I awake at precisely 5:59am after drinking far too much 2023 Bread and Butter Pinot Noir. It is delicious, as was the indoor barbecue last night. I’m still thinking of the chilli olives, which have become a new fixation. We’re staying with family in Midhurst for a long weekend. We’re in the guest room. Which is completely white. Every element of the room …the flowers, gypsophila I believe, the accents, the chest of drawers. Everything. It’s calming. Tranquil and stylish. It reminds me of a previous life in photography, when I used to be my mother’s second shooter on weddings.
There’s birdsong in the near distance. A light twitter, and then eventually the deep bellow of woodpigeons and thick, weighty wing flaps to remind me that we’re in the English countryside. I’m greeted by Maple, the gorgeous working spaniel who slept at the bottom of our bed. She would like a pet on the head and a snuggle. I oblige. Obviously.
I write about the Bond lifestyle, the watches, the wine, and the gear required to live in Rugged Luxury. Something that is often missed here is mindfulness. To take in the little moments, to live fully. And to recharge.
Time 2 Live Again is heading towards a big sprint. I consider these trips, relaxation and mini adventures to be the meal before the big battle, the Vikings gulping mead the night before some great conquest.
