The dogs in the neighbourhood are going crazy..

It was difficult to get out of bed today, which, I must admit, is not unusual.

I set various alarms, and as each one rang, I felt increasingly less comfortable with the idea of getting up. I covered my head with my duvet and willed the nagging pain in my bladder to cease.

The dog's bladder, however, I'm unable to ignore as I do my own, so I rolled out of bed slowly, promising myself and the pup that we would both climb into bed again shortly. I bundled us both up and outside we went into the cold late-November morning, which greeted us with the first significant snowfall of the year.

And the pup promptly turned around and tried to sneak back into the house.

Um, thanks, pup.

I walked into the middle of the lawn and called her name. The dog sat down in front of the door.

I patted my knees to signal her to "come". Ellie laid down.

I whistled. Pathetic hound eyes answered me.

FINE. Back inside the house we went, and back to bed. We spent an hour together, burrowed under chenille and cotton, avoiding the day together.

I hope the pup enjoyed it at least half as much as I did.