I write this with a certain sensation of surprise. We went on our holidays yesterday and am now home again. We loaded the car to the gunwales with dog food, duvets for us and woofs, suitcases, clothing for every weather eventuality and plenty of wine, before setting off for the cottage. The key attraction was the 2.5 acre wild flower meadow, securely fenced that would allow off lead romping for woofs. We eventually found it in the hills of the wild west, not far from Lampeter. Banjos played softly as we approached. Sure enough, the cottage was remote and pretty and certainly had plenty of wildlife.

What we were less happy about were; the fence that allowed a greyhound leap into the next door field of sheep, the appalling lighting that meant you could only read something if you stood underneath one of the lights in the sitting room, the cold, the damp, the smell, the dirty mattress, the Baby Belling stove that would let you put the oven on but not rings simultaneously, the bed that creaked and was probably the most uncomfortable I have ever slept in, the bathroom that would not allow A to pee standing up, and a sit down shower(!!) as well as non opening windows, a staircase of Alpine proportions and glacial slipperiness, deeply uncomfortable seats, gothic levels of cobwebs, and so on........

A pathetic attempt at dinner meant that the quiche had to be heated first in the oven before we could cook any veg on the rings. Consequently a simple meal took around an hour and a half to prepare. By this morning, we were both desperate to leave, so resumed the long job of packing, and left with a glad heart. Home again by around 1. I have never been so glad to come home to a house that is clean, warm, dry, comfortable and sensibly proportioned i.e. you can stand up without braining yourself. I appreciate even more our comfortable furniture, Sky Tv, ensuite shower, king size sprung mattress, halogen spotlights, fan oven, gas hob, three loos, and secure fencing. Bliss. Thank god we live in the 21st Century with all its comforts and ease.

A roasted a duck and we have spent a leisurely evening watching an old black and white movie from the war years enjoying a bottle of red wine. Andrew had a long pre-dinner soak in the bath, and both of us are slowly feeling less traumatised and more relaxed.