Insomnia and me: Jilly Cooper

I've never been a brilliant sleeper, but since my darling husband Leo died last November I've only managed to grab three or four hours' sleep most nights. Losing him was such an overwhelming thing to happen, and now, without him, I feel like I have such a very big bed. Of course I miss him terribly, but I am doing OK. I wouldn't want people to think I wasn't.

Luckily my beloved greyhounds are keen to fill the bed space. They're always rushing into the bedroom through the night to try to clamber on to the bed first. There follows a stand-off when one of them manages it, as the others then won't climb on. While the dogs often whine, which can be annoying, it's nice to have someone to talk to.