Away and back

I have just returned from Lisbon, where I made a quick dash with my sister for a few days. It was the first time I had ever been to the lovely city. Everyone was very friendly and attentive and I fell in love with the little electricos – the trams that whizz recklessly up and down and around the city – and the tiled houses and crumbling facades. I came back with some minimalist tiled coasters, a strange dusty pink dress by Ana Salazar that has a belt under the arms, an electrico snow globe for Zelda and a box of lovely custard tarts. Oh and some very nice Portuguese wine – quite a discovery in fact.

From now on I shall only be eating grilled sardines and custard.

Here all is beautiful and autumnal. And I’m smelling of Black Hemlock.

Today I watched three deer outside munching on our trees, two herons flying over the lake, rabbits galore, pussies rolling in the goose poo, the geese creating lots more, several big fat ghost carp churning up mud clouds and I found a dead devil’s coach horse in front of the fire – hurrah! Talking of fire, I've just filled up the log store with lots of lovely birch, oak and ash and will be warming myself with them later.

Going away really cleared my head. It feels lovely and free and .... empty?