Hot, hazy, humid. That pretty well describes this day where the temperature is supposed to top out at 34 degrees mid-afternoon, and we can believe it. Still, while we were hiking in the ravine this morning as long as we were in the shade of the forest canopy and a good breeze cooled us off, the out-of-doors was tolerable.

Jack and Jill came across several friends, and had a nice little conversation and semi-romp with them and we weren't too sweaty by the time we returned home an hour or so later. But because it's so hot and they looked a little untidy I thought it would be as good a time as any to give them the grooming treatment. My thought must have somehow transferred to their little brains, because when I went to look for them, they were nowhere to be found.

Of course, they'd noticed that I was gathering together their grooming equipment and setting up shop out on the deck under the canopy to have a go at them. That didn't impress them in the most positive light, and so of course they made themselves scarce. I tackled Jillie first, then did Jack, about an hour-and-a-half's worth of dedicated snipping.

And then it was bath time! I've concluded that it is Jillie only who is water-aversive, not Jackie, because he was excited about the bath preparations and clearly looked forward to plunging into the water. Jillie, on the other hand, was her usual evasive self, trying to clamber out of the tub as soon as she was deposited in it, while Jack was content to bask in the water being laved over him.

I suds-and-wash them, my husband dries them, simply because he has more patience than me, and does a far better job of it. After which both of those little imps resort to what they do best - race madly after one another around and about the house. As good entertainment as any we can think of.