Kitchen raid

Robert and I were in the kitchen this afternoon; he is learning to cook before he leaves to join his wife in London. Better late than never. I have tried to ensure that he understands that it is not a woman's job to do the domestic chores and he had better get used to helping. Of course, this philosophy has never worked in my household, as everyone is more than happy for me to do everything, and whining doesn't help - they just tune out. But their day will come!

So there we were, making spaghetti bolognaise, and something made me turn around. Aaarrrgghhh! A really huge baboon was helping himself to the only banana in the fruit bowl. His wife and kid were still outside on the balcony and he didn't take anything else, so I don't know what they got for dinner. But the dogs, as always when I am around, felt brave and decided to attack, much to Robert's consternation. I couldn't think of anything to say to this baboon, who seemed to have gone straight for the fruit bowl and has probably been a guest before. So I alternated between Get out of here! and Monty! Come here!

The baboon jumped onto the couch and looked at Monty and Susie, rather disdainfully, as if to say, Hey, my teeth are much bigger than yours, yappers! and then decided to exit through the door onto the balcony, collecting wife and kid on the way and shinning down the tree (as if he couldn't have just jumped down).

The dogs zoomed out of the front door and made off after them as they scaled the wall to the neighbour to see what was on offer there.

It's been so long since we saw baboons we have stopped closing doors and windows in this lovely summer weather, but as I planted neat rows of  vegetables on the weekend, I did wonder if I was perhaps tempting fate...