Is the time that I started to write this post on a beautiful and hot Bank Holiday Monday.

I’m crashed out in a hammock between the shade of two silver birch trees.

The wind is making the leaves whisper oh so softly and Cairo is alternating between dozing next to me and waiting for the next round of being soaked with the hose .

It’s very peaceful or it would be if I didn’t have music like this playing from a speaker near the hedge.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2KWpuVrRek4&si=M4QK7Kd0B3F9BmyH

I could quite easily be busy all afternoon, either with outside jobs or catching up on various bits of paperwork.

That’s not happening.

I took both dogs for their checkups on Friday and they’re both as fit and well as they can be.

Milo needs to be examined with the muzzle on as he hates the vet with a passion. Not the person. The place.

But I took his muzzle off when he was finished and he ran through the reception with a frantically wagging tail and a huge Milo Grin.

It’s hard to capture the grin in photos but he has the ability to look you directly in the eye while he does it and the effect on the reception staff was instant – a chorus of awwwwwwws followed us out and I was strangely happy that they got to see the real Milo rather than the dog that the vet calls Monsterface.

So today is for me and them. I’ve had a couple off games with Cairo, the hosepipe and water gun.

We’ll do a few more before I crack open a beer and start the process off cooking us all dinner on the barbecue, they’ll settle near me and doze until it’s time to eat and I’ll reflect on the day and the fact that I’m an extremely lucky man.

Tomorrow is a work day and we’ll do an early start for a walk and they’ll settle in my office as I speak slowly and soothingly on conference calls, even when I tear into somebody and help them realise that maybe they should think about moving on. And quickly.

But that’s tomorrow.

It’s 14:43 and the music has changed to this.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=GWTNGMAH500&si=_rnedpW9wholSAhK

I’m gently swaying in the breeze and hope that whenever you see this, wherever you are, that you’re as content and relaxed as we are.

Happy Monday.