Lily

Today has been cracking hot. I usually handle it ok biking home but today felt like I was under a grill.

That could in part be due to a lack of sleep. Mr Benedict refused to come home last evening. He disappeared around 7.30pm and didn't respond to calling or shaking his biscuit container.

I woke to the call of nature at 3.30am, and realised Bene hadn't come home. I felt anxious and didn't really sleep again, or at least sleep restfully. At 6.30am there was no sign of him when I hung some washing. I was just going to head out with his biscuit jar to call him and check the road gutters, but when I opened the front door he appeared from under the ferns.

He was stretching, yawning and looked very pleased with himself. He was also full and didn't want breakfast. Within a few minutes he was fast asleep on the sofa.

One of us had to head out to work to keep Benedict in the luxury to which he's become accustomed. That was me ;-)