I've decided that I'm undoubtedly having the best time of my life! I'm having experiences for the first time, like reflexology which I found remarkable; apparently I am the picture of health but might like to 'cut down on the grape' (which I definitely wouldn't like at all), so I'm having a large glass of vino to celebrate!

I also went to a Spa on Sunday which was amazing! It was a beautiful building, the walls being made of wood and very African, curving inwards up to a terrifically high domed roof, and the actual pool itself and the surrounding areas were (faux?) marble and, as they were intended to, reminded me of a Roman baths like the one at Bath; sort of Nero meets Jane Austin in the heart of primitive, powerful, magical Africa. Quite a heady combo let me tell you! I went with three friends and we had the place all to ourselves, (what luck!) and we were massaged by huge jets of water which worked on each area of the body, and left us all pain and stress free, and longing to go again. Such fun!

I also have, not one, but two sleeping companions now. In the bed I mean; Snoozie being the size of a (slightly tubby) Jack Russell, is not only enormously comforting, but manageable on a camp bed - she sleeps curled into my tummy - whilst Candy is the size and weight of your average Shetland pony and not QUITE so easy to accommodate; consequently she sleeps on the floor on a heap of velvet cushions. Or she did... until one night last week she succeeded in heaving her considerable girth onto the bed and refused to leave. She then insisted on going UNDER the duvet where she now spends her nights. As she takes up at least two thirds of the bed, Snooze and I lie clutching the edge of what remains of it and hope for the best as far as sleep is concerned. One night, Candy decided to face me - she usually sleeps on her side with her back to me, but this night decided to reverse her position and face me. I ended up with both her front paws around my neck and her rather large head resting on my shoulder, where I had no choice but to inhale bad breath of a magnitude I had previously never before experienced. I laughed like a drain, and continue to do so every night. The three of us adore each other and it really is such fun!

During the day, wherever I go, Candy trots along beside me; I'm writing this on the terrace at the moment and she's sleeping beside me - resembling a beached whale I have to say - and is such a wonderful companion. No one knows Candy's origins: she rocked up here about three years ago and decided to stay. Her parentage is, I suggest, of dubious provenance, but there's certainly a large terrier influence, the remainder is a mystery. All our dogs rock up apparently, and then one day - often years later - they disappear. The last dog to disappear happened since I've been here. Woolfie was the most amazing dog, half Husky, half German Shepherd, black and white and with the most beautiful nature. If ever anyone got lost in the bush - which I did myself on several occasions - just as total panic was beginning to set in, Wolfie would appear and lead a grateful volunteer to safety. He was adored by everyone and thrived on all the attention he got. He had apparently come from an unhappy background, found us, and refused to return to his owners even though they turned up here and tried to take him. The first time they succeeded, forcing him into their car. The next day he re-appeared and when his owners arrived to take him back, Arthur refused to let them have him as he was so obviously distressed by their presence. So Woolfie stayed with us for several years, until he disappeared one day last December. We think he was dog-knapped, but all of us long termers miss him every day and can only hope that he is well and happy, or failing that that he's gone to that great big kennel in the sky.

My script still hasn't arrived, despite Matthew having sent it recorded delivery, so another is on its way and hopefully will arrive soon.

I was offered a guest lead in Doctors last week. I told the casting director, that as I live in the Garden of Eden, it would take a club class airfare and a hefty fee to get me to even consider leaving, even for a relatively short amount of time. Needless to say I'm not doing a guest lead in Doctors! I'm managing - just - to live with the disappointment...

Today, June 1st is the first day of Winter. The sun has shone gloriously all day, but come the night it will be colder than a witches tit, with a full moon to boot. I shall sit outside my tent and watch the sunset and the moon rise, and as I've never seen a dud sunset here I'm extremely excited. Every evening I catch my breath as I watch the sky transform itself into all the colours of the rainbow, see it darken and reveal stars with such clarity that I become lost in a world of myth and magic, fairies and fantasy. Later I shall sit around a fire that some kind soul has lit, smell the wood smoke and see vivid pictures in the flames. As my friend Vicky says, 'as a way of life, it's not too shabby, is it?'

So while I drink to that, I send love and monkey hugs and trusts your world is as fulfilled as mine. xxx