Step into a bubble

When we were in Vancouver in late 2004, we spent a very unseasonal day in Stanley Park - a beautiful day with blue sky and warm temperatures. I discovered it was possible to "soak up" the experience, enabling me to relive it again whenever I felt I needed the serenity of the moment.

Over the past few months I've been feeling a fair few more serene moments - all in the vicinity of our own back garden. Just chilling out at the end of the garden in the shadow of Toni's workshop on the garden bench Toni's parents bought us when we moved in - often with Jasper in attendance for company. I've been soaking up those experiences too.

I go on about the threat of global warming and everything else to the fate of our planet, and I suspect life will be less serene in the years to come. It's why I'm soaking up these moments now - appreciating the quiet peacefulness of them while I still can. They bring a buzz like no other - a moment of bliss. I feel privileged to have felt them and been aware of them. Whatever happens in my future career, going freelance and getting out of the rat race nearly four years ago was one of the best things I ever did...