Where's Wally?

He (and his mirror image twin) are in our front porch -a place we only ever use in summer, as a way out to the terrace. So, when we had an unexpected visit from the guy who services the alarm system, there was a bit of a scratch around in here till we located the front door key. 

It's the place where stuff fetches up when I can't think where else it could go. The rug is there because the cats for some reason love to claw at it and it was gradually going bald. The sewing machine, because I have far too many old sewing machines, The plants because they are only interesting when they flower. And the china dogs - I bought those in a jumble sale over 50 years ago. The price, 10/6, is still on the bottom, but I got them for half-a-crown because they were so ugly and old-fashioned that no-one else would give them houseroom.  They have been in every home we've had since we married and have served as bookends and door-stops. And now they are retired along with other bits of junk that we can't quite part with.

Wally Dugs, that's why we call China Dogs here. The word crops up in other contexts, to describe tiles, and false teeth.

The Christmas lights are still up in there, and as they are on a timer they go on every evening. I'm keeping them there while the evenings are so long and dark, we need the extra sparkle.