We have a new member of our household.
Tasmin is a 13-week-old kitten, extremely cute and full of mischief.
The boys are smitten. She has charmed them completely.
Tasmin sleeps in 12-year-old Isaac's room and he hasn't complained once about the mess or smell.
Even Gabriel, so self-conscious at 14, is happy to ooh and aah at her and giggle at her antics.
She's only been with us a week, but is firmly settled in.
She struts from room to room, chases anything thrown in her vicinity and loves any form of attention.
The only member of our household less than chuffed is our other cat, Momo. Indeed our elderly cat has sulked for days, with no amount of love, affection or chicken enough to lift her out of her gloom.
The roles were once reversed. Momo burst into our childless household 17 years ago, and tormented our other cat – now dead – until the two came to some sort of feline arrangement which involved very little contact.
We're sure the wounded look in her eyes will go with time, but in the meantime, continue to spoil her.
The boys are less sympathetic than my wife and I. They're not used to a cat with so much energy and with the ability to jump.
"Why can't Momo do that," asked Isaac as the kitten launched herself, yet again, on to the curtains.
We're just pleased she's too old even to contemplate such nonsense.
I took the boys sledging once about nine years ago.
It was not a success. Both whinged to return home quickly after our assault on Cleadon Hills.
They didn't enjoy the experience and I hadn't been able to lure either of them back on to a sledge until the current cold snap.
After much cajoling, Isaac agreed to give it another go – and loved it.
He and a mate had to be dragged off the slope after I started losing any feeling in my feet.
They'd plunged down the slopes at breakneak speed, trying all sorts of different sledge positions to make their descent. After a couple of goes, I decided I was far too old and was happy to stand and watch.
"That was mint, dad, thanks for taking us," said a delighted Isaac. "But why have you never taken us before?"
He wouldn't believe me that he hadn't enjoyed his first experience.
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
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Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
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