Pumpkin Eater...

Who knew that a raw pumpkin could be so appealing? I returned home from an evening meeting earlier this week, only to discover that my darling little grasshopper slayer decided that she needed a piece of pumpkin, sans pie.

Chloe was perched on top of "her" chair when we returned and when she saw me turn on the light, look at the desecrated pumpkin on the dining room table, she crouched and pinned her ears back. Skylar, on the other hand, leaned up against the bar and looked at me, saying with those adorable brown, button eyes, "It wasn't me, Mom, she did it."

Chloe has separation anxiety issues and every time we leave the house, she finds some mischief to amuse herself until we return, even though she's confined to the family/kitchen room. Animal experts would suggest that I put her little hinny in a crate while we're gone. I know I probably should, but then Skylar would be uncrated and what kind of trauma would that cause? Anyone have any advice?

Chloe was subdued the rest of the evening, probably with a tummy ache, but otherwise she was fine. The next day, I talked with my friend Eileen, who owns See Spot Shop, and after she stopped laughing, she told me that pumpkin is not harmful to dogs, and that Chloe likely just got an extra dose of antioxidants. It wasn't like I was going to make a pie with the darn pumpkin anyway... it's best to use the small, sugar pumpkins for pie.

I just put the pumpkin there to remind me that it was fall, and Thanksgiving is coming. Sometimes it's hard to remember that when the temperature is 80 degrees outside. And Chloe was quick to remind me that even fall has a short season.