We were both busy after breakfast doing our separate things. Me engrossed in housewifely preoccupations and he doing what men always seem to do best. After cleaning up from breakfast I began by baking a blueberry pie, using the wild blueberry contents of a frozen pouch, mixing the berries with sugar, cranberry juice and cornstarch to produce a juicy, flavourful pie for dessert. While I was about it, I raised some yeast and kneaded a simple bread dough, refrigerating it for use later in the week.

And then I put a chicken soup on to cook. The chicken used in making the soup, a leg and a thigh, will be used to top up the dog kibble that our puppies eat. I planned to bake a casserole where skinned, deboned chicken breast would be smothered in chopped bell pepper and tomatoes to be served alongside roasted potatoes and cauliflower. That done, a quick cleaning of bathroom, powder room, and some vacuuming.

As for my husband, he took his truck by prearranged appointment to get its underside oiled up for winter driving. It's a yearly investment he makes in the longevity of the vehicles he has owned over the years to ensure the body doesn't fall apart, rusted out from the roadsalt sprinkled on roads and highways throughout the driving-inclement winter months. The establishment he frequents make a temporary loaner available to their clients so they don't have to wait around.

So my husband ran a few errands, popping in to the bank for a withdrawal, stopping by the Great Canadian Superstore for one of their large cakes to feed a dozen, having it iced with the legend: 'From Jack and Jill', and drove it over to the veterinary clinic as an expression of our appreciation for their caring ministrations to our puppies during our appointment earlier in the week.

And then we took Jackie and Jillie out for a ramble in the ravine. Taking care to dress both them and ourselves extra-warmly, because it is extremely cold now. We had a low of -6C overnight and the high for today is to be 0C, but because it is also windy, the cold seeps right into everything and not being prepared for it is a fine recipe for misery.

Some of the snow that covered the trees and the forest floor yesterday has melted, but there's plenty still around. If we're lucky the weather will moderate and become milder, melting the rest of the snow. The creek looked ready to burst its banks yesterday when we were out for a short circuit, but it's gone down considerably now, though still high from the snow melt.

It's always pleasant and invigorating for all of us to be out and about in the forest. We haven't yet hauled our winter boots out, just wore our usual hiking boots and took a little extra care not to slip and side as we ascended and descended hills, and managed quite well. We did though need winter jackets, head coverings and mittens. And we put extra little wool sweaters under Jackie's and Jillie's lighter winter jackets to ensure they'd be comfortable as well.

Three-quarters of the way through our hike, we passed a middle-aged couple that we remembered having seen before on one occasion on the same trail. That recognition was occasioned by the fact that the woman retreated from Jillie's enthusiasm at seeing others on the trail. Jillie loves people but she also rushes toward them, barking her shrill greeting which most people recognize as harmless, but this woman visibly shrank from.

She warned us that she would kick Jillie. I told her our little dog is very vocal, but harmless, she simply gets excited when she sees people and wants to be recognized. Her companion said nothing as they moved past us and Jackie and Jillie fell in behind us. But it does leave a bad  taste, and makes one wonder how a grown woman of mature years could have so little sympathy for other creatures and in the process evince fright when confronted by a very small dog.

My husband advised, as we recall his doing on that previous occasion, that anyone fearful of dogs might want to avoid the ravine, since there are so many dogs about in it frequently, many of a size certain to terrify an emotionally immature individual. Soon afterward we came across an acquaintance with her dog, and described the encounter. She informed us that the man with the woman had been known to act out her threat. Takes all kinds....