“Want to come for a walk with us to Cockwood?” I asked, looking first at my seven year old niece Charlotte (alias Sporty).

“No thank you Aunty Sally,” she said after a long and pensive pause.

Likewise John, sixteen, (had a feeling he would have “homework”!) and eleven year old Daniel (also known as Bubba) deliberated long and hard before screwing up their faces and making their excuses. At this juncture Lizzie and Martin came home with little Mary (Fairy), who had just won a silver medal at an athletics competition. She, too, had no yearning to walk with us the five or six miles to Cockwood and back.

“Benji would probably like to go,” said Liz, “he hasn’t been out all day – has he John?”

Chris bridled. As kind and sweet as my husband is, he has never shown any interest in young Benji who is hyperactive and a tad over-affectionate.

“I’d love to,” I smiled and excitable Benji plonked himself on my lap and gave me a kiss (I don’t mind his affections).

“Come on then, let’s go,” I enthused as I was eager to continue with our walk (we live nearly a mile from my niece).

“I’m sure he’ll be good with you,” Liz encouraged with a broad grin and Martin slipped me a bag of goodies for Benji (just in case).

Now I enjoy to stop and take photographs whenever I go out walking so guess who ended up looking after our hyperactive charge?

“You look quite at home with him,” I told Chris.

“Well I’m not really as heartless as you imagined – I grew up with dogs,” said Chris.

And Benji the Cockapoo (not cockatoo) behaved impec(k)ably – except for when he ran across the road to make friends with a horse!