Synopsis
Told in contrasting voices by each of the pair in turn, this is a humorous account of a couple's first year in the wilds of Wales, for which they had left London in pursuit of a rural idyll. It juxtaposes the fantasy and the reality of an attempt to live "The Good Life".
From the Author
Author's CommentBel and I wrote this in a humorous attempt to counter some of the rosy-tinted guff about the endless joys of downshifting. In fact swapping urban comforts for rural isolation proves a major culture shock, with Bel particularly depressed by the lack of exotic food and central heating. Meanwhile I am in seventh heaven, living out Quixotic dreams of self-sufficiency. All this leads to understandable arguments and by the time our first child arrives, we are in danger of having little in common. The summer comes to our rescue. Helped by a range of eccentric friends (such as Olek the Polish ad-director, the Major and Evan the Poacher), we begin first to survive and later to thrive in this strange new environment. The book is written in diary format and has two voices with Bels pessimism/realism countered by my ludicrous optimism. As the story unfolds, our development is charted by the recipes which end each chapter.