We've been here a week and a day and I haven't got over how weird it is yet. I didn't expect the change to be so dramatic but maybe when I settle down to 'normal life' (whatever that is), I won't feel it so keenly. For now, I'm not attempting to banish the feeling that I could be on holiday here, in the quiet and the green with the patio doors constantly open, and that we might be returning to London imminently. The kids are, to counterbalance me, settling in brilliantly. There's been no negative ramification so far and they're just delighted to have the freedom at last, and the independence, to be out in the garden as much as possible. And what a garden it is; enormous trees at the bottom, spreading their branches over a 5-foot-high bank of earth, providing a perfect environment for at least 4 rope swings; areas behind the mature shrubs where kids can hide and find blackberries; a little wooden wendy-house for home-making games; and a vast expanse of lawn to run around in. Wow. Kids are in heaven - and so they should be - and we were too last night, when we finally ate our first outdoor dinner at our new garden furniture while listening to the silence (marred by bird tweets alone) and smelling the fragrant evening air.

I've been running 3 times now, in the massive network of bridleways and footpaths that stem from 2 minutes up the lane. I never expected such beautiful and accessible countryside providing an unlimited array of running, walking and mountain-biking routes. I've easily created a 70-minute loop of undulating track with only about 3 buildings - and no people - to be seen over the entire route, and less than 5 minutes on road. Breathe deeply and you might pass-out from an overdose of bracken-fragrant oxygen. What a way to start the day.

Being able to leave the kids to their own devices a little has enabled me to get on with the endless unpacking and organising in the house. My parents came to stay for a lovely couple of days from Sunday, to check out our new abode, bring some plants and sundry remaining items for us to sort out (and add to the growing eBay pile), and enable me to get on with my errands. Lovely to have them here, and to at last be able to entertain in adequate space. Also gave me the chance to jump in at the deep-end with the Aga which is - my engineer told me yesterday - at least 25 years old. I anticipated hating the thing and dying to remove it at the earliest possible opportunity, mainly because of its environmental impact, but actually I already love it. Now what do I do? At least it means I can abandon tumble-dryer, toaster and kettle (the two latter pending another trip to the Aga shop), which may be small recompense but is at least a step in the right direction.

I feel like a proper bumpkin already, having received visits - since Roj went back to work on Monday and my parents left on Tuesday - from the Aga engineer, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Avon Lady and now awaiting delivery of my lawn mower. Also I'm mentally mapping but mainly ignoring the abundant spiders' webs here, and hoping that the harvestmen (which I don't mind) will keep the house-spiders (which I do) at bay. Futile optimism I know, but at least it's incentive to remove cardboard boxes of stuff from the floor so that I can see the buggers when I enter the room and run for the hard sole of a nearby shoe!

2 babies (that I know of!) have been born in my absence from London so many huge congratulations to Charlotte for Joshua and Pat for Baby 3 (a boy). Few changes as big as welcoming new life into the world. Closely followed by moving from the smoke to the sticks. I love it though ... I think.