Today was one of those non-stop days when at the end I'm exhausted but can't point to a single concrete achievement.  Which is not to say that nothing got done, just that nothing was done to conclusion.
I started with reading a load of papers which I'd previously only skimmed but someone else had spotted a big problem hidden away in them. 
An hour of meeting and discussing another set of problems caused by efforts to solve other problems - if only we had unlimited funding to provide all the services our young people want and need, but we haven't so we end up trying to work out which are wants and which are needs, how much they cost and whether they can be done more cheaply by someone else and if so will it be as good, and so we spend hours agonising and of course there aren't any easy answers because every young person is different.
Then it was off to Newcastle for the regional Fairtrade Forum meeting to discuss possible plans for Fairtrade Fortnight next year.  3 months ago we had thought we'd worked out an idea of how we'd approach it across the region. But just a couple of days ago we were approached to do something entirely different which will be great if we can get it to work but will need sponsorship from some big companies so lots of discussion about how to go about organising that, and whether we can do it across the region or just in one or two areas.  So much excitement and interest but no decisions as yet.
4pm on Friday is not the time to try to drive out of Newcastle - everyone else is doing the same it seemed, so no time to go home before my next appointment.  This was a Halloween party at a residential home for elderly people.  Lots of music and children in fancy dress, apple bobbing, lucky dips, drinks & hot dogs, even a bit of dancing - some of the residents have more energy than I have by 8pm! 
And finally home, to a meal cooked for me by Denis - much appreciated by then.  A few e-mails, a leaflet to start on and the day's work is finally over, some 15 hours after it started.