I am not a lover of fireworks by any stretch of the imagination. As far as I’m concerned, as long as I am inside and safe then I can tolerate them but I am distressed by Archie’s distress. He charges round in a frenzy yapping in a high-pitched, terrible way, drooling and whining while he goes.

Tonight there are no fireworks in this remote and dark place. I’ve only seen one single one, let off on the moor by someone out in a car. Hurrah for that I say. I must say though, that Arch’s laid-back demeanour of the evening has disintegrated into grumpiness as the residents of the hotel are coming and going all through the night tonight. He’s not been happy and has shown his displeasure in his doggy way if you get my drift.

We have spent another happy day ambling around, in Ambleside, which I think is quite apt, as well as ambling along the side of Windermere. Archie has swum in Coniston and paddled in Windermere and we have taken photos, chatted and generally mooched about.

I doubt you could say that what we’ve done this weekend has been exciting but it has been great fun and very pleasurable indeed. It has certainly been a really nice break from the feeling of drudgery and the dust at home. I’m glad we’ve made the trip and glad to have met David, Pat and Bill.

We’re on ‘wind-down’ as I write, with Pat and David having gone on their way home after lunch in Ambleside and Bill off out for a work meeting this evening so DM and I are off on our own for supper.

STOP PRESS: While we were meandering along the lake, Spurs were doing the business for us and beating Chelski – that really is a sweet end to the weekend as we only found out (no mobile phone reception here) when Match of the Day was on TV late tonight. Yee ha

Pulling rabbits from hats was last year's story