Happy Little Treasures!!

My Auntie Sissie calles them "the little wheeeees in life". You know....like how you go down a slide really fast and say "Wheeeeee!!". Like that. My "whees" are a tad different. Like happy little unexpected treasures. Like today!



I was minding my own business, checking under furniture at Miss Cathleen's and "Oh, hello there?". A POTATO CHIP?? Yup...a whole great big "not even cracked a little bit" potato chip just waiting for MEEEEEEE. I scooted it out so I could admire my good fortune, and put it right on the corner of the Oriental rug. Yup. See my Potato Chip? OK, no pictures, but imagine it??

A bit later, my potato chip still waiting for me, I went for my little walk with Miss Cathleen. By now, Mom and Miss Cathleen had both seen my little treasure and remarked on it by going "Ew...what's THAT?" and "It sort of looks like a potato chip, but....". Oh come ON, ladies. It's the PERFECT potato chip and it's all mine. I knew it wasn't going to last much longer, judging by the way the ladies were glancing at it. The minute I got back from my walk, I GOBBLED IT UP!




Let me tell YOUUUU. That was an absolutely PERFECT little treasure. A little "whee", if you will. And worth every yummy little bite. I'm no dummy. I know that look that says "I'm getting the dust pan and whisk broom!", and I beat them to it.

Ahhhhh, the pleasure of it all.

Yum.

Love, Mary-Margaret

To SIR, with Love!

This is my special "Sir". It's Anthony Zarate, and I've had a crush on him for a long time, probably since I was nine weeks old. He graduated high school last year and went right into the Army. He's home now for a bit, then he goes to Los Alamitos for training and......if we STILL have a thing going in Iraq, he'll be "deployed" in about a year and a half.

He used to be really little. Like maybe as high up as a door knob. He'd say to his mom, my Auntie Debbie-across-the-hall, "I will NEVER grow!". Well, he's 6'2" now, and the tallest one in his whole fambly. Mom was kidding him today and said "I guess they can't call you "Peanut" anymore, huh?".

I'm not totally sure but he might be available. I'll have to check on that. Something about maybe he's not with his girlfriend, Kitty, anymore. So....um....whaddya think? Do we make a nice couple or what? Hmmmmmm????

Reminds me. I ran into a couple of ladies today who were ooooo-ing and aaaaah-ing over me. One of 'em said "My Yorkie's ears stand up!". Mom said, in my defense, that my ears stand up, too. So the lady says "My Max's ears are ALWAYS up!". Like...uh....that's supposed to mean what? My mom said that MY ears are like my mood meter, and when they're down (like here with Anthony), I'm just everly so submissive and loving and secure. And then Mom says the word "CHICKEN", and my ears just pop right up. Like "Chicken? Where? Where?". Hmmmmph. Silly ladies.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Poor, poooooooooooooor Mommy!!

She's been out of sorts for almost a week now. Tummy aches and stuff. Man, I know how that is. I feel everly so sorry for her. I've been trying to help, like snuggling with her for almost 13 hours straight last night. She only slept maybe 2 hours. I am not bothering her for anything. Nope. We even tried going to the office today but she just piled the stuff up and said we'd go in early tomorrow instead.

I need to learn how to type. And file. And set up services. And proof. And.....whatever she needs. Yup. I could even answer phones, maybe. Just push the flashing button and say "Arf? This is Mary-Margaret. How may I help you?".

I've tried saying that before but either I scare people off (silly, huh? MEEE???) or they say "Oh, aren't you a big scary doggie!! Yes you are!".

Some day.....just you wait. I WILL help out. You'll see!

Love and kisses...

Mary-Margaret

PS: HI, GrandPapa!! I know you're reading this and I want you to think of MEEEEE, all curled up in your lap, snoring just a little bit. I LOVE YOU!!!!

Yoicks! BUSTED!!!

Here's the thing. It gets COLD in Beverly Hills in the winter time at night. REALLY cold. We get out of the car, grab our suitcases (yes, I have one, too!) and go for a little walk before we knock on my Uncle Mike's door. Mom says "Go potty, Mary-Margaret!". I'm thinking, like...here I am in my bare feet, lawn is cold, sidewalk is colder.......maybe I can get by with a quick squat!

By the time we get into the house I'm thinking maybe I shoulda....you know? So as my Aunt Janet and my mom are saying good-night, I think maybe I can find an out-of-the-way place to.....you know? Like NO ONE EVER GOES INTO THE LIVING ROOM. NOT EVERRRRR!
That was Tuesday night.

Last night (Friday) my mom is talking to my Uncle Michael about web sites and their Dad's paper, and stuff. As they're saying good bye, my Uncle Michael says I shouldn't worry about leaving him any more presents by their fireplace. I'm holding my breath....egads! They FOUND it! HOW CAN THAT BEEEEEE!!

Mom is totally humiliated. Embarrassed beyond belief. She just looks at me and says "How COULD you?" I'm like.....uh....well....er.......! So she asks him if it left a mark on their WHITE carpet. Well, I didn't think so, but whew! Aunt Janet says nothing, so we figure I'm good on that count.

Sheesh. Is there nothing a puppy can do that the big people don't know? It's not like I was trying to be rude or anything, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. And my mom hadn't put my piddle pad down in the bathroom yet. I need to be more assertive before we get into the house, I guess.

Shame-facedly yours,

with LOVE and Apologies to my Uncle Michael and Aunt Janet....

Mary-Margaret

PS: On the plus side, all the workmen from next door remembered me from last week and waved good-bye to me when we left to go home on Wednesday morning. That's kinda kewl, considering I was plucked from their midst even before their morning carnitas break. I have FRIENDS! Woo hoo!

It's FRIDAY!!

Oh yay! Finally. Although today is actually our Wednesday because of rearranging our week. Still, the next two days will let Mom get a lot of paperwork done without interruption. We hope.

Mom wanted me to write and tell you how sorry she is for not making another entry in my diary for so long and she hopes that you'll understand. We've been (as she says) "Up to our elbows in alligators!". Whateverrrrrrrrrrrrrr. That sounds scary, though, huh?

Today she's taking Sonia out for lunch to wish her good luck on her new job with the courts. Yup. Sonia spent so much time at court when she worked for us that I guess they all figured she should be part of their family. We'll miss her a whole lot. She'd become one of our family after all those years, but we wish her well. And, if she misses us too much, Mom says she's alway welcome back. I hope she comes and visits me. She ALWAYS knew when I needed a belly rub.

Love,

Mary-Margaret

It's all about MEEEEE!!!!

Well, finally. Mom put the link to my Grandpapa's web page in my sidebar. See? On the right hand side? "Photon-Nonphoton Universe", if you want to know about it. "Big Bang", "Little Bang"......from where I sit, I don't give a flying fig about HOW I got here. I just care that I AM here. You know?

What have I been doing? Addressed to all of you who wrote my mom wondering, that is. I have been doing what the good Lord meant me to do. Like...keeping my mom company, picking up after her when she drops things (like bits of bagel or other yummies), snuggling with her at night to keep her and me warm, giving her sweet little puppy kisses when she's "on the edge" after a long and hard day. You know.....stuff like that.

Today, we changed the sheets and did laundry and updated one of Mom's websites so people could download her work orders right from the site, and in a bit after we have lunch, we're going to the office.

While I was helping her change sheets and getting all comfy on the newly-made bed, I commented that she hadn't taken any pictures of me for a while. I always photograph better when I'm relaxed, you know? So she gets out the camera and I give her my best side, and she goes, "EYE BOOOGERS!". Aw, shoot. What that means is that I will get picked up from my very comfortable position, and she will (yuckie yick!) pick the crusty little pieces of dried tears from the spot where my eye meets my nose. "EEEEYEEWWW!", I said, but what's a pup to do, huh? Rest assured that my face is now clean. Oh GOODY!!

So much for my Saturday morning.

I love you all...

Mary-Margaret

My GrandPapa's Blog

Grandpapa wants to make sure that other physicists can consider his conclusions as set forth in his work, The Photon-Nonphoton Universe so my mom and me put this together last night. It's the synopsis of his theory. The complete work is about 139 pages long and Mom's working toward getting both the Synopsis and the full document in .pdf format linked to his new website that she's still working on. But here is the Synopsis and the Spectra.

Whoooooooooo-eeeeeeeeeeeee! I am learning a whole bunch of new words that I cannot even pronounce. I'll sure be glad when Mom gets back to writing about what's really important. You know......about MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Yup! I'll be everly so glad.

Mom says not to worry. One of HER first words when she was a baby was "thermodynamics". The way my mouth is put together, and because I have a split upper lip and an extended...if you will..."snout"...I can't even say the word "physicist". It comes out "Rrrrr...EEEE....rrrr". Go ahead. YOU try it without moving your lips. Seee?

Love, Mary-Margaret

The Photon-Nonphoton Universe

Mom is helping my Grandpapa get his work published on the web. He is a really VERY smart person who has a lot of stuff figured out, like how he thinks the universe was started back in the first place, kinda different from what other people think. Anyway, we're working really hard on it, even MEEEEEE.

So if you ever want to know about the concept of the photon-nonphoton universe as conceived by Dr. George Safonov, my Grandpapa, the you'll want to visit his website when it's finished. It'll be at The Photon-Nonphoton Universe.

Whew...that's a lot of information for a very small puppy to have, but there it is.

Now...the important stuff. I've been up in the Los Angeles area (Santa Monica, Beverly Hills....you know) for the past couple of days. It gets pretty boring with nothing to do and no cats to play with, except for one big black cat named "Zooey" who mostly just hisses at me, but I still think he really likes me, oh...but I digress.

Today I got to go out and play in the back yard for a bit. No body was looking so I sorta snuck around the corner to the front of the driveway. Then, after making sure for real that no one was looking, I smelled FOOD. Ohhhhhhh....yummy stuff like I NEVER get to have but that comes off the "Carnitas Wagon" that takes snacks to the contractors working next to my Uncle Michael's house. MMMMMMM.....spicy, fatty, tortilla-wrapped carnitas (pork stuff). Hey...their door was open and they were taking a break inside, so....what the heck. I decided to go introduce myself.

Well, wouldn't you know it? My Aunt Janet saw me "whoosh" inside and raced after me. I played "tag" with her for a bit, so finally she asked one of my new friends to grab me. The disappointment of it all. I guess he understood the word "grab", and next thing you know, I got handed over to my Aunt Janet, muddy feet and all, without even having ONE teensy taste of a carnita burrito. NOT ONE!

Phooey!

Love ya, Mary-Margaret

I have been nominated...

at Dogs with Blogs for Featured photo of the month. Oh, please vote for me. I would be everly so grateful and I promise I will make you proud of me.

Click on "The Bone Zone", then scroll down to "Photo of the Month", and then vote on January. I always wanted to be a "pin up" girl. That, besides being a dancer at the USO, and it'd go far in supporting our war effort in recovering Beau. If you're not already a member, please send an email to Opy@GruffPuppy.com.au and tell her Mary-Margaret sent you.

Thanks for your vote. I am your friend always.

Love, Mary-Margaret "The Candidate" O'Brien

Helmets Helmets EVERYWHERE!

And I don't know which one to wear. You GOTTA HELP MEEEEEE!

My pals, The Fleas Gang, got their dad Jason to make me a more Chaplain-ish girly type helmet, but Mom always told me "Simplicity is Elegance". Gosh! Should I stick with the camouflage grey with the cross or go with the all-pink version?

Tsk. Choices, choices.

Love ya,

Mary-Margaret

WE'RE IN THE ARMY NOW! <---(right-click and "open in new window")

I been "helmetized"!!

WE'RE IN THE ARMY NOW! <---(right-click and "open in new window")



Ready to be deployed to join the troops to find Beau. We all need to work really hard. Chin up, chest out....hut, two, three...four!

Read the "Find Beau" blip on my blog for details. It's underneath the 2007 Christmas Card List announcement.

Sir, YES SIR!

Lt. Chaplain M. M. O'Brien

I tig I bwoke my node

I hade it whed Mob duddn't oben da slidig door all da way add I taeg a flyig leab twoo my doggie door whish id in da skween. I ged oud bud nod bag id. OW! Oh, dad huts.

Now I know how a bug feels. SPLAT!!!! Ooooooh....I hab a headagh dnow.

She says ids cudz she candt see awl dat well. Says id LOOKSH oben bud not awl da way enuff for MEEEEE.

I thig she needz dnew glassesh.

Lub...

MMOB

Veronica's Rooster (Cluck Cluck)

My VERY good friends in Kailua-Kona, Franklin and Lola (Auntie Allie's pups), got up on Thursday rather early and unexpectedly. See why?






That is a ROOSTER, and he's made a place for himself on Alex's surfboard that hangs from the patio cover. Nobody knows where he came from, just that he won't leave. And today he even had another rooster over visiting. Allie says that pigs run wild on her island, too. But no squirrels. Just mongooses...er...mongeese?


Here's what he looks like when he's NOT sleeping.

Now, about the "cluck cluck" - notice I said it twice? I was marveling at humans the other day and their attempts to communicate with us pups. You know they say everything twice, like maybe we didn't hear them the first time? Like "Oh, what a good girl. Oh, what a GOOD girl!". Or "You are soooo cute! You are SOOO cute!" and "Yes, you are! Yes, you are!". I haven't figured out if it's just because they think we're hard of hearing or maybe we need to have their statements reinforced. I tell YOUUUUUU, the older I get, the smarter I am and the less these humans seem to know.

I'm still working on my math skills, but I've got English down pretty good now. At night before bed, Mom lets me out. Says to me, "Make it snappy - it's BED time" (repeated at least one more time), and then says "OK, time for bed" (twice), and I skitter into the house pronto. No more messing around like I did when I was a baby. I'm IN THERE FAST! (Afterthought - or maybe because it's cold??)

Next time you listen to a human talk to a dog, you'll see what I mean.

Love ya LOVE YA.....

Mary-Margaret

PS - Veronica is Auntie Allie's grand daughter. Here she is learning to play the ukelele:

Nobody LISTENS!!

Today, we got up early and bustled about the house, doing pick-up and laundry and stuff. Then, I told Mom that someone was at the door over and over and over, but NOBODY LISTENS. "Ooops!", she says, and it's Caleb, the Garage Door man, who came over to check out how come we can't get in or out of our garage sometimes. "You need a new motor", he says. "This one's on it's way out!" See the new opener just above Caleb's head? HMMMMMMMM??


Boy oh boy! This new opener thing is soooooo kewl. It's got all kinds of stuff like a thingy called a "dead bolt", but not like a "dead bug" or anything. It makes the garage door lock from the inside all by itself. The thing on the wall used to have just buttons. THIS one has lights, and a clock and a temperature thing. Mom says it's the most fun toy she's had in a long time. It's a "LiftMaster" and the motor has a life-time warranty. Can't beat that.




Caleb is really nice and he likes little pups like me. He even said Mom could take a picture of him and me and put it on my diary.

Then we went and got our new tire; then to get new oil in the car. It took a really long time and let's face it. There's only so much to look at in an auto repair shop. I've been to a few and mostly they're kind of cluttered and the floors are dark. So I sit on a chair or a stool to keep my feet clean. I told her I'm bored bored bored. But NOBODY LISTENS! (sigh) More waiting.


After that's all done, we go work work work. Actually, Mom works. I sleep sleep sleep. I say "Hello!" to Julie, the attorney, a couple of times. I spy on people in the hall and tell Mom who's there.


About dinner time, Mom says we can go to the market and get MY chicken. We went to Von's and visited with Candace in the Deli department and Michelle and Sarah at check-out.

There. That's my day. Mom finally took pictures and says she'll post them in the morning.

G'night everybody.

Love ya, Mary-Margaret O'Brien

PS: Sometimes there's just not a whole lot to talk about, you know? Maybe that's why Nobody LISTENS.
PPS: See my pink bow is still in my hair? This is practically record breaking. It's been NINE days so far.

My VERY late dinner!

Mom's car sounded really funny last night when we left the office. She said it was like when she'd clip a playing card to a clothespin on one of her bicycle spokes. Sort of a flappy-clicky sound? She figures a twig got stuck and stops in the gas station, and the guy in the lane over comes and raps on my window. I figure he wants to flirt with MEEEEE, but no! He tells Mom she's got a FLAT!! Like totally.

She calmly called something called AAA on her cell phone and said she'd been wanting an excuse to read her book. So she fills the tank with gas (after she figures out that her AAA card does NOT work at the pump...how embarrassing), and skwunches down with her new Stephanie Plum novel. Me? Oh....well, I dunno. My tummy starts growling and so I have a conversation with my belly button. I am HUNGRY. I WANT TO GO HOME!

Some pups come in and go out of the station and we start gabbing about where they've been and stuff. Sassy was a really nice golden retriever, and I was extremely honored that she'd even want to talk to me. Another kid and his dog came by and I got called "Squirt". I don't mind, though. I'm big in my heart.

Anyway....I had dinner about 8:30PM last night and by then I wasn't all that hungry. No body should eat THAT late. Just chicken and kibble.

She's not taking any pictures. No reason except it's too much trouble (she says!).
I've been meeting a lot of people at work. Must be the season to sue, I guess. One lady who was our client last year even called to make sure I'd be there, and then she brought her twins, Camille and Crystal, in to see me. Really nice, too.

Today, we found out our tire had been SLASHED on the INSIDE. So we got a new tire. And we ran more "ear ends" here and there. Tomorrow, we pick up our new tire, get our oil changed, get our garage door opener replaced and go back to the office. Isn't there some rule about not making someone who is only 2.3 years old work all those hours? HMMMMMM?????????

Bed time...got to get my beauty sleep. OH OH OH....!! Got to tell you my pink ribbon has been in my hair for EIGHT WHOLE DAYS. This is a record for me.

Love, Mary-Margaret

A New Award....and no one to tell!

(sigh)

See what I got?

I-Love-Dogs.com

MARY-MARGARET
O'BRIEN

Everly so NOT a good time to take a break from the blog, but I tell YOUUU...I'm working on her. Gosh, this really BUGS me. I even got a rash on my tummy today from the stress.

Uncle Fidel told Mom I had a rash and showed her my little red bumps. Mom just goes "Oh, it's nothing. She gets hives from stress is all". Uncle Fidel snorts and says "Like...she's a DOG! What's SHE got to stress over?". Mom tells him it'll go away in a bit and sure nuff. Not even ten minutes later my tummy was back to normal.

Mom just says, "Told ya so!". Like NOBODY takes me seriously. I think maybe the old girl's gonna crack, though. She got maybe 10 emails today privately from people who faithfully read my diary. Which, by the way, nobody ever told me a diary is supposed to be private. But too late for that.

Oh....we saw Grandpapa yesterday, and I got to meet his Dentist, his hygienist, the other office people, and Grandpapa's next door neighbor, Elizabeth "Just call me Honey". Honey is really nice and came over a couple more times to give us Christmas ornaments and cookies. Not like I got any of the cookies, but I could tell they smelled pretty good.

I was feeling a bit "oopsey" after that highly seasoned sirloin steak (diced in bitesize pieces) that I had for an appetizer. I TOLD THEM I WANTED TO GO OUT and I just got laughed at, like "oh...isn't that cute..she wants to go on the balcony" and stuff, but NO...I was SERIOUS. They learned the hard way. I think maybe they'll listen to me next time. FYI, Lysol Foaming Tub and Tile cleaner really works good on carpets, if you need to know ever.

OK...trying to get Mom out of the office and to the market for my dinner.

I'll keep working on her. You guys can help, if you want me to keep writing. Just tell her.....and I'll make her read your comments or emails, ok?

Love, Mary-Margaret

Remembering Grandma's Birthday

Tomorrow is a really special day. It's my Grandma's birthday and Elvis Presley's, too. I'm thinking really hard about my grandma and remembering how special we were to each other. We're going to Grandpapa's tomorrow and we'll all remember together. About Elvis Presley? He's the first one I know of who got a hit record about a dog back in the 50's....well, about a HOUND DOG, anyway, so he's kind of my hero. Mom says there was another lady (Patti Page she thinks) who sang about a "doggie in the window", too. I'm personally not familiar with it, but then I'm only 2 1/3 in doggie years. That's really going far back.

I think maybe Mom wants to take a little break from my diary for a bit. Mostly we kept it up so Grandma and Grandpapa could keep up on what was going on in our life. They really liked seeing pictures of my "cousins", Mom's grandkids, and hearing about what they were doing, too. I know they'll understand if we take some time off, and we promise we'll be back in a few.

Hey, if were up to MEEEEE, I'd stick with it, but I have my "help" to consider and I think she's getting burned out. You can always email me if you think you miss me too much to kissmeewefool@aol.com.

Love ya...

Mary-Margaret O'Brien

Sadie's Mom Says Hi!

OHMYGAWSH! Me and this really nice lady were visiting over by the packaged ham in Alberson's market for a bit. Then Mom wheeled the cart over to the butcher's counter and the nice lady came back. "Is that Mary-Margaret, by any chance?", she said?
"Uh...yes, that would be her", Mom answered. "How do you two know each other?".

Well, it seems that the nice lady has a pup named Sadie who is friends with Sophie, the pup, whose mom is a client of MY moms. Small world, huh? Mom just looked down at me and scowled, "You know more people than I do!".

Hmmmm....jealous, maybe? (hee hee hee)

Love, Mary-Margaret

PS: I think we're having meat loaf tomorrow night.

Mom's worn out!

Probably all my fault, between my package opening, hairdresser, stylist, photo shoots and actually working in between all that. Yup. I take full responsibility. Her eyes are glazed and she's sorta slack jawed, drooling, hunched over and basically just zoning out. Like...hey? This is what it means to be a full time mother, you know? Like it or lump it, that's how life is. Mom? Mom?

Ye gads...the woman has no sense of humor tonight.

She..just..told..me..she..kwit..and ...um....I yammm tipping this owt .... er.....tipe-ing. Shoot..spacebarisaproblem.....nooo...thums.

Ack...I bitter..go..make...up..to..her...

Later..guys!

Luv.....MM

More Presents and Philippe!

Christmas is still happening here. I got another pressie from my Auntie Shelly today. Mom just let the video run this time. I thought maybe she was out of memory (her camera, not her, I mean!) but nope. She got it all. In 2 parts, anyway.




And....ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Here I am, modeling it for you:



Oh oh oh! Also...I made a new friend or two. First off, Dirk came by (he's actually Winston Dirk, but I usually call him "Dirk") AND.....woo hoo. He has a new brother named Philippe (pronounced "Felipe"). Me and Philippe hit it off pretty good. Dirk was pretty understanding. He already knows I like to be friendly to lots of pups and I'm not really committed in a relationship except for to my Mom. I took a little break to get acquainted but then had to go back to work.

Isn't he handsome?


That's it for now. Two more days 'til the weekend. I can't wait. Have to rest up from all that vacationing, you know.

Love,

Mary-Margaret