A Red Waterproof Jacket' is a story of relationships and a restless search spanning forty years. I was never satisfied with the boy next door, or the idea of settling down and having a small gaggle of children at an early age. That all equated to suffocation in my book; a wild bird caged. But underlying the thirst for freedom and new experiences was the need to connect, to share and to love. Living with conflicting needs isn't easy, and only works if you can find a relationship that offers both. It probably also calls for compromise which I failed all my exams in. I did come top of the class in determination, and got a distinction for optimism. My search for my elusive ideal relationship took me down many paths, starting with Canada in 1970, aged twenty-two. By age fifty-five I had managed one failed marriage and three common-law relationships, punctuated by various boyfriends. The pilot-light of hope that I may ever find my soul-mate, had been all but extinguished. Ageing and the slow erosion of self-esteem had got me on the ropes. Strangely it was after I'd given up all hope that 'he' walked into my life. Decision time presented itself. Did I dare follow yet another new trail, this time to France? Or would history just repeat itself? Opportunities skid round the corner and screech to a stop in front of you when you least expect them. Sometimes grabbing them means drumming up an awful lot of courage and launching yourself over the edge. A Red Waterproof Jacket is a book of hope for all those who ever had a dream.