It's Easter Sunday, so what better time to say a few words about the quietest member of our animal family -- Roxie.
She's a member of the Dutch breed, a beautiful brown-and-white like the one pictured here. She came into our lives about five years ago, when Jordan was a high school junior. He and Lori got her from the Oregon Humane Society through the foster care program. One thing led to another and, of course, she became a permanent member of the household. Jordan originally named her after one of the characters in "Watership Down," one of his favorite books as a kid. But because only he could easily pronounce the name -- Hyzenthlay -- my suggested alternative of Roxie eventually stuck.
Every time I sit down to write at this computer, Roxie is just a few feet away in her pen (not a cage). She's got a piece of linoleum, roughly 6 feet by 6 feet, with a metal screen, about 3 feet tall, all around it. She has a pastel-colored blanket, with tons of holes in it, to sit on, chew or burrow into, depending on her mood. She's a gentle creature, as you would expect, so much so that you can place her on her back on your lap and stroke the top of her head, right between the ears, until she closes her eyes and completely lets go of any tension in her little body. She weighs, at most, five pounds.
Roxie is, without question, the softest thing I've ever touched. Her coat is just luxurious. I sometimes wonder if she'd be happier with a mate (for companionship, not for reproduction) but I can't say I'm inclined to go get another one.
So, call her Hyzenthlay or call her Roxie. She's easy to care for and easy to like.
No comments:
Post a Comment