Intense day. Started work at about 9.30 and left about 11 hours later. Lunch was still unavailable when I wanted it.

Battle plans were made. We worked hard. There was a last-minute breakthrough. I don't know whether we're on the brink of success or placebo.

I do know that something has to give.

Then home, via Tesco, to do various bits of cooking. Chocolate mistake cake went reliably wrong. Pasta bakes and vegetarian scotch eggs went variously wrong. All in, I would wonder whether I know what I'm doing if I didn't already know that I didn't.

It's been a hard day at work today and I'm not sure why I want to work this hard. I know that there's fun to be had under these circumstances and a massive last-minute success would really do us some favours here.

Bit of advice, though, when you're leading people, you have to listen as much as you speak. Best to let them complete their sentence before chipping in with something patronising and irrelevant. I've learned that to my cost.