on the importance of frost

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.— Robert FrostThough not the first frost of the season, we had the first proper frost this morning. The sort that lingers long after sunrise, reluctant to surrender the lawn to daylight.The grass still crunched beneath our feet when Eva and I returned from our walk shortly before seven. It had been a subdued and abbreviated expedition. Poppet was moving slowly, feeling decidedly sorry for herself after a spectacular digestive rebellion yesterday. Back home, meanwhile, a biological minefield awaited attention upstairs — alarmingly reminiscent of events chronicled before. Some lessons, it seems, require periodic revision.At eight o'clock, I headed to the shops for chicken breasts, the cornerstone of our household's emergency canine gastroenterology programme. Chicken and rice have rescued us before, and we were prepared to place our faith in the bland remedy once again.Without ever discussing it, The One and I…