Yesterday was quite traumatic.
After our return from sight-seeing in Berlin, we let the pets out into the garden.
Almost immediately, Raymi the cat reappeared with a mouse. The mouse was not dead and Raymi was doing that revolting cat thing of playing with the poor creature.
My inclination was to let the cat finish what he'd started, as I presumed the mouse would already be mortally wounded.
I told Tim what was going on out there in case the dog tried to muscle in. Since we arrived here Kita has realised she's a hunting dog and spends her morning walk wrenching my arm out of its socket in her unsuccessful but enthusiastic pursuit of various rodents.
I also told Rhiannon not to go out there. She's way too sensitive for that kind of scene. Besides, we'd already had a pretty stressful day.
Did she take any notice of me? Of course not.
Anyway, Tim rescued the mouse which, as it happened, was uninjured, just in deep shock, understandably.
The squeals from Rhiannon started, "Ohhh it's soooo CUTE! Please can we keep it as a pet? Please, please, pleeeaaase? I love it!". Repeated at top volume until your ears melt...
They released the little mouse outside our fence at the end of the garden. I didn't like to tell them that's where a neighbour's cat lurks...
Anyway, a few minutes later piercing screams of the utmost horror tore through the quiet air. I thought Tim, Kita or Raymi had been injured in some kind of accident, such was the intensity of Rhiannon's freak-out.
Nope. Yet another mouse had popped up through a drain on the other side of the house.
And Kita made her first kill.
I've wondered for some time what Kita would do if she did actually catch one. Would she lick it and try to make friends with it? Or did she have the killer instinct to dispatch it quickly and cleanly?
I suspected the former.
I was wrong. Apparently she was extremely efficient. And very proud of herself.
Shame she had to do it in front of Rhiannon.
I'm afraid my warped sense of humour kicked in and I suggested we send it to my friend to be stuffed... Rhiannon was most unimpressed and I think Tim was a bit horrified too.
Yes, I'm evil... sorry.