Folks- it's been a tough week. I am sure you have all had them. Sometimes we have a month of them. Sometimes even a year of them. Had that experience?
But it's been interesting and I have learnt a lot. It hasn't been wasted. That's one thing I have learnt over the last forty odd years: life can be damned difficult, and painful, but there's always something to learn if you are prepared to look for it.
To encapsulate. First of all, after my lovely day on Monday on which I felt great, I started to feel poorly and tired. Learning? I just went with it and rested when I could. I am waiting surgery, and I just need to be patient and manage on a day to day basis as best I can.
Secondly, I found out my operation has been put back a week, so it's now mid November rather than at the beginning. And it's not confirmed yet. Learning? Patience. There are folk in a lot worse of situation who need the slot. I will manage. It will pass.
Thirdly, I have had really tough news on a few friends of mine and their health. You know who you are. I am praying for you and sending positive energy. Learning? I am reminded how important my friends are to me and how much I love them. And that life is really painful sometimes and how we need to support each other through hard times. I have also learnt just how important my faith is to me, and how much strength I get from it.
And finally, we got disappointing news about a piece of work that we hoped to get and didn't. We will find out why on Tuesday. It has been a tough week in the business generally: waiting for answers, waiting for decisions, lots of hope and interest but not the action we had hoped for yet. We are opening our own training room soon, and it is a big step and a marvellous opportunity, but with any big step its a challenge. Exciting and scarey at the same time.
Learning? Where do I start? How much my attitude has changed in the last few years. I think bigger, I think more creatively, I am more bullish, I have real confidence in what I can do, what other half can do, what our wonderful team can do, what the business can do. And I have learnt from the past that playing it small often brings you what you are trying to avoid. Trying to stay safe can be dangerous. Keeping it small can keep it vulnerable. And also that it's ok to fail, as long as you are trying and learning and doing your very best.
I am re-visiting my old favourite book of business and personal effectiveness: 'The seven habits of highly effective people'. For me, it's still the best and it is incredibly inspirational. If you don't know it, I highly recommend it.
My poor boy has been in the wars again. After scaring me recently with a potential broken rib incident, he decided to dislocate his shoulder on Sunday. X rays, laughing gas and a sling later and we are back on course to normality. 
Apparently, this is a bridge of teenagers. A competition to see how long they could stay up. Just after this the bridge collapsed.
If I could live anywhere it would be Ullswater because of the scenery, but it's pretty remote for a family with an extroverted teenage boy who loves to see friends and play sport.
It was a wonderful feeling to actually be there after all that imagining. The weather was perfect for walking. Sunny and warm at times, but with a chilly wind to keep me cool ( check out the pink fleece- bought this year in San Fran Cisco- it is freezing there!).
For those of you who are regular followers-you will know that I am currently not drinking alcohol and eating a restricted no fat diet. I am a walking advert for a healthy diet. I eat so much fish these days I probably will develop gills. So much chicken- I will develop feathers. Industrial quantities of salad, vegetables and wholegrains disappear down this throat these days.
