Thursday 15th January 2009 5.30 am

Wake up early with younger son, James. He is now sleeping soundly, but I am wide awake. The day before I read about Peak oil and various scenarios of world economic collapse and the subsequent effect on our society. I lie in bed, ruminating on these thoughts, which become giants stalking across the dark room, as these things do. I decide that we will have to be more self...sufficient does not really cut it here - self reliant is really the phrase. I remember the book Self Reliance - Recipes for the New Millenium by John Yeomans, which seemed to be all about storing bottled water, dried milk and guns in a hideaway cottage in the middle of the forest, and was currently in a box of other skimmed through books in the loft. I resolve to send elder son up the ladder to fetch said book that very day. I then remember about the beekeeping course. I am struck by a sudden urgency to learn this skill - for such skills will be needed when society as we know it has disintegrated. I creep out of bed and find my purse. The scrap of paper with the email address of the beekeeping course organiser is still there, tucked away like a secret love note. I fire off an enquiry and hope there is still time.