did an impersonation of an early Santa Claus visit last night. Trouble is, this one was of the Punk starling variety that headbanged his way out from behind the fireguard. My usual routine is

make breakfast
while breakfast is making i.e. water boiling for tea, milk heating for the Weetabix, let dogs out.

Killer Terrier won't do anything in the yard, so he gets to go out into the garden, through the conservatory doors. As we did our usual push-one-another-out-of-the-way-to-get-out-of-the-door-first ritual, Killer Terrier launched an attack on the bird. So, picture this; me, with Killer Terrier tucked under one arm, he squealing for starling blood; starling flapping furiously at the conservatory doors; me trying to unlock and open the huge sliding door with other hand. What does the stupid bird then go and do? Flaps behind said sliding door, effectively trapping himself between glass and - erm - glass.

Short version of ending: managed to pick up starling in one hand, praying it wouldn't expire (it didn't - they're survivors), released it into the air, plopped Killer Terrier onto the lawn where he stood looking accusingly at me.

Quick tour of the rooms and bleuch - all that work yesterday? Going to have to clean and scrub all over again. Bugger! It's too hot.

After that, I decided to breakfast faster than usual and take the dogs for their walk. It was already 27 degrees C by this time and the temperature is climbing. By he time I got back from the walk, (which wasn't without incident; walking the two dogs without MWNN is increasingly difficult thanks to Killer Terrier's homicidal (should that be canicidal?) tendencies) I needed another shower.

Off to Dunstable now, up onto the Downs (American readers, this in one of those quirky English things, hills in this part of the country are called The Downs. Why not The Ups? I hear you ask? Don't ask! Why is the name Featherstonhaugh pronounced Fanshaw?) - Thanks to bellinghman for pointing out my earlier mistake - See, even the English can't remember how we mis-pronounce it.

meallanmouse Where am I going to get my daily dose of sanity if you throw me off the list? No, really, do what needs to be done. But when are you going to send your new snail mail addy? How will I get postcards from abroad to you in September?