6.50am – The children, chatting in bed. Dozing. Fighting the need to get up.

7.30am – Breakfast. Strong tea, two mugs in quick succession. Toast with peanut butter. An overwhelming urge to eat the leftover cake languishing in the fridge.

8.30am – Work. Firing up my laptop while the children play nearby. Emails, emails, emails. Listening to Carl corral the children into their clothes.

10.30am – Saying goodbye. Snapping a photo of the kids in their new wellies. Wishing I was going with them.

10.35am – Work. More tea. Nuking the cake in the microwave and not feeling an ounce of regret. Emails, emails, emails.

11.45am – Pausing on the sofa. Relishing the silence. Feeling peaceful. Enjoying the sunshine streaming in through the window.

11.50am – A spot of online shopping. Door knobs and book shelves. Working again.

12.30pm – Opening the door to the postman. Taking delivery of a pretty new print.

2.00pm – Accidentally skipping lunch. Emails, emails, emails. 

3.00pm – Welcoming everyone home. Listening to their adventures. Writing tomorrow’s ‘to do’ list. Watching Carl and Jesse play football in the yarden.

3.30pm – Turning off my computer and getting comfy on the sofa next to Jesse. Drinking tea. Watching Carl nap.

4.30pm – Dragging myself into the kitchen to clear up. Heading upstairs to sort laundry and make our bed.

4.55pm – Dinner for the children. Beans on toast. Gleeful cries of delight from Jesse.

5.20pm – Tidy up time. Tantrums. Coaxing Jesse into his football gear. Seeing the boys off at the door.

6.00pm – DIY. Slipping on my scruffiest clothes and retreating to the garage. Giving our alcove cupboards and shelves their final lick of paint.

7.00pm – Tapping away on my laptop. Izzy watching cartoons on Netflix.

7.10pm – Hugging Jesse as he came through the door, rosy cheeked and excited to have scored a goal at football.

7.30pm – A rumbly tummy. Looking forward to a curry. Wine, I want some.

Love Audrey xxx