I love my house. It is the place I’ve lived for over 20 years and the place I hope I will live in until that old Grim Reaper comes and gets me.

That doesn’t mean that I sometimes see an Omaze house or a castle or an old country mansion, and not want to live in it! I love the idea of a many-roomed house – one with a huge dining room, two or three reception rooms*, and six or more bedrooms. Of course a big house would come with big grounds and a swimming pool and pool house and several outbuildings. The huge house would have to be well-heated and draught-free and the water in the swimming pool would have to be heated to a reasonable warmth! (Two very unlikely conditions, sadly.)

But – I hate house-work and all of these rooms would need attention, weekly if not daily. And the upkeep for the house, pool and grounds as well as the heating bills, the salaries for the staff (cook, maid or two, groundsman, gardener and pool boy) would definitely eat into our pensions. (More like our pensions wouldn’t begin to address the costs!!)

So, after my mind has wandered off in this glorious day-dream, it almost immediately begins to think of the downside – mainly the cost. And, then, I begin to think bigger! Would I really be happy with six bedrooms? Maybe a dozen with en suites! And a chauffeur to drive the Bentley – Julian prefers them, for some reason. And, (okay, I’m taking a leaf out of the orange turd’s notebook, here), what about a ballroom? And a pastry cook and a sommelier and an upstairs maid and a toy-boy!

Okay, Candy, this is, getting beyond a joke!

I love my house! I’ve always loved the house I was living in but this house is home to me and I won’t be changing it anytime soon. (Except, would it be within the realms of possibility to add the toy-boy? No, that’s too silly!)

I love my house! It has draughts, the central heating doesn’t really warm the whole house, we have a bit of damp (most Edwardian houses have a bit of damp!) and we can’t use the conservatory this time of the year unless we turn on the heaters and, often, seal the cat (doggie) door. But it will be spring soon and, on days when the temperature reaches 16 or 18 outside. If the sun has shone into the conservatory for an hour or so, it will be warm enough to use during the day – Hooray!

*Reception rooms – in England these can include the lounge (living room), the dining room, a study, library, snug (small sitting room).