At first they were suspicious, with every indication that they would find reason to begin a violent rejection of the cat we brought home, but eventually Jackie and Jillie came around and accepted its presence. As long as it knew its place and respected the fact that our two little dogs had precedence and in effect run this household, the cat was left to its down devices.

 

 

We never once witnessed this cat, despite its impressive size, snarl at Jackie and Jillie, or threaten them in any way. So it turned out after all that two little dogs could get along with one very large cat. And the cat itself demands no attention, though at first when I was becoming accustomed to its presence, coming across it often stopped me in my tracks momentarily. But it's been no trouble at all, its schedule is modest; no feeding time, no roaming about outside to threaten birds and rabbits and squirrels, just the occasional light dusting.

 

 

The two little squirrels out first thing in the morning on the porch in -22C misery needed all the fuel they could get today. The temperature had dipped once again overnight to  -27C, with the high for the day to be -20C. Before we took Jackie and Jillie out to the backyard this morning, we dressed them in little woolly sweaters, and even then they made quick work of evacuation, barely making it up the stairs to the sliding door, hobbling with the cold. So no, no hike through the snow-packed forest today.

We had slept in again, woke up late and then just lay in bed,  luxuriating in the cozy warmth of the duvet. The puppies were quiet and content to lay there, comfortable and snug, obviously not thinking ahead to going out to the backyard as soon as we got downstairs. They would have no way of knowing what they were headed out into; a nippy morning with an icy wind.

As usual for a Friday I was busy in the kitchen after breakfast. I asked Irving last night whether he might be interested in chocolate cupcakes, so that's what I set about baking; mocha cupcakes with mocha icing. And I kneaded up a cheese-whole-wheat bread dough as well. Then put on a chicken soup to simmer and planned for the rest of our evening meal.

Irving always has plenty to do around the house, and he started by doing some light vacuuming, then went downstairs to continue on with his stained glass window. Jackie and Jillie came upstairs to visit with me later on when I made up our bed and made quick work of our bathroom. This is routine. When I'm at that point and preparing to change into daytime clothing following a quick exercise routine, they know it's time to prepare for a ravine walk. But there'd be none today.

They would only be broken-hearted, though if they had to forego their afternoon salad, not a weather event that would dictate they'd be missing our daily hike through forest trails. They do enjoy it, look forward to it, and take great pleasure in roaming through the trails, but their brief outdoor excursions to the backyard to relieve themselves inform them they won't be missing much, today, battling excessive cold during their hike.

The fireplace is on in the great room, and their toys are scattered about here and there, so we'll settle down in warmth and comfort to read and to play and to while away a pleasant winter day of sun streaming through the stained glass windows of this house.