After a fair bit of gallivanting around recently, I thought I should bring you all back to base and tell you how things are “chez les Barkers”. Quite a few of you have wondered how the kittens have been getting along, not just with the ruff-tuff doggie mob (Archie, Freddy and Maggie May) but with The Big Ones. Suffice to say that Boy Boy has not been a happy bunny and decamped to our next door neighbours for a while. Percy, Chou Chou, Little Fairy and Mrs Bradley have come to accept them though Mrs Bradley is not adverse to giving them a swipe now and then. But Percy has taken a special shine to Little Bro’. Yes, finally, after weeks of telling Nigel that “The Wee Yoda” was not really a kitty name, he has settled on Little Bro, though because of his colouring, also gets to be called Graham.

Autumn is finally here with cold frosty mornings. Wet and windy weather has made leaves fall like snow flurries across our lawn. Like a magnet they seem attracted to our pool which now appears to have a thick leafy blanket which, in turn, has now confused a bunch of young toads that have magically appeared and taken up residence.  

With this change of weather I’m trying to slowly sort out the garden, readying it for winter, and as I potter around so the three dogs and kittens do their utmost to help. Freddy seems to think that he should be in the wheel barrow at all times while Archie is intent on pinching my gardening tools. Maggie May just digs and then looks at me “Didn’t you want this hole here mum?”

While winter is slowly approaching we’ve also noticed that, bit by bit, the Christmas lights are going up. It will soon be time to think about presents, decorating the house and deciding upon our Christmas menu. And just like Christmas, one thing is for certain – we’ll be eating Christmas lunch outside and enjoying a few hours of warm sunshine - this is, after all, the French Riviera.