When Susan suggested getting snuffle-mats for the pups as Christmas presents, I have to admit that I just didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. To me they just looked like messes of fabric, and very expensive messes at that. Being a stingy Yorkshire git I talked her into going the DIY route, and yesterday evening our lounge became a snuffle-mat factory; I had my head down cutting cheap throws from The Range into strips, while Susan carefully tied those strips onto the plastic sink drainer mats I’d found in Morrisons for just £1 a pop.

We got through one feature length movie, two episodes of Star Trek and four rounds of coffee before they were done, and Biggles didn’t help by trying to make a bed on them at every opportunity. Once they were finished I closed my eyes and ran my hand through them, imagining a Beagle snout foraging for buried treats, and finally began to understand why these things are popular. I think these could just be the most fun pressies Beanie & Biggles have had to date. What’s more, having made our own mats we’ve still got some leftover strips for emergency repairs; I suspect we’ll be putting them to good use if Biggles decides that the best way to get to the treats is to nibble through all the tufty bits. Let’s just hope he doesn’t swallow too many of the tufts and force us into a visit to the emergency vet!

Finally, here’s a few shots from a trip to Semple Castle park a week ago. It’s a very pretty park – especially on a sunny but frosty day – and is only a half hour drive from our home, yet in the eight years we’ve been in Ayrshire this was our first visit!