From: Bridget <bri>

To: Holly <grumpywarbler>

Tues 20 May, 14.24

Subject: RE: You need a break

Oh FFS do stop moaning about it, darling. It'll be fab, you know it will. Think of all that history and atmosphere and god knows what else you get off on. Loss and heartbreak and the whole English-Irish thing. God, I'd have thought you'd be gagging for it! (Yes, I know that's another thing, but focus for a sec, babes.) You could soak up some of the local sounds, go to a sing-song in the pub, that sort of thing.

Just have another look at the place online and try to get excited about it. I think it looks lovely, especially as it was dirt cheap (and available at such short notice!)

I've booked it for you for a month anyway. You've got the rest of the paperwork already.

Be good. If you can't manage that, be discreet.

B xx

~~~

From: Holly

To: Bridget

Tues 20 May, 21.14.

Subject: RE: You need a break

Hullo, Brij.

Yeah, thanks and everything, but you know I hate having no choice over my own life.

What makes you think I can just up sticks for a month to go and sit in some cottage in the middle of an Irish bog? What if I had a gig on? A month, Brij?!

Anyway, this music scene you're so keen on is probably just a group of old blokes sawing away at fiddles and stuff and coughing those hoary old favourites into their Guinness for the benefit of the visitors. None of the real stuff. How am I going to get inspiration for the album in some crap little town on the West coast of Ireland? And you know the rain makes me sodding miserable.

And have you seen the place on the internet? It looks like it leaks – and that's the whole bloody town, never mind that cottage.

Still, I promise I'll be good and go anyway. You're right about needing a change of scenery, at least. Hey, that's a thought - next time, can you make it the Mediterranean, by any chance? Preferably with that new PA you keep teasing me about? She could be my amanuensis.

See, that's cheered me up already.

Holly x