Like in the movies

Scenes from an early morning dog walk. The cow parsley is just starting to open and the birds are collecting nesting materials. The paths are deserted and the wildlife is making the most of it.

I hope you are all well out there and coping with the lockdown. The urchins have had some online schoolwork but otherwise there has been tennis and basketball in the garden, reading and, the current craze in our house, magic. Honestly, you can hardly go into a room before someone says, 'Pick a card, any card, look at it, don't tell me what it is.' Some tricks are more successful than others.

I curled up on the sofa yesterday afternoon and read a book, which is unheard of for me - daytime reading! I might do something in the garden later, although I'm feeling lazy and all the garden jobs are quite full on (dig up dead tree, plant new tree, empty compost bin, that sort of thing) so maybe I won't.

I'm noticing the effects of a reduction in exercise from fewer dog walks - I usually go out three or even four times a day, plus other running about. (Not literal running, you understand).  There's a skipping rope in the kitchen and I keep thinking I'll try some skipping, but then I don't. I think I have quite a big lazy streak in me.

The dog turned three the other day. It was a mixed day for him. Walks, but not too many. Snacks, but remembering to watch our waistline. And horror of horrors, a veterinary appointment. But wait, I hear you cry, what about lockdown. And here's the genius of it all, it was done by video. Honestly, the dog thought it was brilliant. A quick photo (he has a sore lump on his tail), then later on, being held up in front of the camera for a moment, in the comfort of his own living room. No poking, no prodding and nothing inserted anywhere unnatural. He heartily approved of it all.

Cream was prescribed, and I had to go and ring the veterinary receptionist from their car park, then they came out and left the box on a bench. Then when they'd gone I was allowed to approach the bench and collect it. It was a bit like a cold war spy film, you know, when they leave a folded newspaper with an encoded message in the crossword section on a park bench and someone nonchalantly picks it up and discovers who the mole is but then gets stuck with a poisoned umbrella before they can pass the information on. Or maybe I'm just being over fanciful.

The dog has been wearing his cone left over from one of his previous misadventures to stop him licking the lump. Other dogs have been laughing at him. It's hard to be dignified with a lampshade on your head.

Well, enough for now I think. Look after your lovely selves and don't use too much toilet roll. CJ xx