Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.

A double anniversary. Nine years since we left Scotland. Four years since we arrived at The Rickety Old Farmhouse. It's also six months since the new PON's joined the family. Both dogs and owners have settled in and now feel at home here.

Down to the old widows house by the crossroads. The rains came before she could harvest her field of sunflowers . Now the dull stems are alive with  birds feasting on the seeds.  Larks, linnets and scores and scores of quarrelsome thrushes all working away. For a while Sophie sits and watches and listens , then she's off , bounding into the grass verge in search of a lizard. The two donkeys in the side field wander over, inquisitively, as we walk by. Sophie isn't entirely sure donkeys are good news. She half swallows a growl, turns her head back towards me in that ' have you seen them ? ' way and then picks up her pace. Once we're safely past she looks back and gives them her best glare.

On our way home a detour into the market town for a birthday card. All of them hideous. When did birthday cards start to cost $9 !

Time for worming. We've decided we won't use Drontal Plus again. Both of them had a reaction to it . Maybe it's a breed specific thing. Wilf and Digby were also ill after worming. We'll wander down to the vets this afternoon to see what he suggests as an alternative. We're thinking of Milbemax which some of you have mentioned.