All this stuff about the loyalty of dogs is sometimes a myth. Maria has turned our three sweet and devoted dogs – including the sweet Therapy Dog Zinnia – into a pack of thugs, sicced on me every morning to get me out of bed.

While I was recovering from my abscessed tooth, I was permitted to sleep late. Yesterday I made the mistake of saying I was much better.

It was snowing this morning, and I promised to get the new snowblower out. So she turned the pack on me, and my feckless dogs all landed on the bed and routed me.

Fate and Bud were somewhat gentle, but when Zinnia anded on my chest and start gnawing on my nose, I fled the bed. I’ve been snow-blowing for an hour, but the dogs can get their own morning treats.