Finding Inner Peace (in the Cotswolds)

Slowly, subtly and all but imperceptibly this blog has transformed itself into something of a travel blog. That might just reflect the now ‘oh-so-jet-set’ lifestyle I seem to have acquired, although perhaps that is just what I want you to think!

This time the travel is a lot less exotic but nevertheless most welcome. I have been working on an incredibly stressful project with my Dad and his company over the past few weeks, along with a few other personal hiccups along the way, which have meant a nasty combination of high stress & poor sleep. So when I woke up to a thoroughly empty house on Monday morning, ready to face yet another stressful day of work (despite the rest of the world enjoying a bank holiday!), needless to say it was rather hard to force a smile across my face. My dad is away in Milan working on the project at the source of the stress. My mum is away in the Cotswolds on a holiday with my grandparents. And what’s worse. What is almost inconceivable is that she has taken Percy with her. The house has never felt so bare.

I always thought I was quite happy in my own company, that I was rather satisfactory at entertaining myself, but my hypothesis has been thoroughly disproved. I ended up watching Schindler’s List, bawling my eyes out and making a miserable situation even more bleak! So when I called my mum up Tuesday to check on how things were going, it took little persuasion for me to promise my imminent arrival. With approval eventually extracted from a somewhat disgruntled boss I hopped into my car at 6pm, after a hopefully persuasively productive day of work, and hurtled down the M40.

I eventually found myself in the uniquely quaint village of Ilmington (although now I think of it, all Cotswold villages are sort of ‘uniquely quaint’…in their own way). I strutted to the pub, now hungry but a lot happier, breathed in the air that was full of hope, cow pat, and the promise of company - a heady concoction, and found four very friendly faces: Mum, Granddad, Grandma and the oh-so-perfect Percy. I don’t know if I have ever slept so deeply as I did in that little cottage. The roaring real fire might have had something to do with that!

Now I have a confession to make, as the only reason I had persuaded my dad to let me go on this mini sabbatical was so that I could have some company, but then do his work from home - so that he could have the rest of his company, so to speak. But, rather conveniently (and entirely, entirely unintentionally…*cough*…) the wi-fi is really far too slow to do anything like proper work. So, instead today has been a very gentle work affair, although if it’s any consolation dad, and if you’re reading this wondering why I can write a blog post but can’t finish that task you set me yesterday, I am feeling much better rested than I have in a very long while! So thanks!

Hence, I am writing this post from the comforts of a beautiful little cottage in a picturesque village that has restored a little of the peace I had misplaced over the last few weeks. I hope it’s a peace and pleasantness that I can carry with me all the way back up the M40. Along with the third and most important 'P' that is my ultimate key to happiness: Percy, of course!

Right, well, on that note I shall now sign off before I head to another great 'P': the pub (what a surprise!). Come to think of it, that may have something to do with the general calm aura I have acquired over the last 24 hours…I knew it was too good to be true!