Last night I shoved* the husband out the front door and sent him off to Thailand. He’ll be gone for a week of yoga, massages and detoxing. He’ll be enjoying delicious yet healthy meals, breath taking views and the calm and serenity that neither a family of four nor living in London can offer him.

We have been giving each other trips to a resort on Koh Samui as Christmas presents last year. I am supposed to go in October but have become a bit weary about leaving my family for a week. I am not sure I can do it. Could you?

The first night without Big M has been a bit of a nightmare, with the girls taking turns in waking up. I slept from about 1am to 4am. Which isn’t anywhere near enough and hopefully not a taster of what’s to come for the rest of the week.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. My heart is quite fond of my husband already, thank you very much. He wouldn’t have had to travel to the other side of the world to make me miss him. I miss him enough when he’s in his office in Farringdon and late for dinner.

Anyway, now that he’s gone, let the chaos reign. To keep damages to a minimum, Mr Waitrose will come a little later and drop off bags of easy-to-cook comfort food (so much for the detox). Also, a large can of Batiste will hopefully see me through the week without looking like a ragdoll.

*I literally pushed him out of the house, as he had some last minute second thoughts about his trip and about leaving us for a week. He’s almost too good to be true.

Again, hats off to all the single parents out there. I don’t know how you do it.