Busy day! Didn't even have time to shovel yesterday's snow yet. Not to worry, tomorrow's another day. And another day. And another snowfall. Shovelling is endless. Until and unless we shovel the walkways in the backyard, every time Jackie and Jillie go out they know enough to 'up!'. Meaning they leap up to the settle positioned on a wall close to the sliding glass doors, where a towel has been laid, and two other towels await our use, to wipe the snow off their little paws. They know the routine. If they're wet with rain, up they go to wait patiently until they're wiped down.

We wanted to get out earlier than usual with them today, for their afternoon walk through the forest. So they could get their daily exercise before their appointment at the groomer's. It was such a lovely winter day we decided we'd go a bit further on our circuit to give ourselves and them more time to enjoy the atmosphere. Not much wind, but the temperature had risen to -1C, and the sun was out.

Actually, it was almost blinding, walking up the street to the ravine entrance. We've got snow everywhere packed down tight on the street and sitting high and deep on people's lawns, so the sun glancing off the snow is  just too bright for our eyes. We should've put on sunglasses, but didn't. That's the price we pay for a perfect winter day. Once in the forest, however, it's no longer a problem.

The sun does filter through the canopy, but it's nowhere near as pervasive, and by the time we were halfway through our hike, the sun gave centre stage to clouds and the forest interior reverted to its usual dusky appearance. The top layer of snow from yesterday's all-day snowfall was light enough and sticky enough to cover the puppies' legs. But their paws kept dry, thanks to their booties.

We got home just in time to go off again to their appointment. Where we left them to do the grocery shopping while they were being groomed. We had a number of stops first, pharmacy then bank, then supermarket. Prices appear to have stabilized somewhat. And now that Christmas and New Year's have passed the large container for Food Bank collections is not as stuffed as it's been for weeks, so there was ample room for our bag of donated food staples this time.

We picked up our puppies after admiring how svelte they now appear, and first thing after we hauled all the groceries into the house was preparing their little vegetable salads for their afternoon treat. They were famished, they told us.  Irving trimmed the cauliflower before I put it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator and since they're mad for cauliflower he gave them plenty of pieces to munch on.

Then they settled down for a prolonged nap, content themselves in having undergone a strenuous day to that point. And they'd stay that way, luxuriating in slumber, the fireplace blazing, until dinner time. I prepared a casserole of pasta, cheese sauce, pink salmon and green peas, then checked on my email and media account. And it was time for me to join Irving, reading the newspapers.