Posting days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Monday

Hrrrmph. Isis takes the battle of the bedroom to a new level.

It is Sunday night and I am upstairs hanging up clothes and hoping that I can immerse myself in an interesting documentary before I am joined by Hairy One.

No such luck. She arrives just as I hang up the last garment. She walks round to her side of the bed and sniffs the duvet which is covered by a fresh Isis sheet. Then she returns to my side, sniffs carefully and leaps into my space. Which, needless to say, is not covered with a fresh Isis sheet.

“Hey!”, that’s my place,” I tell her authoritatively.

She curls contentedly. There’s a distinct advantage to being deaf.

Sigh.

I insinuate myself under the duvet and Isis. She is not impressed and emits low, rumbly growls. No snapping or snarling though. Gently, I tilt to one side so that she slides off my legs. More low grumbles.

“Look you,” I admonish, “It’s my damn bed.”

Then, feeling that this is very undemocratic, I add, “Dogs don’t need to access their coffee, radio, alarm clock and lamp.”

A dog without conscience, she stretches out her hairy head, snuggles it into my lap and sighs contentedly. She falls asleep.

I sort out extension lead, charger and plug and settle to my viewing.

I can hardly believe it. I don’t need to put the Hudl under the covers. The bedside lamp is still on yet Isis is sleeping: not a sound, not a twitch.

So I am allowed illumination. What unexpected luxury. I can drink my coffee without risk of tipping it over the pillow or into the drawer. And it’s really reassuring to know that I am taking my antibiotic and not a laxative.

Isis came from the Aeza cat and dog rescue and adoption centre in Aljezur, Portugal. For information about adopting an animal from the centre, contact kerry@aeza.org or  www.dogwatchuk.c