You know that you’ve had more than enough to drink when your dogs start to recite poetry at you on New Year’s Eve.

I was just finishing some rather lovely bourbon when Milo – it’s always him, he’s the deep thinker of the two. Cairo is more of a Special Forces doglet, she’s sweet and intelligent, a natural born killer, but he’s the deep one.

He looked up and just stared in that way that he does, the fire roaring behind him, the rain and the wind battering the house.

‘So then, New Year…will we all be ok ?’

Cairo’s ears perked up, it’s Year Zero for her, this is all new.

I waited for a while before answering.

‘Probably. That’s the best I can say really. I hope so and I’ll do my best to make sure’

Cairo sat next to him, I now had two sets of glowing eyes to contend with.

‘Does that mean that you’ll take us back to the sad place?’

She looked so distraught, I could feel myself welling up.

‘No. That’ll never happen whatever the future holds, that will never happen. I’ve made arrangements and you’d never want for anything- either of you’

Then it was Milo. They were teaming up.

‘What if it’s us, will you be there? You won’t leave us will you ?

Cairo nudged closer to him

I was at a loss… and then. And then.

You’ve been listening to poetry again haven’t you ? who is it this time?

And in unison, which is pretty fucking creepy when dogs do it, they recited, the fire going dimmer behind them.

‘Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst   

Are full of passionate intensity.’

I laughed. Thank fuck for that.

They stared.

‘Yeats. You’ve been listening to Yeats. He’d just had a kid. That was at least the third woman that he’d proposed to. ‘

They kept staring.

‘I’m not going anywhere. Nor are you – at least not over New Year. None of us.’

They kept staring.

‘Do you promise’

‘ I promise to stay with you for as long as we all live – good enough? ‘

They ran to the back door and patrolled the grounds. I had another quick drink.

Happy New Year all. Here’s to 2023