Venice

I'm just back from four magical days in Venice, with my mum - we've both had 'significant' birthdays this year and this was our way of celebrating them! We've walked and wandered and sauntered and looked and strolled and photographed (this is one of mine!) and generally meandered all over the city, enjoying the sunshine and the cappuchinos and taking in the occasional bit of culture and art as we stumbled across it. It really is an amazing place, and once you get away from San Marco, very quiet and uncrowded. We've had a brilliant time and I didn't want to come back! I'd forgotten how much I loved it last time I visited: you can look at pictures but they don't give you the complete sensory experience of being there, smelling the salt water and hearing it lapping against the stones, feeling the sunshine and hearing the birdsong and the church bells. It is paradise. No wonder so many people over the years have been captivated by it. I've already started saving up for next year: there won't be another G&P NOVEL for a while after this one, but I'm planning some short stories, maybe even taking Partridge and Marmalade to Venice for a short break... That way I can justify it as research!

Sadly, it's back to reality with a bump and back to work tomorrow. I've written quite a bit this holiday, although things haven't flowed easily at all - sometimes it's been a bit like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube which is really just about empty! I'm hoping the spring sunshine and the Venice vibes will have done the job when I resume the task tomorrow evening. I promised my readership(!) a spring publication date and the end of spring approaches... The story is almost complete. There's just a final push to get the last few scenes completed before the big edit begins. Maybe May? Or am I being too optimistic?? Can we pretend June is still spring????

Best cake? That's a tough one - although we didn't sample them all, the shop windows were full of confections which looked as if they might be the best cake in Venice. (and therefore, probably, the world!)However, I think I'd have to go with the croissants with crema (confectioner's custard!) which were served up every morning in our hotel as part of breakfast. Seriously nice!