Me: The puppies look exhausted.
Nell: Celebrating can be very tiring.
Me: Yes. Thank you for the amazing welcome home party.
Nell: It was The Cat. I don’t think the word restraint is in its vocabulary. I ask for low key and we get dancing chihuahuas.
Me: They were very good.
Nell: They were certainly enthusiastic. Mind you, the one on the end had seen better days.
Me: It was tired.
Nell: I suppose there are only so many high kicks you can do without pulling a muscle.
Me: I wouldn’t know.
Nell: We need to keep an eye on Harriet, by the way.
Me: Why?
Nell: She’s on her iBone all the time. Texting or talking and she has a secretive look about her.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: I found a pair of glasses and a dark wig in her basket, you know. Gladys denies all knowledge of it.
Me: They were probably Dave’s.
Nell: That’s what I thought, but he said he only wears sunglasses and his wig has longer hair. Then I remembered the Beefies stole it a while ago, anyway.
Me: Yes, they did. I still get a shock when they fly past with it on.
Nell: Charlie says she is talking to Sally the Golden Retriever. He thinks it’s nice for her to have another girl as a friend and I shouldn’t fuss.
Me: He is probably right.
Nell: What’s wrong with Gladys, or Susan, or Poppy and I? We are girls.
Me: Well, Gladys is Dave’s friend and Susan is a seagull so they might have different interests and you and Poppy are aunts and a lot older.
Nell: Thank you for pointing that out. But Sally is in London. It’s so far away.
Me: I was in London yesterday. It’s just a few hours on the train.
Nell: They are excluding David, you know. Sally is his girlfriend. It’s very hard for him. He’s been spending more time at the Beachhouse with his friend AJ the gardening Afghan discussing life.
Me: But look at them both cuddled up on the sofa together. The puppies are fine, although strictly speaking I suppose they aren’t really puppies anymore.
Nell: They will always be puppies to me.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
