Surprise! We've a morning that has turned, from overcast and damp to sunny, the skies cleared of most of its dark overcast, bringing us rays of sun to warm up our house. And when that happens of a morning, we open wide the dining room shutters and a warm glow settles over the room.

Little Riley adores the sun. He instinctively follows it, settles under it, basks in it, finds unending comfort in the sun. As direct as possible. He will, despite the cold that has now settled in permanently for fall, ask to be allowed outside to wallow in the sun, despite that he suffers in colder weather.

No matter where he happens to be snuggled down after breakfast in one of his beds scattered in various places of our home, he will, from a sound sleep, be instantly alert and respond when even in a quiet voice, one of us will announce "Riley, the sun!" if it has suddenly evidenced itself. He will trot determinedly to the dining room and luxuriate in the sun rays, for as long as they illuminate the room, before the sun rises higher in the sky.

In the sun's absence in this temperature, even in the relative warmth of the house, if he isn't wearing a little coat, he will shiver uncontrollably, and always has, since he was a puppy.