No ACAD for a couple of days, because I’m poorly. It’s a regular event for me to fall ill as soon as I relax during the school holiday. Plenty of teachers will agree that as soon as the pressure lets up, their body lets them down. Anyway, as long as I’m well again in time to go back to school …

‘Shut up moaning Fiona, how is Mouse?!’ I hear you cry. ‘She’s fine and dandy’, I reply. Mouse has got John pegged as the push-over provider of foodie treats (he buys chickens to roast, makes a couple of sandwiches, then feeds to rest to the cats). She has dared to explore part of the house beyond the living room and can cope with the other cats coming right up close to sniff her. She still growls sometimes, but has stopped panicking.

Sorry for today’s pictures; my head and hair are in all of them, but I thought Mouse’s original family might like to see how much she was enjoying being stroked this afternoon.