Headliners: Front Room Yurt

I am in a lovely B&B in Totnes. I am currently in the Lounge, trying to keep to a corner of the neat, cream-coloured sofa and occasionally having a little panic about spilling something dreadful on it even though I am not eating or drinking anything I could spill. There is nobody else in here, but I feel a bit scruffy somehow, like I shouldn't be allowed up here on the couch. (I am trying not to consider what implications it has for my self-esteem that I don't feel like I should be allowed on the furniture, like some grubby, freckle-nosed hound.)

Totnes is LOVELY. Full of hippies, of course (the noise pollution from all the little bells attached to people's clothing is quite distracting), but totally delightful. Last week we were in a self-catered apartment overlooking a river and a beer garden, and this week we are in a delicious B&B. Ben is upstairs writing furiously, Dan is relaxing like only a musician knows how*, and Cheryl is out wandering the sun-soaked streets. I am meant to be lyric-writing, and I have been but I was distracted by a woman barking at a dog and have now lost concentration.

*This is totally unfair. Dan is a very hardworking, talented person.

Over the past week Dan, Ben and I have been in the lovely space at Dartington Hall. Dan and I have been writing music, which has been absolutely brilliant. It was weird getting there and all the equipment and engineers and stuff, just there, all for us. Of course I pretended to be super cool about the whole thing, like I am used to trotting off to the Albert Hall every other weekend to do a self-penned opera alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, although I probably did say "wow" and/or "cool" one or two more times than was necessary. I'm not sure how the final piece is going to look yet, but this time next week it will have been done. Eek.

In the times when we've not been working on stuff for the piece, Dan, Ben and I have been working on material for our band. (We are now a band.) Ben on beatbox, me on vocals/cello and Dan on guitar/piano/technology. (Dan is Good At Technology.) We're currently trying to think of a band name, but we can't think of any, except joke ones. Everything we look at sounds like a band name now, and it has become pretty dire because now all conversations are punctuated with the words "band name?". Like this: "Hey, look at that sheep!" "Band name?" or "Do you know where the toilets are?" "Band name?". It's getting very annoying and we are no closer to alighting on something charming, original and unpretentious. Excellent suggestions are welcome.

Last night we were in a B&B above a very noisy pub, before we moved into this lovely one today. It was a last minute booking for various thrilling admin-related reasons, and Ben had made an agreement with the landlord that we would pay him when the money clears tomorrow, which was fine. As we were leaving this morning the landlord and several of his meaty chums were gathered around the bar. We called our thank yous, and Ben mentioned that he would be in tomorrow to settle up. The landlord nodded and then grinned lasciviously. Jabbing a raw sausage finger at me he leered "you could leave her as collateral". His buddies guffawed with delight and Ben and I stared at him in mute horror. I then mumbled something about not being a very hard worker, hahaha, you wouldn't want me, then we made a swift exit and Dan, Ben and I trundled up the hill to this lovely place. When we got here the marvellous owner, John, welcomed us warmly, showed us to our rooms and left us to it after a quick reminder to make sure the front door is always shut properly. We nodded, thinking of thieves and rogues. "Thing is" continued John, "Totnes is full of strange types. We're on a ley line crossing here, so if you're not careful about security you can come back to find a yurt in your front room."

I think I like it here. Front Room Yurt. Band name?