What a relief to finally get to the bottom of the suitcases - instead of just dumping all our holiday clothes in front of the washing machine, this time, I've left them in the cases, taking out one wash load at a time. This way I'm kidding myself there isn't THAT much dirty washing or (worse) THAT much ironing to do.

But now I'm looking at freshly dried sundresses,shorts and T-shirts piled over the banister awaiting introduction to the iron and my heart sinks. But wait, will there be many more hot days left this summer on which to wear them? Probably not. So can I get away with banging them on hangers un-ironed? Come next holiday I'll only run them through the washer again anyway 'to freshen them up', so what's the point in doing it twice? And I'd be saving electricity and hence the planet by not ironing them, wouldn't I? And it'll free up the time for me to get some writing done. That's it then. My conscience is clear.