3rd September 2004
coming home....

It's really amazing how much this little place has wormed its way into our hearts. Today has been one of immense anguish on a professional front and I must say that although I can't switch my brain off from worrying about things there, I was desperate to get away and try to forget all about it for a few brief moments. The clock in my office counted down to 4pm (we finish early on Fridays) so slowly I thought I was in a time warp.

Eventually that little box on the bottom of my PC screen told me I could legitimately pack up my stuff and run away and hide. That's mostly what I've wanted to do all week really but not been able to do so.

I dashed home, loaded up the car with all sorts of stuff to bring down, put the dogs in the back and set off alone for Cornwall. It had to be alone because DM had set off some three hours earlier on my little jalopy motorbike, delivering it to its new owners. I owned it for two years and never managed to ride it because I never went back and re-took my test after falling off in a test in 2002. I used to sit on it in the garage and get all excited about the wind in my face and the open road but it wasn't to be.

Talk about a spectacular journey. I was heading west so had the low autumn sun to contend with but as it set the sky was amazing. I think I've said before how, in built-up areas, you can't really see the sky. Down here it's difficult not to see the sky when the whole thing is a joyous mash of red, orange, pink, blue and green. I spent much of the journey regretting being alone in the car because had I been with DM, I'm sure one of us would have had a camera out. As it was, I was in a hurry (desperate to be in Cornwall and desperate to get to home and DM) so I didn't even take advantage of a stop at Stonehenge to take a late evening photo. Ah well, another time, when the urgent need to be in Cornwall subsides a bit and DM is by my side.

So, my only stop at the decidedly un-picturesque Exeter Service Station, just to give DM a call to say 'get the supper on, I'm on my way'. After a dash down the Devon Expressway to the Tamar bridge, I finally got what I wanted.....my tyres on Cornish soil. Coming down in the dark was interesting because I could see the masts on Caradon from Devon and they act as a beacon guiding me home. I love that.

And what happened when I arrived? The house in pitch darkness and no sign of DM. We only have one set of keys and he had them so it was 9.30pm, very dark and the dogs and I were camping out in the front garden wondering what to do next. After about ten minutes, a car came along the street and he leapt out, apologising profusely for being late.

So much for supper being ready, so much for the home fires burning! Ah well, he's safe after his 200 mile motor bike journey and I'm safe after a near miss (a shed load from a trailer all over the road in the dark with the driver running around trying to reclaim his load and debris everywhere in the dark) on the A38.

Our supper, though, eaten at 10.45pm and washed down by this local cider (from only six miles away) was bliss. It's so good to be here.