My Buddy Roxie

She has amassed a collection of rawhide chew sticks, many stolen from Doppler. As a dachshund, she is uncontrollably driven to bury them. She pushes some into corners then uses her nose to cover them with imaginary dirt. It’s strange to watch.

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Stef is here for a few days. Roxie’s here too. This is like having grandchildren come to visit, right? Except it’s easier.

Having Roxie and Doppler together is fun because they’re so different. Don’t get me wrong. They’re both good–team players.

Roxie is more playful and needy than Doppler. She chases toys. She snuggles. She gets on her back with her paws up asking for a friendly rub.

She has amassed a collection of rawhide chew sticks, many stolen from Doppler. As a dachshund, she is uncontrollably driven to bury them. She pushes some into corners then uses her nose to cover them with imaginary dirt. It’s strange to watch.

She like being involved. She lays down close to the action, even when more quiet places are within easy reach.

Usually Roxie and Doppler go for a walk together. When Doppler goes out alone, Roxie jumps off the sofa and runs downstairs at the sound of a bag of treats opening. She’s knows our ‘house policy’ of always rewarding them together. Her ears are attuned to food.

Stef says Roxie looks forward to her trips here, sitting up erect in the car as they exit the freeway. The feeling is mutual.

Spa Treatment For Roxie

I shampoo with the discount stuff from the store. Roxie uses Wen.

spa-treatment-roxieStef sometimes comes to Orange County with a list of errands she needs done. Today’s list included a bath for Roxie. I’m the dog wrangler.

Bath here is used in the most general sense. Roxie (accompanied by a bathing suited me) headed to the master bath shower. She had never been in one before!

I turned off the main shower head and began gently wanding rain on Roxie’s back. She was good with it.

I shampoo with the discount stuff from the store. Roxie uses Wen. I had to play chemist and mix the proper strength before we could get going.

Roxie’s fur is a lot thicker than Doppler’s. It took more to get her clean and much more to rinse her thoroughly. We were left with small hair clumps on the shower floor.

As of this hour Roxie is the cleanest dog in Orange County.

I’m told she did not like the blow dryer. I wasn’t there. My shower followed Roxie’s.

Tail Tales

Doppler, Roxie and I are holding down the fort this afternoon. Helaine, Stef and my Cousin Melissa have disappeared to points unknown leaving us to fend for ourselves.

We’ve been in SoCal long enough they know each now. Doppler still doesn’t want to be cornered, but other than that they’re cordial. At one point this afternoon they were both licking my left hand. Cool moment.

I was down in the kitchen a little while ago. Quietly, I asked Doppler if she needed to go out. From the floor above I could hear Roxie jumping from the couch. Take one, take all! She was waiting when we got to the door.

They dart out of the house and up the grassy strip at the curb.

Shhhh. I carry a leash, but they’re never on it during daylight hours. We’re only a few feet apart. Both respond to my voice when needed.

Roxie needs to be in the middle of the action. Doppler favors her bed in a corner of the kitchen.

Roxie plays with toys. Doppler can’t be bothered.

They are different as the color of their fur. And yet, like children, I’d be hard pressed to consider picking a favorite.

No Movie, No Chinese Food

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No one was surprised as we when our Irvine cousins gave us all Disneyland annual passes! Before they could change their minds, we joined them yesterday at the happiest place on Earth.

If you think Disneyland is crowded on Christmas Day when the sun is shining and the temperature is in the low 80s (record high), you’re right. And when I say crowded, I mean Tokyo subway crowded. Sardine can crowded!

We dropped Doppler off at the sitter, left Roxie to her own devices (good doggie) and headed north to Anaheim. It’s under 25 minutes from here.

“This is where they want you to get off,” said Michael, as we passed the official Disney exit on the “5.” Local knowledge is good.

Garage, tram, in! That was easy. We took a curbside spot on Main Street for the afternoon Christmas parade.

Disneyland is nearly sixty years old, but everything is bright, shiny and incredibly well maintained. And, obviously, they’ve learned a lot about organization over that time.

The parade was colorful. Perfectly picturesque. The human participants even lip synced to the music through their permasmiles.

Unfortunately for Stef, the parade was reinforcement of her biggest Disney disappointment. Piglet, her favorite character, is an in-person persona non grata. When asked, no Disney castmember we asked had ever even seen Piglet.

Contract dispute? Payback for some perceived slight? We’ll never know.

We stayed a full day, but only rode four rides. Wait times were nuts.

It’s A Small World (which I originally saw at the New York World’s Fair in 1964) had been closed in preparation for its Christmas changeover. It was worth it. The ride, which was feeling old and faded, has been refreshed. The Haunted Mansion has also been overhauled for the holidays, though not as thoroughly. Paul Frees iconic voice no longer does the narration. That’s the kind of thing I notice.

We also hit a Winnie the Pooh ride and Cars Land in Radiator Springs. We entered the ‘singles’ line for that one, meaning we were used as extras to fill rows, cutting the advertised wait by more than half.

We’ve got passes. We’ll be back. And it’s oh so close.

Hey Hasbro. Don’t Change Monopoly… Or Scrabble

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Stef and Roxie joined us from H’wood today. Having Stef nearby is really wonderful. It’s been a long time since we’ve been so convenient for each other.

There was shopping to be done. We headed out.

Roxie is reasonably hyper. She stayed home.

Destination Target… with Doppler.

There are rules or law we’re violating. I know that. Fine. Come and get me.

Doppler is so well behaved no one could possibly mind. She sits in the cart while we walk around. No barking. No fidgeting. She sits quietly and takes it all in.

If a kid wants to pet her, fine. Doppler is 100% docile.

While Helaine and Stef shopped, I headed to the back where the TVs and electronics live, then wandered around.

It didn’t take long to run into two old favorite games–Monopoly and Scrabble. They’ve been changed!

A pox on your house Hasbro!

Back in the seventies I fell in with a crowd of cutthroat Monopoly players. We read strategy books and fought hard, but the truth is buying everything you land on is the only way to go.

Monopoly has been sped up with the “Speed Die.” It’s a third die that picks up the action.

Sacrilege!

Scrabble is a very serious game. There are well established ratings and tournaments. You take risks when you screw with the game.

In Philly, I lived above Neal Axe. We played Scrabble nearly every day and he won nearly every day.

Now Scrabble’s got “Power Tiles” to “Boost your score.”

No!!!

Would these folks put arms on Venus de Milo?

There are certain traditions which should remain untouched, like Monopoly and Scrabble.

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Halloween In Irvine

“It’s the one night of the year I don’t hate little children.” – Stefanie Fox 2013

My wife and daughter love Halloween. Seriously. Love is not too strong a word.

We were prepared. A spider web was hung in front of our house. Pumpkins were placed strategically near the door. We stocked enough candy to open an all-night convenience store next to a marijuana dispensary!

I expected the first of the little ones around 4:00 PM. Nothing.

As the afternoon continued, I tweeted:

5:50 PM PDT. No trick or treaters yet. I am crushed. We have candy. Come on down.

And then, just as the Sun was setting, they arrived in clusters of two, three and four. Their parents stood safely nearby, letting the kids approach the house on their own.

It was perfect. Most of them were young–under five. All of them were adorable. The costumes were sweet.

In our neighborhood, loaded with recent immigrants from Asia, we had some kids trick or treating for the first time. At least one girl knew how to say, “Thank you,” but no other English words. Her father said she’d only arrived this month.

Through it all Doppler and Roxie entertained in their Halloween costumes. Though they both barked and Roxie was often defensive toward the kids, they kept their costumes on and didn’t make a fuss.

Halloween in Irvine was a success.

Doppler And Roxie: Different As Night And Day

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Stef drove down from Hollywood to spend the weekend with us. Roxie came too. She saw me as the car pulled up and went a little crazy with excitement.

At the moment we’ve got three humans and two dogs here. We’re set!

Stef sometimes calls our dog, “Feather McFeatherstein.” At not quite ten pounds the name works for Doppler.

IMG_20131013_122719-w1200-h1200On the other hand Roxie was supposed to be a miniature dachshund, no more than 11 pounds. Uh huh. Sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Stef claims Roxie checks in at 20 pounds, but even that seems wishful thinking.

Roxie is the life of the party. She plays. She pulls. She chews (aggressively). She’s happy to be excited. She plops herself in my lap uninvited, begging for scratches.

IMG_20131013_133218-w1200-h1200Doppler is more laid back. A dog toy thrown in front of her will remain in place, totally neglected. An afternoon spent lying in her dog bed in the corner of the kitchen is just fine. She relishes pre-nap naps!

Most of the time they treat each other with benign neglect. I’ve napped with one on each side. No problem. I walk them and give them treats simultaneously. No problem.

It’s only when Doppler is in territory she feels is hers that sparks fly! Doppler will get intense, then growl, baring her teeth to show Roxie she means business.

I have never seen Doppler show aggression to any human, even little kids with quickly swinging hands and feet. She’s even good with other dogs–Roxie including. The one exception is when she feels her turf needs protecting.

I love them both as they are. I wouldn’t trade one for the other or change either one. They are as different as can be.

The Child Returns

She flew all night. I’ve done that. It’s not real sleep. It’s some weird airline sleep.

My daughter is home. It’s been a very long time. Too long. She was anxious to come east.

She is our West Coast success story. Even if things aren’t always moving smoothly, they’re moving. Isn’t that how life works?

She flew all night. I’ve done that. It’s not real sleep. It’s some weird airline sleep.

She’s sleeping now. The redeye always wins!

As it turns out Stef loves Doppler. Shocker!

I don’t want to set up some conflict with Roxie, but Doppler is extra cute especially when performing her one-woman “Salute to Baby Seals” show.

This is not SoCal. We get winter. Helaine gave Stef a set of onesy feet pajamas! Families understand.

Stef wants to come to the station and bring Doppler (for a cameo). I’ll let you know.

How Not To Win Friends And Influence People Daughter Style

This is like rubbing salt (water) on a fresh wound, isn’t it?

Stef gave me a light cross-country poke in the ribs today. She was wondering why I hadn’t yet posted the pictures she’d sent me of her and Roxie. They were cruising through Marina del Ray. The pictures were taken the day we got blasted from Hurricane Irene!

This is like rubbing salt (water) on a fresh wound, isn’t it?

Roxie looks adorable, but be glad you’re an only child so I can’t pick another as my favorite!

Two Roxie Photos

Roxie is still soft, still freakishly long, still pretty.

Stef took these yesterday with her BlackBerry. Roxie is still soft, still freakishly long, still pretty. Though she barks at strangers she didn’t bark at me! It’s been nearly six months since I saw her, but she remembered.

I’m Back In The Valley Again

We had burgers and a great talk. These are the good times to be a father. I try to remember that.

This is Helaine’s influence. Everything today has gone off like clockwork. We were early into Burbank. Stef called as I was getting my bag. She was pulling into the airport!

Seriously, clockwork.

We drove to Ventura then north until we found Johnny Rocket. Roxie was with us so we needed outdoor dining.

The waiter immediately asked if we’d like water for our dog. He got a 25% tip.

It’s chilly tonight in LA. Only in the mid-60s.

We had burgers and a great talk. These are the good times to be a father. I try to remember that.

I’m at my friend’s house in The Valley now. He’s still out with other people having dinner. It’s all part of his middle age equivalent of a sweet sixteen weekend. I’m glad I can be here for it.

Who’s The Birthday Puppy? (photos)

We expected Roxie to be a miniature dachshund. Uh… not quite. Love trumps all.

Stef’s puppy Roxie turns two years old today. She is still freakishly long. She is still a pretty lady. She still dries like a ShamWow.

We expected Roxie to be a miniature dachshund. Uh… not quite. Love trumps all.

Here are some photos from Roxie taken during recent dinner theater tour of “Jaws.”

Wish They All Could Be California Dogs (photo and video)

If it’s possible for a dog to smile then Roxie’s smiling… broadly!

Is there anything on the Internet more powerful than the ability to send photos and video through the air? We just got an email care package from the Fox Family West Coast Bureau today in Marina del Rey.

Stef spent the afternoon bike riding… with Roxie! This was Roxie’s first trip in a wicker basket and according to Stef she loved it! As you can see from the accompanying video Roxie was perfectly happy to sit and stay.

If it’s possible for a dog to smile then Roxie’s smiling… broadly!

Click the picture to play the video.

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Roxie And Friends: A Dog’s Life (photo)

Because she works long days she needs someone to care for Roxie. That’s where Laura comes in. Roxie will now spend most days with her friends at Laura’s.

I really haven’t written about my daughter Stefanie much recently. She’s in California working for a production company. She lives and works in Hollywood!

Because her days are long she needs someone to help care for Roxie. That’s where Laura comes in. Roxie will now spend most days with her friends at Laura’s.

Here’s a photo of the gang earlier today. If this is a dog’s life I’m jealous!

The Cutest Dog Photo You’ll See Today Featuring Roxie

It was only after a major search she found Roxie cuddled with her childhood stuffed bear, Yogi.

I don’t get to post as many photos with Roxie now that she and Stef are California girls. We’re visiting next week, but until that time I”ll have to depend on my daughter and the camera in her cellphone.

Stef woke today and couldn’t find Roxie. It was only after a major search she found Roxie cuddled with Stef’s childhood stuffed bear, Yogi. Obviously Roxie understands what’s going on because she has treated Yogi with reverence and not with her normal ‘aggressive chewer’ behavior.

(Thanks for Bob Maxon who noticed I have Roxie showing reverence for herself. It has been fixed.)