We both work off a lot of energy through the course of a day. The natural biological corollary to that is nutritious food to provide for the energy we've expended and for any more to come. So we eat well. We can afford to. Last night we enjoyed a meal of Cornish game hen accompanied by a noodle-egg pudding and sweet-and-sour beets. Oh, and blueberries and yoghurt for dessert. We don't really count the calories as it were. Jackie and Jillie help out where they can; the roasted game hen suits them perfectly, and leftovers to enhance a few following meals for them completely meet with their approval.

Good wholesome ingredients to make up a satisfyingly good-tasting and healthy meal plan are readily available. Canadian food prices, I believe, are reasonable. For whole foods, in any event. And where we tend to shop there are always both advertised and in-store specials. In our community, though, as in all communities in the country, there are people just managing to scrape by financially.

Food banks are more in demand now than ever. In the last several years greater numbers of clients are registering with these community resources of available food aided by community charity. I get frequent requests from our area food bank for financial donations. I usually send any donations directly to them online. But for the most part I ignore those frequent requests. Rather than send financial support I've long been in the habit of donating non-perishable food stuffs where I shop.

I've seen a huge increase in the donations collected at area supermarkets and other places in support of those around us who need help in feeding themselves and their families. The large wire cages that collect the donations brim with donated food. I had trouble finding space where I could leave my own offerings; a bag containing 4 tins of tuna, 4 tins of flaked chicken, three cans of baked beans, five boxes of macaroni and cheese dinner, four tins of soup.

We leave those items and bring home what seems like enough food to feed an army, when it's just two elderly adults. We're fortunate beyond measure. It takes us awhile to put everything away. Then, because we do our shopping as early in the morning as possible to avoid crowds, we have our breakfast, relaxing and reading the morning newspapers.

Time seems to fly by on Tuesdays, shopping day. Before we know it, it's afternoon and Jackie and Jillie remind us there's more to the day than shopping and sitting around, so off we went to the ravine. The morning was sharp, windy, cold. The temperature rose to -7C with a light wind under clear skies and we even had snow flurries off and on throughout the day. Yet another typical January day.

And typically, other people were out exercising their limbs and their dogs were doing the same. Every now and again we'd have a visit from a familiar dog responding to Jillie's barked invitations to come along. Since Jillie knows that if other dogs are being given treats, she'll score some goodies too.