We Were Missed

We're back from the big city and my son, Breon, hurls himself in my arms.

 "Thank god you're home". 

When we left four days earlier, he had assured us that he would be fine.

“I’m almost 18, go, I'll be fine. I need the peace and quiet". 

We went to the trade show confident of his and the house and its contents wellbeing,

Being the good mother I am I called home at least 3 times a day and he seemed perfectly ok. What dread had he been keeping from me, what hidden terror had he endured?

"I was so bored. The dog was bored, the cats were bored. We were bored”.

 I was confused, the last I knew the husband and myself were, and I quote “Middle aged, bourgeois, olive eating, wine guzzling, Archers listening, sweater wearers”.  Surely our absence would have made his life less boring. Maybe my commitment to finish work by 5.40 each evening, leave my upstairs office and catch the last 20 minutes of Pointless is a daily highlight after all. And the husband’s varied and charming knitted jumpers might have added more pizzazz to the day than we realised. 

After more probing I discover that he quite likes talking to us even if it is to wind me up on his new ideas for an anarchistic Cornish state.

It also turned out that he'd not turned the heating on all the time we were away, scared that he'd burn the house down. I think he took our health and safety power point presentation too much to heart. Still As long as he bends his knees when he lifts heavy objects our time wasn't wasted. The fact that we have central heating which I like to think is the safest of heating units and now we have a condenser boiler the most cost effective – see fascinating, not boring at all.

Weren't you cold I asked? 

"It's alright.  I'm tough, I've got to get used to it when I leave home" 

I did point out that he was probably going to Bath University not Yak herding in Outer Mongolia. 

The animals too celebrated our homecoming. 

Our dog Maggie jumped and down for a quarter of an hour and bought us a selection of favourite toys so delighted was she at the wanderers return. When I went to bed Stevie Piglet, the smaller of the kittens, was beside himself, meowing, nuzzling, poddling he'd obviously missed us too. He spent the whole night sitting on my head, purring into my ear so much so I had many vivid dreams of myself in a speedboat driven by TV comedian, David Mitchell. Why not Daniel Craig? I'd have to investigate my subconscious, but Mr Mitchell is a few years younger than me so that makes me a dream cougar. Go me! 

In all I felt oddly flattered to be so yearned for, to have our presence missed. May be we are the centre of the universe after all.

We've been doing some publicity photos this week with my old friend Mike Newman from Ocean Image. I enjoy these days as Mike knows anyone who's anyone in Cornwall and brings me up to date with the local news. The new colours I've introduced to our palette, Cornish Earth and Autumn Teal have been utilised in our existing designs and I'm keen to show how all our fabrics can be used together as they've been selected to complement each other. The photos also include one of my favourite themes I have used over the years, Staffordshire pottery.  I specially love the Staffordshire Spaniel dogs. They come in various sizes and colours but are enormously cute and can work well in an eclectic vintage or traditional setting. They have long been an iconic image of the Victorian parlour and until about 15 years ago were still quite costly now they cost anything from £15 – £75 online or at auction. They are also becoming very fashionable so keep it to yourself.