Interesting how so many things change with the seasons. Those who love to garden are no longer able to with the onset of fall when the garden is put to sleep in anticipation that it will be covered with a thick accumulation of snow that will last for months before it is finally relieved of the burden in spring. Winter is when our reading list grows, with more time to devote to reading. And we gradually move to layering our clothing for ultimate warmth both indoors and out. More deliberation over what to wear than the casual months of summer.

And then there's the return of comfort food to our menu vocabulary. Food whose cooking aroma fills the house with aromatic odours we begin salivating in anticipation over enjoying. All kinds of soup rate high in that comfort category, warming our interiors and pleasing our taste-sensory palate.  It's enjoyable preparing soup, setting it to simmer, and waiting for the dinner hour to roll about.

 

We had fine weather in September and for part of October, weather we felt was unseasonably warm, sunny and pleasant beyond memory. We've felt exactly the same way in other years, of course, with the onset of autumn that retained its summer flavour. But November has always been a serious-weather month and this November is no exception. The nights have grown much colder, into the freezing range, and high wind tends to penetrate to the house interior. Fireplaces are a boon, both aesthetically and practically.

This morning it seemed as though the rain would never stop. We were surprised it was actually raining, since the temperature was hovering on freezing; it should have been light snow, even freezing rain, but though the  rain was icy, it wasn't freezing rain or even sleet. It did eventually stop, and the sun filtered through the heavy cloud cover for a few minutes before the dark clouds closed in again.

 

 

Eventually the rain stopped, but light sprinkles kept erupting, so we dressed the puppies and ourselves in rain gear and went out for our normal routine round through the forest trails. The ground saturated, the landscape appeared drenched and grey, the creek running wild with rainwater. But while we were out no rain fell and like all our forays through the forest, this early afternoon's was pleasant.

Then we were off to take Jackie and Jillie to the groomers. Their hair was long and unkempt, and we were beginning to have difficulties removing burrs from their haircoat. Some of the burrs are so invasive they dig deep into their hair, particularly their ears and topknots and it can be a laborious process to get them out. We left them at the groomers, and set off to do our food shopping. It takes about an hour and a half for them to be groomed and prepared to return home with us.

I never bother with shopping lists. I figure I should know what I need in the pantry and the refrigerator to prepare a week's-worth of meals, and I rarely forget anything I'd meant to stock up on. And then there are always in-store unadvertised specials that we take advantage of, as there was this week. Although the price of absolutely everything has risen in the past several years and we actually see price increases from week to week, I was amused to note that because of special sales it cost us two dollars less this week than the average total of $26 for the non-perishable food products we buy weekly for the Food Bank.

 

When we picked Jackie and Jillie up for the drive back home, they were a squiggly mass of squirming happiness, washing our faces with gratitude on our return. As though we could ever 'forget' that half of our little family is awaiting recovery. This, despite that the young women who look after their toilette do a wonderfully gentle job with them, handling them with fond affection.