My Summer Resolutions are to stay in Gloucestershire for the whole of August and to eat healthily. I’m sick of flying, loathe crowds and feel sluggish. My idea of heaven is to get up in my own house and not leave it.
My Summer Resolutions are to stay in Gloucestershire for the whole of August and to eat healthily. I’m sick of flying, loathe crowds and feel sluggish. My idea of heaven is to get up in my own house and not leave it.
Besides, I have four pregnant sows and want to witness the births. The last time I had piglets I was away shooting a campaign and so had to make my Ozzie farm hand take photos on his phone and send them to me in Los Angeles.
It’s always been the same way; when I used to be away filming for months on end my ex, Hugh, used to photograph all my favourite roses and sweet peas when they came into flower and fedex me the prints.
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This July was mostly hellish; too much work and virtually no play. Three bouts of tonsilitis, a couple of trips to America and the usual end of term mayhem left me bleary eyed and longing for a reprieve.
The Valentino extravaganza in Rome was a wonderfully glamorous antidote but three days of over imbibing and going to bed at dawn takes it’s toll too. A long, hard look in the mirror and a quick weigh in on my terrifyingly accurate scales which I bought when pregnant, confirmed that I’d almost definitely fail my MOT if challenged.
Action was called for, hence cancelling our holiday plans and squashing in a few more dates in July in anticipation of our month in the country.
First stop was Thailand, where my husband and I attempted to kick start our new health regimes at the heavenly health spa, Chiva Som. We felt terrifyingly unfit as we lumbered our way through yoga, Pilates, and ‘private’ stretching every day.
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The private bit meant that a sturdy Thai instructor actually sits on you and forces your limbs into submission. It was agonising but, by the end, we were certainly feeling more sprightly. We also sprinkled little treats throughout the day like acupuncture, reiki and Chi Ne Tsang, which involves a very nice Thai woman kneading your stomach, liver and colon.
We embraced a cleansing diet, where for three days you drink vegetable juices and green soup and have no solid foods. We both gave up caffeine, white flour and sugar; I gave up alcohol and Arun quit smoking. All this had a startling effect on our systems and initially we had violent headaches and shaky limbs.
Slowly but surely though, we began to feel better, till by the end we’d lost weight (me five pounds, Arun eight), had frighteningly clear eyes and toddler like energy. It’s a wonderful spa and, now back, we are brimming over with good intentions.
Therefore, I trotted to the new, health food emporium Wholefoods in Kensington. When I lived in LA, I used to shop at it’s counterpart every day. This one could be equally good but I wish the management could train some of it’s employees to be cooler; I was stared at and bugged by too many of them and felt so uncomfortable I left the shop only half done.
Life is very odd without caffeine; I find I’m so tired by nine o’clock at night that I have to go to bed, where I fall into a deep and unbelievably satisfying sleep. By five thirty the next morning I’m wide awake and raring to go. My office staff are not amused; by the time they get to work I’ve sent them about a thousand bossy emails already.
I’ve resolved to fly less. Apparently one eight hour flight delivers as much radiation as a chest x ray. I dread to think what that means for young kids who fly long haul a lot. All good reasons to stay at home for vacations.
I really miss coffee and tea, though. In fact, I really miss sandwiches, crisps and cakes too. I’m trying really hard but, when I hit Gloucestershire on the 1st August, I know that a freshly slaughtered pig has taken up residence in my new chest freezer and it’s going to take all my self control not to have a bacon sandwich on arrival.
