After three non-stop days of absolute drenching rain, with no pauses in between to make a mad dash for the outside to sneak in a little walk, today has brought us wide, blue skies and a beaming sun. Our twin puppies though they detest being wet (odd, for poodles) and will do just about anything to avoid placing their tender little paws on wet grass became strangely accustomed to my inviting them outside to the backyard to do their business, despite the teeming rain.  They succumbed to becoming inured to the unfairness of it.

There was no alternative. Each time they returned indoors they were treated to a towelling and this appeared to mollify them; they love any kind of personal attention aimed at them, after all. When they went out first thing this morning Jackie went a trifle berserk as soon as he realized it wasn't raining, the ground wasn't drenched, it was bright and sunny out and everything smelled and looked fresh and sparkling light. At the same time yesterday morning the sky was so heavily hemmed in by dismal dark clouds I took a flashlight out with me.

Each time Jillie prepared herself to squat, she was disturbed by madcap Jackie who kept ramming her to persuade her to have a robust runabout with him. She did manifest some interest and went so far as to begin one of those mad dash-abouts with her brother, but her heart just wasn't in it, and after the initial spurt, she settled back down into an incipient squat to relieve herself. Aborted again, once Jackie relentlessly leaped at her again and again, inciting her to dash about with him. Until he finally settled down and they were both able to go about their urgent/not-so-urgent business.

Today has turned out very nippy, icy-cold, all the more so with a howling wind. But no matter, it is also bright and light and there's a lofty feel to the atmosphere. All of which more than makes up for the cold and the wind. In the ravine because it's Sunday, we came across quite a few dogs taking their humans for a ramble in the woods, and finally, Jackie and Jillie no longer see the need to be obnoxious; they've modified their behaviour to omit the frantic barking each time they see someone. They are becoming civilized. Finally.

And are enjoying the opportunity it gives them to take pleasure in the presence of other dogs, and to run and prance about with them. When opportunity knocks dogs are intelligent enough to want to take advantage of it. So, in this instance, they've learned that frisky dogs like themselves enjoy the challenge of competing against one another, rushing through the woods in a chase, and they've accepted that this challenge is useful to them as an enjoyable treat. As for treats, they took no time whatever in accustoming themselves to the occasional treat doled out generously by other dogs' humans, who take a liking to our little scamps.