Orla lives in Dalston, works in a microbrewery, likes unicorns, hates mean people

It was a day like any other. The sky was grey, the wind bit her fingers, and her bicycle was still making that loud clunking noise every time she had to go over one of the road bumps. Orla was on her way to work at the microbrewery she had recently started as a communications officer. She hated the job already and had a feeling that her boss was mean. When she met him, she had an uneasy feeling from the get-go. Bit too much of flirty energy for a job interview. Orla extended her arm to indicate that she needed to turn soon. She had already memorised the cycle way from her flat share in Dalston to the microbrewery in Peckham. On most days she loved cycling early in the morning but today she was dreading the first meeting of the day and in consequences every moment since waking up had been filled with anxiety. And as a result, her urge to soothe herself by eating had reared its ugly head. She had way overeaten at breakfast, treading her bike pedals now made her want to throw up.

Leaning into her last turn before reaching her workplace, Orla saw someone waving at her from the corner of her eye. When she had found her centre again on the bike, she recognised her colleague Niall, skipping along the road. He sure was in a chipper mood. He did not have to present today, unlike her. Orla sent him an apologetic smile and pedalled on, hurrying to get on her desk before other colleagues showed up and probably made her even more nervous than she already was. Locking her bike in one of the bike sheds, Orla heard some other colleagues greet each other and walk into the building together. They were talking in anticipation of the big marketing meeting this morning. Orla felt sick to her stomach.

Checking her smart watch, she realised she needed to hurry if she wanted to look at her notes one more time. Orla rushed inside, past the front desk and straight for her office. She returned a few Good Mornings.

My 10 Delights

1. Making my home cosy

2. Baking for friends who are visiting

3. Buying flowers and walking down the street with them

4. Seeing a robin

5. My dog walking through autumn leaves

6. Smell of fresh fish grilled at the beach

7. My husband’s neck in the morning

8. The wind in my hair on a bicycle

9. Swimming in the open sea

10. Waking up to no duties

Waking up on a Saturday with not plans whatsoever comes as close to heaven as you can get without actually dying. If you believe in that sort of thing. Heaven that is.

Stretching out languidly under the covers and finding the person next to you, still slumbering, warm as an oven. That is heaven. Scooting over to them and spooning them, smelling and gently kissing their neck.

But what to do on a day like that? Slowly the doubt creeps in. Will you get bored? What can you do to be busy? A walk in the autumn leaves could be something to look forward to. Keep an eye out for the robins who will greet you along the way. Maybe bake a few muffins once you’re back at home. Make the house as cosy as possible, decorate it with your freshly bought flowers.

And although all these cosy autumn activities fill your heart, there will be a moment, when you feel the wind in your hair, and you will miss the carefree bike rides of the summer and the smell of fresh fish being grilled at the beach.

But for now, you’re still cuddling with the person next to you. Your arm is around them, your head buried in their neck.

There’s nothing closer to heaven than your husband’s neck in the morning.

10 Delights for Aurora

1. Mother Holle humming a song while spinning her wheel

2. Birdsong waking her up in the morning

3. Gathering all the women at Mother Holle’s castle for a dinner

4. Decorating the dinner table

5. Reading from Mother Holle’s extensive library

6. Writing stories the Gods Mother Holle has told her about

7. Braiding her own hair in different styles

8. Baking a pie

9. Warming up by a fire

10. Going for long walks in the Heideland around Mother Holle’s castle

Having grown up at Mother Holle’s castle, all Aurora had known was a life lived in the company of women. Busying themselves at all times of the day, these women were masters at their individual crafts. And all of them knew how to spin flax into gold, a talent they had been handed by Mother Holle herself.

At times, Aurora wished that she had been blessed with the same gift. Often, she felt excluded, while the women of the castle were gathering in a room, all spinning their wheels while listening to one of them spinning her tales. But Aurora was in a way still part of it. She would bake some cookies or other sweet treats for the women and warm herself by the fire, while the legends were being told.

Aurora loved these ancient stories, which were filled with love, rivalry and heraldry. She couldn’t get enough of them and went to search them out regularly in Mother Holle’s extensive library at the castle. If she didn’t have her nose buried in a book, Aurora could often be found wandering the Heideland around the castle, looking for berries or flowers or other trinkets to take home and decorate the dinner table with. One of her favourite times of day, was dinner time. Everyone at the castle would come together and eat in unison.