Nell: You look thoughtful.
Me: I’ve been lying here in the tiny part of the bed Harriet has kindly left me watching the sheep in the field with Poppy.
Nell: Poppy’s asleep.
Me: She is now but she wasn’t earlier.
Nell: I know. She and Manuel were in the kitchen making bread.
Me: Being an octopus must be an advantage.
Nell: Poppy says Manuel is quick but not always thorough. She’s been showing him how to knead the dough.
Me: Well, after that she came upstairs and shouted at the sheep.
Nell: I don’t know why she thinks they can hear her.
Me: Everyone else can.
Nell: I’ve told her repeatedly to leave that kind of thing to the farm dogs but she won’t listen.
Me: Poppy doesn’t do listening. She’s a Show and Tell kind of girl.
Nell: She certainly didn’t enjoy school.
Me: I can’t imagine Poppy at school.
Nell: When I was teaching the puppies I found her very disruptive.
Me: What did she do?
Nell: Interrupted lessons dressed as a pirate waving her sword and telling them to stop wasting time on books and to get out into the real world.
Me: Sounds like something you say to me.
Nell: You have too much imagination for your own good sometimes.
Me: Only sometimes?
Nell: The occasional escape into a fantasy world is allowed but you must keep your feet firmly on the ground and it’s my job to make sure you do.
Me: Thank you.
Nell: Talking of ground, we need to find £15,000,000.
Me: 15 million pounds?
Nell: Yes. Burgh Island is up for sale along with the hotel.
Me: I’m afraid we’re struggling to stay here in our cottage. We don’t have that kind of money.
Nell: One can still dream.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
