Ali's in Australia visiting her family, it's lashing down with rain outside, I haven't finished pruning all the vines, but life is oh-so-sweet. I mean, a day pottering about, lugging logs, taking the quad in to the repair shop to be sorted out ready for our volunteers, supper and a game of Scrabble with my pals. How bad can that be?

We live two completely different lives here at Le Couvent. From May to September we are hosts for our lovely B&B guests, and we squeeze in a bit of wine-making on the way. We, willingly, put our lives on hold while we look after people. It's a very pleasurable way to earn a living. But in winter we are pretty much farmers and handy-women. We spend our days looking after this lovely old building and tending the vines. For most of the time the weather is crisp and stunning, although the wind can knock you off your feet from time to time. It's the season when we see our friends after having abandoned them during the summer. After seven years of life here in Roujan, I still pinch myself. How did I come to be so lucky?

P.S. If former guests don't recognise the photo it's because it's taken in our apartment, which you probably didn't see.