A Confident Future? Or Never to go into the Forest Again?

"Every small, positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future."
Alice Walker

I had a fantastic sleep last night. No thanks to my mp3 player. Spook didn't quite manage to load my new relaxation 'stuff' on to it, but I was so tired from too many nights of not sleeping that I didn't even hear him get up to make my morning tea. He says he's not going to load it up until I clear all the old tea cups, emery boards, bits and pieces of jewelry, tweezers(!) - must have been my chin hair getting in the way - books, magazines and emergency clothing I keep next to the bed in case I need to get up and fight off intruders in the middle of the night, out of the way. He says I will not be able to put ear phones into my ears quietly without catapulting items from my bedside onto his bedside. He does not think this will be conducive to a good nights sleep for himself.

Really, he just can't figure out how to put it on, and knows that I will take a long time to tidy up my act.

However, the small, positive change in myself today, was to not take every criticism, or anger directed around me, as a personal attack on myself. Maybe just every 2nd criticism or anger. That should ease things a little.

Oor Meg is afraid of the dark and has only just conquered her fear enough, to be first person downstairs in the morning, as she likes to have the place to herself, and doesn't like to talk or compromise for at least 30mins after rising. However, no matter how you try to announce your arrival, it is very difficult not to scare the bejesus out of her and make her even more........unlikely to compromise. Her father decided to cure this fear. He insisted she go night-riding in Leanachan Forest with him tonight. They headed off to Nevis Range with the bikes in the car and lights on their bikes. If there was anyone else in the forest tonight, they will have been petrified by the sounds of her blood-curdling screams as she chased after him, with the awful sounds of wind, the burn, creaking trees; the sight of dead bodies (tree branches on the ground), moonlit-created shadows of horror in every direction and the pounding of her own heart waking the spirits. Her father was very proud of her. She came home and declared the house a safe zone, and went to bed early, exhausted.