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This is what disheartened looks like. The family were away for the weekend, visiting the highlands to escape the stifling heat.

I used the time productively: setting up my workstation for my return to work, sifting through emails to take stock of what’s been going down in my absence, tidying the house, vacuuming, cleaning the windows, bringing about order.

I was enjoying the peace and quiet. Just me at home half way up a mountain, accompanied only by the whirring sound of agricultural implements clearing the land around the hazel trees ready for harvest.

Momentarily, there’s a pang of excitement when a Toyota Hilux rumbles around the bend. An angel must have inspired me to wander onto the balcony at that very moment to wave to the returning travellers.

That excitement is shortlived though, quickly replaced by the feeling of disappointment. Immediately the serenity is broken, not by natural commotion, but by angry shouting, bickering, rudeness.

And the newly clean home? Did anyone notice as they catapulted it back into disarray, scattering crumbs and toenails across the floor? Momentarily there was peace and order. Now we’re back where we started. Disheartened.