Sometimes I just despair.

Yesterday I wasn't talking to any of them - two or four footed! (Not sure I've really changed my mind, actually, but that's a different story.)

Why? Well! Let me tell you. Having had to shut the back door to keep Maddie in (she was keen to do her noisy rounds again), I was woken at 4.30am by an insistent (and slightly higher-pitched than Murphy's "ahem, I'm terribly sorry but I really do need out" middle-of-the-night alarm) "woof!"

Damn! I dragged myself out of bed (and why is it always me? Cos Richard can't hear anything over his snoring!!) and went downstairs. Sure enough, young Madame had thrown up and wanted out. So she had a quick scoot out (on a lead - I learn fast!) and I had to clear up. guess what she'd eaten this time that made her throw up? An ENTIRE crisp packet! Not shredded or chewed in any way, still in one piece. It could've killed her. Of course it was from Mr Careful himself; when I asked if he'd left it lying around all he could say was that he's left it while he was eating his sandwich. So we're going to work on him putting things like that in the bin BEFORE he eats his sandwich in future. I hope.

Next up, I took them both to the woods for their after-work walk. Maddie's been really good at hopping into the car without running all over the road first so I neglected to put her lead on. Naturally that was the evening a "yoof" was wondering past the gate in a hoodie, so Maddie took off after him and barked at his knees. Harmless enough but not good.

Now Murphy's turn. Duly on our usual walk through the woods and he disappears off to the side to investigate something, returning with the remains of some poor dead animal clenched in his mouth. By the one ear I reckon it must have been a fox. I did my best to wrench his jaw open and we even had a wee screaming match but all that happened was he ran away, munching and gulping as he went. Urgh!

So I didn't speak to him for the rest of the walk. At least he doesn't appear to have had any ill effects. God knows how!

Then last night I had to shut the cat out again as no sign of her. Came down this morning to see if she has found somewhere to settle in the utility room (I'd had the forethought to take all the clean washing upstairs). Of course she had! Look -