It feels a bit odd to be back home and not to have written a blog post until now. I expected to be chomping at the bit to get blogging again, and in a way I am, but it's more of knowing where to start after a busy week in Dorset. But first, how did I cope without wifi?

Honestly, in the end it wasn't so bad. But initially - and I'm not afraid to admit it - there was panic. Partly because in my head I had plans to catch up with myself, read lots more blogs and spend some time maybe even writing those blog posts I keep promising myself that I will. With no blog posts written for the week, I know it was optimistic, but hey, I'm an optimist.

So discovering there was no wifi was a bit of a blow!

I knew it meant my plans to become uber-organised were unlikely to materialise and that didn't sound that great. Plus it's unlike me to go a week without posting and I hadn't prepared myself mentally for that. If I know I'm away I usually schedule at least some posts in advance, but not this time, there'd just been too much going beforehand.

I mean, who'd book a cottage without wifi?

Yes, indeed. Well, erm, me...

Somehow I'd overlooked the lack of wifi. Clearly I'd been seduced by the loveliness of the cottage.

Ahem.

But at least I had no one else to blame, which was probably a good thing. So do you want to see the cottage, or actually the converted barn?

blue skies and the Old Barn near Swanage

The stone exterior looked smart and the use of wood inside gave a nice homely feel. When we arrived the heating was on full blast, and was quickly turned down to more liveable levels. Rooms were allocated, things were unpacked, space was made in the large kitchen for the provisions we'd brought, and a bar area was quickly set up in the dining space.

Well, it would have been rude not to.

the living room of the old barn near swanage

A country kitchen in the old barn near swanage

The boys were soon making themselves very comfortable on the sofa in time for the last six nations game, and I'm not sure if they were impressed more by the lazy boy than the rugby. Actually I know they were, I'm not sure who I'm kidding! MOH thinks he's having an inbuilt area in our next sofa for his beer glass and snacks, because it's such a great idea, isn't it? Erm, no dear.

It was good to see the barn's transformation in photos, and no doubt it was quite an undertaking.

following the progress of the Old Barn's history

Wood featured heavily in the bedroom furniture too, with similar pieces in each of the three bedrooms.

The dining room was a double height galleried space, with roof lights flooding light into the space below. Our bedroom had a velux window which was a great way to check the weather for the day ahead, without having to move a muscle.

sky lights shedding light into the dining area and the galleried landing

A velux window giving a glimpse of the blue skies

And over the road, we could see breakfast too! I think those chickens must have been working overtime for their new neighbours - you can't beat a good egg for breakfast, can you?

Hatching a plan

By the end of the weekend I'd hatched a plan to explain my unexpected absence and you know what, it wasn't so bad! I didn't get the reading I'd hoped to done, or the blog posts written either and well, it wasn't the end of the world. It's not how I've been used to spending my evenings either, and I did make use of the time to edit many, many photos that somehow had escaped me, and now I've plenty more posts to actually get on and write.

Nor was I totally cut off from the online world, I chose to post regularly on Facebook and Instagram, and saw my engagement on those channels increase, and I did make full use of my mobile data and any free wifi service I discovered when out and about. It was a great week away, and not only do I still have that reading and blog posts to do, I've a stack more photos to edit from our Dorset adventures too.

And next time I book a cottage, I'll be sure to know in advance if there's wifi or not. And to plan accordingly!

* Well, when I say no blog posts, I mean hardly any!

I'd been umming and ahhing about writing this post about the cottage we stayed in on our trip to Dorset last year, and I'm not sure why. It was a beautiful cottage and we had a great time there, but whether it was time or something else I hadn't shared the pictures of our stay. Then last week the owner got in touch to say they no longer owned the cottage but had another holiday let cottage in the same village if we felt like a Dorset break again.

I realised then the cottage we stayed in probably looks completely different now, so whatever reservations I had about sharing its interior were gone as well. So today I'm looking back at our stay in what was a snug and comfortable cottage, with a log burner that was very welcome in a very chilly January.

Throughout the cottage there were some fabulous touches, like these wooden fish above the dining space.

The kitchen was in a single story extension at the back of the cottage with a stunning skylight, which let in light but also gave you a glimpse of the outside. It was a well stocked kitchen and one that had been cooked in - so often for self-catering holiday lets, there's basic equipment but not enough to cook as if you were at home, not the case here!

Upstairs the bedrooms were light and well accessorised. The single bedroom was very cute and the wooden hangers on the wall were a lovely design touch and practical too.

A PICTURE THAT'S SIMPLE BUT ONE YOU KEEP LOOKING AT

And I thought that if I was going to be in the shot - I might as well be in the mirror - not sure what caught my eye though!

The main bedroom was full of character too, and a large comfy bed. After staying here I seriously considered buying a fluffy mattress topper as it was so successful here. In the end we bought a new mattress later in the year, but having never really been a fan of mattress toppers, here I was sold!

QUIRKY SIDE TABLES, WHITE BED LINEN AND A SPLASH OF COLOUR

So a great stay in a fabulous cottage, which is now moving onto its next chapter. And looking back, I'm not sure why I didn't share before!