Biff sits watching intently as I make carrot and butterbean soup and whip up a chocolate soufflé at 2.30am. He is probably thinking: 'why can't my owner keep more conventional hours?'
'I have to do this now,' I explain. 'As tomorrow is New Year's Eve and our friends are coming to dinner. I need to get organised.'
He leans his head to one side, fixes me with his intelligent jet button eyes, and I swear to god he can understand what I am saying.
Before I head off to cook the main course and do some 'critical cleaning' - tempting though it is just to dim the lights to hide the dust and muddy paw-prints when my guests arrive- I'd like to wish everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!
A Happy New year to you too, Mimi. I hope you will sell many articles to newspapers for us to read; may your love-life be perfect as well.