With age comes a greater wisdom, an ease and comfort with oneself.

I have that precious commodity - freedom. I can live my life a day at a time, and I am open to whatever the next day brings. I know I sound as if I have been off with some guru in India, but I haven't. I've come to realise the value of being able to decide for oneself.

I've been a single parent for a long time. It reminds me of being a waitress. As you walk back to the kitchen, requests come at you from all sides. You're doing the job of two - you have to be highly organised.

I've got an overactive, analytical brain. I get frustrated, impatient, angry with myself. I swear at myself a lot.

I tried Botox, but I don't want to be hooked on that stuff.

It's a bit of a headache being a perfectionist. You're never satisfied.

I think being raised by a single mother put me on the outside, and I would watch my mothers married friends and think, Why does she put him down in public? or, Why is he so rude to her? It seemed to me that there were very few marriages where the couple were genuinely in a supportive, loving partnership.