There are times when it is simply prudent to stand down, set aside habit temporarily. We decided to do just that today in recognition of a set of circumstances, minor but telling. Our backyard is always a more moderate environment than what we are exposed to say, at the front of the house, or just anywhere outside the backyard which boasts a protected micro-climate all its own. Today there is little difference between that micro-climate and the world outside it.

When we were out on the forest trails yesterday morning, it was in the aftermath of a substantial snowstorm. During the storm of the day and previous night before, the temperature hovered around the freezing mark. Yesterday, for our hike through the forest trails, it was -8C, which can be tolerable, but not when an Arctic wind joins the cold, blasting through the forest. To be sure, the forest does give some wind protection; in its fastness the wind is comparatively subdued in comparison to what it's like at street level.

We dressed ourselves adequately for the environment, as we did for Jackie and Jillie, our two little mugwump companions. At the time they were sporting a four-month growth of hair. They looked like hairy little tramps, but on the other hand, those haircoats had the function of retaining warmth aside from the sweater, jacket and boots they were wearing, to make the cold tolerable for them so they could enjoy our tramp through the snowy woods.

Mind, their tramp is a lot easier than ours; given they're quadrupeds and we're bipedal. They were negotiating the new snow depth quite handily, given their protective little rubber booties. We were taking it a little more gradually on the ascents of necessity, since loose snow kept us sliding backwards and hindering our upward momentum. And, after all, we're 79 years older than our four-year-old sibling pups.

Today is a colder day, and the wind even more emphatic, and the atmosphere that meets us in the backyard is one of icy chill, accentuated by a piercing wind. That, added to the fact that our little toy breed poodles had an appointment with the groomers' yesterday helped our decision to remain home today. Our pups are a little restless, but then they always tend to be -- Jackie, in any event, a fireball of nervous energy, his sister considerably less so. He has a lean and wiry conformation and hers is most definitely 'robust' in appearance.

They no longer appear scruffy and wild-haired. We knew they were in there, somewhere, in that tangle of hair, and they certainly have emerged as trim and beautiful little dogs. Somehow, with that long hair they gain the appearance of sturdiness. With their hair shorn even at the medium level for winter, they appear fragile. They are delicate because of their size, but robust because of their youth, health, and constant forays within a natural environment.

For us, there's no lack of things to do. We're bookworms, both of us, always have been omnivorous readers. Our pups have been indulging in episodes of vigorous run-abouts in the house, chasing one another, grappling together, working off some energy. Tomorrow's another day, and that other day will bring a diminished cold and wind. And we'll be off again.