1. The cats accompany me to the chickens then explore the balcony as I stand in the suntrap on the phone.

1b. I brush white fur off my clothes to hide the fact I have been unfaithful. Lily has already smelled the other cat on me but I might yet be able to hide it from the others.

2. A twit-twoo echos between the stone cliffs of the cutting. We both look around for the source.

3. John has suddenly become interested in something that has fascinated me for years – life in the Alaskan bush. I gush all the snippets of knowledge that I’ve hoovered up and hand him a small pile of books to get him started.