Another busy Saturday lived to the accompaniment of intermittent torrential rain – but this time I wised up and took an umbrella! Sherlock had his first date with a couple from BorrowMyDoggy – a site which matches people with dogs with people who would love to have a dog in their life but can’t own one for one reason or another. Possibly because I described him as “a chocolate-brown cockerpoo with film-star good looks”, Sherlock has had a lot of interest on the site but this is the first couple with whom we have got as far as the “Welcome Woof” as the site refers to the initial meeting. I was going to cancel, on account of the rain, but Tudor and Jo sounded so desperate to go ahead that I relented and we met by the church on the heath at 2pm. It was clearly love at first sight and, after talking to them for a while, I had a good feeling about them. I gave them a quick briefing on Sherlock, being careful to include his less desirable (sock-stealing, shoe-chewing) traits and warning them that he couldn’t be let off the lead in public yet as he is a bit unpredictable around other dogs, but they just gazed at him with worshipful expressions. When I asked if they would like to take Sherlock for a walk they, to use an expression favoured by an old friend of mine, “practically ripped my arm off and hit me with the wet end”. They came back an hour later, eyes shining, and reported defensively that Sherlock had behaved impeccably and was in fact very well-mannered around other dogs! As for the object of all this adoration, well, young Sherlock looked like a kid who has spent the afternoon being plied with forbidden sweeties at Grandma’s house!

The fruit and veg market was amazing today. This lot – aside from the ginger and garlic which are from last week – cost 3 quid, and we had already eaten some of the tomatoes for dinner! The flat peaches are very sweet and juicy.