Honey, I'm home ...

... we're back from glorious Cornwall! Have had a fabulous week staying here, which was a great place even though it turned out to be one of those hotels who only change the menu weekly. Sigh. Why are more and more hotels doing this? I appreciate the need to manage the budget, but it really discriminates against those guests who stay more than a couple of nights. Mind you, I had a serious nirvana moment when sampling the Jerusalem artichoke veloute (sorry, no accent) starter - which was an amazing mix of creamy soup, parmesan, truffle and quail eggs. Sounds disgusting, I know, but tastes like the best thing ever. I even came near to tears and was hell-bent on marrying the chef (Barnaby, if you're asking) and having his children. But for some reason Lord H wasn't too keen on that idea. Though he did like the soup.

Mind you, we both agreed that our room was wonderful - we were upgraded to the suite for some reason, but hey didn't complain. A bedroom, a living room, a bathroom and a balcony. Bliss. And bloody hell but we've been lucky with the weather. And the front of the hotel went straight down onto a rocky beach and ah the sea. I don't know - there's something about the sea and rocks which gives me a feeling of peace that nothing else can. It makes me feel I belong. I went and communed with it each day post-breakfast.

And talking of the hotel (oh, have I been?), I must say their dinner lighting, especially on the first night, was most unique. It seemed that every time the Maitresse d' went into the kitchen, the lighting grew brighter, but when she was out on the floor (as it were), things became dimmer again. We had two working theories: either (a) the kitchen was full of staff running round and round a vast hamster wheel in order to recharge the generator (well, Cornwall is another country, you know) and they missed the extra pair of feet when said Maitresse was out meeting and greeting, or (b) the Maitresse d' was an alien escapee from Torchwood who was feeding off the energy from the lights. Answers on a postcard please ...

Oh, and we've seen some fabulous birds too. New ones spotted include a flock of cattle egrets (like the usual egrets, but with shorter, yellow bills), purple sandpipers, greenshanks and rock pipits. Oh, and today we went down to Pulborough Brooks and saw a dunnock. At last! Not to mention pintails, shovelers, hosts of widgeon, and some very lovely fallow deer. Though I suspect the latter don't count in the bird world.

Being the sad git that I am, the first thing I do when I'm back is check if Thorn in the Flesh is on Amazon yet. Gosh, well, it is, sort of. Just a picture, a publication date which is 2 days later than the actual one (25 Feb) and - Goddammit! - my bloody middle name!!!! Where the hell did they get that?!? I do sooooo hate my middle name - which you can laugh at here. Bloody hell eh!

And I've finished Suzanne Brockman's Force of Nature - which carries on the ongoing saga with Robin and Jules. I did enjoy the fact that Robin does at last come into his own, kicks ass and generally gets what he wants. Hurrah. Good dialogue too. I suspect the rest of the characters don't actually get how funny Robin is - some of his best lines appear wasted on them, deep sigh.

Oh, and can we please stop the religious allegory of "Torchwood" now? Dahlings, this sort of thing is just too obvious. We, the viewers, do get it. And it's soooo last century. We don't need to have the Last Supper analogy shoved down our throats, along with way too much emoting. Though I did like the line with the tape-measure. Talking of which, I must rush and do my Torchwood mission. Lord H has already solved it, and I am woefully behind ...

Today's nice things:

1. Birds
2. Books
3. Holidays!

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers