Troll tree

Another day spent sorting the house out. Will it ever end? Mr B has put more shelves up, which are nearly full. I think we must be nearly there now...

We took a break for a late afternoon walk up Letham Glen, hunting for trolls. Not sure they live in trees, but the kids wanted to have a quick check just in case.

We also had to have a quick chat about dogs. My kids are a bit nervous around dogs - never having had one of their own - so I've spent years explaining that most dogs are perfectly fine and they shouldn't worry too much about them. Most dogs just want to play and, whilst that can be scary if you're small and the dog is big, it's not really a dangerous situation. Where we used to live, 80% of the dogs were labradors (I'm really not exaggerating - there used to be a joke that you were handed a golf club membership application and a labrador pup when you moved into the village). Here, around half the dogs I have seen are some kind of Staffy cross. I'm going to be judgemental here, so those of you of a sensitive disposition, or with a lovely gentle Staffy cross who you'd happily leave alone with young children, had better look away now.

I like dogs, but I don't like those dogs. I don't trust them. I don't think they are bred to be gentle companion dogs. And I think the swelling numbers of them (from what I understand from the papers) in dog pounds bears that out.

So, I hope you'll forgive me that prejudice. I'm sure there will be exceptions, just as I am sure there probably is a snappy, mean-spirited labrador somewhere. But it's all about balancing risks. And protecting my kids, rather than a dog-owners sensitivities.