Me: What are the Puppies doing?
Nell: You really need to stop calling them puppies. They’re 8 years old. They’ll be veterans from next year.
Me: They’re always going to be the Puppies to me. What are they doing in the stream?
Nell: Investigating.
Me: Investigating what? Has there been a crime?
Nell: Lady Anwen is back at the bus stop and nobody likes it.
Me: That’s not a crime. And that’s not a bus stop. It’s a stream.
Nell: Obviously.
Me: Dave is climbing up the bank. Darling Big Brave Beautiful Boy. Look at his little head.
Nell: David’s head is not little and he is simply being thorough. It’s all good practice.
Me: Practise for what?
Nell: Goodness me. You’re full of questions this morning.
Me: Maybe I’m investigating too?
Nell: Don’t be silly. You’re in Germany.
Me: Why do Dave and Harriet need to practise?
Nell: Filming is going to start soon for ‘Sherlock Bones and the Handsome Hound’.
Me: I’d forgotten about that.
Nell: We hadn’t.
Me: But Dave and Harriet aren’t detectives. He’s the Handsome Hound and she’s the Mysterious Mademoiselle. It’s Nigel who should be investigating, He’s Dr Watson.
Nell: Have you quite finished?
Me: Yes.
Nell: We have reason to believe Lady Anwen may be involved in the film in some capacity.
Me: Oh no.
Nell: Quite.
Me: Snoofling around in the stream isn’t going to help.
Nell: You don’t know that. They might find something and it cools their noses.
Me: I suppose as long as they’re having fun it doesn’t really matter.
Nell: It matters. Harriet still hasn’t been able to take a clear photo of Lady Anwen for Sally.
Me: Why?
Nell: She’s too clever.
Me: Who? Harriet?
Nell: No. Lady Anwen. She avoids being photographed.
Me: Of course. Sorry.
