Staycation Weekends In Blighty
What is it about weekends away in the country?
With just a few days before the end of half term, many of us grab our travel bags, jump in our cars and dash off for a weekend break.
In our case, it is to one of our favourite haunts in Porlock, West Somerset.
I wondered as I was ramming jersey shirts, jeans and boots into my case, with decided lacklustre, why so many people migrate in this way. Grabbing just a couple of days away from home squeezed into a busy lifestyle of stress and madness.
Not wanting to bring the family's spirits down, I put on a smile and try to remain upbeat about the prospects of sitting in a car for 2 hours each way (traffic permitting). Having called in at the positively lovely Gloucester Service Station which was bulging with hungry weekenders. We queued for one of the obligatory sausage rolls (which in our opinion are possibly the best sausage rolls in the world) along with a not-half-bad coffee in a cardboard cup. Miraculously we managed to avoid any nightmarish motorway jams and arrived safely, without too much stress, at our destination.
On opening the front door we were greeted with a cosy, lovingly decorated cottage, kitted out with everything in its place. No muddles! No chores to weigh us down! Everything is ready and waiting for our arrival! Hassle-free living personified! A feeling of peace descended and my melancholy was replaced with a sense of calm and well-being.
After a cuppa, a biscuit, and a few moments of nesting in with our few belongings, we jumped back in the car and grabbed a bite to eat in one of the local unpretentious yet wholesome pubs.
Having had a little too much wine we slipped between the fresh crisp sheets (who has time to iron sheets - such a luxury) and slept like babies. Awaking to the sound of an owl hooting its last before the sun rose and smaller birds started singing their morning song, I donned my lovely new country knit paired with my magic trousers and we strolled off for a hearty breakfast.
I noticed so many couples and families, obviously visiting the area, also had a sense of joy and smiling, stress-free, faces and suddenly I was aware of why we do this mad jaunt.
It's not that I don't love our home, surroundings, work and everything that life brings to us, but taking a weekend away is just such a lovely shedding of responsibilities.
Our countryside is jumping with warm colours and textures at this time of year.
The sounds and smells, absorbing your surroundings, seeing the minutiae and the whole, gives your mind, eyes and stress levels a break from screens and the constant noise.
Getting out in it and breathing in the fresh air, taking some wholesome exercise and chilling out is the best therapy for every part of you and your family.
So go on, next time you can, grab a couple of days and give yourself a break.
