You live and learn. I have always thought a donkey was a donkey, and mules & asses were the same thing, the cross breed with a horse.

Donkeys were a big thing when I was a child, riding them on Blackpool beach. For some reason, I have always wanted one. We have a bit of land, a few paddocks, (mainly rented out to horsey type people, but a smaller one near the house doing nothing) and there is a donkey sanctuary not far away.

The situation is this. I refuse to keep chickens. She refuses to have a donkey. However, during peace talks in Geneva, she conceded I could have my donkey if she got her chickens, I reserved my view for the time being.

What do you think? The greyhound ignores horses and won't get near chickens anyway. Be buggered if I know what to do? I said at the outset that buying an old farmhouse is not a precursor to giving Dr Doolittle a run for his money.