Lucy's Made Her Wish...

As I have been mentioning, Lucy's 1st Birthday is on Friday.

And as she's mentioned, she thinks that the only appropriate present for her first birthday is a "brudder". Her mama couldn't agree more! Here is the object of both Lucy and I's affection. Both Lucy and I agree that he's just the cutest darn thing we've ever seen!

This handsome little white potential "brudder" for Lucy is the whole way in Utah, but I'm assured there would be no problem delivering him to Orlando by the breeder who doesn't seem to have qualms about my being able to provide the little ghost with a wonderful home! (And of course, she's absolutely correct!

So what's the problem with this, you asks us?

Well, Lucy's Daddy thinks it's more appropriate for me to have a guard dog! Especially if I'm going to be in Orlando by myself. (I've been trying to teach Lucy to show her Daddy what a good watch dog she is, but she just wiggles her bumm and gives him a kiss... You're just no help Lucy!)

I can't stress enough how much the thought of having a big, tough dog in the house frightens me! I don't need a guard dog! I've given it a lot of thought, and I'm sure that the criminal that attempts to enter my and Lucy's home will more than likely have some kind of OCD disorder, and will run screaming from my home when my little boxer starts kissing him and drooling all over him! I'm in good hands!

But, we can't seem to come to an agreement!

Just look at the teeth on my little boxer! Have you ever seen anything so "inconspicuously" ferocious? That's just the thing- an intruder would never see her coming!

I don't think that Lucy would ever let anyone hut me, and I've experienced those teeth around my ankles and wrists... so I know exactly what that feels like- I can't imagine any criminal insane enough to stick around for that. Heck, I run sometimes, especially when my ankles are the object of Lucy's affections. I can only imagine how deep those teeth would sink in if she felt her human was in danger. For goodness sakes, she gets a little angered when she catches her mother kissing another boxer.

Lucy's all the guard dog I need... okay, we need the little white boy too! It certainly wouldn't hurt to have a deep male bark in the house!

She's guarding the house even as I sit her blogging...see?

Don't let that laid back look fool you, she can be pouncing in a split second! If I were to walk over there to that refrigerator and open the cheese drawer, she would move so fast, all you would see is a blur!

Living The Life...

The past 7 days have been filled with painting, painting and more painting with brief interludes to Home Depot or the grocery store.

Lucy, her toys and definitely my fingernails are starting to show the signs of our hard work- of course, the house is starting to show signs of improvement as well! I typically wash the paint off of myself at the end of the day, but Lucy seems proud to prance around the neighborhood covered in paint, and refuses to let me remove any of it from her sweet little body. She has spots in places where she didn't have spots before all of this started.

She's starting to oppose a bit to the the 8 hour a day painting regime- despite the fact that I'm constantly breaking to take her for a walk, or toss one of her toys around. Yesterday, she dropped her octopus in my newly loaded paint tray. I think, but I'm not sure, that might have been her way of telling me that it was time to take a break!

Rob keeps telling me that Lucy and I are "living the life" in Orlando while he's freezing his butt off in Pittsburgh. I keep arguing that painting for 8 hours a day, is hardly living the life. But, the little boxer might prove me wrong, this picture doesn't exactly make it look like we're working hard. Lucy actually looks darn comfortable watching tv.

I'm pretty sure that Lucy is trying to send me a message right at the moment. She just might be ready for bed, or maybe she's just ready to snuggle.

We just took an hour long walk around the block, and then she and I played with the rope toy for a 1/2 hour before attempting to clean up the massive mess we made today. Is it possible that I've worn my little bundle of energy out? Lucy's got the right idea, because I'm exhausted!

I'll Have What She's Having

Lucy's very, very, very good at convincing her human that she really deserves to eat exactly what I'm eating. Here's how she does it, it's a 3 step process. I'm sure you'll agree that Lucy's look is pretty hard to ignore...

Step One: Lucy makes it known that she's on to the fact that I've got food, that she's going to be expecting some of it and that she definitely deserves whatever it is that I've got.

"Heys der, ma. Whatcha got? Smells pretty darn goods!"

Step Two: Lucy moves a little closer, tilts her head back a little bit (her most flattering position), usually puts up a paw just to make sure that I know she's there, and she's waiting.

"Any days now, Ma! I aint's got all days to wait for you to drop dat!"

Step Three: The whimper or the famous boxer sigh heard round the world... Followed by the human caving. Lucy may be conning her human, but at least her human is aware that she's being conned! Fact of it is, I don't mind sharing with Lucy one little bit if it's not bad for her, especially when she works so hard to get whatever it is that I'm eating.

Things You See On A Walk, Only In Florida!

As previously mentioned, Lucy & I have been taking lots of walks around our new neighborhood. She wanted me to share her new digs with you all, so this morning we set out with "dat darn flashy ting"... Here we are, all ready to go.


Florida grass smells so good, or maybe it's just been so long since we've seen green grass that we're trying to take it all it at once!

"OOh, Ma! Looks! Wooter, and lots of its! Can I goes for a swim?"

"Ahh, Lucy? Do you see the sign you're standing next to? Let me read it to you, baby!"

"What's an alleygaater? Is dat a bad ting? Why do you haves dat silly looks on your face, ma? You looks a little panicky!"

I have a pretty strong feeling that Lucy and I won't be dipping our feet in that lake even on the hottest of summer days!

Lucy's Take... I's Only Gots 2 Questions...

Dids you hoomans really buy a house that didn't haves a boxer living across da street? Whats da heck were you tinkin? I aint's seen 1 single boxer dog since we gots to dis place. I mights wants you guys to gets us a refund. What kinds of place doesn't haves boxers? I knows dat we're a longs ways aways from home, but we musts be on anutter planet if der is no boxers here.

Well, I's guessin dat der is only one solution to dis problem. Let's go get anutter boxer... My birthdays coming ups, dat can be my present. Let's go Mom!

2 Princesses And The Sunshine

It has been a joke in our house since we started the process of buying the house in Orlando that Rob was buying his 2 Princesses a castle. I think Lucy takes the job of being a princess much more to heart than her human does.

It took us 36 hours in the truck (thanks to that lovely stuff falling from the sky that we call freezing rain) to get from Pittsburgh to Orlando. Lucy certainly looked like a princess snuggled up in the back of the truck. She was such a great little puppy on the drive! I was so proud of her. Of course, the last 6 hours or so, if she could have spoken, I'm sure she would have been saying "Are we der yet? Nopes, are yous kidding me? I's is goin back to sleep!"

When we finally arrived at the house, and Lucy was done running like a madwoman through all the very empty rooms, her first priority was to check out the neighborhood. She loves sitting in the front window and gazing out. I'm pretty sure she's on the lookout for another boxer, but we haven't seen one of those since we got here.

I don't know which she likes more, being able to look out all of the windows or chasing the bugs around the house. I'm starting to wonder if Lucy is part lizard, she's pretty intent on catching all of the flying creatures buzzing around our new "castle!"

(Don't you just love those wrinkles around Lucy's wiggle butt? I think they're just precious!)

I've put 5 gallons of paint on the walls since Friday... Wooh, I'm tired. Of course, every single wall in this house requires paint at this point, so I haven't even scratched the surface.

Lucy's done her best to assist her mama by running off with the tape, or my paint brush. Sometimes the little boxer gets a little close to the wet paint as you can see by the paint on her head (which she refuses to let me wash off... "I likes dat paint on my heads, ma. We matches, you and I's both have paints on our heads..."

After 20 minutes of watching me roll up and down, up and down, Lucy gets bored and retreats to the bedroom to catch a few zzzz's! I've completely given up on making the bed and arranging pillows. Lucy just rumples em' all up again...

Unfortunately, Lucy's Daddy couldn't stay in the sunshine with his two princesses any longer, so early Sunday morning, he got up and jumped on the road. Lucy didn't quite know what to make of the situation, and looked rather disgusted when she figured out that her buddy was gone.

Since we've gotten here, Rob has been taking Lucy for 6 or 7 walks a day to occupy her while I painted. (Rob hates to paint and will do anything to get out of it!) It doesn't take Lucy long to learn anything, so two days was all it took for Lucy to figure out that walking around the neighborhood all day long is a lot of fun. Now she sits at the door and whines to go out, even if we've only been back in the house for 15 minutes. The weather here is so beautiful that I don't even mind walking her 6 or 7 times a day!

What Are The Crazy Hoomans Up To Now?

For Lucy, there is only one goal right now; getting warm and staying that way. When we woke this morning, she was buried under blankets, and smack dab in the middle of the bed right between Rob and I. (I guess that's why we were so warm!) Last night, she sacked out in front of the heater. And this morning, when I emerged from the shower, there was a boxer nestled in a big blue, furry bath robe outside of the tub! She had no interest at all in being outside this morning. As soon as we walked out there, she went right back to the door. Of course, who can blame her? It was only 9 degrees when I left the house this morning. I'm sick of it too!

Our house is a complete and total state of confusion, and Lucy seems to constantly be wondering what the heck we're up to? We are closing on the Florida house tomorrow, from Pennsylvania. The plan is to leave tomorrow night, with Lucy and the trailer loaded as full as it can possibly be. Lucy and I are going to stay in Florida, and start setting up the house (because we all know how easy it is to paint with a boxer baby in tow!) and Rob is going to come back home. He'll reload after being home for a couple of days, and head back to Florida.

So this means, that not only do I have to be completely packed by tomorrow night for the first run, but I also have to have the second run packed before we leave since I won't be coming back. Talk about stress... I'm really feeling it, I've gotta tell you.

If you've ever moved you can understand the stress of that situation alone. But when you add to that the fact that it's nearly impossible to find boxes (because everyone instantly crushes them!), and the fact that there are not nearly enough hours in the day, it get's even more stressful.

Lucy stood at the bottom of the stairs last night, watching as I made boxes, filled them with kitchen stuff, and then carried them out to the garage. She couldn't figure out what was going on, but Little Miss Intuitive knows something is definitely going on!

Lucy's Take... I Gots To Go Out!

I knows it in my heart dats I need to go outsides, but my paws gets so cold. So, sometimes I needs to tinks about it before I's actually do it. I really haves to talk myself into goings outside. My hooman tinks I'm being disobeeeedients when she opens da door and says "Outside, Lucy" and I just stares into space. Buts really, I'ms just tryins to figures out how I can go outsides and not gets cold.

My hooman doesn't know dis, but I kinda like starting into da glass. I can see anutter boxer in der. It won't plays wit me, it just stares back at me, but it makes me happy to have a boxer pal. It sure is a pretty boxer! These boxer pals are all over da house. Der's one in da reading room, and anutter one in da bedroom. I don'ts know why dey won't play wit me! Maybe dey are just shy and dey needs to get to know me first. I's guessin dat makes sense!

When it's was warm outside, my hooman used to lets me takes my toys outside. Now, I can tells dat she's not so happy when I insists upon takin my toys out into da snow. She says it's because we keeps loosing dem!

I hads a great tire toy dat my hoomans can't finds in all dat snow, so I guesses dat I can understand. I sure hopes we find dat toy, I really loved dat toy!

Dis mornin she let me takes my rope toy out on da deck. She watched me pretty closely and tolds me dat I had to bring it in when I was done playings wit it! I'ms so glad she let me take it out der. I had a ton of funs rolling it around in da snow!

I hads to work really hards to get da ball entirely coated in da snow! And den when I trieds to pick it up, it was really cold. So, I just left it on da grounds and rolled it arounds some more.

A couples of times, it wouldn't go wheres I wanted it to go, so I had to show it and tells it who was boss. Sticking ones boxer bumm in da airs, usually gets dat point across pretty quicklies.

My hooman tinks it's pretty funny when I stick my bumms in da air. She always laughs. And she must have been tinkin it was pretty interesting dat I was rolling dat ball around in da snow, cause she had dat darn flashbox tingy in her hand. Why does dat get to goes everywhere wit us?

I played in da snows for a really long time. My paws were startin to gets a little icy, so I hads mixed emotions when my hooman said it was times to go inside.

"Are yous sure we haves to go in, now? I'ms kinda havin fun outs here even though it's a little colds out. 5 more minutes, pleeeeease?"

My hooman is a good hooman. She worries dat I'll gets too colds outside, so I figured I hads better grab da toy and heads into da house to let da toy warm ups. I hates to make my hooman worries. She says it'll gives her winkles.... I have winkles, and dey aren't so bads! My hooman even says she luvs em, so I don'ts really understands!

Consider The Human Trained

That sad little look on Lucy's face yesterday morning stayed with me all day. As I was driving home last night, I vowed to do my very best to keep that little look off of my boxers precious little face. (A big challenge since all Lucy really wants to do is, play!) So, this morning, before I started getting ready for work, I grabbed Lucy's rope toy and started to play with her before she could ever give me "The Look."

The arm in the photo, well it's mine. Or at least I think it's mine. Lucy's been beating me up, and I've got scrapes, and nicks and bruises all over that poor arm...

I now know the meaning of the popular t-shirt saying "Underneath the bruises and slobber..." If you don't like to play rough, a boxer isn't your breed! I'm starting to think it might be a good idea to constantly wear a button that says "Boxer Mom" so that people don't think I'm being abused!

The Tug o War game is also good for a back and neck adjustment. I'll never understand how such a little pup can tug so hard or for so long. She's so strong. I was worn out long before she was!

I should also add that she was not very fond of the fact that the camera was a huge part of our play time. I swear she's figured out a way to avoid the camera lens.

Lucy and I were having so much fun playing that I didn't even realize how late it was getting. Before I knew it, a 1/2 an hour had escaped us. I guess watching Lucy run up and down the stairs and then wrestling with her to get the rope toy back, takes up more time that I had imagined!

I'm pretty sure that our play date this morning wore Lucy out, because when I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, she curled up on my bath robe and was still waiting there when I got out.

And when I fired up the blow dryer, Lucy retreated to the bedroom and made herself comfortable. This is where I found my little boxer! Oh how I would have loved to curl up right next to her and just snuggle the day away!

Our playtime this morning really gave my day a great start! I had a lot of fun playing with Lucy, and felt a lot better leaving the house this morning knowing that she was probably kind of worn out!

One of our followers left the following comment about Lucy's Look..."Where dogs lack a voice God made up for it with soulful eyes to speak for them!" All I have to say is "Amen!"

The Look

I'm probably an over-sensitive person. As a matter of fact, I'm sure that I am. I wonder constantly if Lucy is getting enough love, affection, exercise, and eating the right food.

This morning, I was running a little bit behind schedule. I've been having a hard time dragging myself out of bed, and frankly, Lucy and her Daddy both have been too. It seems that every morning, we get up later and later. At 8:00 AM, Lucy woke up and realized that she needed to be closer to her human, so she walked to the head of the bed, and settled herself in right next to me. She put her head right under my cheek. This is one of my favorite things, so you can bet I wasn't going anywhere.

At 8:15, the realization hit me that getting out of bed and getting ready for work was starting to become an emergency! Lucy wasn't in a big hurry, and she stayed in bed for about 5 minutes before joining me in the morning rituals.

Anyway, I let Lucy outside, made coffee, and got her breakfast ready. By that time, she was ready to come inside. I fed Lucy and went to jump in the shower after taking Rob a cup of coffee. 10 minutes after getting out of the shower, I could hear Rob in the bedroom trying to coax Lucy back out of bed...

I was getting ready to curl my hair when I heard a commotion downstairs. I peeked out the bathroom door and Lucy was sitting at the bottom of the stairs holding her big yellow and black rope toy and looking at me longingly. "Comes play wit me, Ma!"

THE LOOK!

Oh boy! I felt guilty! I instantly dropped the curling iron, and sat down on the floor at the top of the stairs. Lucy did a little wiggle, and came running up the stairs with the rope toy in her mouth. We played for about 10 minutes, me pulling the toy away from her (tug o war!) and tossing it down the stairs and her chasing it. I know it wasn't long enough, but what's a girl to do?

We'll have to play when I get home! I still feel guilty!

Snow, Snow and More Snow!

I am not entirely sure that my little boxer was convinced that going outside in the snow and cold was a good idea. She looked at me like I was crazy! I guess I can't blame her. The snow is still falling, and with the wind chill, I think it's about -0- here!

"You's wants me to do what? I don't tinks so... I luvs ya, Ma, and don'ts like to be disobedeeeeints, but it's colds out der!"

A little bit more coaxing and we were out the door. But, just to prove that I'm not heartless, I bundled up and went out with Lucy! Even with my sub zero Eskimo jacket and gloves on, I was freezing and our foray into the winter wonderland was not a long one!
I got several great pictures of Lucy romping in the snow, and then rushed inside ready to upload like a mad women. Too bad that before I realized what I was doing, I managed to delete most of them... I guess I'll just have to lure her back out there... but for right now, I think she's pretty happy indoors... Frankly, so am I...

Lucy's Take.... 300 Followers!!! Woo hoo!

My hooman and I are so excited to have 300! followers. We's loves each and everyones of you, and loves reading your comments, thoughts and suggestions. My hooman says it's a great honor to have 300 followers, and she's nevers wrong! So, thanks yous all for following us and readings about our adventures. We loves you, all! (Oops, I's already saids dat... I guessin I's reallys love you!)

It's really snowing here in Pennsylvania. But, befores all da snow started, my hooman buckled me in to my harness, and we's went out for a long walk. It's was so colds out, it's only 15 dogrees here.
Here's I am, all buckled ins and ready to go. Dats my hoomans new vacuum behind me. She says it's for da Florida house. Daddy says mommy is koo-koo for washers & dryers and vacuum cleaners. I don't know what dat means, but he laughs when he says it. I could care less if's we have a vaccums for da Florida house or not, I just hope it doesn't make as much noise as the vacuums for da Pennsylvania house!
"Heys, ma, I tinks we better turns around. Looks how far we's gone? I don't see da house anymore. Cans we turn around now? It's too colds out here, and I tinks my heater is calling me..."
"Yeps, I was rights. Da heater was waiten for me. I gots comfy with my bone and figureds it was times to get warmed up."

Stays warm and dry, my friends... I'm offs to see whats else I cans get into...