I used to tell people on here who contacted me and confessed they hadn't had much luck that you needed to take a light-hearted approach to all of it. Learn how to reject and be rejected without it tearing a strip off oneself.

It would be wonderful if all of us met that special person we want in our lives. But joy comes from within and what you make of your life. I am educated and well travelled, articulate and philosophical, with no moral judgements of others, healthy and highly energized. I have a wonderful family and loyal long-standing friends and life is good. There are simply some things that are better shared.

I own my home, am financially independent, and sold my car years ago when I decided I really only wanted to live in the city core. But I also love getting away to the country on weekends - my family all live in the country so I maintain small town values and learned big city ways. I've sailed down the Nile, snorkled in the Great Barrier Reef and visited the Oracle of Delphi. I've built a canoe, gambled in Monaco, had tea at the Ritz in Paris, and fried fresh trout over a campfire in Tofino.

I've been married before but no children, so I am flexible with my time. I do love children and do not object to dating a man with family responsibilities. I love to laugh, entertain friends, dine out, take long walks, renovate my little house, and spend rainy Sunday's in bed.

What I find attractive in a man: I often say it's the little things that count, not the grand gestures. I respond to an understated style, a healthy sense of humour, focus, a degree of ambition, some results shown for efforts made over a lifetime of work, the usual stuff that demonstrates fine character and strength.

Chat over a glass of wine and if there's a sense of potential, a walk afterwards?