Me: Why is Kev in the living room comforting the puppies?
Nell: Poppy is making vegetable soup for lunch with no croutons.
Me: We don’t have to have croutons.
Nell: The puppies do. They are their favourite part.
Me: I know croutons are exciting but soup can still be delicious without them.
Nell: Croutons aren’t exciting.
Me: They sort of are, Nell. The way they are crunchy at first and then wonderfully gloopy when soaked in soup.
Nell: I worry about you sometimes. Gloopy is not a word.
Me: Why aren’t there any croutons?
Nell: Someone ate the bread. Poppy is having to make a whole new batch and she is not amused.
Me: You know what would go well in the soup?
Nell: No, but I’m sure you are going to tell me.
Me: Crunchy bits of bacon.
Nell: We’ve run out of bacon too.
Me: No wonder Dave needs comforting.
Nell: David needs comforting because he has a sore tummy.
Me: Oh dear. I expect he ate something by mistake.
Nell: Exactly. Now, I’m expecting the Daily Growl at any moment so if a Jack Russell wearing a narrow brimmed hat appears at the door send it straight through to me.
Me: You don’t know it will be a Jack Russell.
Nell: It always is.
Me: It was an Irish Wolfhound one time.
Nell: That was the photographer.
Me: Oh yes.
Nell: I need to make sure the public have all the facts before next weekend’s Halloween special. I don’t want that lion influencing the public vote.
Me: It’s going to be a spooktacular event.
Nell: Here we go.
Me: Come on. Join in. Knock, knock.
Nell: Who’s there?
Me: Boo.
Nell: Boo who?
Me: Don’t cry, Nell. It’s only a few croutons.
Nell: Good grief.
Me: Sorry.
