Little Lonesome Rosie and Co.

On Monday, my son miraculously made it through the switchboard to my extension at work and said - Mom, you'll never guess what!

I did not want to guess and told him so.  There are two boxer puppies outside!  I don't know where they came from - I've already been to the neighbors to see if they've lost puppies, but they don't belong to anybody so far.

He was excited.  He has always had a weakness for baby everything - puppies, kittens, humans, possums...but another dog - not to mention two - is something we do not need.

Well, son, I said, if they're boxers, they have to belong to somebody, and they'll have to go back.

And then it hit me, this sudden suspicion that these pups did not magically appear at the corner of my porch, so I asked - Are you sure you didn't bring them home?

Oh no, Mom, they were here when I got here.

Ha.  Later that evening, at the store, one of son's friends said - so how do you like the puppies?  They're mixed, but they'll be good dogs.  Dale was tickled when he picked them up at the fire station.

They're cute, I'll grant you that.  One looks just like a boxer, the other is a gray brendle with gray/green eyes, and my cat, Rosie, is thrilled to have new prey to stalk.

Rosie has been lonesome ever since I gave her brother and sister to the policeman's family several months ago.  At first, she didn't know what to think of the dogs, but she quickly learned to hide behind boxes and pounce on the poor, unsuspecting things - and frankly, I'm glad she has something else to pounce besides me. The dogs - whom I have tentatively named Kate and Sally - don't seem to mind too much.  As a matter of fact, Kate (the brendle) seems to have developed a rapport with Rosie.  They sleep together.

Kate is the rambunctious one.  She has already learned to climb the couch - not a good thing.  I don't allow animals on my couch.  But there she is, every morning after Rosie has finished terrorizing her, in the corner of my sofa, looking relaxed while Rosie looks a bit put-out over the whole deal.

And I certainly didn't mean to fall in love with them, as I'm sure Rosie didn't, but they're sweet and clumsily funny in that leggy seven week old puppy kind of way.

I wonder if, given the number of animals I have, if government aid is available.