1. To quickly but thoroughly tidy the front room -- but not make any effort to clean it. It's amazing how much I can get done if I refuse to be distracted. It's easy because I know the cleaner is coming round after me with her bucket and the vacuum cleaner.
2. My mother is anxious to get away because The Archers is about to start -- but I ask her to stay until Nick gets in because it's the horrible hour before bed. And she does even though she is not convinced by my tales Nick hearing the screams from the end of the street.
3. I was on a mission to fix our director's chair but I stalled weeks ago because I couldn't untack the worn fabric using just Grandad's tack hammer. My mother brings a tack ripper and instructions: suddenly my project is on the move again.
