Not snow, other hands and early sleep.

1. 'Look, it snowing!' I run to the window to see such a marvel as snow in August. It's a cabbage white butterfly battling against a gust of wind.

2. The sound of other people (my aunt and cousin) quickly tidying up downstairs while I help Alec off to sleep.

3. Bettany falls into her deep milky sleep quite early so I bundle her into the cot, pause to admire my lanky sleeping toddler and creep upstairs to chat with Nick before we go to sleep.