We’re leaving today and I haven’t blogged once about this holiday apart from the photos! Spent 4 nights in a huge tent, have eaten loads every day, walked around the horse farm we’re staying on, walked in the woods, to the top of hills for the amazing view across the fields and forest. The children have ridden around the filed on little ponies, Lolly has ridden out to the local woods on the bigger horses. I brought my 5 year old niece with me to, so she, dumpling, and the two children here age 4 and 7 have run around all day long, swooping into the farmhouse kitchen for drinks and biscuits, then off again to check the chickens for eggs, find apples in the orchard and cycle their bikes around and around the stable. Its so different from where I live in the middle of the town where you worry all the time about crime, here the doors are never locked, theres no ‘assumption of criminality’ people wander in and out of the farm house and stable, bags are left open, car keys left on tables, you’re free to take them and move a car if need be. I cant even let my children play in front of my house at home yet here they run free over fields and woods.

I can already feel my jaw tensing as I think of home, my brain is starting to list washing and cleaning and catching up, I’ve spent four days showering in the morning and then not drying my hair, not putting make up on, we’ve eaten when we’re hungry, not looked at clocks or watches, haven’t checked phones for texts. I’m anxious to get going now, not because I want to be home but because I’ve already lot that sense of calmness and relaxation.

Nemo has had a great time, learnt to be a dog with the 6 or 7 dogs that wander freely around here. The people here find him strange and I find their dogs strange, I bristle a little when they 'diss' him but I cant seem to convince them that his behaviour is perfectly normal for a town dog.

I've made sure my niece has bathed every day at my sisters request but dumpling hasnt been near water for four days! He would give him self a 'quick flick' with a baby wipe, put clean clothes on and then run out again, his neck is filthy, he will be having a thorough scrub tonight at home, hair wash, nail scrub, the works!