Whenever things have gotten bad for me, when times are tough, I’ve always felt the urge to run away. Not in the literal sense of the word, I suppose, but to go somewhere different, new; a change of scenery so that I can get away from whatever is rotten, even if only for a little while. It’s a chance to reset my psyche, to step away from whatever’s the matter and look at it from the outside. I’ve had just such an urge for over a year now, but hadn’t had a chance to really get away.

    I’m single again. I’m not going to say any more than that because, well, that would be rude, impolite, and disrespectful. I don’t want to be any of those things, but since you all knew I had a boyfriend, I thought it only right that you now know I don’t have one. And also this way I’ll stop getting asked how things are going and then have to deliver the bad news again and again. Obviously this isn’t the happiest of things, and it cemented this desire in me to get away.

    Thankfully just such an opportunity to escape has come along, and I’m going to take it. I’m going to Scotland in November with my best friend Alastair (you know, of PotterWar fame – he was my partner in crime and has been one of my closest friends ever since.) He has a timeshare somewhere up in the highlands for a week, and he very kindly offered to take me along. It’s funny how just when I need more than anything in the world to be saved from despair, Alastair’s always there to take me away and cheer me up. He did just that a few years ago when I was stalked by that man who went to my church. It was Alastair who took me in for over a month and a half and gave me a chance to calm down and feel safe again.

    It’ll be nice to feel that way again for a change, and I’m really grateful to him for it. I can’t wait. I’ll be flying into London, then he and I are going to drive up to Scotland in his tiny little car. Generally we’re going to rest up and kvetch about our various maladies and misfortunes, but we’ll also be taking the car out occasionally for a few joy rides around to the various little villages nearby. I’ve been to Scotland only once before on a similar trip with Alastair, when we stayed at his parents’ home in a small town somewhere north of Edinburgh. It was great fun, and almost this time around it’ll be quite cold, I can’t wait to go exploring again.

    I guess when it comes right down to it, even though i’ve had incredibly rotten luck this year, I am at least lucky enough to have a few friends that I can truly trust, who really love me and are there for me no matter what. Alastair’s a prime example of that, and yet again, he’s taking care of me when I need it most. And that’s just downright wonderful.