My time

I had three hours and five minutes to myself this morning, after dropping all the children off at school at the same time and coming home alone.

I went for a walk, how predictable is that?

Admittedly only five miles. I did my usual walk to my 'local patch' and then carried on up the road towards Findhorn, past the Findhorn Foundation. It was a lovely, warm morning, with just a slight breeze, so perfect walking weather.

No car is going to be a slight drawback to my walking. Walking locally is fine, pleasant even, but not particularly challenging. As I want to complete the Eastern Cairngorm Challenge next year, I want to do some training, so thinking cap on. The Challenge itself is only thirteen miles, which I know is a distance I can manage quite easily now, but obviously, being based in a somewhat mountainous region, it could be a little, well, 'uppy downy', so walking on the flat is only good for some of my training. I think I may have to get on my bike too. One sore bum coming up!

I also plan to do some study. I can't bear the thought of going to college or university, I'm not keen on lots of people in a strange environment without David or a bestest buddy to hold my hand, (trust me, I'm a wimp, that's why I didn't go in the first place, twenty years ago!) so I'm going the OU route and have found some natural history courses which interest me, surprise surprise and I can get my BS that way. Who'd have thought, me going for a BS and not a BA, with my artistic tendancies! Anyway, that's the plan.

David still has the strange impression that I'll be looking for a job now. I don't. I can't/WON'T do a job for the sake of it, it's got to be right, so studying first seems to be the right way to go. I love getting people/children interested in nature and the big outdoors, although I don't want to teach as such. I'm quite sure, once I have the paper qualifications and as much first hand experience as I can lay my hands on, (which I do, at every available opportunity), the near perfect job is out there somewhere waiting for me.

'Near' perfect? I don't want to work, just walk and see things all day!

Now, where's my lottery ticket?!