The Macnaughties foil plans for Easter fun

An Easter egg hunt in the garden was supposed to be a treat for the neighbours’ children but guess who got there first...

have been and gone, I tell her to turn up when they can. The youngsters arrive after lunch. They are carrying buckets, which means high hopes of booty.

I give mum a cup of tea and the wee ones a few search hints. We then sit back and wait for the squeals of excitement.

Squeals do indeed come. But they are not of joy. Ten minutes later a pair of disenchanted searchers is back in the house.

I tell them to go and redouble efforts. To look closely in pots and flowerbeds.

They do so but again they return empty-handed. Which pots, which flowerbeds?

Now the chief has joined the fray. He is rootling about under the small juniper bush by the front door while I am scouring beneath the azalea bushes.

Meanwhile, mum is busy examining the herb trough, where the chives are starting to sprout – and where there should be a golden egg or two.

I suppose it could have been the birds. Or a passing fox, or badger.

But when backs are turned, it appears someone closer to home has been patrolling the garden and sweeping up the spoils.

We know this because the Macnaughties are now lying quietly in their beds, looking a little guilty – and a lot queasy.

Rummy can smell food at a hundred paces

It is my fault, of course. But mostly to blame is the naughty Norfolk. Rummy can smell food at a hundred paces.

Then there is the greedy cocker spaniel. Barra can wait for hours for a fragment of fat ball to fall from the bird feeder. Or for a tad of toast to drop from the table.

Such things are fair game. But dogs and chocolate is a definite no-no.

And we have yet to discover what dogs and silver foil means.

For our young guests, this is not shaping up to be the best Easter. Luckily, I have two large spare eggs which can be used as consolation...