Once the Christmas holidays were over, it was back to college as usual. All the children were pleased to see each other again. Even Mareng and Mara enjoyed being back though it meant leaving the dogs with their parents. But they both knew the dogs were well cared for and waited for them to get home.

In the middle of the winter there was a lot of snow and ice. Imagine what they could do with that. Throw snowballs, for one. Go sledging, make a huge snowman and occasionally they could go ice-skating. Sometimes the school had to be closed, when the school heating was faulty or if too many teachers became ill.
Then they had extra time for skating.

One afternoon after school Mareng said to Mara:
"Shall we maybe put Nicci and Artie in front of the sledge; then they can have some fun as well? We won't have to pull so hard, but can relax together on the sledge. Just like Santa did."

"Are you sure we would be safe that way, Mareng? And more important will the dogs be safe?"

"Sure Mara, why do you always worry so much? You are a bit of a chicken sometimes!"

"No, I am not! Don't you say these kind of things to me, or I won't like you anymore. Well, let's give it a go and I will prove to you that I am not a chicken."

"OK Mara, sorry I said that. I really did not want to upset you."

They looked for and found some rope to make a harness for Nicci and Artie. It only took a minute to hook both dogs up. But neither of the dogs wanted to move.

"What now, Mareng?"

"I think we have to teach them how to pull the sledge first. So we will take turns in guiding them. I think then they will learn quickly."

It only took the dogs three hours to understand what they were being asked to do. When the knew it, Mareng and Mara both stepped on the sledge, expecting a smooth ride. The woods where they were had about a three inches of snow. The trees looked beautiful and eerie with all their branches covered in snow. It had stopped snowing the night before, so they had a clear view in the distance. They saw some footsteps in the snow - but not many. This shows how isolated the woods were. Some of people and some of dogs.
They went off in a shot. They laughed and screamed with excitement.

"Mara, how do we go around a corner?"

"I've never thought about that, the sledge has no steering wheel. And how do we stop the sledge, Mareng? We don't have any brakes either."

"We just have to hope and maybe pray, that it stops by itself or when the dogs stop."

Do you see what's coming here? They ended up in the bushes. All four got a fright, but were not harmed. They went home to get warm and dry again. Jointly they decided that this had not been their best idea of the season. Afterwards they took turns in guiding the sledge again.

Come half February all the snow and ice had gone. They were not so pleased, but that is how winter leaves almost as quickly as it arrives.

Back to the normal college routine. They had more time to work at their hobbies.
College proved not anymore difficult then before, therefore their home-work never took long. The dogs returned to being walked as if winter had never been there. Not long before the Summer break, they started to change their walking routine with the dogs. In the woods Nicci and Artie could play together off the lead. When they came near the road, they put them back on the lead. The temperature was in the low 20 degrees Celsius. This caused more people to go for walks.

Mareng:
"Mara, look, what is this? They are older kids, but they behave strangly holding hands and sometimes kissing as well. Have we not seen this before a long time ago?"

"Mareng, I can't see what you are talking about. Where are they?"

"Look I'll point my finger at some. Just next to the woods on the path. Do you see them now?"

"Yes, hahahaha. We will never be like this, will we? I think we have seen this quite a while ago, can't remember clearly."

"No of course not, Mara. Who would like doing this? Don't even see Mum and Dad do this."

"No, neither do I: hahaha it is so funny."

Mara's laughing was infectious. Booths started giggling and laughing holding on to their bellies and fortunately the dogs as well. They were still laughing when they arrived back home.

Mara:
"I think we had better not tell anybody about this, not even our parents."

"Yes, I agree that might be best, certainly not at college either."

In chorus:
"But we could go back sometimes just for a good laugh."