How do people actually plan to do something, set a day to do it, make time in that day to do, actually do it, and, the complete miracle, finish doing it?

I genuinely have no idea.

Example from about a month ago of how things get done in my world. (Yes I've noted that it has taken a month to write this after thinking this would be a funny thing to write about)

Right, this morning the kids and I are going to clean the inside and wash the outside of the car because it is gross.

Ok, get the buckets and cloths, water in the buckets, all going well.

Actually, while they do that, I’ll just pull up some of the bindweed around the shrubs on the driveway.

Actually there are shed loads of weeds too I’ll just pull a few of those up.

Blimey there are load of really spiky weeds, they’d better go. (I’m in crocs, shorts and no socks I’d like to point out.)

If I stop for appropriate garden wear though I’ll get distracted or overwhelmed and nothing will get done, so just keep going.

‘Kids just grab me some of those garden waste bags and some gardening gloves, no not all of you some of you keep cleaning the car. Yes you have to take turns with the hoover, yes you actually have to do this, just do it please’

‘More garden waste bags please, yep all of them’

Oh look there is a long bit of wisteria there, I’ll just clip that back.

Oh there is some wisteria growing round the guttering and the cable line, better just get rid of that.

Actually it is all a bit overgrown, I’ll just clip back what I can reach.

‘Darling where did the big ladder go, I just want to reach this one bit’

'No it’s ok thanks I don’t need the big cutting things I’m just doing a little tidy up.'

‘Actually yes, can I have the big cutting things please this all needs cutting back’

‘Have you seen that bush growing round the side of the house, that really needs cutting back, do you think we have time this morning?’

‘Sorry, what’s that kids, you’re really hungry? Oh yes, it is lunch time, ok don’t worry I’m just finishing up, no don’t fill up on snacks I won’t be long’

‘Just watch something for 10 minutes while I finish this bit then I’ll make some lunch’

‘Yes, I know I said no more screens this morning but that was before I got carried away with this’

Oh my god my crocs are full of prickly bits, can’t get them out while I’m balancing between the ladder and the roof of the car that was newly clean before I started cutting wisteria all over it.

Would be much better if I got the keys an moved the car but see above about getting distracted and overwhelmed if I stop'

‘Ok that’ll do. Do you think that’ll do? You sure? Shall I just do…..? Ok ok it’s fine I won’t. Yes, we definitely need to get some lunch for the kids.

‘Are you ok to take this lot to the tip this afternoon?

‘Yes, I know we were only cleaning the car because it was stinking from the last load of garden waste we took to the tip. Yes, I see the irony’

I have known for about a year that that weeding needed doing and that wisteria needed cutting back.

I had tried to find time to do it so many times. It never happened. Yet when the moment comes and it feels like, ok, maybe I can get some of this done, however inconvenient, sometimes I just have to roll with it because that is the only way these things will happen.

And no, I didn’t and still haven’t got round to the bush growing round the side of the house. We now can’t open the gate on that side.

And the gardening gloves the kids brought out for me are still on a shelf in the hall because I never put them away properly.