Big month for Coco. And it must be said, she has handled it all with true Lhasa Apso demeanour albeit occasionally sprinkled with puppy dramatics. I, as you would expect, have been totally supportive and encouraging, offering a tail or an ear to be pulled whenever such diversions appeared useful for harmony in the home.

First she had The Operation, performed by Dr Elaine at Sugarland Vet ably assisted by Honor the Vet nurse. I should mention that Coco has puppy love for Honor and keeps a very special photo she probably stole of her on the wall of her dog bed. For at least a week after The Op, Coco's great furry feet never touched the ground as she commanded to be carried about and if not obeyed immediately, sat perfectly still and wimpered. It was a sorry sight watching the otherwise sensible Revered Mother rushing to her every wimp and even Adored Father not being totally immune. Coco tired of the Oh-I-am-So-Helpless role quickly though and re-commenced her true vocation as The House Thief. No tissue, sheet of paper, plastic bag, earring or shoe is safe from being pounced upon and dragged off to her lair. As one would expect. But as the senior pup of the household, I do expect my possessions to be sacrosanct from her thieving ways. In fact, I really only have one possession. And that possession is my evening tooth chew. Up until now, I have been able to enjoy it in quite reflection of the day's events, without fear of anyone wishing to share it and certainly no thought of STEALING it from under my very nose, literally. But then along came COCO The THIEF. Caught in the act! She has grown considerably and it is suspected, within the immediate family circle, that she will probably transmogrify into a race horse as her back legs are twice as long as her front legs.

It is not so much that we mind the rain, as Lhasa Apsos love water, but we do mind that this Starfish Street rental house floods from the surrounding run-off.

Only a month or so before we are off to our own new home so I have advised Coco not to start growing webbed feet.

I do hope the next tenant's children have webbed feet though. The Owner's solution to our family has been that we all should wear gumboots downstairs during the rainy season.

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