I’ve had a weekend of catching up with things and people. It seems I had got quite behind with both. But I’m pleased to say, I’m now right back where I should be. Or at least, some of my friends now remember who I am, and I’ve got some clean underwear again. It’s tricky keeping on top of things. Especially when there are so many things to keep on top of. And while some of the things – like seeing friends – are really quite enjoyable, I can’t say the same for ploughing through six loads of washing. Necessary, but not exactly fun. However, I’m pretty sure my list of friends to catch up with would dwindle quite quickly if I stopped washing my underwear, so on balance…

Having started to feel a bit overwhelmed with the volume of things I needed to catch up on, and now feeling quite relieved at having managed to do so, I’ve decided to factor in a dedicated catch up weekend every few weeks from now on. So, in preparation, I’ve identified the main components of this current, successful weekend. 

It turns out they are relatively few. Firstly, stay at home. Make no plans. Except, plan to do nothing, at least some of the time. I’m particularly rubbish at doing nothing. But I realise that doing nothing sometimes, means I can do more for the rest of the time. In other words, a rest now and again avoids a complete and utter meltdown. Doing nothing is the new doing more. Secondly, get up really early, and do all the boring stuff first. That way, there’s fun stuff to look forward to, and the washing has longer to dry. Handy tip: procuring a hungry cat with a particularly plaintive cry is an excellent way to ensure you are up and about at the crack of dawn. Thirdly, and I realise this is a hard one to control, guarantee fantastic weather. A weekend of bright sunshine and unseasonably hot temperatures has made outings with friends, horseriding and weeding the garden all much more enjoyable than they would have been in the standard April showers. And that washing dried much more quickly, too. And finally, eat copious amounts of peanut butter, and drink plenty of frappuccinos. I’m not sure how much of a part either of those played in the successful catching up, but they definitely made the weekend much more enjoyable. A clean pair of knickers, and a peanut butter sandwich. It doesn’t get much better than that.