Novel writing, blog posting and moustaches

November is a strange time of year. We've really said goodbye to the summer and we're on the quick, quick, military two-step march to Christmas. Already, in houses, and possibly mud huts, across the land there are discussions about where each one of us will be spending the festive season.

Children far too young are demanding presents that are far-too-old for them and materialistic parents are going along with it. Meanwhile, in far-flung corners of the world, children will be happy to receive a shoe box full of bits and bobs which have been filled for them by their more affluent cousins from the western nations. The true spirit of Christmas, in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, I love it to bits. I'm from a big family and I love giving and receiving presents (and giving most of all). But children get far more joy from simple things or time spent with them than the latest must-have toy or gadget they have been conned into wanting by adverts or over-indulgent parents.

However, I digress. There are several things happening in November.

There is National Novel Writing Month – or NaNoWriMo for acronym fans. I tried it once but I don't think I got away with it. Fifty thousand words of complete rubbish. Although I can sort of see the point in it. It certainly gets you in the writing habit for at least 30 days.

And now there is NaBloPoMo, a challenge for bloggers everywhere to write a blog post every day for a month. Now, I'm sorry, and there is an old colleague who is currently doing this (I admire her and her blog, which was shortlisted for the Cosmopolitan magazine blog of the year awards), but what is the point in this event? I find it self-indulgent inflicting my blog on people twice a week, let alone every day.

But there is another thing in November. And it's Movember. Yay! When men all over the world grow moustaches for money to give to cancer charities.

I have just signed up Mr Grigg for this challenge. Others have a three-day head start, but I am sure he can do it. He used to sport the most delicious moustache ever. You could jump in it, play hide and seek in it, kiss chase even or use it as a pair of stage curtains and make an entrance. But a few years ago, someone persuaded him he'd look younger if he shaved it off. And ever since, I have been trying to get him to grow it back.

I like the Tom Selleck look.

Hey, even Peter Bowles ( Mr Grigg was once told he looked like this very British of actors) has a certain something. I saw him on an underground train in London a month ago and he looked very handsome and dapper. He must be at least 107.

And it's hard to beat a Salvador Dali moustache.

So, thanks to Movember, when men everywhere grow a moustache and it's all for a good cause, I am getting the old Mr Grigg back. I can't wait.

That's about it.

Love Maddie x