Laura's 9 but she still believes in Father Christmas. At least, she says she does. I'm not convinced she isn't playing along with us, a) so as not to upset any one and b) to get more presents, but she declares that Father Christmas is alive and well. Vicky, apparently, said Father Christmas is really your dad leaving your presents out for you but Laura said, in that 9-going-on-34 patronising sort of voice she adopts for these occasions, along with the raised eyebrows and the slight smile, "Well I believe in him, Vicky. You believe what you like but he's very real to me."

Anyway, we went late afternoon shopping in Warrington when she'd finished school the other day. There's a beautiful new addition to Golden Square,...

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It all started with Laura's DVD of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". There's a section that shows how some of the special effects were acheived and one of them is about the squirrel scene.

It was about 6 months ago we were watching it and Maddie, the cat, was lying on the pouffé more or less asleep when the squirrel movements caught her eye. She started to watch what was happening on the screen and, within a few minutes, she was sitting up and taking a keen interest in the proceedings.

After showing how the few tame squirrels were trained, the clip showed the computer enhanced scene with dozens of squirrels running around. Maddie left the pouffé and hopped up on the TV table, spellbound. After...

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Our Jo and John were going to a ball at a place in Much Wenlock, Staffs. Peter and his girlfriend, Claire, were going to Skegness for the weekend. Who goes to Skegness in November? Come to think of it, who goes to Skegness at all? There was a reason for them going but, I've forgotten what it was.

So, Travis needed to come for the night. He duly arrived at 1.30 p.m. with his bed, his bowls, his food and his lead. He bounded in and panted up to the cat who hissed at him but didn't run away - well done, Maddie. As his mum and dad drove away he watched through the dining room window but there was no whining and he just trotted to me for some fuss.

An hour later he was put on the lead and walked round...

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It was exercise class # 2 today.

We all did our exercises, diligently, me with the ton-weight on my shoulder, and then we settled down for the coffee and biscuits and the TALK.

Steve, one of the physiotherapists, did the presentation. How to conserve energy - not global energy but one's own - was the theme. They were on about not overdoing it when cooking, cleaning etc. and I just thought about me sweeping up the leaves, today, in my back garden and down the side of my kitchen and garage before I went to the class. Well, yes, it left me a bit breathless but I reckon it would have done the same 30 years ago when I was young and fit.

Anyway all was fairly serene until they gave out the handouts....

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Laura's been learning the clarinet since September and she's coming on in leaps and bounds. She knows D E F G A and with those 5 notes you can play some pretty good tunes. The quality of the notes has improved in the last few weeks, too, and her playing sounds more mellow and controlled. She's chuffed to bits with herself, also, that she is learning to read music. I don't think that had occurred to her but it has now dawned on her that she knows what all those notes, rests, pauses and time signatures mean and where to apply them.

The other night she was having a little "jam session", after her formal practice, and as she tootled I realised she was playing the start of "Begin the Beguine". A bit of...

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