Logistics, for most households, are a reality of daily life. People generally need to move from one place to another and back again to get the day done. No big deal.

The day dawned like any other, except the car had to go in for service. This in itself was hardly noteworthy: another routine, if infrequent, household activity. I had arranged to go out with a friend that day but cleverly, I thought, had arranged to travel to and from the event in her car.

A couple of junior recipe testers, quite predictably, still required transport to their educational institution. In the absence of vehicle, this was accomplished by bike. The most junior of the recipe testers recently failed his bike safety test, managing to ride so close to his sister's bike her handle bars passed between his helmet strap and his chin. His demonstrated brake skills were, mercifully, more advanced than his steering and he did manage to halt his bike before he took his own head off.

So, in addition to transporting the most junior member, my job was to carry the school bag of a slightly more senior recipe tester. This was more a measure of safety than of generosity: being built so close to the ground meant her bag dragged on her back wheel when riding.

Getting the backpack off so it could accompany said recipe tester to class posed a significant challenge. I could not let go of my bike, save my junior passenger tip onto the concrete. Fortunately, a passing member of staff took pity and assisted me in much the same manner as she had no doubt helped many of her young charges.

Task finally complete, I eagerly anticipated the day's outing. That is, until I realised that the car seat, required for the safe and legal transportation of junior recipe testers, was anchored into the car, now in the workshop. With little time and few options I started working the phone.

A car seat was finally located. It was to be collected directly from an unattended car. The car containing the seat was parked in a commuter car park at a local station. With about 897 other cars. We did not possess keys for 896 of them.

The outing, if truncated, was thence completed without further incident and we made the journey home. I thanked my companions and sent them on their way. It was only when I reached the front door I realised I had left the keys in the car we had just gotten out of. Which just left the logistical challenge of getting into the house...

If the logistics of logistics are wearing you down may I suggest next week's menu? As always, please contact me with queries, for lists of ingredients or for recipes.

Order by Friday night for dinners delivered the following Tuesday.