I was sitting in the sunshine in the garden today, watching our two cats, the stars of our next book, sunning themselves. Tui has a big, thick, fluffy coat and doesn't seem to mind roasting. Magic, his ears constantly on the alert, always is on guard against any would-be marauders with designs on his territory and (more importantly) his food bowl. It is his job and he takes his responsibilities very seriously - so seriously in fact that we never see other cats in our garden. These two animals are so beautiful, at ease and relaxed in the garden. Their ivory fur shining in the midday light, their bright, golden eyes half closed, they can be awakened in a heartbeat if there's chance of a game or the swift, crafty lick of a tasty morsel from our lunch plates. This is one of my favourite photos of the two of them, taken when Magic was still very young. No longer a kitten but adolescent, certainly not yet adult.

We had planned to go to the Serpentine Gallery today to the Jeff Koons exhibition, but the sunshine and the beauty of cats and garden delayed us, so Koons lost the contest. No contest!