Nell: You know when I was running through my plans for the next few days in the activity field?
Me: Is that what you were doing?
Nell: Yes. Why?
Me: Dave was the only one listening.
Nell: Exactly. Poppy took no notice at all and when I asked Harriet to pay attention she smiled and walked away.
Me: Thank goodness for our Big Brave Beautiful Boy.
Nell: Even David wasn’t really listening. You could see he just wanted to run off and play.
Me: To be honest, Nell, I’m on his side. The whole reason for going to the field was to let you all stretch your legs and have a run.
Nell: They can do both.
Me: They can sit and listen at home. Let them have some fun without barking orders at them all the time.
Nell: I wasn’t barking and it was only for a few minutes.
Me: You know what I mean. We oldies like to stop for a while and catch our breath but Dave and Harriet are still young. They want to gallop around.
Nell: And Poppy?
Me: Poppy is a free spirit.
Nell: Poppy will be 9 in June.
Me: I know, and you will be 10 in March.
Nell: Don’t remind me.
Me: Talking of birthdays. You know I sort of missed out on mine because of Kev’s operation?
Nell: We extended it.
Me: I didn’t celebrate properly with my sisters though, so we are doing it this weekend.
Nell: Oh Lordy.
Me: Saturday is lasagne and games and Sunday is roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
Nell: Does Poppy know?
Me: Of course. We worked it all out at The Birthday Weekend Planning Session.
Nell: You had a planning session without me?
Me: Just joking.
Nell: You had better be.
Me: Sorry.
