Lift Chi Up, followed by more urgent admin.

Went downstairs at lunchtime to discover Sherlock hadn’t eaten his breakfast and was definitely not his usual lively self. Urgent trip to the vet revealed that he has panosteitis. Not as bad as it sounds – a canine version of growing pains. £89 later, Sherlock, after a shot of onsior (a doggy NSAID) bounded homewards at full speed and scarfed down his leftover breakfast in short order. Got a few more bits and pieces done, then Katie and I walked to the village to return the 15-shaped cake tins and had coffee/milk at our favourite cafe. A couple of hours gardening then helped Nick put the new trampoline together. It was hardly assembled before Kate and Dash were on it, bouncing enthusiastically while Nick attached the safety enclosure. It’s hard to believe that less than two years ago we were still apartment-bound, gazing out on the neighbour’s roof terrace with covetous eyes – and here we are, living in this beautiful place, with so much SPACE. Feeling very lucky.

Scored £15 tickets to Great Britain at the National, starring Billie Piper. I was surprised to get an email today, offering the opportunity to buy before the general public, when the play opens on Monday – normally these offers are months in advance. But it turns out that it has been developed and rehearsed in secret as it couldn’t be publicised until the phone-hacking case was concluded. But Billie Piper definitely isn’t playing Rebekah Brooks, oh no she isn’t …