Young Brady has always been remarkably observant and takes a close interest in everything I do - including using the computer, which the other Beardies regard as an irritation which takes up far too much of my attention, which should really be devoted to them.

But Brady likes to stand beside my chair, with his front feet in my lap so that he can see exactly what I am doing.

Imagine my surprise, however, when I left the room for a few moments and returned to find the whiz kid with his paw on the mouse and his eyes on the screen saver, which shows our Blodyn, who happens (together with litter sister Hanner) to be 11 years old today..........