Cuteness Factor

I am not much on cuteness. It would be safe to say that my world view does not strive for cuteness. Practical, yes. Efficient, yes. Cuteness, not so much.

My home is awash in cuteness. The cuteness factor is off the scale. Her name is Roux (pronounced Roo).

For those that know me well, my dog companion of 8 years, Lily, died just after Thanksgiving in November. And I really struggled about the dog situation. It really is a lot of work to raise and keep a dog. But then I have never really been without a dog. But I am gone so much, and sometimes for extended times so is it really fair. But then there are so many dogs in need of a good home. But then there is the expense. But then there is the joy. Seriously. I could go on for ages. And I had decided to go without.

Then I decided on a rescue. I applied three different places, all of which turned me down because I lived too far away from them or they never called me back. And then I re-decided to go without.

Then my friend was fostering a litter of Boxadors (Boxer/Labrador mix) puppies. And one was a reverse brindle (tiger striped, but more dark than light). So I secretly went off to meet her. And then there was no turning back.

A roux is a mixture of fat and flour mixed together over heat and blended to make the sauce which is foundational for many other dishes. In Louisiana, most of the best recipes begin with the phrase, “first you make a roux.” A roux tends to be individual or family related, as in “my momma makes the best roux.” So my Roux is a mixture of the best stuff to be part of the foundation of my home. However, I am not sure of the wisdom of breeding a Boxer, known for using their front paws as hands, and a Labrador, famous (infamous) for their intelligence. Roux has a lab face and tail, a boxer gait and coloring. She brings stuff back to you, and likes to hit you with her right front paw.

And she is cute. She has two speeds, fast and asleep. Fast lasts about 30 minutes. Asleep lasts for two hours. She likes to eat, she likes to drink and she does NOT like the cold weather (as in I will just potty here, as opposed to going out in the cold). She does not mind being in her kennel if no one is home, but please do not put her in there when you are in the house. She does enjoy her toys, but is more partial to chewing cardboard in any form and slippers. And she is adapting to the leash quickly, so that she can join me on my morning walks.