Mr Toad

I'm tired... I didn't get off to sleep until about 2 o'clock this morning. Just couldn't really sleep, plus I was quite hot too and that didn't help.

I'm pretty sure that there was someone in my back garden last night - I could hear lots of shuffling and moving around but everytime I went to the window, I couldn't see anything. The security light came on a couple of times as well. It sounded like something being dragged around, but I don't know what... So, yeah. There was no way I was going to lie there with the windows open, second floor or not, so I had to shut them, and that didn't help. Creepy.

Talking of creepy, I just went out to post a letter and bumped into one of my neighbours on the way back. The way our road is laid out, we don't really have next-door neighbours, but I guess he's the closest to it. I've seen him wandering about a couple of times before; a tubby walnut of an elderly guy with a little cap and a big old coat. He reminds me of Mr Toad off Wind in the Willows. He's normally dragging some equally elderly tiny dog along with him. I say dragging because I've never actually seen it move - to be honest, I think it's been dead a while.

Anyway, he was pulling some great big bags out of the boot of his car (which I've never seen him drive) and I thought I'd be all nice and neighbourly and say 'hello'. All he did was look me up and down with that kind of 'I disapprove of the length of your skirt' look and turn around and shuffle inside. And I thought people in the countryside were supposed to be more friendly. Yeah. That's the last time I'm being nice. Next time I see him shuffling across the road, I'll run him over. Or I'll ask my dad to, anyway. I'll get you, you and your little dog too!

I wouldn't be surprised if it'd been him shuffling around in the garden last night, whispering to his little dead dog, 'look, precious, nasty new people in their big housey, come to take precious away. Won't let that happen, will we precious? Stab them in the ears during the night we will.'

Today, I plan to sunbathe with a shot gun.

H x