There, it's done, all done now. Time to rest. The puppies' bedding, sweaters, towels, halters and collars have been washed. Because they've been at the groomer's. So they've been washed too, along with having had a manicure and a shave. And they're delighted to be back home. While they were being groomed, we did the food shopping. And now that's all done, too.

It worked out very well, time-wise. But for the fact that when we usually do the shopping it's early morning and the supermarket has few people around and about. This time, at 2:00 pm the store was crowded with people, and we aren't now accustomed to that. And nor do we quite appreciate it. It will be a relief to return back to our usual early morning shopping time, far fewer people in circulation. And those that do show up mostly do so masked.

Jackie and Jillie love sniffing around the groceries as we bring them in from the car. They know we wouldn't bring all that food into the house without treating them, and so they had yogurt and salad. Thus reassured that everything has returned to normal, they decided on a bit of play and then a well-earned rest.

We'd gone out earlier in the day, before their appointment, for our ravine hike. Cold and damp, but the wind that has been howling through the trees the last several days -- yesterday gusts to 50 kmh -- has spent itself. It was, though, overcast, so no random warming rays to make it through the forest canopy today. What we did see was scads of litter brought down by the wind from the trees; little bits of broken branches, a lot of cones and pieces of bark.

We scarcely had time to change out of our rough hiking clothing, and prepare Jackie and Jillie, before it was time to leave for their appointment. Usually when we're ready to leave the house both of them are at the door, pleading with us to take them with us. Today when we called Jillie over she just ignored us, while Jackie trotted anxiously around, waiting to go.

Hours later, preparing dinner, they kept visiting me as I cut up vegetables for an eggplant, tomato, mushroom and cheese casserole.  They feel entitled, any time they hear a knife on a cutting board to bits of whatever I'm working with. On this occasion, tomato and cheese did the trick. 

It feels so good whenever we've done the shopping and the fruit and vegetable drawers in the refrigerator are brimming, tempting and ready for use, challenging me to think of what I'd like to do with all those ingredients.  When it's a casserole, like today's dinner, I can just slip it into the oven and let it prepare itself while the aroma wafts around the house.

Irving put the fireplace on and the family room is comfortable both to the eye and to our cold-sensitive feelings. We could stamp 'perfect' on this day for getting things done efficiently and preparing to relax. That's something Jackie and Jillie are familiar with and wildly enthusiastic about.