We’re home after a working day of 13.5 hours and the first thing (and indeed only thing I can think about) is the bath.

Hot, piping hot water, bubbles in fragrant lavender, lots and lots of them, deep water, very deep, so deep you can float in the bubbles. The window open and the one in the bedroom too so the cool, fresh, intense air of the moor rushes over me in gushes as the wind finds its way straight through the house and on its way, it smoothes over my body and fills me with deep satisfaction.

I am home. We are home. I don’t have to go anywhere else for almost a week.

DM has been with me on today’s marathon jaunt. I’ve had to go to a client 250 miles from home (or to be more precise, a prospect 250 miles from home). In normal circumstances, I’d not expect to come away from a cold-call sales meeting with much more than a few hopeful noises – usually the process is long and arduous – first contact all you can often hope for is to get across the message that you’re credible and capable. We did that but today has been different. I’ve come away with an RFP (request for proposal) for a small project that could turn into a massive one. Such are the strange times we’re living in. The fruits of my labours, along with one of my colleagues, are really ‘coming good’. I am thrilled by this but also now the really hard work starts to ‘convert’ the interest and get in the business. I love the thrill of this part of my work.

David ‘volunteered’ to come with me to share some of the burden of my load (driving) and to spend some time with his folks in their new home, which we’d not yet seen. I even go to sit back for lunch while someone else cooked (thanks Margaret) and I had to do no more than mull over today’s meeting and events.

Rosie and Archie came too – we couldn’t leave them at home for the length of time we’ve been gone so the whole family went on this outing to ‘the smoke’.

The day has been exhausting (travel), thrilling (meeting), nice (seeing DMs folks new home) and dull (journey) in almost equal measure – well, let’s face it nine hours in a car is not a picnic, especially when you’re too travel sick to read on long journeys. BUT it’s surprising what can be put right by a long hot bath. Sorry about the cack-ness of the white balance of this shot – mixed temperature lighting is one of DMs pet hates!

Last year, I was bemoaning the previous year's lack of courage to 'go for it' and try to fulfill my dreams......ha ha - now I can say I am truly a Leo lion because I finally did it!