Of course it was all my fault.

Bear has been complaining that he couldn't sleep because his legs were itching. He rummaged through the first aid cupboard and tried various potions but nothing eased it so, last night I suggested he try an antihistamine tablet.

This morning I left him snoring until late as usual but when I took him his coffee he said he felt dreadful and it was all due to that tablet I gave him.

I looked up the side effects on the notice.

"Headache, nausea, dizziness and drowziness" I translated.

"Yes, I've got all of those," he moaned.

He drank his coffee and went back to sleep, snoring loudly most of the morning.

Just before midday, when the noise stopped I went into the bedroom.

"How are you feeling now? Is there anything you fancy to drink - or eat?"

He thought it over and then said he'd like some cereal.

"Should I bring everything on a tray so you can help yourself?"

He fell back on the pillow, holding his head.

"No, you do it. You know how much milk I like - just enough to make the rice krispies rise."

So, back I went with the bowl of cereal and a glass of fruit juice.

"Oh, I don't like that sort of bowl. And where's my banana?"

'Well, he can't be feeling that bad' I thought as I trouped back to the kitchen to get his banana and a knife.

CC made fishcakes for lunch and when we had finished and cleared away I went to see how the invalid was faring.

"That was funny fruit juice. What was it?" was his greeting.

"It was a mixture - multivitamin juice."

"Well, it didn't taste of anything." he grumbled.

"Do you fancy anything else to eat or drink?"

"I'll have a coffee, something with a bit of flavour, and is there any fresh bread?"

So he had thickly buttered baguette for his lunch, followed by a nectarine, neatly quartered.

He got up about three and watched television until it was time for an 'hachis parmentier' (cottage pie) from the freezer (as he wouldn't eat salad like the rest of us) served on a tray in front of the box.

The side effects of one little antihistamine pill were certainly far reaching.

We were having lunch when we heard this squeaking sound coming from the conservatory.

CC and I went out to investigate. The twins and Parsley were stretched out on the armchairs but little Chloe was staring at the corner under the door. We couldn't see anything so we went back to our food.

A few minutes later CC called out, "There's a mouse!" and I caught  glimpse of a small brown shape scuttling for cover behind the radiator. Chloe watched but didn't pounce.

It was a shrew and it was climbing up the wall behind the radiator well out of reach of the cats - or us.

We wondered whether one of the cats had brought it in while the doors were open this morning or whether it had foolishly walked in by itself.

Parsley came over to sniff the intruder but went back to her siesta. There was nothing we could do while the little visitor was rockclimbing out of reach so we left them to it.

Some time later we saw Chloe in hunting posture by the litter tray. It took a combined effort to catch the tiny creature - CC lifted the tray and I pounced with a pot - and then we put him outside in safety.

He seemed rather disorientated at first but then made for safety under some stones.

We have kept all the cats in to give him time to make a complete getaway.