Captivating silence
That way, he said, I could get away from the to-do list and the questions about what’s for dinner! A couple of months later, Tony had designed it and hired a joiner to get it started.
I decided to keep it simple, not fancy or styled and no electricity or heating. Instead, there’s a simple patio table for a desk and I’ve recently added some bunting made from printed-out illustrations of my book covers.
The best thing about my treehouse is the silence: the peace is captivating; nothing but birdsong and the gentle swish of leaves. In autumn, our orchard produces Victoria plums and three varieties of apples, so I often pop out and pick some fruit to keep me going until lunchtime. In winter, I keep warm with ponchos and throws – so there’s never an excuse not to go there.
Mostly I’m working on a novel, but sometimes I just sit and listen to the birds and see what comes to mind. I wouldn’t be able to do it with the girls playing loud music or asking where something is. Phoebe and Isobel soon lost interest in my treehouse when they discovered there was no wifi!
Our family is going through a difficult time at the moment because Tony has stage four melanoma. We’re keeping positive and he’s still working, but of course it’s very hard. I still have the piece of paper with Tony’s sketch of the treehouse on it. I keep it to remind me of how he built me a treehouse to make my dreams come true.
A Match Made In Devon by Cathy Bramley (Transworld Publishing, £3.99) is out now