Corn on the Cob!

Another first - this is the first August Roxie has been with us. And we found out today that she loves corn on the cob and is a whiz-kid at eating it... right off the cob!!!

First she licks, then she nibbles kernels off with her front teeth, row by row......

Fresh corn right from Long's Farm, right off the stalk. Sweetest corn in the whole world. Some days we get it into the pot within 2 hours of picking. No need for butter or salt, it's that sweet..... you could almost eat it raw.

Roxie has good taste when it comes to veggies!

New Neighbor

I'm of two minds tonight..... Bob and I were sitting on the patio with all the doors and windows open. We have a new neighbor moving in next door. All of a sudden I see in our garage a huge black dog! It had come into our garage and up to the screen door to the patio. She looked at me like she wanted in!

Luckily Rox was not on the patio. I'm afraid she might have taken exception to a stranger in her garage....

I secured all the doors so Rox wouldn't see the dog, then went out into the garage to check on the dog. Turns out it's a "she" and her name is Pepper. The new neighbors had left a door open and Pepper was exploring her new neighborhood.

Pepper looks like a golden retriever except she's all black. She came up to me and wagged her tail, wanted to lick my hand, weaved around my legs like a cat. She seemed friendly.

So did the other dog until he bit me.

So Pepper goes out of the garage and ambles over to her new home. I called over the a young girl moving in "is this your dog?" and she said yes, called to Pepper and off she went trotting to her new house. The girl said Pepper is very friendly and is good with other dogs.

The question is, of course, is Roxie going to be good with her?!

The hesitation I'm feeling is this: we would never in a million years let our dogs wander, especially in a new home situation. After the previous dog bit me, I'm wary of free-roaming dogs. In our township, dogs must be on leash or in a fenced setting. The house next door is a rental with all yard sides fenced except for about 20 feet on one side, so the dogs can wander free.

How does one welcome a new neighbor and say at the same time, "oh, and by the way, please make sure your dog doesn't run loose"? And the other side is this, if Pepper is truly a very friendly loveable girl, I'd welcome her visits. But what about the other neighbors, what about other dogs running loose who aren't friendly....

It's a conundrum. And we still need to see how Rox welcomes this new dog....

Lordy, life is full of worries sometimes.

UPDATE: Roxie's new neighbor is Pepper, a big black long-haired dog. Pepper is very sweet and she and Rox sniff then ignore each other.... Pepper's mom immediately put up the final few feet of the fencing to complete her fenced in yard. Pepper can't run wild in the sub.... and ironically, she would be a great ambassador, as she is very gentle and sweet to everyone.

Pepper doesn't bark madly when she's out, and she isn't left out all day.... So it turns out the new neighbor is a responsible dog lover and owner. Who could ask for a better neighbor?!

Life is good sometimes....

Rabies Shot, One Month Early

So...

Bob started out with Rox for her second morning walk and the neighbor called him over to show him what she had in her car....... she'd live-trapped a HUGE raccoon!

As soon as she opened the car door, the raccoon started hissing and trying to get at Roxie and Roxie tried to get at the raccoon.....

Bob was able to pull her away and the walk never even got started. Rox would not leave the neighbor's driveway even after she drove off in search of someplace to dump... er, relocate, the raccoon. In the meantime, her dog (who came onto our property and bit me the week they moved in) was in her front window about to come through the glass to get at Roxie.

Thinking that the raccoon could have spit some saliva at Rox, I called the vet to get her Rabies shot one month early (she due in September). Who knows if she was at any risk of exposure, but better safe than sorry.

So Baby Girl gets a shot tomorrow. Ouch. Bob is upset for her. She'll probably get mega-treats from him when she gets home.

Oh, and the dog who bit me - they are moving... today was their last day in the house. Yea! That damn dog was mean!

Beauty, Once More

I just can't help myself. Here is another picture of beauty....

Bob and I have commented that maybe Rox knows by now that this is her final home. We are family # 5 for her. That must have been very confusing for her especially in the beginning. From a human standpoint, I'd sure be nervous about 5 homes in 5 years.... but Rox has made it through those homes intact. She's sweet, loving and smart. Has no bad habits and makes a point of not snarling at all the other dogs; only some of them.... we like to think she's being protective of her new home and family. Although we aren't really new anymore, are we?

Nine and a half months! Wow... it's been a wonderful time of getting to know her and understanding her. She's pretty easy to read, as she communicates very well. Bob is totally and unabashedly in love with her. He's been completely taken over by her charms. It seems so long ago when we first married and I wanted a dog. Bob was opposed to the idea and it took two years for him to give in. Now he lives for Baby Girl. I like to think she brings out Bob's feminine side. He frowns when I say this...... ha ha.

There's really not too much going on in our lives right now. Rox has her two morning walks, her frequent brushings and massages, and her home-cooked diet. She's lost weight since the neck injury and it's steroid weight gain.... she's back to her girlish waist. We've trimmed her hairy feets. Her winter coat is shed and she's trim and styled.

We're just hangin', as the kids would say. Summer time, and the living is easy....