“Hey mom, had a full-on Spencerville day! Chased a naughty seagull on the beach, nodded at Poppy, wrapped up my beach day with a feast at Ruff-n-Ready. Explored new sniff-tastic items at pet stores. Butterflies and squirrels – so much fun! Deep thoughts under the Westie Woods and a bone-loaded pizza at Pupperoni while remembering old times. Spencerville’s the place, mom, where fun, learning, waiting, and growing coexist. We’re fine here. Chat soon, your Roxy Foo-Foo.”

Listen to the story here.

So there I was, bounding through the shallow, sprightly waters of the Brindle Brown Boxer Beach, chasing a sea-gull who was behaving a lot like it’d swiped my favorite chew bone. My name’s Roxy, by the way. Just picture me: a muscular, fire-furred, part Rottweiler, part Chow Chow, full Spencerville resident, and you’d be halfway there.

“Mornin’, Roxy!” Poppy the Pomeranian cheerily called from a distance. I wagged my tail in response, noticing with a smirk how he was fashioning the latest chew toy from The Pooch Playhouse – the talk of the town.

After a refreshing immersion in the gently lapping waves, I strolled casually to ‘Ruff-n-Ready’, the choicest eatery in town, my nose twitching to the appetizing aroma of today’s grub. They knew my order, naturally. A fortifying concoction of Cheerios, with a surprising burst of peanut butter and, as a special treat today, a chicken nugget!

Post the indulgence, it was off to Pet Partners Pet Supplies for a sneak peek at the newest arrivals. A quick run to Doggy Depot and voila – a vacation well spent. But that’s just the morning in the life of Roxy.

Contrary to what you may infer, life’s not all about chasing sea gulls and feasting on treats. Spencerville had a mysterious way of growing us pets, molding our moral and intellectual development. Case in point: I’ve begun accepting bath time and even ear cleanings with little resistance. Not because I like them, but because they are stepping stones to a grander plan – a clean, flea-free existence. The bigger picture, as they say.

In the afternoon, I trekked through the Eastern White Westie Woods, batting lightly at floating butterflies and chasing scampering squirrels. All the while, my thoughts tickled by the philosophical undertones of life and death, separation and reunion. Spencerville has that effect on us. It’s not a somber place, by any means, but it does make you think.

And that’s what I mull over as I snack on my Kong Bone at Pupperoni Pizza, watching the sunset adorn Spencerville with its golden hue, Sammy by my side. If all goes well, I’ll end the day curled up at my favorite bench at the local park. With a soft sigh, I’d look up at the star-studded sky and whisper a small ‘see you soon’ to my previous owners, content in the knowledge that Spencerville is as good a place as any to wait and watch, grow and learn, love and lose, before we finally reunite.

Life here, like my unique blend of Chow Chow and Rottweiler, offers a contrasting mix of joy and introspection, of patience wrapped in anticipation, as wonderfully strange as that might sound. It’s a journey, a coming-of-age; each day a unique piece in Spencerville’s giant, life-affirming puzzle.

The End.