Creatures of habit

The aunties have arrived! Their first visit to Portugal, our third.

We ate supper outside in the steamy heat (29 degrees at midnight last night), half-deafened by cicadas, occasionally lazily throwing balls for the neighbours' dogs who accept us as temporary custodians of the house and sneaky-under-the-table-treat-feeders year after year. We're watched from a distance by the two cats, Ronnie and Reggie, who beg for affection and food when the dogs have trotted back home. Geckos scuttle up the walls, wasps annoy. Late night swims and stars above the pool.

'Isn't anyone going to put me to bed?' says Tom, plaintively, as he sees us tucking into the second bottle of rose.

I did. Eventually.

PS. a huge thank you for being so generous with your hearts and stars on yesterday's Blip. I'm really happy it worked and very happy you liked it.