Mom is a bit cranky tonight!

Posting on my blog is about the last thing on her mind. She got home and everything in the freezer had liquified, including sticky lime juice bars. And when she tried to get stuff out of the freezer the wrappers on the lime bars popped open and she had gallons (it seemed) of icky syrupy green gunk to sop up. So everything got thrown out except for the bagels. I tell YOUUUUU, I even got sniped at. I was just trying to help clean the floor. Really, I was!!

And later, when she's all relaxed but still stewing, Grandma calls to see if we're ok...on Mom's CELL phone. "Yeah? Why?", Mom asks. "And how come you're calling on my cell"? Grandma says our phone just rings and rings and nobody answers. Sonia said that, too, a few days ago. So Mom calls the phone company. They tell her it's in HER equipment, which is weird because she doesn't have a problem calling out and the computer DSL is just fine. So...that's something else she has to schedule.

Earlier in the day Miss Patty finally called her back, like maybe THREE WEEKS after Mom had called about my limp and my head (see below about "Crutches"). Nice of her, huh? Mom says she's called Miss Patty three times, and now she's just getting back to her? So Miss Patty says I'm a wiggle worm (we knew that already), and that maybe I just have thin skin on my head, and suggested that maybe I'd already been cut when I went to be groomed? I don't theeeeeeeeeeenk so. I'd have known it if I had. So Mom just says "Uh huh! Well, we won't be keeping our appointment this Friday!" and Miss Patty says "OK". That's it. Great PR, don't you think? I'm glad I'm going somewhere else.

Oh yeah..and Miss Patty tells Mom she should brush me more often. Well, I get brushed every night after dinner while we're all comfy in the big leather chair. So...like....she's saying MORE than THAT? Sounds like an excuse maker to me. But what do I know. I have an uncomplicated life where my most pressing problem is making sure I hit my piddle pad.

So it's been one of those days and Mom says she's just not in the mood to post to my blog and this is why. See? Maybe tomorrow.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Shelly's Puppies

MOM? You know how I've been asking and asking for a new baby brother or sister? And you keep saying "We'll see, Mary-Margaret"? WELL, look. Can I have 'em all, huh? Can I? Can I? Pul-eeeeeeeeeeeeeze??

They're not that far. Only up in Lake Isabella, CA. Well, if you don't email Shelly at shellyddd@yahoo.com , then I will. REALLY I will!!!

Love, Mary-Margaret

Me and my "Paw-di-curist"

It's Mom's day to get her nails done. We're a bit late because one of OUR clients ran a bit late. You know how stuff runs downhill. Anyway, here's a picture of Miss Cathleen and me. I just love her. She treats me so nicely and always knows exactly what I'm saying. First off, she brings me a bowl of water in my very own special dish that she keeps just for me.

This is the part I like the best. After she puts the lotion on Mom's feet and gives her a massage, it's MY turn. I tell YOOOUUUU! It's heavenly, and really...it even tastes better than it smells. After I get my massage, I tell Miss Cathleen that I would very much like it if she took me on a walk, and she actually knows what I said. (ahem - unlike SOME people I know!) So we go out, and even though I'm not supposed to go in the weeds, she lets me frolic for just a bit and then picks the foxtails out of my fur so Mom won't see. OK..so she missed one. It was ok. No big deal.

Am I just the luckiest kid in the whole world, I ask you? Hmmmmm???

Love,

Mary-Margaret

Dang it! I got busted!

Hello! My name is Mary-Margaret! And I'm a "chew-a-holic"!

I really thought I could sneak a few nibbles every so often and no one would know. Sometimes, I would even skootch under Mom's desk, pretend I was napping, and just halfway roll over for a couple of gnaws. But it all came to an end this morning. I knew I had to face my addiction.

Sonia couldn't connect her computer to the network. She tried everything, and when she ran out of ideas, she followed the network cable. "AHAAA!", she said, and she called Mom. When me and Mom got the the office, I knew I was in a pickle. I slunk off to my office bed while Mom and Sonia found some more ethernet cable and got things back up and running.

(hanging head) Dear Diary, loyal fans, and adoring public. I hereby swear to you that I will rehabilitate myself, and that I will become an example for all young pups who find themselves with a similar addiction.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot chew; courage to chew the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Amen.

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Recovering Chewaholic

My Day Off!

Would you believe that I finally took the whole day off? Mom worked but I got in some serious napping. I'll check in tomorrow. I'm still enjoying the moment. And, yes, I snore. How embarassing, but I do. Yuck.

OH OH OH! And a belated Happy Birthday to my good friend, Sarabi. I sent a card last week but as of yesterday she still didn't have it. Her birthday was yesterday, so I really feel badly it didn't get there. Probably shoulda sent it email. Darn! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SARABI!! Woo hoo!

Love, Mary-Margaret

Puppy School again!

Mom and me worked today, but about 4:00PM she decided the air conditioning wasn't really helping a whole lot so she looks at me and says "You want to go to Puppy School, Mary-Margaret?" Well, er....ok! Sure. Who wouldn't want to go out into that 100° plus heat? So we get there a bit late and everyone is just laying around panting. Let's see. There was Sam the Golden Lab, Sammy the Welsh Corgi, Tripper the ...er...small brown dog, Lucky the chihuahua-terrier mix, Missy the Shepherd and Daisy the Golden Lab (maybe?).

I get there and they WANT me. I mean, they REALLY come at me. So I do my back-flip thingy and get tons of tummy licks from every body. Hey, I mean it doesn't take a lot of energy to just lay there and get licked. It was cooling, to say the least. Then Sammy the Corgi decided he wanted me for his own. Now you KNOW how I am about commitment, but he was indefatiguable. He was kind of cute, too, but a bit too young for me. Still, finally I flipped over for him too. I'm really pretty easy to get along with.

Then everybody walked over to the water bowls. There were three really big ones out there. Little Lucky decided to go swimming in one, but he couldn't fit his whole body in at one time. So first, the front end. Then the back. He was having such a good time. Then Sam decided to get in on the fun, and then Daisy and Missy. Needless to say, I don't drink bathwater. So I stayed thirsty until I got home and then gulped down about half a bowl.

We stopped at the market and Mom strapped me into my pouch. It's funny, you know, about humans? They tend not to look at one another but just plow right on with their business. So it's really a surprise when someone notices that I'm there. We were all the way to the produce department and Cheryl (a new friend we met) starts chatting with Mom. Cheryl has a 12 week old Yorkie and wanted to know where Mom got the front pouch carrier. She thought her baby would like one. Then we meet another Yorkie mom over in the butcher's section, and they get started. Yak yak yak, but I have to say that Yorkie people are a breed unto themselves. We're pretty lucky kids to be Yorkies, you know.

A couple of the checkers said "hi" to me. We've met a few times before, and pretty much everyone knows me. I really like shopping at Albertson's. They make great roast chicken and have really nice Yorkie people there. And their air conditioning works everly so well.

That's my day. I hope yours was as nice, and that you got to stay either wet or cool. The people next door had a big kid's party so I didn't want to go outside. Don't know what it is, but I'm just really uncomfortable being outdoors with a bunch of people making noise, so I turn around and race to get back inside. I'd rather use a piddle pad than to go out in my own yard when things are like that. Really I would.

Love, Mary-Margaret

A Strenuous and Exacting Art!

Oh my GOOODNESS! I met just the nicest lady today. Mrs. Ramsey!AND...ohmygawsh...she brought us papers in a BOX. I tell YOUUUU! She even said "Oh, here you go, you sweet puppy!" and let me have at it. Mom kept going "Eeeeyeww, Mary-Margaret!", but the lady just laughed and said I was having so much fun and all. So Mom said something like "Are you going to clean up after her?", and Mrs. Ramsey just laughed and laughed. And moved the box over to a clean spot on the carpet and let me go again. Wheeeeeeeeee! So now Mom is trying very hard to ignore the mess while she works, and I've exhausted myself. Box shredding is a strenuous and exacting art, you know. Not everyone was born with talent like I was. :o)

Cheers and here's to ya...

Mary-Margaret O'Brien

The Dachsies and Their Cousins

Here they are herding cattle. They are so cute. I wish I lived closer to them. They are in Texas. I'll bet we could even "do lunch" or something fun. I wonder if they'd share their toys with me. Hmmmmmm??

Mary-Margaret

Another day, another biscuit

I think I'm getting a promotion. I'm better than the Artful Dodger and Fingers Fagin at picking pockets and purses. After several failed attempts and having fingers wagged at me, I finally managed to get a pen out of the bottom of a client's purse. She thought I became awfully quiet and when she bent over to see what I was doing she told on me. By that time, I'd destroyed the red plastic cap of the pen and I was making little plastic spit balls out of it. When Mom asked if she wanted the rest of it back, the lady laughed and said "No, thanks!". Mom said she's thinking of promoting me to Head Procurer in Office Supplies. :o)

Mom worked late tonight so I entertained myself by going on "search and destroy" missions. That entails quietly pulling things out of the wastebasket and sneaking them under desks so they can be shredded at my leisure. Napkins, diet bar wrappers, envelopes. You name it, I shredded it.

Oh yeah, and my other blue barrette? Came back to me in the courier pouch today. Those pouch people are pretty good, actually. I even got the remainder of a rawhide chewy back after a week or so gone missing a while back. How do they KNOW where to send them if there's no E-050 pouch number written on them?? Hmmmmmm?

OK..bed time. G'night all.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Those Dachsie Kids

I tell YOUUU. They are the nicest bunch of pups anyone would want to meet. I was born on 9/19/05, according to my birth certificate anyway. I think that makes me almost 10 months old and The Dachsies said I only look eight. Isn't that nice?
Here's me..ta daaaa...on my oversized, soft and comfy, recliner chair. Mom gets the seat, I get the back. What more could a pup ask?

And do you notice that I can see the whole back yard? When those RUDE cats come by, I'm rrrrrrrready! RRRRRUFFF. I chased the tabby right over the wall today. Whooosh. And then I ran right back to the slider so Mom could let me in just in case Tabby figured out ....er.....how ...um...scared I really was. Shhhhh. But those cats are so much bigger than I am. I think it's that I exude an air of self-confidence that intimidates them, don't you? I mean I can keep up the charade for a while, but it gets tiring after a while. Much easier to sit on the back of the chair and yell at them. Although Mom doesn't think so and keeps telling me to "Hush, Mary-Margaret. That's RUDE!!". Well, I don't want to be RUDE, so I "wwwrrrrufff" rather quietly but I think I get my point across.

Oh yeah...and Mom says she's GOT to remember to water that plant. I think it's a good thing she takes pictures so she can see what needs to be done. Usually, she's in such a rush she whizzes right by stuff. Like that slider track last week. So pictures are good that way, don'tcha think?

OK...Bed time. I have a nice soft comfy cushion or my half of the bed. Either's fine with me. RUDE CATS can just stay out all night. Yuck.

Love, Mary-Margaret

July 10: Ho-Hum, Diddly-Yum!

I'm almost 10 months old. Hard to believe, isn't it? I so absolutely feel just like a puppy inside, but outside...well, I'm getting grey hairs. Oh? I'm supposed to get them? OK, then. That's all right. Mom got the name of a new groomer and she's making an appointment. I'm still walking a bit funny, I guess, but I feel fine. Personally, I think my mom makes everly too much fuss over me. Seems my "paw-di-cure" wasn't completely finished last time. My toe nails were overlooked, which is a problem when I try to climb onto the top of mom's head. She keeps saying "OW OW OW, Mary-Margaret".

Sometimes I just have to find things to write about, but I don't want you, Dear Diary, to think I've forgotten you.

Love, Mary-Margaret

My Day Off ... What can I say?

No rest - not even on a Sunday. Always got that @#$%@$#^$ camera with her.
Fine. What do you want? Oh, how RUDE of me? Welcome to my private hideaway? Please come in and make yourself comfortable? You wish!!
Go away. I'm busy! NAPPING!!!

My Very First Time EVERRRRR...!!!

I actually chased a RUDE cat right out of my backyard. All by myself. He didn't even see me until it was too late, and I took off running and then he took off. He hopped right through the iron bars on the fence. Woo hoo! I am hot stuff! I am way HOT! Like I could whup the other two with one paw tied behind my back. I am that gooooood! Yup! I am now an official watch dog.

Also, I dropped by Puppy School and it was a very good thing that I did, too. First off, here's a picture of MaggieMoo the Schnoodle, and little Nacho the Pomeranian who is about 8 weeks old. That's MaggieMoo's big brother Pasha holding them, and Sam the Golden Retriever snuggling up to Pasha.
Missy, a German Shepherd pup, was there and I tell YOUUUU, she looks just like Mia did when I first met her. They were telling me that Mia has graduated AND had her "little surgery", and won't be coming back. That makes me a bit sad.

My old boyfriend, Sandy, was there last Thursday and I missed him, darn it. I guess he missed me too, because I heard he wasn't to thrilled about all the little kids. I'll try to go next Thursday and maybe he'll be there with his baby brother Toby again. I'm not going all the time anymore, but I will stop by every so often just to look in on the kids and make sure they are learning their manners properly. Like with Missy and Sam, both a whole lot bigger than me, they got a lesson or two in manners from me today. It cost me one of my blue barrettes but we found it later. :o)

G'night everybody.

Love, Mary-Margaret

The Art of Bow Removal

First, rub one's head against anything handy, but a blankie will do in a pinch.
Once, you've got it sorta loose, then toss your head around like Farrah Fawcett (Britney Spears for the younger pups).
Object is to get bow along clump of hair far enough so you can bite it.
Then, chomp down hard, and pull forward while doing a back flip.

Persistence pays off! Trust me!

Love, Mary-Margaret

Jami has more babies!!

Fidel is a grandfather again. Jami, his son's chihuahua, had another litter of babies. Oooooooh...that's SO exciting. I love babies like chihuahuas. Something about the patter of tiny paws running through the house. Me and mom were on a serve tonight and the human thought we were there for the puppies. There were two of the cutest little Malti-poos, only six weeks old right there inside the front door. The littlest one wanted so badly to come home with me. Even started the "howww-ooooooo" thing, like it was imitating a wolf only in a tiny voice. It was so cute. Mom says not yet. Although I could tell she really thought hard about it.

I want a baby brother or sister. I do. REALLY I do!!!

Love, Mary-Margaret

Just another "When's"day

Like ...WHEN IS something exciting going to happen? We go to the bank...(yawn). Get to the office (oh boy!)...Mom handles some stuff (oh whoop de doo!)...and WHEN do I get some fun? "WHEN'S my time"? Oh...Mrs. Graff came in and I got some belly rubs. Michael has new office furniture but no windows (they had to replace the old ones and last I looked he didn't have any). Took a couple of potty breaks, and napped most of the time. Barfed once over by the door - probably that staple I spit up, but I'm ok.

At home, it the same-o, same-o. Except maybe about 7:30 I'm sitting on Mom's head while she's in the comfy leather chair. There, I can look into the back yard, and here come those cats again. I tell YOUUU...RUDE RUDE RUDE! Mom picks me up and carries me outside so I can be taller than the cats and I bark without fear. Not that I'd have "fear", but they ARE big. Anyway, they left. I high-fived Mom and we went back in.

We watched "America's Got Talent" for a bit. "Leonid the Magnificent" is the most memorable, for sure. Don't know what it is that he does, actually, but he is memorable. The first time he got booted, I thought he was going to moult all over the stage. Fortunately for him, the audience wanted him back so he goes on to the next level. Girl kid named Bianca Ryan is 11 years old and sings like Ella Fitzgerald. She comes back, too.

OK..that's it. Must be time for bed. Mom's got her water, I've got my teddy bear. See you tomorrow.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Happy Independence Day!

I celebrated by going outside all by myself, no leash & no Mom, and.....and.....(sniff)....I just couldn't DO it. I've dreamed of freedom ever since I could walk, and when I finally got it I didn't know what to DO with it. So, I sat by the slider and just waited for Mom to let me back in.

She encouraged me to go out a few more times, but I hung back unless she went with me. She says she understands. Like when she first moved out on her own, all by herself into her own little apartment, she thought she'd kick up a storm and instead, she sat on the floor in the living room next to all the empty boxes and cried. She'd wished for so long to be out on her own and not to have to answer to someone, and when she could finally stay up as late as she wanted, or have a party or whatever, she didn't want to. She told me she was much harder on herself than even her parents were on her. Go figure.

Anyway...I decided I rather preferred being IN the house, behind the glass (so I don't have to tangle with those RUDE cats), and where it's air conditioned, and where my food and water is. I tell YOUUUUUU, do me and Mom have a lot in common, or what???

Love,

Mary-Margaret

PS - Probably a good thing Mom took this picture. She's getting out the steam cleaner now so she can clear off those slider tracks. (hee hee)

MM to honor MM

(Mary-Margaret asked to have a day off in memory of Jim Backus, who died on July 3, 1989. He was well known as the voice of Mr. Magoo)

I got my pool! Yayyy!

What's this? A wading pool?
Hurry up and fill. I'm waiting....
Ahhhh...That feels good.
Hmmmmmm? What's that?
Stuff floats on the top of the water, like buggies and feathers and...just stuff. I love to splash it down and watch it pop up again. This is fun.
...splash...splash.. splash.. wheeeee!
My paw pads look like raisins. Time to get out?
This is me after rolling in the freshly mown lawn, getting my fur all full of gunk, and then racing into the house so I can dry off on the couch, I'm contemplating this Egg & Cheese Charlee Bear. Nope...too many calories. I think I'll pass.

That was oodles of fun. I think I like my pool. Wanna come play??

Love, Mary-Margaret

Mom is ABSOLUTELY steaming MAD!!!

I told you about my little "mishap" at the groomers? How I came home limping and had a cut on the top of my head? Mom called Miss Patty, the owner of Country Kennels, and she was gone taking her son to the airport so he could be in Germany for a month. Being the nice person she is, she told Jackie not to bother her and to let her enjoy her day with her son, but to please ask her to call tomorrow.

No call. She waited...waited. Then she called again, and got put on hold for absolutely EVER. She finally started to feel grey hairs growing on her head, so she hung up and called the NEXT day. Again, Miss Patty wasn't "available" so she left ANOTHER message. This was yesterday, and so far NO CALL.

Now I tell YOUUUU, she wasn't even really mad at anyone because she knows (in her heart) that no one would deliberately hurt me. She just wanted to find out WHAT happened exactly, because I am still limping. And I have a scab on my head, but that will go away, only leaving another scar. I got cut the last time I went, too, and they know that!

She didn't think anything other than maybe it was an accident, and she just wanted to find out what happened so she could get me better. Now, she's beginning to wonder if they were negligent and maybe left me alone and I jumped off the table, or something worse. She's not going to go back there, and she's not going to get all legal and sue anybody. She says the most important thing is ME!! (Of course it is, I think!)

Still - she's not happy that they won't even show enough concern to discuss my little incident with her so she would know what really happened to me. That is most definitely NOT nice (and as mom says, so very UN-PRO-FESSIONAL!!!) Especially considering she's been so very loyal to Miss Patty, and given her so many recommendations. She's afraid maybe she's misguided some people and their pups to a place that doesn't care about anything except making money. If so, she's sorry, and will NOT send anyone there again, either.

Just in case you were wondering about me...

Mary-Margaret