Friday, September 15th, 2006

Dear Diary: Hard to believe that my very first birthday is in just four days (actually only three because I'm writing this on Saturday). I remember back to when I first met Mom. I was just lounging around with my roomie, a white Maltese, when I saw this lady with the sad eyes come into Pacific Pets, my adoption center. I found out that her puppy, Rose Anne, had crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge just a week before. They'd been together for over 14 years.

She walked around looking at some other pups and kept going back to this little Cairn terrier across the room from me. Hey! I did NOT want anybody but MEE going home with this lady, so I said "pass the word" to the Cairn. So when the Cairn and Mom got into the "Puppy Petting Pen" (ptooey...that's a lot of p's - try and say THAT real fast even three times), Cairn started biting her shoes. They were nice shoes so it was a good choice. Mom said "Yikes! A toe biter", and got the clerk to put Cairn back.

She looked around some more. She kept staring at my roomie, a really pretty little girl Maltese. Like...Hellooooo? I belong to you?.....but no, she asked for my roomie. The clerk (we called her "Pam") took both me and the Maltie and put us in the pen. She probably figured why make two trips. I nudged the Maltie and immediately she began to bark. Hee hee....boy, she could make her voice so high she could shatter glass. Good ol' Maltie. And to top it off, she nibbled on my Mom's toes. Maltie winked at me as she got put back into our apartment.

So then, it was just me and my future Mom. We just sat there on the bench, side by side. I decided I didn't want to seem too agressive but I didn't want her to think I was brain-dead, either. I looked at her, she looked at me. She picked me up and after a few cuddles I gave her a couple of baby kisses. Then I decided to let her see some smarts. So I started squirming and whimpering ever so quietly. Smart lady, she puts me down on the floor. I really DO have to "go", if you know what I mean. So I circled and sniffed a bit and picked a really far off corner so nobody would step in my puddle. I did my thing (whew...that felt ever so much better), and then walked back over to Mom and asked to be picked up. Again, we sit on the bench, side by side, just visiting.

After a pretty long time doing this, "Pam" comes back and asks Mom what she thinks. So far, she hadn't asked "how much", but now she did. I made a really supreme effort to make MY wishes known. When Pam said $1899.00, my mom just about passed out. I told her (telepathically, of course) that one cannot put a price on "love" and what we had between us was very special. My gosh, I thunk that thought so hard I almost popped. So then Mom notices a little scar on my tummy. Aw geez, ok...so I had a little inguinal hernia when I was born, I'm still right for you, lady, I transmitted.

Mom got $100 knocked off my adoption fee, and we walked out of there together "paid in full". I also got a collar, matching leash, stuffed squeaky trout, rawhide chewies, tag with phone number (no name yet)...you know. Necessary stuff for a new puppy. Then we had this name thing to sort out. She had thought about lots of names...like "Ruby", "Harriet" (egads..yuck), "Pamela"....the usual stuff. But I am MEEEE - and when we got in the car I scrunched up my face really tight and thought "Mary-Margaret O'Brien" with the most effort I had EVER put into anything in my whole life. Finally, Mom looks at me and says "Mary-Margaret O'Brien??". Well, good gosh, YEAH!!! That is who I am and what I will be called for the rest of my days.

All in all, it was a good day, that Saturday November 25, 2005, the day I was adopted.

Oh, back to Friday. I went to Miss Marilyn's and she had MUSIC on. Not the Celtic harp stuff...more like K-ROCK, but it was ok. Good dancing music. I made friends with Boomer, Mason, Heidi and Valentino, to mention a few. Of course, Bello the poodle was there, too. About Heidi and Valentino...I had this really strong connection with Valentino. Like we've known each other in a former life or something. I never did figure out if Heide was his mature "wife" or his mother. Or maybe just an older woman friend. She seemed really friendly but very concerned about me and Valentino. She smiled a lot but barked and coughed if she thought we were getting too tight.

Mom came about 1:30, we went to McDonald's and I got greeted by the gang again. Somebody put ONIONS on my burger so Mom had to pick them off for me before I could have lunch. We worked, and it was a crazy day with people coming at us from all directions. Mom barked at a couple of people (I taught her and she's pretty good at it), and we worked until maybe 7:00PM. By the time we got home I don't think Mom's brain was functioning at a level required to take dictation. She had a glazed look in her eyes and walked like a zombie. I fell asleep on the desk and, about an hour later, she picked me up and tucked me in bed.

That was it. Sorry for not writing last night. You understand?

Love,

Mary-Margaret