Hi Folks, it’s Carrie here. I'm filling in for Bergamot today whilst he partakes in some outdoorsy male bonding with his big brother, Basil. Something I'd not have considered possible a week ago.

True to his word, Basil arrived Monday, the 21st of November at exactly 1400 hours. Bergamot and I were in the kitchen, having a lively discussion regarding the relevance and suitability of Deerstalker hats, when we were startled by a fierce knocking at the front door.

“Who could that be?” I asked.

When I turned to look at Bergamot, I saw that his eyes had grown to twice their normal size and I suspected that he sensed a threat of some kind.

“Mmmm?” he shrugged and edged toward the back door, which stood ajar.

When I asked him where he was going he made a rather flimsy excuse, waving his paw casually, claiming that the flowers needed cataloguing and this task would surely take him the rest of the afternoon. Before he could make his escape however, a thin length of rope tumbled down from the guttering and a stern looking ginger mouse wearing a dark green beret rappelled into view, his right paw against his brow in an unwavering stiff salute. Are you kidding me? I thought. I had to work to keep a straight face..........