On the contrary, I feel intensely alive, and I want and hope in the time that remains to deepen my friendships, to say farewell to those I love, to write more, to travel if I have the strength, to achieve new levels of understanding and insight. This will involve audacity, clarity and plain speaking; trying to straighten my accounts with the world. But there will be time, too, for some fun (and even some silliness, as well).

I just want to go on walking, you know? I like to continue my work of movies and just go on with the capacity and opportunity to do exactly what I want. To stay free.

That’s the book I hope to get written sometime in the next ten years.

To make www.theschooloflife.com a global brand (to open a branch in Australia). To make www.living-architecture.co.uk flourish. To write good books.

Quality compost.

I have an allotment. I’m also quite passionate about my allotment shed. Terrible season this year; no soft fruit to speak of, disappointing cabbages and my garlic got shocking rust.

My wife says she does. I’d actually have to agree, though my kids and their friends are pretty amazing too.

All the damn time, it comes with the territory. My family valiantly put up with most of them. Though the older I get, the bolder I am about saying no.

Bullying.

Through the winter before we tuck up at night, I always warm the bed with a hairdryer.