But somehow it’s 9pm by the time the kids are in bed and I’ve eaten. I think about washing the kitchen floor, then remember I need to fill in the class photos form. I know I’ve put it somewhere, but where? I need a pen. I’ll look for one as I search for the form. I try in our frankly terrifying ‘filing’ drawer, but can’t open it because it is so rammed full of paperwork we’re supposed to have dealt with. I force it open and decide I better sort it out. I take the drawer out and dump it on the kitchen table. Halfway through I remember the photo form is on the side of the fridge - I put it there so I’d be able to find it easily. It’s beside the school homework instructions I couldn’t find last week.
I take the pen from the wall calendar, but it doesn’t work. I find another pen. I get a text. Then another. I lose a bit of time sorting out kids’ playdates. The dishes need washed as the dishwasher is on the blink. I also still have to iron a school dress. I finally find a pen and complete the form. It’s in the school bag. No late fee for me. I breathe out and survey the scene, particularly the awful Close Encounters-style paper mountain I’ve created, and realise that somehow it’s all gone horribly wrong.