The Highs and Lows of my Life

The Highs: Last week, Star (my best friend besides Sarabi) got me and her matching collars. They are pink with faux diamonds. It's way cool. And I layer my wardrobe because that's so stylish these days. So I wear TWO collars. A dark pink one, and my new one from Star. Also, getting my very own "pouch" so me and Auntie Leslie can send stuff back and forth to each other, and getting oodles of boxes just for shredding. It was a very good week last week.

The Lows: FINALLY getting Mom to take me to Saturday Puppy School after weeks of not going (she says I'm too grown up for that now) and getting there and finding a NOTE on the gate saying Saturdays are now from 8:00AM to 9:00AM instead of 4:00PM to 5:00PM. Miss Megan was in the back with April, a crabby Bichon Frise, and I was crying so hard from disappointment that she held me for just a moment. I sobbed all the way back into town until we got to Mary Shaima's office. Then she gave me lots of love. But still, I was absolutely SOOO sad about missing Puppy School.

Oh, and also Miss Letty and Dr. Hill sold their practice to Dr. Bach. Which is ok because I love her and Dr. Kaylor and Dr. Verreault ever so much, but I will miss Miss Letty terribly. I didn't even get a chance to kiss her goodbye. If she reads this I want her to know how very special she was to me. I will always have a warm place in my little heart reserved just for her.

What I remember most about Miss Letty: She had a laugh that made everybody laugh along with her. And she had a way of making each pup feel like they were her favorite. She always knew when someone needed some special attention. And she also had a way about her so that if a pup was misbehaving she could set it straight without humiliation. Of course, I NEVER misbehaved so I only speak from observation, not experience. (coff coff) Miss Leticia was like a burst of sunlight and happiness whenever she was around. I know we'll all miss her. My Mom says she will miss her, too.

So here's me keeping close to Mom and sleeping on her desk while she plays bridge. It's just a thing we do at night before bedtime. I just love my Mom so very much. She knows how to balance the highs and the lows better than anyone I know.

Kisses to all, Mary-Margaret

Project Box Shred - almost complete!!

I have only a few boxes left. Already I'm down to two or three boxes and then I'll be DONE! Boy, will Auntie Leslie have a surprise in HER pouch next week! (hee hee hee)


Oh yeah. Check out Mom's office. I'm pretty thorough, don't you think??

Love, Mary-Margaret 

I love my pouch! I love my Leslie!

Pouches have been pretty boring lately. I look, I sniff, I sigh. But today Mom says "OH, LOOOOOK, Mary-Margaret!". And here is my very own white zippered pouch with my OWN name and E-050 on the flip card and it's from my Auntie Leslie with "xxoo" from E-041. Mom opens it up and it's...OHMYGAWSH....boxes. Big boxes...little boxes...flat boxes. Tons of boxes. Empty boxes. Just the way I like them. She told Mom that she read my blog about artfully shredding a box and just KNEW I would really enjoy this. Well, she's right. OHHH, I AM IN Absolute HEAVEN, I tell you.

I had a field day, I tell you. And Auntie Leslie is going to be so proud of me. Mom says I can send her back all my handiwork as soon as I'm done. Did I mention that I'm an artiste?

Love and Hollywood air kisses....

Mary-Margaret

The Phone - Conclusion

Remember when our phone wasn't ringing but we could call out? And the phone company said it was Mom's equipment? And that just didn't make sense? Well, guess what!!! Mom got a call from the repairman last week and the phone actually rang. She asked him where he was, and you know what he said? He was about a mile or so away in someplace that has a "phone card" and the ring part of the phone card wasn't working so he put a new one in. Three weeks of the phone people saying it's in our equipment and no calls can come in. And see how it turns out?

This is the Mary-Margaret News Network (or MMNN) saying "Good night and God Bless!"

Such simple pleasures

Oh, I can't tell you how MUCH I love to sniff. Bushes, grass, fences, dog bottoms, feet, shoes, wastebaskets. This morning, I even sniffed the side slope.

Cats...like really RUDE trespassing cats....keep crossing MY back yard. I'm becoming a very good cat chaser. I'm very proud of myself, and Mom is, too. I caught a cat using our planter as a litter box and chased him off before he had a chance to use the "Charmin". That'll teach him.

DogBlog TV

Me and Mom just found this site. DogBlog TV Take a look for yourself. Now THIS is important stuff. REALLY it is!

Mary-Margaret

Me 'n Anthony

Here I am. Doing what I love best. Giving kisses and hugs. Just in case you wondered what I like best about working. This is Anthony, and he's the son of the lady across the hall. Too bad he already has a girlfriend.
Kitty just got her black belt in Tae Kwan Do so I'm not going to fight her for him. But I DOOOO love him. Sorry I'm such a blur up there but I really get into the "licking" part of our relationship! :o)
Awww...well, I just can't hide my feelings. And now the whole world will know how I am about Anthony. Kitty....(how ironic THAT should be the name of my rival!)...will understand, I'm sure. To be honest, I really like her, too! Even if she IS named "Kitty".

Love, Mary-Margaret

I LOVE My Job & Hate to Leave

I really didn't want to go. It was so nice just sitting there in the parking lot with the breeze bringing all kinds of nifty smells my way.
Fine. You pull one way, I'll pull back even harder. You are NOT the boss of me!
This one was just before Mom scooped me up and plopped me into my carseat. I tell YOUUUU, I can be just as stubborn as she can. She says I threw her back out. Well, that's not MY fault. She shoulda just let me sit there and sniff. I was perfectly happy.

Mary-Margaret

Awwwww....MOM??

Sheesh! Some of Mom's list friends were talkin' about FLEAS! I have NEVER had a flea in my life. Eeeyeeewww! I take Sentinel tabs once a month on the 7th of every month. But still she got the creepies and I got a BATH. Actually, a shower. It's not so bad once it's over but the soaping up part ...yuck!!

I get all towel dried and Mom does the "rub a dub dub, three men in a tub" thing. You know how Moms baby talk us Yorkies? Anyway, then I stand on the chair at her vanity while I get blow-dried and combed. That's not too bad 'cause I can look in the mirror. Not that I'm vain or anything, but...hey, I could look worse, ya know.

Love,

Mary-Margaret

Making new friends...

...is one of my favorite things in life. Allow me to introduce Woodrow and Cashew. They live in Carson City, NV and their mom, Chere, adopted them from the pound. Cashew is the one that looks like...er...a cashew (my favorite kind of nut, by the way!). I also sort of like slivered almonds, but I digress. (ahem)

You can tell from the picture that they suffer with flash cameras the same as I do. I mean, I tell YOUUUUUUUUUUU, you just get a good nap underway and "BLAM", the flash goes off and you have to start all over again. I thought it was just MY mom, but I guess the problem is universal.

Pups of the world...UNITE!! We need to do something about these camera nuts. They're probably the ONLY kind of nuts I don't like.

Love and happy Saturday...

Mary-Margaret

July 28, 2006 - Friday

Nothing to say, Dear Diary. The usual stuff. I met a lot of new people, and I have decided that I like "people puppies" absolutely so much. They're about my size, cute, and we just talk and play and they don't try to boss me. And they're soft and they smell really good.

I got babysat again while Mom went to the dentist AGAIN. She doesn't want to discuss it, she says. I think she's getting annoyed. Something about her "temporaries keep coming unglued". Debbie across the hall played with me while I was there. She's pretty cool with us pups, and even lets us on her desk. We play a "catch the finger" game. We have a good time with that.

Margie helped Mom out a lot today. And when Mom had to go up to her doctor's office, Margie even baby sat me. I think I'm starting to get to her, because she's everly so nice to me. She even takes me on little walks. She was a really big help, I know.

OK..time for bed now. G'night and God bless everyone.

Love Mary-Margaret

Perhaps if I pretend to be a client....

...then she'll pay attention to me. Our last client just left, so I hopped into his chair. Mom says "Oh, Mary-Margaret. May I help you?". "Well, yes, of course. I would like to go out, please!", I said. So we went for a little walk, smelled some flowers and bushes (I did, anyway), and then we went back upstairs.

I got babysat for a while while Mom saw the dentist again. Then, we went to Miss Cathleen's place and I saw Dee who recognized me right away. "Why, there's Mary-Margaret!", she said. Miss Cathleen wondered how Dee knew me. Well, gosh. I do get around, you know. I have lots of friends in Temecula. Even Mom doesn't know as many people as me.

I got my special paw-di-cure and lotion rubbed on my tummy. Then Mom went into the dark place with music and sweet smells and got a facial. I just explored a whole lot in a short range, since Miss Cathleen was standing on my leash. I'm sure it was just an accident, though, and not on purpose, don't you think? There are so many more places I need to investigate at Bellissima, Miss Cathleen's shop.

Mom's going to play bridge for a bit. I think I'll turn in.

Love to everybody.

Mary-Margaret

Eeeepp??

Mom's new thing. When I bark, she says "Eeepp!". One of her list-buddies told her to do that and I'd stop. Well, who wouldn't stop for something so silly. I mean, it was all I could do to keep from splitting my little belly laughing. You gotta picture little old me just saying hello to people in my own special way, and this grown lady, in all seriousness, saying "Eeeep? "Eeeep?". Not to mention what the other business folks on our floor thought. She wasn't exactly quiet about it. I was absolutely mortified.

Maybe it's the tone she's using, but it seems pretty silly to me. The last time she did it, I looked at her cross-eyed and changed the subject. Barkathons aren't any fun when it's "Bark"-Eeep"-"Bark"-"Eeep". Kinda takes the wind out of my sails. OK. Bottom line. I guess it works. Happy now, Mom?? And to think I used to look forward to my little evening "get-togethers" with the neighborhood pups.

Dejectedly yours (and still grounded)

Mary-Margaret

Still Grounded, but out of the Doghouse!

Mom rewired the network with new cables. She turned the main computer on and off several times, used some magic words (you know the kind I mean), and the last time she put it's boot on (she calls it "rebooting") she told the computer that if it didn't work then, she was calling in the Geek Patrol. I guess the computer knows how my mom gets when she's really mad, so it started right up and everybody could sign in AND use the internet. Everyone said "Yayyy!", including meeeee!

Now, I don't know if it was the "magic words" or the threat of the "Geek Patrol" that did it, but I DO know that I'm not being glared at anymore. I don't think I'll want to even taste ethernet cable again for a long, long time. Maybe not EVER.

I think "cold turkey" is the way to go with my addiction. I've just GOT to remember how I felt when I took the network down. (Yeah, baby!) No! No! (hee hee) ...just kidding. I don't like it when everyone's mad at me. Really, I don't!

Long day. Time to turn in.

Love, Mary-Margaret

I've been Grounded...for LIFE, I think!

OHhhhhhhhhhh! I hate to tell you, but I shouldn't even be on the computer. I've been grounded indefinitely. Why, you ask? Er.....well, I had a bit of a setback on my rehab program. And I SWEAR I didn't mean it. Honest! But the whole office network is down, and no one can access the internet either. Mom always plans for the unimaginable, so she has a dial-up connection but only on HER computer.

It was a blue ethernet cable. It was just sitting there, calling my name. I used every ounce of willpower to ignore it, but my addiction is just to powerful. I am SOOOOOO ashamed.

Let's all hold paws together and pray for strength.

I have to get off now and go "think about it".

G'night everybody.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Me and My New Doggles!!

  Boy, I sure could have used these Doggles in that dust storm yesterday. They fit absolutely perfectly. The company that sent them was really good, too, because the first pair didn't work out too well and they sent me these right away.

Mom says I look a bit silly, but I think I look everly so awesome, don't you??

Sorta like a big movie star??

(DAHHHHH...ling!)

Love ya, Mary-Margaret 

My First Dust Storm

Lazy day. Went to office to check mail and I got my new Doggles, in their own little case. I'll post a picture when I get a moment. We went to Von's. You know, they are nice to puppies, too. Just like Albertson's. Everyone says "hi" to me, even the Store Manager, and she makes me feel everly so welcome. Everybody always comments on how quiet I am. :o)

It was really HOT HOT HOT today. Like the hottest ever in my whole life. Still, though, I wanted to go to Puppy School. Only four kids showed up: Me, Daisy, Missy and Mordecai Hill. We kinda hung out and chatted 'cause it was too hot to play. Then that nice Temecula breeze came up. And then, OHMYGAWSH...it was like "The Wizard of Oz" it was such a dust storm. Mom stuck me under her t-shirt so I wouldn't get any dust in my eyes or my nose, it was THAT bad. So thick - it was like a beige but gritty fog.

Before the dust storm, Miss Letty told Mom that she thought it was awful that Miss Patty never called her back, and so SHE called over to the place like the day before Miss Patty called Mom (see below). She's not sure who she talked to but they mostly blamed my leg and my cuts on MEEEEE! I mean, HOW RUDE!!!! And then the girl even told Miss Letty that I was "such a wiggle worm" that they were going to ask me not to come back. Me? Hey, I'm just a pup, and they're the pros. If they can't handle one little 6.5 pound Yorkie pup, what the heck are they doing in the grooming business, I ask you?

Well, it's old stuff and in the past. I have a really great stylist who knows how to treat me, and I will be loyal to Miss Marilyn for absolutely EVER AND EVERRRR! And Miss Marilyn even told Mom that I was very good. So brrrttthhhppppp (raspberries) to Miss Patty and her peeps. Hmmmph!!

It was thundering and raining here for a while but so hot it dried up right away almost. My pool blew half way across the yard. I tell YOUUUU...it was a weird day.

Time for bed.

Love ya all....

Mary-Margaret

Miss Marilyn and My Spa Day

I absolutely LOVE it!!

I try to always on time, and Miss Marilyn was outside to greet me as my "driver" (Really, it's just Mom, but it makes me feel important to say "driver"!) pulls up. She welcomes me and takes me inside her salon. You know, she's NOT a groomer. Even her lovely lavender cards proclaim her to be a "Pet Stylist". Now that's class, I tell YOUUUUU!!

Here's the new me in my favorite spot. You know, having short hair is EVERLY so much cooler these days. And I'm really REALLY happy about it. Marilyn even defuzzed the inside of my ears, and left enough on my (ahem) .. privates... to keep me modest. I've been grinning from ear to ear all day. Oh, and my good friend Moses goes there with his little brother, Nathaniel. And I made some more friends who are Yorkies like me: Bailey and Kahlua. And Bello, a very handsome standard Poodle, and a Maltese but I can't remember the name. It's just like Puppy School at Miss Marilyn's place. We all get to play before and after we're groomed. No cages or kennels. It's WONDERFUL!!!

Come on. Be honest. Don't you think I look tres chic?

Everly yours, dahlinks,

Mary-Margaret

Waaaah! Abandoned for HOURS!

(sniff) What a day. First off, Mom says "Good bye" and leaves - WITHOUT MEEEEEEE! So I wandered back upstairs to my pillow and took a nap. She had to get her hair cut. Then she had to type a report and it's not easy with me licking her toes, she says. Finally, she comes home and ...OHMYGOODNESS. I am so happy to see her. I do the "run run run" thingy in the back yard, piddle a couple of times and settle in for some afternoon cuddles.

But NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. She hops up and tries to leave again. But this time, I beat her out the door. She chases me around the garage and I can tell when she's getting really mad cause she gets all pink, so I went back in the house and stood between her and the door. She says "I HAVE to go to the dentist, Mary-Margaret"! So what's she do? She picks me up and gets me to go back into the kitchen and I think she's playing a game. OK..That sounds like fun. But instead, she races out the door and just (sniff....wahhhhhh) leaves me there. All by MYSELF.

I tell YOUUUUUUUUUUUU. When she came home, she had to yell "Honey, I'm home" TWO times before I practically fell over myself getting to her. She picked me up and I just dug my nails in and hugged her so tight. Don't EVER do that to me again, I said. I hope she heard me. I really REALLY missed her.

(PS - She really missed me, too!)

Love, Mary-Margaret

I got Doggles, Dude!

They're not pink and there aren't any rhinestones. Also, one side keeps coming apart. (That nice company is sending me another pair!) Other than that, I think I'm pretty cool, Dude! Yeah, baby!!

Mom went to the dentist this morning, and has to go back all afternoon tomorrow. But at least the refrigerator is working again. Some diddly-whump fritzed out and shut down, and this morning everything was warm and soggy, so that stuff is in the trash. Mom turned off the both the freezer and the refrigerator compartments so there wouldn't be a fire or anything. Then, later, the repair guy gets there and looks at Mom kinda funny and says "You know they're shut off"? Like....well, duh. But Mom's kewl and says "Yeah". And the guy turns them back on and it WORKS. He said there's some safety shutoff, and next time it starts to get warm to call HIM and not turn it off. So, basically, Mom fixed it herself by resetting it because it's fine now. And it only cost her $58.95 to learn the hard way.

Again, let me say....I LIKE MY LIFE UNCOMPLICATED. I helped a lot this morning by moving Bob's tools around so we could play hide and seek a bit. He was pretty nice about it. I think he likes me just a little.

Time for "America's Got Talent". See ya later.

Love, Mary-Margaret