It is dark and blustery this morning, rain pelting the windows and drenching everything in sight. It’s cold and wild and absolutely wonderful.

We are home again after a lovely little jaunt to stay with our friends Martine and Ray. They are our neighbours at medieval events and we love them. Martine is from France, Ray from England, Bear from Australia, and me from Canada, so when we get together it’s a marvellous hodgepodge of accents and cultures.

Their home reminds me of the wilderness lodges of Canada and the alpine homes of Germany. Stepping inside I felt my heart clench with that exquisite feeling of familiarity and welcome. I was instantly at home and so excited that we got to sleep in the loft.

It was a weekend of utter relaxation. I slept 11 hours our first night, and feel more rested than I have in months. When I finally got up, this was my morning view.

We’ve always thought Ray and Martine were splendid, but their coolness factor shot through the roof when we spotted a Tardis in their back yard!!! Ray is handy like Bear, and he built it himself. It’s situated so the rising sun illuminates the glass and makes it look like Dr. Who is in. It makes me smile whenever I think of it.

We had such a lovely time. Although Bear and I often travel to the Brisbane area, it’s nearly always to DO something. Complete a project, run an errand, attend a meeting, set up or break down medieval camp. This weekend was a true getaway that left us refreshed, restored, and excited to get back to normal life again.

We rested a lot, and spent hours on the shady veranda or curled up in splendidly worn leather chairs talking about anything and everything. All our meals were long and leisurely as we chatted away whilst nibbling on platters of cheese, fresh fruit, and an array of delicious salads. Such good hot weather fare. We savoured bowls of wobbly crème caramel, and ate far too many ripe strawberries crowned with tottering dollops of Nutella.

After a jaunt to the nearby strawberry farm, we bid farewell to our friends and drove home over the mountains armed with lists of recommended books to read and movies to watch. It was a lovely little holiday. xo