And when the sun comes up...

I love the fact that my bedroom window is just over the head of my bed. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I can look at the stars. On Monday morning I woke up to a mauve and golden sky pierced with the brightest star (or planet?) I'd ever seen. I can almost see Hornsey Road Baths from my window, one of the loveliest buildings in London, and at night I can see the purple glow from its neon sign.

For the first time in ages, and after all the tears of Saturday night, I woke up on Monday morning with a feeling of having pulled my way through something and shed old skin, ready to face anything. The tightness had gone from my chest and I took a really deep breath. The night before, I had gone to my new local with my new flatmate and the conversation flowed so easily and naturally and it was a laugh. It makes all the difference once you know you are going to get along (and to have such a brilliant pub in close proximity).

And last night, my first outing as a proper single person, I felt so full of energy that I walked from my house to The Wilmington Arms. That's 3½ miles, 1 hour 10 mins, 261 calories, 5000 steps. I love the streets of Islington with their tall smart terraces and chocolate-box glimpses of warm lively rooms, and I realised I'd missed them more than I knew. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable to be out on my own, it was just lovely to see friends and watch bands and to hang out with the most genuine people I know. It's gonna be OK.