{"id":112944,"date":"2022-01-28T16:00:32","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T16:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/?p=112944"},"modified":"2022-01-28T16:00:36","modified_gmt":"2022-01-28T16:00:36","slug":"back-in-the-saddle-and-special-weekend-alert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/presenters\/debbie-flint\/back-in-the-saddle-and-special-weekend-alert\/","title":{"rendered":"Back in the saddle! And special weekend alert…"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there\u2019s one thing I love, it\u2019s going for afternoon tea. And that\u2019s exactly what I did back down in Devon this week with some of my lovely friends including fun pal Caitlin, lovely local lady Barbara Lawton, and my fabulous friend Sheila from Holsworthy (one I\u2019m always talking about in certain fashion shows because of her coordination!) The Half Moon Inn pub does an amazing half afternoon tea. So delicious!<\/p>\n\"\"\n

Then it was lunch with my dear friend Sheena on Thursday, and cinema in the evening to see Belfast (see below). Hopefully seeing Jenny at some stage, and a flying visit to Tavistock on Friday to help to sort out an event I\u2019m organising in March. It was all go! And that was around cooking the dinners and looking after the guests at my New Year writers retreat! See below for the first sumptuous meal. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

I did enjoy my first week back in Sheepwash for months. And of course, that was after a fleeting trip to Wales to see Lolly Pop and her new place!<\/p>\n\"\"\n

I needed to drop off some bits for their new house, now their conversion is nearly done. Well, done enough for them to move in. Obviously lots of boxes everywhere but they are getting there. I am so absolutely proud of both of them and Nick is a genius considering he did most of it himself! The old dilapidated barn is now a home. And just-in-time for the new baby to arrive this Sunday\u2026 Okay, the due date is this Sunday. My feeling is that she will have it on the 5th February, I don\u2019t know why, that\u2019s just what I think. Probably because that\u2019s the weekend I\u2019m due to go to a conference on that very day! Let\u2019s see what happens. \ud83d\ude42 I\u2019m going to try to see her soon after the baby is born, but I have a week earmarked towards the end of February for a proper visit. Exciting times!<\/p>\n

Snippets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Retreats are back!<\/strong><\/p>\n\"\"\n

Oh my goodness, I was so glad to be back in Devon at my guesthouse sorting out another lovely group of writers. My old friend Julie Cohen, master of show, don\u2019t tell, award-winning author and brilliant tutor was running it. First night we had sausage and mash. My favourite was local sausages and two different types of mash and lots of vegetables. Whole-grain mustard being a key secret ingredient, well, not so secret ha ha.<\/p>\n

One interesting thing that happened to me was realising there are certain things you have to look out for when you let your place as a holiday let when you\u2019re not there. I found an exploded bottle of champagne in my freezer! Well, what I found was a pile of ice and frost, which was obviously the frozen champagne once exploded, but they must\u2019ve forgotten about it and they left it there, and I pricked my finger in a bit of a glass I didn\u2019t realise was underneath it. \ud83d\ude42 Oops! Things to look out for with a holiday let, eh! Anyway, a packed week ahead, so more about it next week!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m glad I get to be on QVC for our Beauty event for the last part of Sunday because there is something very special happening this weekend. Very, very special indeed if you love offers!<\/p>\n

Big Beauty weekend ahoy<\/strong><\/p>\n