Me: You all had tremendous fun in the activity field, didn’t you? The puppies adore running around and you love a good sniffari.
Nell: I prefer to take my time.
Me: Your eyes have been looking brighter recently. It’s good to see.
Nell: I’m feeling well at the moment.
Me: You’re walking much better since the nurse clipped your claws.
Nell: They seem to grow more quickly nowadays.
Me: That’s because you used to bite them.
Nell: Excuse me?
Me: You did, Nell. Mutley was the same.
Nell: We simply liked to keep our claws clean. Talking of Mutley, Poppy says he’s been doing a lot of reading and enjoying watching over us all.
Me: That’s very good to hear.
Nell: She also says we’ve been eating far too much soup and not enough scones.
Me: Soup is one of Herr Hoffmann’s specialities with freshly baked rolls and lashings of butter.
Nell: I know, but things are a little lacking in the scone department.
Me: Nobody makes scones like Poppy.
Nell: We’re going to have to try harder. David has the recipe.
Me: You’re right. Now, can we have a little chat about this early morning barking?
Nell: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Me: You most certainly do, Nell. Once you’ve started you won’t stop.
Nell: Nonsense.
Me: You want everyone up and doing, even though you know it’s my writing time and Kev is exhausted from all the decorating and needs all the sleep he can get.
Nell: There’s still so much to do.
Me: Like getting your breakfast?
Nell: Labradors can’t run on loveliness alone.
Me: Loveliness?
Nell: Are you trying to say we aren’t lovely?
Me: Of course not. You’re ever so lovely. I tell you that all the time.
Nell: Well then.
Me: Sorry.
