Daughter has been unwell this week with one of those nasty viral bugs that cause a high temperature and sickness.

Poor little thing hasn't eaten for three days and isn't even at the "able to watch a video" stage yet which is always a sign of genuine ill health as far as she is concerned. The next two stages of recovery usually being the "able to drink a can of pop" and the "able to eat a pizza" stages.

What with her being ill and the absolutely awful weather we've had, the dog, Sam, hasn't has his usual quota of healthy walks in the park. Being bored he has started to eat the furniture, along with a variety of other things. This week's list so far includes the leg off the new bookcase, my best bra, four single socks (why he can't eat them in pairs I do not know), two loo rolls, a roll of yellow insulating stuff that we bought to go under the new floorboards in the living room, the cat's dinner (x2), daughter's fountain pen, his own new brush and a chunk of the living room rug. Daughter excuses all his bad behaviour with a cry of "But he's only a puppy". This is true but I do wish he would stop taking my dirty knickers out of the laundry basket and hiding them under the kitchen table for people to see when they come round.

We took him to puppy training again last week. He must be improving as he is allowed to join in the circle of other puppies rather than having to be kept separate because of his boisterous behaviour. Daughter said he wasn't being badly behaved, he was just showing enthusiasm and pleasure at meeting so many other creatures like himself. I think it was just the doggy equivalent of lager lout behaviour.