Dear Alastair Sawday

Woke up yesterday and had a startling brainwave. "Gather round everyone" I announced cheerily, "I've got a whizzer of an idea". I think someone may have muttered Jesus Christ but I couldn't swear on it.

"Why live in 500sqm when we could happily live in 70sqm"? No-one could answer that, in fact no-one did so I took it as read. To show I meant business I switched off the Aga. My word that had them all scuttling fast and within a couple of hours the apartment was our new home. 2b chose the bedroom overlooking the garden and pool. The Small Cross One went for the room with french doors leading out onto the terrace with a view of the village. His Lordship and I bagged the room which gave us both but then as it was my sheer stroke of genius it was only fitting that I had the prime spot. This morning the sun streamed through on the righteous propped up in bed admiring a variety of birds hopping about on the terrace and ruffling their feathers in the walnut tree just in front of the bedroom window.

I had now given myself an enormous new project for 2007. Instead of offering the apartment for holiday rental I was going to present Le Chateau to the discerning holidaymaker. The website would have to be changed, all my advertising would have to be updated, lovely pictures of the gite would now be replaced with gorgeous shots of Le Chateau. Furthermore I will have to write to Alastair Sawday tout de suite so that he can include my luscious home in his sparkling collection of places to stay.

But for now I'm packing my overnight bag because New Years Eve beckons and in a matter of hours I hope to be dancing on the table tops down at Marcel's in the Corbieres welcoming in 2007.