I had a fantastic day today. Being New Year's day, I had a day out with my girlfriend....a good friend of mine who is female. I appreciated the whole day very much. We drove for about 15 miles over the rainy and atmosphreic moors, we threaded our way through cobbly paths and snicket ways in an old higgldy-piggldy town. We walked on a river and looked at boats and ducks. We bought some bread and something to put on it and found a dry warm place to eat it in a railway station. She is such pleasant company, then we came back and made pizzas.....a really good day out. It was good because i valued, all the little aspects of it, the drive, the puddles, the squadron of honking geese, the low light and leaden clouds..........all these things were riches. If I would have had to order the day, I would have had to pay for the geese, pay for the puddles, and extra for the boats, etc, etc, etc. But I didn't have to buy them. But I valued them highly just the same, and this is what made me feel I had a wonderful day. This tops up my morale and gives me the strength to keep going, to keep it together, to make progress. In consequence, I am very happy and have loads of exciting things to look forwards to.....for instance, a boat which is fantastic, and going to spend a lot of time sailing around and touring. I could only have achieved this by having good morale because it all takes time and effort to put together, and that can be a struggle to keep the stamina.

And as for women, I think it probably shows and wins you points somewhere along the line, to be a survivor, to be a person who can cope and handle it. If anyone wants to take the piss, well, I'm the one with the boat, and time. Without morale, the will to live, I wouldn't be able to achieve much. It is not an easy life. It is a serious business to look after yourself, and look out for others. I think there is a lot of respect in that, in anyone who can hold their end up.