Mum used to forget little things all the time. And I mean all the time.

Let’s say she wanted a sieve for the peas. She’d stand poised with the saucepan of peas and say ‘pass me the earwigs’ and I would know exactly what she meant.

It was a mumism, so quirky and her. It became a family joke for anything and everything we momentarily forgot the name of.

‘What did you say?’ Whoosh and I’m back in the present day standing in front of the board presenting last year’s sales figures.

My boss is looking at me all strangely. ‘Did you just ask Trevor to pass you the earwigs?’

Trevor helpfully passes me the papers I needed. At least he knows what earwigs are.

I clear my throat. ‘Extra additional review workings in google script’. I say it really confidently and hope for the best.

‘Strange’ I hear him mutter under his breath ‘I always say pass the earwigs when I can’t remember what on Earth it is I’m looking for’