Dog meets cats...

We had been promised higher temperatures and a sunny weekend so I was looking forward to the absence of muddy paw prints!

It was bliss to have a relaxing start to the weekend and Sophie and I sat and chatted in the kitchen over a cup of coffee. My daughter was seeing Vikesh, his brother and his sister-in-law today, and going for a walk over the fields with lunch at the pub. Reggie the dog was going with them and Vikesh wanted him to meet the cats...

I set to and tackled the conservatory, working my way around from one end to the other. I armed myself with bleach and cotton wool buds and wiped a line of bleach over some of the grouting that had gone mouldy over the winter. Within minutes, it had disappeared. I also cleaned the windows, the windowsills and the floor. I was delighted with the results and it looked so much cleaner and fresher when I finished. It was so gorgeous with the sun shining and the cats loved being in and out all day and having the freedom to come and go as they wished.

Vikesh and his family arrived and brought Reggie into the house, which sent scaredy-cat Mooney running upstairs in a panic! I excused my appearance - I looked like a bag lady, but I had been working hard!

Keith went to see Sileby play this afternoon so I had an hour to myself. I finished the cleaning, hoovered the downstairs of the house and had a shower. At 4pm, much against my will, I watched the Grand National, even though I really didn't want to! I am so perverse! A horse was running called Coko Beach and I hadn't had time to put a bet on it, but it didn't win. I would have been mad if it had as we've been to the real Cocoa Beach in Florida! I Am Maximus won, the joint favourite, and the race looked a lot better than in previous years. I was thrilled that no horses were hurt in the race!

Sophie returned with Vikesh, Dhiren and Chandni and we chatted for about half an hour. The cats had done a runner again, spooked by the appearance of a doggy in the house!

Predictably, as the day wore on, the skies clouded over, just in time for our first barbecue of the year. Sophie made us French Martinis and we watched the end of the film we'd started last night. Keith barbecued on the driveway while we cooked new potatoes, made a salad and fried some onions. The meal was delicious!