Me: Why was Dave walking around this morning with my necklace around his neck and a bow in his hair?
Nell: Quiet. He’s taken them off now and he’s sleeping.
Me: But why was he wearing them in the first place?
Nell: It wasn’t supposed to be a necklace. It was a gold medal. And it most certainly wasn’t a bow. It was a Well Done rosette.
Me: He got that rosette with Kev at the dog show years ago.
Nell: Yes, I know. It was all that we could find at short notice. You don’t have medals and rosettes lying around. We had to improvise.
Me: Why?
Nell; Because David was Awfully Brave and deserved an award.
Me: Oh, I see. You’re talking about his split nail.
Nell: Yes. The vet had to take it off and Kev says he was extremely brave.
Me: He was. Darling Big Brave Beautiful Boy. It must have hurt a lot.
Nell: I think it has been hurting for quite a while. He hasn’t been himself for a few days.
Me: No, he was unusually quiet at the weekend. I thought it was all the noise. We lead such a quiet life.
Nell: We do not. Where did you get that idea from? Lions and tigers in the treehouse. Seals and penguins in the pool, not to mention llamas in the field.
Me: Don’t forget The Angry Cat in the Big House.
Nell: Is The Cat still angry?
Me: Very. When it heard about the salmon en croute it actually hissed.
Nell: Rupert thinks Lionel King is behind it all.
Me: Any reason why?
Nell: He shops at Barks and Spencer and he loves giving mean surprises.
Me: Rupert is such a wise old wolf.
Nell: Less of the old, please.
Me: Sorry.
