I regret to report that the pink salt trick has done little for me. Over six days of imbibing said pink crystals, water, lemon juice and honey (not all at once) I report that I am now half a pound heavier than day one. Day 2 was encouraging as I seemed to have lost one whole pound. But regrettably this was not to last.

Perhaps you have to be exceedingly fat to lose much. While I carry a little more than I would like, I don't think anyone would call me fat. I will take a break and perhaps try again in a week or so.

It was Nala's birthday yesterday. She reached the grand old age of 8 and so she got to chomp down on a piece of raw steak for her dinner. Gone in a minute and a half, I should think - if I ever thought of timing it! This morning while I was weeding in the sunshine, I heard her chewing something close by, looked round and here she is trying to break off a dead lavender branch. Very hurt when I told her she couldn't do that - no no no.