A Day in the Life of Lil Allen, Client Services Co-ordinator and Cat Mum

My alarm rings at 5:30am, giving me just enough time for cuddle time with Gordon, my cat, before the workday begins. The moment he hears the alarm, he’s at my bedroom door, knocking away. I open it, greet him with a “good morning,” and lift the bed covers. He jumps in, purring his head off as we settle in for a snuggly 10-minute session. After that, he's done and ready to demand breakfast. I feed him, make myself a cup of tea, and begin getting ready for work.

While I’m getting ready, Gordon turns into a whirlwind of energy, racing around the house. All that running helps with his morning nature call, which I, of course, must clean up before leaving the house.

I’m out the door by 6:45am for my hour-long drive to work. During my commute, I watch the sunrise over the countryside while flicking through radio stations.

I arrive at work around 7:45am, and as I pull into the car park, I can’t help but hope, in the spirit of childlike competition, that I’ve beaten Mark Watson to Space 1. (Yes, it’s a very important battle.)

First stop coffee machines. I sort them out and enjoy another cup of tea while chatting with the members. By 8:30am, I’m at my desk, usually devouring all the food I brought with me that morning – I’m always starving!

At 9:00am, Ella arrives with a lovely cup of tea for me, which is a welcome treat.

From 9:00am to 11:00am, you’ll find me in the reception area, enthusiastically welcoming members as they arrive. If I’ve forgotten to bring something upstairs and don't want to go back up, I wait for Katie – one of our members – to arrive, then ask her (with a smile) to take it up for me. She obliges, albeit begrudgingly.

Late morning is typically spent distracting members on the 1st and 2nd floors with stories and, of course, pictures of my cat in hoodies.

During my lunch break, I take a walk around the park with Katie, laughing all the way. Often, I return with dog poo on my shoe. It’s a good day when I don’t.

After lunch, I top up the coffee machines and share my lunchtime mishaps with anyone who’ll listen. And, of course, there’s always the usual British weather banter – “It’s warm/cold/freezing outside

By mid-afternoon, Ella and Mark will agree I start to feel drowsy. But I’m banned from coffee and energy drinks – they make me hyper for about 30 minutes and then leave me even more tired. So, I just power through the sluggishness.

At 5:00pm, I begin the long drive home, once again chasing the sunset while endlessly flicking through radio stations. Along the way, I become distracted by the poor innocent animals left as roadkill… sad times.

When I arrive home, Gordon is waiting for me on the windowsill, judging my parking job. I ask him how his day went, give him a big kiss, and feed him. Then begins the hunt for my slippers, which are usually hidden behind the curtains. And of course, Gordon’s left his favourite (though somewhat skanky) toy under my pillow as a "gift" – gross, but I appreciate the thought.

After a hot bath, I’m under the watchful eye of Gordon, who supervises my every move from his perch on the toilet lid. When the water drains, he jumps in to clean his "toe beans" (because that’s totally necessary).

While I cook dinner, Gordon plays hide-and-seek – though he's terrible at it and always leaves his tail sticking out. He’s also eagerly awaiting any leftovers, particularly the baked bean juice, which is his absolute favorite.

By 8:30pm, it’s “bedtime” for both of us. I say to Gordon, “Come on, it’s time,” and we both shuffle off to the bedroom.

I settle in with a book – usually something about WWII or the Krays (I’ve just finished Danny Dyer’s autobiography). By now, Gordon is fast asleep on my collarbone, and I dare not move, lest I disturb him.

Two hours later, Gordon springs to life and attacks me in my sleep. I kick him out of the room, turn on my rain app, and try to drift back off. But at about 1:00am, I’m rudely awoken by Gordinio, who, in his night-vision goggles, is practicing his football skills. I crank up the rain app, close my eyes, and finally drift peacefully into the abyss.