Monday. I wake up still not feeling right and decide to work from home so I can least spare my colleagues my sniffing and coughing, and potentially my germs too. I do some work and realise I’ve vastly overestimated my available energy levels.

I retreat and read for a bit, and then get prompted by my phone about applying for a new interest free credit card. I have the majority of my credit card debt on an interest free card, but I’ve been meaning to move the rest over for some time. The clincher was seeing exactly how much more I’ve paid off on the interest free card in the last few months, than on the other cards (sometimes I wonder why I even bother making repayments).

I spend what feels like an hour applying for the card I had in mind, only to discover that the tiny available credit limit won’t cover the amount of debt I want to transfer. I then hunt around for some other offers and find a much better prospect (one offering 20 months interest free). I go for it and get approved. Win!

I then write for an hour or so, to make up for missing my morning shift. I’m back on a story I was really excited about several months ago, but wasn’t able to quite get off the ground. I feel a bit more optimistic about it after reworking the opening few sections.

Then the kinderbesten return. I’m trialling a new scheme with the Elderbeast: making him earn game time (or pocket money) in exchange for doing chores. As an introductory offer, I propose 90 minutes of game time in return for tidying his room, emptying the dishwasher, and helping me make dinner. He accepts, and does a fine job of everything too. He invites Rachel to stay for dinner so she can have some of the soup he’s helped make, and she accepts.

After that the kinderbesten get themselves to bed nice and early and I settle down for the traditional Monday night of whisky and Game of Thrones, followed by a not-quite early night.