Z, at sixes and sevens, contemplates going one over the eight

It was all going well. I'd taken Ro to the station, which was only open until 3.15 - the ticket office, that is. He wanted to renew his railcard as well so couldn't get the ticket on the train. I went home via the town, as I wanted to buy ricecakes and plain yoghurt. I eat a lot of those.

I arrived home, gave Tilly her dinner and went to get the venison out of the fridge to make a casserole. It wasn't there. I pondered. I'd bought it the other day at the same time as some sausages. We'd eaten the sausages, so I'd brought them home. I went and checked the car. I looked in the cupboards. I peered in the freezer. I went back to the fridge and then looked in all my shopping bags. It was nowhere to be seen.

I'm still rather anxious. That venison isn't getting any fresher and I'm concerned that we'll eventually track it down by the smell.

I went to the freezer and got out a couple of sirloin steaks and put them to defrost. I went to empty the dishwasher. Something had fallen partly over the drain filter and nothing was very clean. I emptied the dishwasher, scrubbed the filter and decided to clean the whole thing. I'd got a tablet of cleaner, so read the instructions - put it in the cutlery container and put on a mimimum 40 degree wash with nothing else in the machine. I did that. I put all the china in the sink and poured hot water on. I cleaned all the tannin marks off the mugs. There was something awry with the water softener a few weeks ago, so we turned the controls to bypass it, but the dishwasher is gradually becoming less efficient with the harder water, even though we use softener. I decided to give the water softener unit another chance and went to fetch the salt blocks. I knelt at the cupboard beneath the sink and opened the salt blocks, which were stuck together and needed throwing round the kitchen a bit. Eventually, they divided and I inserted them and turned the three taps to make water go through the unit. Unfortunately, in so doing, I knocked over a bottle of hand-washing liquid (for clothes) which splashed on my jeans. I sponged my knee, leaving a 9"x6" wet patch with an artificially flowery smell. I couldn't be bothered to change. Now that it's dry, I only notice the smell when I bend over and sniff.

Later, I went to restack the dishwasher as the programme had finished. I discovered that I should have unwrapped the cleansing tablet, which was therefore still intact. Still, at least it's all had a good rinse.

I can't remember what else went awry, but there were a few things. Still, I'm not dismayed. Well, I am, but not by that.

I had a letter a couple of days ago from someone resigning from a committee. I wrote back, saying how sorry I was and hoping she might reconsider. I had her emailed reply today (I'd said I'd phone her to talk it over after the weekend unless she emailed to say she'd rather I didn't), which went into more details about why she is quitting.

There has been a lack of tact and a lack of kindness; the heavy-handedness by more than one party; the snappiness was not unprovoked but was unnecessary. I'm pretty keen on politeness, myself. I can be forthright, but when I am I try to be kind with it, especially if I don't know the person or their sensitivities very well. You may have noticed that I attempt to smooth over disagreements, even in my comment box. I think there's little lasting joy in scoring points and it's better to respond to what someone should have said (and surely, in their heart, meant) rather than to words that could hurt or offend at first reaction. I've learnt this lesson, of course, by making mistakes.

This is not the matter I referred to earlier.

I'm going to read all evening and have an early night. Well, before midnight. At least, i'll go up for a bath before midnight, or soon after.

The Sage dealt splendidly with his steak, by the way. He's still a bit sore, but making no fuss.