In truth, I have nothing particularly new to report. I’ve been working, which takes up a fairly large amount of time, but an even larger amount of energy. As a result, I have spent a lot of my leisure time sleeping, watching films, and reading. In other words, activities that don’t tax my brain any further.

As expected, my job is hard work. The main issue is the ’performance’ aspect—I can’t just sit back and slack for half an hour. I have to be alert, pulling and pushing (figuratively!) the class.

Besides that, going to a different place every day is a really bad idea, from both a psychological and epidemiological point of view. The evidence: I have already come down with another cold, thanks no doubt to my wide exposure to every possible variant of the virus in circulation. It’s not as bad as last time, fortunately. Small mercies...

Tomorrow, I start at yet another new school. I am beginning to understand the dilemma faced by celebrities, faced daily by the same questions, yet obliged to feign interest and amusement. Of course, a lot of it is small talk—I doubt that most people I meet have a particular interest in the weather or socio-political make-up of the UK, and yet I have to respond politely. That is the teachers. The children, on the other hand, are fantastic—they are too young to be obsessed with social niceties, and as a result are much more honest and entertaining conversation partners!