I went to clear up the kitchen and suddenly I badly wanted a cup of coffee. I hardly ever drink more than one cup a day, that being in the morning. I like it strong and black and the quantity depends on the strength – a double measure, whether espresso sized or a small mug. I don’t think it would keep me awake if drunk later, but I’ll soon find out, it now being after 9 at night.

I didn’t set the alarm last night, though I thought I had. I luckily woke up half an hour before I was due to leave, which gave me just enough time. Except that I couldn’t find my handbag with the car keys in. I searched and I used the Tile app and that said it was out of range. Which was enough of a clue to make me wonder if I’d left the bag in the unlocked car overnight. And I had. I don’t seem to get any less daft. I’ve always thought, if ever I get dementia, no one will notice for a while. I haven’t, by the way, as yet.

Anyway, I still had enough time, even with defrosting the car. And I’ve absolutely set the alarm for tomorrow. Ecat has her annual checkup and vaccination – not until 10 o’clock, but I haven’t brought in her cat carrier from the shed and it’ll need to be warmed up before the little girl can be put in it. It’s cold out there again. The barn cats have made it clear that they’d like to winter in the house, but there’s no chance of that.

At lunch today, we were talking about memories and that, so often, our parents and grandparents don’t tell us things that, later, we wish we had asked. I wish, for myself, that I’d started by putting labels on some of my blog posts, but it’s too late now. No one, including myself, will ever bother to look all the way back for something interesting, though I did write down what I remembered about things my mum told me about family history and so on, as well as my own early memories. I should try to resurrect some of it, perhaps.

Having pressed publish, it occurred to me that I will want Eloise’s vaccination card, so I’ve put it in my bag, which isn’t in the car, ready for the morning. I really haven’t lost my marbles quite yet, darlings, I assure you.