listen in to this story of Antipodeans stoically facing up to extinction after a nuclear holocaust.