"my plan after yesterdays experience will be to take off using the road - then walk into the field circle around a bit until I get where I want to be - there's a nice strip of pretty short grass with a nice flat spot - then I will practice approaches till I get down around 10-20 feet high and go around for another few passes"

Great plan as long as everything goes your way. I'm selling tickets for when the engine quits shortly after takeoff and "until I get where I want to be" ain't gonna happen.

I'm trying to decide WHY you won't get ANY help with this. Ego, plane martyrdom or simply stuborn.

Good luck.