'Let me get up first tomorrow', said the Bear, 'and I'll bring you a cup of coffee in bed'.

Wow, what had I done to deserve that? The only problem was that this weekend I'm looking after the neighbour's house, dog and fish and that means taking Nino walkies before he pees on the kitchen floor. Sure enough, when the alarm went off Bear turned over and started snoring again while I got ready to venture out in the wind and rain. Even the cats took one sniff out of the window and refused to get their little paws wet or their fur ruffled.

Fortunately the little dog was not keen on the weather either and after a quick cock of leg up the nearest lampost he made a beeline for his front door. I settled him in with his breakfast, fed the fish and opened the shutters before coming home to do my own chores.

An hour later, Bear managed to wake up and 'pottered' in the attic till lunchtime. After we'd eaten he offered to make some coffee. 'Thanks. Do you know how to use the machine?' I inquired.

'No, I was gong to make instant' was the reply. 'How about another lesson then?' The Bear agreed and watched while I made the coffee. 'Seems simple enough' he decided. But will he remember for next time?

At least, he helped carry the dirty plates to the dishwasher but stacking them is not in his vocabulary. While I washed up the rest of the pots and pans, I watched in horror as he 'cleaned' the glass topped table with a grubby looking rag.

By the time I'd finished at the sink and cleaned the cooker he was settled in front of the telly watching yet another American cops programme, no doubt worn out by his unaccustomed domesticity.

At least he meant well. Or does he have an ulterior motive? He has been hinting that he'd like me to 'hold his hand'  when he visits his family in England but I was hoping for a little holiday apart from Bear.