Me: I love the way darling Harriet runs towards us when she sees us.
Nell: Harriet is at her happiest when she’s out on a walk. Is Kev wearing shorts?
Me: It’s a Devon thing. It was good to go down to the river again, wasn’t it?
Nell: It was extremely cold.
Me: Yes, and a little bit wintrier than our usual walk.
Nell: Our walk is sheltered, apart from the occasional stampede of horses and hounds.
Me: I suppose it is November. A lot of people are struggling with snow. Did you see it on the news?
Nell: I did. Shocking amounts of snow for this time of year.
Me: Snow is at its best when it’s just fallen. ‘Deep and crisp and even.‘
Nell: Even what?
Me: It’s a quote from a carol. Good King Wenceslas.
Nell: Talking of carols, David and the llamas want to go carol singing in the village.
Me: Do llamas sing?
Nell: No, but they cartwheel.
Me: It’s not the same though, is it? I mean you don’t get the same Christmassy feeling watching a llama cartwheel as you do listening to a carol.
Nell: You don’t know that.
Me: I think I do.
Nell: The village children adore the llamas.
Me: Dave will need a few more singers.
Nell: He suggested The Big Cat Vibe.
Me: I’m not sure about that. Lions and tigers are scary even when they’re wearing Santa hats.
Nell: Nobody mentioned Santa hats.
Me: You have to wear Santa hats at Christmas.
Nell: It isn’t Christmas. It’s November.
Me: Dave isn’t going carol singing now, is he?
Nell: He’s considering it.
Me: It’s far too early.
Nell: Some Christmas markets are opening already.
Me: It gets earlier every year.
Nell: You say that every year.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
