Me: Dave is hiding in the living room.
Nell: Yes, he’s fallen out with Sally and decided to become a recluse. He’ll be over it by lunchtime.
Me: What happened?
Nell: It’s Rhu’s fault.
Me: You mean Rhubarb the beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog from Toronto?
Nell: Yes. I don’t know why you always give her that long title.
Me: Neither do I.
Nell: Anyway, she’s invited him to the Mountain Dog conference and he’s thinking of going.
Me: He isn’t a Mountain Dog.
Nell: No. But he qualifies in all but name.
Me: So Sally doesn’t like them being friends?
Nell: Not really, although it’s Rhu and Harriet who write to each other.
Me: Harriet could never be a Mountain Dog.
Nell: She doesn’t want to be one. You can have friends who aren’t the same as you, you know.
Me: Yes.
Nell: The world is a wonderful place. Full of diversity and we should embrace it.
Me: I completely agree. Look at Gladys and Alejandro.
Nell: I’d rather not. They fell asleep in the Guacamole last night and are in an awful mess.
Me: I did enjoy the celebrations for Dave’s book. Why Mexican?
Nell: One of the first meals David ate by mistake was a large bowl of chilli con carne.
Me: I see.
Nell: And The Cat had a box full of sombreros going to waste.
Me: Mutley was in fine form. Singing ‘Guantanamera’ with the Welsh corgis.
Nell: Yes, hard to believe it’s his 16th birthday tomorrow.
Me: Another party then?
Nell: Yes, and Jonathan Sky will be 3 on Thursday.
Me: I wish I could be there with him.
Nell: You’re seeing him in October. Now come and clear the garden. Mutley has requested a bouncy castle and there are sombreros everywhere.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
