Me: Have you just been out in the snow?
Nell: Yes. Where were all of you?
Me: Inside in the warm. I’m upstairs writing and the others are having breakfast. Why did you go outside?
Nell: It was Tony in his cold weather clothing.
Me: Oh, I didn’t realise.
Nell: I think we have already established that you don’t realise anything when you are writing.
Me: I know.
Nell: How many cold cups of tea has Kev had to carry back downstairs?
Me: Lots. How is Tony?
Nell: Cold. We were discussing hats. Poor Terry is struggling with the cold wind in his ears so Tony recommended a more fitted kind of cap.
Me: Do seagulls have ears?
Nell: What a ridiculous question. Of course they do. How do you think they hear anything?
Me: They don’t have ears like us though, do they?
Nell: Do you mean human ears, or Labrador ears? Because either idea is preposterous.
Me: I mean outside ears.
Nell: No. Their ears are inside covered by feathers and near their eyes. But that’s not the point.
Me: Maybe a bandana would be better.
Nell: Bandanas are for Spring not Winter. Everybody knows that.
Me: By the way, the bedroom is out of bounds this morning.
Nell: I beg your pardon?
Me: I’ve got a Wednesday Writers workshop on Zoom.
Nell: And?
Me: I can’t have any barking.
Nell: Are you suggesting that I bark?
Me: You know you do.
Nell: I might raise my voice on occasion but only when severely provoked.
Me: I can’t risk it.
Nell: There’s a mute button on Zoom you know.
Me: Ok.
Nell: So what time is the workshop?
Me: It starts at 10am.
Nell: I suggest we log on at 9:50. See you then.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
