...and that's why I feel ready to go to bed at 7pm tonight

I don't know why - it's something that's only started affecting me in the last couple of years - but when it's that time of the month I start feeling unwell. Most of the time I get these oppressive headaches that make me feel like a block of polystyrene in a woodworking vice, and most of the time I have terrible nights' sleep. This month, I've had sore, itchy eyes and hayfeverish sniffles (as well as the insomnia).

So I couldn't blame it on the boy, who has a cold and his nocturnal nose-blowing seems as high-decibel as a jet plane taking off behind the house.

Another thing that disturbed my sleep was this strange, deep buzzing noise that turned out to be my mobile phone mutedly telling me I had a call. By the time I realised it was my phone and not the boy's, it was nearly time to get out of bed anyway. It was our babysitter calling in sick.

To cut a longish story shortish, I stressed, worried and bit my nails. Then I called in my emergency person - my sister-out-law. She had to rearrange her day's plans, but was able to take TLM for the day. They even had to wonderful time together, from what I'd heard.

But I was a few fizzes short of effervescence by the time I got to work. And after almost two weeks of staring at computer moniters for hours on end, I've come to the conclusion that not only do I need to wear my spectacles all the time - I'm probably gonna need some thicker lenses.