Joy!

Up and out by six. Today, the lurid day-glo starfish with the bulging eyes joined us on the morning walk - it seems to have become the companion of choice for the two boyz. This morning as soon as it was light the two of them rushed down to the cupboard where it is kept and sat imploringly waiting for it to be brought out. The attraction of this strange piece of plastic may lie in the fact that amazingly the squeaker is still working after two days of chomping and general rough and tumble . When squeezed it emits a high pitched wheeze that must pluck some chord deep in the sheepdog soul.

Here the morning news revolves around the Italian governments decision to switch the G8 heads of government meeting from the luxury of Sardinia to L'Aquila in Abruzzo, where the earthquake recently took place. Cynics claim that the change in venue is because the conference center in Sardinia won't be finished in time. Others, taking a less political view say the presence of the G8 leaders will bring a flood of investment into the striken region.