I DON’T take sugar in my tea these days.

It’s funny, because I used to like my tea or coffee stiff with the stuff – that was until I went to Weight Watchers so many many moons ago.

They made me realise that wanting to lose weight meant a little more effort on my part than just attending their weekly meetings.

I have to admit I am rather greedy and food, well, let’s face it, is such a big pleasure.

Well, it is to me anyway.

I don’t have a big breakfast, just a good cup of coffee.

But then I have a nice lunch and later a big tea, or dinner, as the posh folks say.

I also have a single hot whisky toddy before I take my hot water bottle off to bed.

Baby, my little Shih Tzu dog, who is now 13-years-old, follows me and with a large sigh she settles down for the night on her big cushion, which lies on the floor at the side of my bed.

She is so active and playful I sometimes wonder if I have got the dates wrong, because people tell me that she is quite old for a dog, or should I say a bitch.

I don’t like saying that word, though, as it sounds so derogatory, even when it’s used correctly.

You know, for all my lifeI have always had a pet dog, and up until ‘Baby’ they were all male, and all called Mac.

I suppose it’s because of my maiden name being Womack, and the fact that they were dogs.

But when I got Baby she was so small and so cute I think I went a bit soft in the head, and that old maternal feeling came into play.

She became my baby, and 13 years later she still is.

Dogs are the one thing close to you who you can be absolutely certain are absolutely loyal.

You can also be assured that they will love you, no matter what.

I have known friends who, when their dog has died, have been devastated and behaved as though they have lost a member of the family which to them, of course, is exactly what has happened.

n I am now looking forward to my trip to New York.

I am also beginning to accept that old saying, that ‘the anticipation is sometimes better that the realisation’ is probably true.

But I sincerely hope that in this case, that is not so when I finally get over the water to the Big Apple.