An odd week. Since my last post on Monday morning, my condition worsened through the day and it quickly became apparent I had caught Andrew's bug. As I write this, I am still sneezing, coughing and sore throated, but much better than I was earlier in the week. Fortunately, Andrew made a full and speedy recovery, and has been in work all week and running too.

Monday was an eventful day for another important reason. During the afternoon, I received a telephone call asking us to foster a greyhound bitch who had been picked up on the weekend. After a quick confirmatory call to my beloved, this was agreed and Andrew went down to pick her up near Llanelli on Monday evening. When she arrived, she was a very pretty little bitch, the colour of the darkest chocolate (not quite black). She has a scar on her right nostril that looks like she had a fight with a barbed wire fence and lost, and a number of sores and calluses that suggest she was a kennel dog and had been sleeping on hard surfaces. She was almost certainly abandoned because she is stiff in her hips and this would have affected her working performance, likely caused by overwork. She is underweight but not badly so. When she arrived, she was rather smelly and scruffy.

She has the most delightful temperament - being friendly, curious, confident and remarkably laid back considering her recent past. She has beautiful brown eyes and a little grey round her muzzle. Monday evening was rather hairy as Andy and Booty (the latter especially) had to adjust to an interloper in "their" space. There was a great deal of posturing and a little bit of growling, but eventually we all went to bed quite peacefully. On Tuesday I took her to the vet where she promptly made friends with everyone she could find. Came away with wormer and flea treatment and today took her for her vaccination (round one) and her microchipping. She had her bath on Tuesday evening and like most dogs I' ve known was not very enthusiastic. However, she emerged cleaner, more fragrant and fluffier. As the days have gone on, relations have become more relaxed and cordial between her and our two which is good to see. She has been enjoying her food and has been mostly clean in the house, bar two very minor accidents.

As the week has progressed, she has made herself more and more at home, gradually getting the hang of the sofa and the spare bed where she can relax in comfort. For several afternoons this week, she and Booty have sunbathed together in the garden, which has been lovely to see. We've made an appointment for her spaying, and once that is successfully over, she can be homed. I attach some photos, two of her on the sofa after her bath, and one outside sunning herself while I was hanging out the washing.

Her adoptive name will be Callie, but for some reason Andrew referred to her as Murgatroyd when he called me on Monday evening on the way home - this has now stuck and is how we refer to her.

It is also a pleasure to write about shopping experiences that go well. On Monday (unrelated to M's arrival) I ordered some more dog food from the Pets at Home website. We don't have a branch near us so this is ideal. Delivery was free plus there was a free fleece blanket when you spent over a certain amount, which I did anyway for several sacks of kibble. Ordering this way also saves having to lug all the heavy sacks home which is great. The courier arrived yesterday and manfully hauled the sacks up the steps and into the house - what great service.

The other business I'd like to praise is in California - and stocks OPI nail varnish and Avoplex oil. I had previously bought OPI products from QVC and probably will in the future, especially as their kits tend to be very good value but really wanted some Avoplex which is the most superb product for dry nails and cuticles. Anyway, Beverley Beaute had it and the new season nail colours for amazingly low prices. The varnish was £5.90 a bottle when it is usually around £10 in the UK or even more (gulp) if you buy it in a salon. The postage was a flat rate £5 for the UK which was very reasonable. So on Monday I ordered two bottles of Avoplex plus two gorgeous nail colours and they arrived this morning - how fabulous is that?!! With prices and service like that it is a pleaure to recommend them.