Oh dear. My daughter’s friend rang and invited her to stay the night. “Can I, can I, mum, please?” Of course I let her, thinking to myself that this was indeed convenient, it gives me five or six extra hours to finish my paper for AoIR, how perfect, how practical.

Only I really don’t want to write. I want to go out and dance, or veg in front of the television set, or dream about the new sofa I ordered today (a real sofa! Not worn out! Not second hand! And it’s blue!) or do almost anything but write.

Finishing the paper before I’m actually at the conference does sound wise though, don’t you think? Oh dear.