Me: It’s a bit wet and windy today, isn’t it?
Nell: Yes, it is.
Me: You’ve got seeds all over your face and I’ve got them on my wellington boots.
Nell: I would like to talk to you about your boots.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: Most people’s wellington boots are green.
Me: Paddington’s aren’t.
Nell: Yes. Well, that says it all, doesn’t it?
Me: What do you mean?
Nell: The idea is to blend into the landscape not stand out a mile, and you are not a small bear from Darkest Peru.
Me: I have size 2 feet, Nell. I have to buy children’s boots.
Nell: You can wear a 3 in a boot and you know it.
Me: Yes. I think these are a size 3. I got them with Jonathan Sky when he was visiting. His aren’t green.
Nell: Jonathan’s boots are camouflage ones and perfectly acceptable. Yours are not.
Me: Anyway, I’m not a big fan of rain, even though the garden needs it. It dampens the spirits. See what I did there?
Nell: Well, Princess and Our Penguin absolutely love it. They’ve been outside filming since first thing this morning.
Me: Are they filming ‘Dancing Treat to Treat’?
Nell: No, that’s more of an evening show. I think it’s a documentary. ‘Life in the Lockdown.’ They were interviewing the llamas.
Me: Their pyjamas must be getting awfully soggy in the rain.
Nell: Sogginess never bothers a llama. They are naturally optimistic and extremely sociable creatures, apart from the occasional spitting of course.
Me: I wish they wouldn’t do that.
Nell: It’s their way of disciplining those of a lower rank.
Me: Is that how they see me then? Only they spat at me earlier.
Nell: I told you not to wear those boots.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
