Over the years two of our house cats have succumbed to their curiosity about the bubbling water. They walked out on the ice to the edge. One fell in. He had no trouble whatsoever climbing right back up on to the ice sheet. He looked around as if thinking, "Hope nobody saw that."

New Years Day many years ago one of my Aussies fell in when the ice at the edge of the open hole collapsed. After unsuccessfully trying to climb back onto the ice, she looked around and headed for shore. I was already headed towards the pond, coffee cup in hand in my flannel pajamas and house slippers when she made it back on land. It was 2 degrees above zero. She was encased in ice by the time she ran the 100 feet to me.

I was glad I didn't have to take a January 1 swim.