It’s been a bitch of a week, to be frank – from general exhaustion and unnecessary (although, I must admit, self-inflicted) stress to being reduced to tears in the office by a colleague, I’m quite happy to chalk this one down to experience and draw a very large line under it.

Given the above, coupled with the fact I put in an epic writing stint last night and managed to complete my NaNowrimo novel two days early, today’s spa day in Windsor with three of my best girl friends really couldn’t have come at a better time.

We four first had a night away together back in April, when we went to Brighton and spent the day on the beach and the night in a questionable club on the sea front (where we were about ten years older than the rest of the, er, ‘clientele’ – and that’s putting it nicely). This time, however, we are opting for a more relaxed affair, consisting of two hours in the spa, manicures and facials and a champagne afternoon tea at the Harte and Garter hotel in Windsor. Once pampered we will hit the town for cocktails at Browns and then dinner, after which we will retire to the hotel for a restful sleep. Bliss.