Was that a difficult few days ahead?

Dig has had enough of Squirrel shouting 'I'm leaving this family'. He is calling her bluff because he has booked her in, for three days, here. And Squirrel starts her big adventure this coming Friday.

Since the news exploded at 10.02 this morning, Squirrel has rocketed to cloud nine. She is at my elbow every fifteen minutes tugging my sleeve and begging to pack. Shark's jaw dropped at the news before she reassembled her thoughts and demanded seven days on a water sports holiday, with snorkeling. Then in less time than I can take an inbreath, Tiger staked her claim for a week at the local stables on the basis that if Squirrel can go, so can she.

Grit, reaching for an early morning brandy, would prefer a bit more bomb damage all round. And probably a few months warning, so she can steady her nerves properly. After all, this is the first time I'll ever be parted from my little Squirrel for more than a few hours at a stretch. I have never done an overnight watch without her presence, breathing deeply and snuffling sometimes, wrapped up in her pink fairy cotton duvet in the room close to mine. I can check on her at midnight and know in the darkness she is safe.

Then Dig turns to me and says, as if by the way, he is leaving on Tuesday because he has to talk to important people in the South, and he'll be back Saturday. That leaves me to take Shark, Tiger and Squirrel on a three hour drive to the adventure location, drop Squirrel off, then drive home with the other two, try not to weep so hard and better book a Travelodge for Thursday night because otherwise everyone has to get up Friday morning at 5.30am. Don't forget to sort out her bedding and here's the telephone number.

And I'm telling Squirrel I am very happy too and she will have a lovely time.