My UNIFORM is HEEEEEERE!!!

Mom had a really tough time getting me to stand still, so she put the camera in "movie mode". Probably a wise idea, don't you think?

I just love my new pleated skirt, and white blouse with teeny tiny little buttons and my monogrammed blazer WITH LAPELS. I bet I'm the only pup in my neighborhood with LAPELS. Woo hoo.

I'm all ready for school. Now....er...Mom? When can I start?

Love, Mary-Margaret

PS - Thank you to Yvonne Tolley for designing and creating my new outfit. Isn't she the most talented lady ever?

Monograms? For MEEEEEE?

It's more than I ever expected. I am overjoyed and can't WAIT to get my new uniform. I will be the best dressed receptionist my mom ever hired. Yup. Oh boy oh boy! Check out the little buttons and the MONOGRAMS. "M M" is for "Mary-Margaret". I'll be the first one on my block with their very own monogrammed blazer.

Ben the Rottie (one of my new boyfriends) thinks I should have a straw boater hat and white socks. Hmmmmmmmmm! I wonder if Mom will go for that. Let me work on her a bit.

She hunted around and found these. Aren't they absolutely super? And they come with white socks. I hope Ben likes them. It's so rare to find a man with an opinion, you know. I kinda like that he's interested in shoes. :o)

Love ya....

Mary-Margaret

My NEW Dress UNIFORM!!!

Oh boy! I pawsitively LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I can't wait to show my friends. Isn't it gorgeous?
Yvonne Tolley (my Auntie Yvonne) made it for MEEEEEE. People kept telling me that I sounded like a little Catholic school girl and.....voila! I will look like one now.

Thank you everly so much, Auntie Yvonne.

Love and puppy licks..

Mary-Margaret

Children and Puppies

One of the ladies on my Mommy and Me Yorkie baby lists has an almost 4-month old Yorkie baby that bites her. She's all a-twitter about it and can't understand what's the matter with him. Well, geez! Silly woman. Never try to hide a potato chip from a Yorkie kid. A potato chip is not only food, but absolute divinity to us Yorks and Yorkettes. We will do almost anything to get hold of a potato chip. (See my Diary entry from February 6, 2008)

Mom and me talked about it and here's what we came up with. I think it's worth posting, don't you?

Children and puppies want to please, to be praised, to be cuddled and loved, to feel appreciated, to belong, and to be part of a family.

Children and puppies become sad when they displease their parents, or cause anger or sadness, or feel unloved, feel like an outsider, or feel alone without a support system.

Humans have families; puppies (and dogs) have packs. If puppies live with humans, the humans become their "pack".

Children and puppies become angry and act out if they are physically hurt, abused verbally or physically, are left alone for extended periods of time, are unsupervised most of the time, if they're belittled and berated, and/or can do as they please without limitation. If the only time they receive attention is as a result of negative behavior, then they will exhibit negative behavior in order to receive your attention.

A four-month old puppy is like a 2-year old child. They both will constantly test your love and your patience because they are learning that they have a will of their own and are looking for guidance and boundaries. They will come through their childhood/puppyhood with flying colors if you are kind, gentle, and consistent in your directions and your responses, and treat them with respect and with love.


This is written by my mom, Michele, and approved by MEEEEEE, Mary-Margaret O'Brien.

This is how my mom raised me and my sisters, andI think we turned out pretty good.

Love, Mary-Margaret

Back to "The Pantry"

This is me and my mom, P-Nut and my Aunt Shelly at The Pantry. Aunt Vicki was taking the pictures. It was pretty funny when she was taking pictures and it didn't click or flash and everybody thought the camera was broken. Like...uh, people? It's in "movie" mode? True to form, though, these professional investigators figured it out in just a few minutes. Like....hello??

But let me go to the beginning. Tuesday, me and my mom went to GrandPapa's house. We helped him run "ear ends", you know, stuff that has to get done. First, it was lunch at Carrows, where we said "Hi" to all our friends that work there. Then, we got a really pretty lamp that looks like a votive candle to put next to my Grandma's picture. It's very respectful. We got Grandpapa some dark glasses clipper-ons, and we went to Bob's Market to buy some takeout for dinner.

Oh guess what? Hmmmmmmm? They FORGOT MINE! Yup. That's true. We got home and Grandpapa says "Oh oh!". But it worked out ok. I got some chicken pieces from a casserole, cheese, pasta, and it was good, but portion-wise, it just didn't cut it. Not very much, so I figured I'd tell the grown ups what I thought. I went and picked up my little pink dish and carried it all by myself into the dining room and stood there, looking a bit hopeful, until my Grandpapa took pity on me. It paid off big time. I got...(oh this is BIG YUMMY!)...PRIME RIB! That's right, folks, and dessert - my favorite - vanilla ice cream. Can't complain. Almost worth getting forgotten, huh?

Then we went to my Uncle Mike and Aunt Janet's house. And I got busted again. They finked me out. I now know better about the white carpet in the living room, so the last time I was there I found a very pretty flower garden in the form of a beautiful rug under their dining room table. It's taking me a bit, but I'm learning there's just NO PLACE in a house that won't be found. The only bright side was that my Uncle Michael thought it was absolutely hilarious about my Aunt Janet finding my "faux pas" with her bare feet. I thought he'd laugh all night. Yup. Aunt Janet didn't feel the same, though. Mom kept insisting that it couldn't possibly be me. That it must be the cat, Zooey, setting me up for a fall. Hey...I'll support that theory, too.

(double click on the picture to enlarge)

Here's me and my VERY GOOD FRIEND, P-Nut Daniel, and her mom, my Aunt Shelly. Doesn't P-Nut look really beautiful in her pink rhinestone glasses? And she gets her nails polished? Hmmmmmmm??? Our moms all hugged good bye and said that we should plan a play date. I'd really like that. Someplace where we can run around without clothes or uniforms, and get really stinky. That would be such fun.

That's all for now. Love you guys...REALLY!!

Mary-Margaret

PS. I almost forgot. This is sooooo kewl. At CVS Pharmacy there was a lady with FIVE pups. A pit bull and four little ones. Nicholas Ryan was the pit, and the others all had two Irish names, just like MEEEEE. And they weren't on a leash, either. Their mom gave them directions, like "stop" (and they did), and "turn right" or "turn left" and they did. All in a pack at the same time. When their mom went into CVS, they ALL lay down on the concrete by the door and just watched and waited. Now THAT's really good training, I'd say. The kid named Frankie and the big guy, Nicholas, sorta forgot their manners and came to get to know me, but otherwise my Mom said they were absolutely PERFECT children.

My new dress!!

OHMYGOODNESS! I am so very excited. I....I.....well, oh rats, I can't tell you. But I am getting a NEW outfit. Made especially for MEEEEEE by Yvonne Tolley who makes the most gorgeous clothes for us pups. Mom says to "keep my trap shut" (and that's a direct quote) and we'll post a picture when I get it. Oh gosh, darn!! Fooey! Piffle. I want to TELL you.

Sheesh! You'll just have to wait.

But it's really neat and I am grinning from ear to ear. Yup!

Excitedly yours,

Mary-Margaret O'Brien

Puppy Mills and Oprah Winfrey

My mom couldn't watch. Neither could I (but that's because I only get to watch what my mom watches). But we heard all about it. A TV show about the horrible conditions in "puppy mills".

For those of you who don't know me, I was born in a "Puppy Mill" in Elkland, MO owned by Thomas and Jean Rippee on September 19, 2005. Before I picked out my mom on November 25, 2005, I'd been shipped from Missouri to California, had an operation to repair an inguinal hernia; poked, prodded and examined and tossed into a glass kennel at Pacific Pets pet store with a young Maltese whose bark could shatter glass. All this before I was nine weeks old.

My Certificate of Pedigree is just a family tree. Nobody on it has "CH" (or champion) in front of their names. My birth father's name is "Dandy Agustus Bush" and my birth mother's name is "Sissy's Tootoo by T and J". On November 21, 2005 I was given a physical and my "report card" (that's what it says) has "appears normal" x'd by every checkpoint. And four days later I met my mom. That was the very best day of my life. It was the best day of hers, too, but she didn't know it for a couple of hours. I just hung in there while she played with everybody, including that annoying Maltese, until it was just me and her. Yup. I used every ounce of telepathic energy that God gave me until it hit her. WE ARE FAMILY!!

I am loved for who I am, which is pretty lucky. I have a grade 4 luxated patella on my left leg, and maybe a grade 2 on my right. It doesn't hurt but it will cost Mom about $3000 to fix it someday. I was 2.1 pounds when she adopted me, even though I was 2.4 pounds only 4 days earlier. My body is maybe a bit long, and I am sorta round in the middle. I cough sometimes when I get excited....like maybe I have a little problem with my "trachea". Some of us pups do as it's congenital.

My whole point on writing this is to tell you that you have to love with your heart and not with your eyes. If you go to a shelter, a breeder, a pet store, or pound you're going to be adopting somebody that will love you for absolutely ever no matter what you look like, even if you get sick. There are no guarantees like what comes with a new car. We are companions, not trophies. All we want is to love and be loved...in our forever home by our "foralways" family.

Off my soapbox for now...

Mary-Margaret

Good Morning, GrandPaPa & Good Evening

Hi. It's MEEEEE....Mary-Margaret. Not my fault AGAIN that I haven't been posting. My "secretary" has been otherwise occupied. I'm getting better at typing but my spelling is a bit off, and it takes forever due to lack of thumbs. Everything is everly so much easier with thumbs, you know? That's what Mom says, anyway. I don't speak English all that well either because of the way my mouth is made so things come out like "grrr" and "wrrrr" and stuff. But I understand it absolutely perfectly, so nothing gets by MEEE.

Not that I've been doing anything really exciting, though. Like...OK, here's an example. Doing laundry in the basement of a high rise apartment building in Santa Monica. The first time was ok. I got to meet some ladies from Guatamala and Honduras and places I can't pronounce. This was my THIRD time. I can't reach the machines, I'm not allowed to rifle through the trash, I'm hooked on my leash and there are NO windows. Get the idea?

So....I try to find someplace soft and comfy to sleep. I have two choices and one of them is either reading or hopping up to check the wash. The other is reading but at least he doesn't move as much. So I get all snuggly and......well, I must be cute, too, because here comes Mom with the camera. Personally, I think me and my Grandpapa were perfectly happy snuggling as we were. But she's just got to get a picture.

Here ya go!

Good Evening! I figured I'd just add a bit to what I already wrote. This morning I went to my "dogtor" and got what Mom calls a "booster shot". (ow ow ow) But she says it'll make me stay well. Then I got weighed. Ick. 9.0 pounds. Oh wait, Mom said. And she took off both my collars with all my "blings", and I dropped down to 8.8 pounds. My collars weigh 0.2. I think that's a lot, but it's "me". You know?

James took me in the back to draw blood and do a heartworm test. That might sound ok to some of you but it means that they jab a needle into me and pull a thingy back and out comes MY BLOOD. I hate it when I have to leave my mom. I put my arms around James and won't let go. He remembers me from Puppy School. Nobody thinks I have heart worms but Dr. Bach likes to check every so often to make sure my "pre-vent-a-tive" medicine is working well. She is so nice. She even remembers my name and says "Oh, hello there, Mary-Margaret!". I made several new friends, too.

"Two Shoes" is a chihuahua that has pancreatitis and had to go into the hospital. He didn't look like he felt very well and his mom was crying when she left him. But they are going to try and make him better. I met a Pomeranian who was still a baby so he didn't speak very well and he was pretty active. My mom told his mom about Miss Lynne at "Cool Dogs" and she had already planned on calling her. So he gets to have a teacher, like me, to be a better citizen. Citizenship is very important in our upbringing, dontcha think?

Then we went to our accountant. After Mom gave Marie all the stuff I walked over to the table with the cookies on top and just stood there looking up at the tin of cookies. I remember how good those vanilla wafers taste. Being that I was very good, Mom let me have one. I just LOVE those cookies.

So that's my day. If you want to know, anyway.

I love you, GrandPapa! I really do!

See you soon......

Mary-Margaret

Paparazzi...AGAIN!

Today was different. We got to the office about 7:22AM because Mom had to get a bunch of stuff done, and my Uncle Jack had to come by and pick up some work.

Then about 9:00AM I get whooshed out the door to my own personal stylist, Miss Marilyn. I just LOVE going there. I make friends, have play dates AND get all beautified. Yup. Today, I made a new friend, Missy, a miniature schnauzer, just like my cousin, Sophie. We decided to get matching haircuts. Mom always asks Miss Marilyn to keep my eyelashes long and Missy got hers cut, but otherwise we look a lot alike.

My personal photographer (you know who!) was making "mom noises" about how cute I was and stuff. Ew. How embarrassing. I probably shoulda stood up so you could see me. I look just like a really small miniature schnauzer on the sides. I have short hair on my back and a "skirt" that comes just a tad above my knees. How kewl, huh?

Tell me if you like it or not, what you can see of it, I mean.

Love ya,

Mary-Margaret

PS: Miss Marilyn says I need to get a Catholic school uniform to complete the image. Dunno 'bout that. I've been pretty much running au naturale these days except for my bling.

Easter with my Fambly

Here's MEEEEE, my Uncle Rudy and his mom, my Auntie C. At first the picture was just going to be Rudy and Auntie C. But, HEY! What about MEEEEEEEE???
Here's my mom with two of her hairless grandkids, Clancy and Cailin. They're not bad looking if you don't mind smooth faces. I just love them sooooo much I can't get enough kisses from them. Oh, and belly rubs. There was a time yesterday when Cailin and I both flopped down on the concrete patio for belly rubs. See? She's learning from me.

Hope the Big Bunny was good to you all. I've given up any hope of ever getting any chocolate eggs. Mom says I don't need sugar to have a "sugar high", 'cause I'm so sweet anyway.

Love ya...

Mary-Margaret

PS Mom has permission from her kids to post these pictures. She asked three whole times just to make sure, too.

Fambly Night at the Movies

Mom was saying we don't spend enough "quality time" together and that we need to designate some "fambly time". So last night, at 7:00PM, while I was out doing my evening sniffing, I heard her yell "DOGGEEEEEE". I came running in from the back yard and sure 'nuff, there was a DOGGY on the television.

I hopped up into her lap and sat like a big girl, which means like a squirrel with my back straight up, and just my buns and my back feet touching her. I sat that way for a bit, eyes glued to the TV. The movie was pawsitively GRRReat!! It's called "Firehouse Dog", if you want to rent it or something. Lots of pups in it, and at the end, by which time I was laying on the couch, nose pointed to the television and eyes wide open, there were pictures of lots and lots of doggies.

I really think this one was overlooked when they were handing out awards on Oscar night. Really, I do. Mom says she's never seen me watch a whole movie without losing interest. Well, maybe that's because I've never seen a movie about dogs that wasn't all sappy.

Popcorn, anyone?

Love, Mary-Margaret

A Candle for LacyLuLu

A moment of silence, please, to honor my very good friend, LacyLuLu Hudson, who left us rather suddenly and unexpectedly. She was 14 years old, same as my Aunt Rose. I think they will be very good friends while they wait at the bridge for us.

God bless LacyLuLu.

Amen

Mary-Margaret O'Brien

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Presents!

ANT - TI - CIP - PAY - SHUN! (Sounds like a Carole King song I heard once, huh??)



(we need to redo this one...silly woman! You'd think she'd figure out how to focus her camera by now!)



One of the reasons it took my mom over ONE MONTH to let me open my present (Thank you Auntie Joan, and cousins Baby Sweet Pea, Sugar Princess and Nicholas, Duke of York) is she says it takes way too long and she doesn't have time. Dunno what she's talking about. I open stuff pretty quick unless it's really wrapped up tight with a lot of tape.

This time was ALL HER FAULT. See....she gets all shook up about me opening presents because I make such a mess with all the little pieces of package on the floor. So I finish, and she gets the vacuum cleaner. She starts sucking up MY LITTLE PIECES of envelope that I'm not quite done with yet and I go over to check this out...like there might be something really important there. The end of MY leash gets sucked up and the next thing you know my EYES are bugging out of my head. Mom yanks out the plug and tries to pull my leash out, but it's stuck WAY too good. She goes into the workroom and finds a screwdriver, and takes the brushy goody off the end. After the cloud of dust clears, she starts pulling and sees that it's REALLY way up in there in the motor. (Note - by this time, her assistant has detached me from the leash, seeing that I wasn't all that comfortable pulling a vacuum cleaner around behind me).

Next, off comes the motor housing and whoop-di-doo, my leash is all wrapped around something with fins on it. It comes off ok but now the end of my leash is kinda curly and greasy. Aw, I figure it'll just go in the wash on Saturday, so no big deal. But then Mom has to rebuild the vacuum. She's covered in grey dust all over, and it's up her nose, too.

The whole thing is pretty funny to me and Ellen. Also, the vacuum cleaner works a whole lot better now that she's gotten the staples, paper and other furry type stuff out of it. I think she should do that more often.

I absolutely LOVE my presents. The "Princess" bling will look very nice on my pink collar, and I think I'll put my name on my personal private space called "The Kennel". I'll post a picture when I do, ok?


Love ya,

Mary-Margaret

PS - You just gotta click on the link to Baby Sweet Pea's blog (see link next to the picture of my Virginia license plates). What a really great life they lead being long distance truckers. Little Nickie is a new addition to their "furmily". Isn't he just the cutest ever??

How to drive your Mom crazy!

This is a lot of fun, and gets you some one-on-one time with the old lady. First, you go to your bed (the one you share with your mom) and pretend you can't jump up on it. You whine just a little but not a lot. Pretty soon your mom will come in to see what you're all about.

"Do you need help, Mary-Margaret?", my mom says. Then she picks me up, gives me a cuddle, and plops me on the bed. "Hmmmmmmm", I think, and hop down again. Then wait another five minutes or so and do it again. They don't get wise to you for about three times. Then they'll ignore you and you have to go back to doing stuff yourself. Meanwhile, you've gotten snuggles and tummy rubs for a bit before they catch on.

I think I'll start a column. "Ask Mary-Margaret". Whaddya think?

MMOB

My new friends, Louie and The Phone Man!!

OH MY GAWSH! I had the best day. Between learning how to hook up telephones and making a new friend, Louie the Chihuahua, this was one of my better days. Mom even took video but she's too tired to post it tonight. Maybe tomorrow while she's having her coffee, I hope.

OK...it's tomorrow (Saturday) now. Here's me and my friend, Louie.



Louie is Ellen's kid. Ellen is Mom's new assistant. Ellen is my friend Jami's mom, too, but Jami is living with her dad, Fidel, so Louie came to live with Ellen. See how that works?? We had the everly most bestest time playing. When it was time to go, Louie didn't want to leave. When he figured he'd better go or else, I ran out the door in front of him. Hey! If he goes, I go. Yup! That's how I think. Ok ok ok....when I get about 10 feet away from my mom, I go right back, but still....I think it would be fun to have a real play date with Louie, don't you?

Earlier in the day The Phone Man came by to hook up our lines to Debbie-Across-The-Hall. His name is Joe and he tastes pretty good. We're great friends now, and I know how to access the main phone system. Not bad for a 2.5 year old Yorkie, huh?



Have I mentioned lately that I absolutely love my life?

Later, guys!

Love, Mary-Margaret

Hi, Everybody!!

Sheesh! Time sure flies when you're having fun. Bringing you up to date here before we dash off to the office.

We have another person working with us now. Her name is Ellen and she's my friend Jami's mother. She's everly so nice to me. She understands my need to toss my kibble dish upside down and play hockey with my lunch. That's special, huh?

We saw Grandpapa last Tuesday. We go to lunch at Carrow's. I don't get to order but that's ok. I'm just happy to see all my friends. When we go inside the hostess person says "HELLO, Mary-Margaret!", and then the server sees me. "How are you, Mary-Margaret?". Then another server says "Welcome back, Mary-Margaret!". They all remember my name. Then we go sit in the corner booth and I scrunch down for a nap in my little carrier. On the way out, lots of customers start smiling at me and I smile back. I think that's one of my little jobs in life. You know, to make people happy?

At Grandpapa's place my mom lets go of my leash as soon as we get on the elevator. I'm standing right by the elevator door and I help it open when we stop. Then I dash down the hall really fast. I know exactly which door is for my Grandpapa. I'm always the first inside and I go check stuff out to see if anybody else has been there. Nope! Just MEEEE, Mary-Margaret.

Mom does some paperwork for my Grandpapa, and I look for little bits of potato chip and stuff that maybe he dropped on the carpet for me. Lately, he's been way to neat for my taste. But I still look, hoping...hoping...! Sometimes I find stuff that he's lost, and he says "Thank you, Mary-Margaret!".

My Uncle Michael and Aunt Janet flew to England and by now they're in Portugal. Cousin Peter is holding down the fort for them. So far, I haven't been out of the country, but I do get to fly to places like Philadelphia and Minneapolis. I think I was in Denver one time, but I'm not sure.

That's all, folks. Gotta get to work. Busy busy busy day ahead.

Love ya...

Mary-Margaret

Arpha Barka Grupha - How's that for a name for our sorority?

Just goin' "Greek" on ya. (hee hee hee)

I figure if Mom won't let me have a baby sister, I'll just invite all my girl friends into my sorority. And we can party with the guys....um....assuming there a dog fraternity somewhere? Hmmmmmmm??

Love, Mary-Margaret

Going to market....

..to buy a fat chicken for MY dinner. Did I mention my mom doesn't cook unless there's a blizzard? And since we live in sunny California, maybe an hour from the beach, there's not a heck of a lot of chance of that. I think she made a turkey for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago when she had my cousins over, and Auntie C and Jason, but she wasn't real happy about how it turned out. Too dry, she said, despite her bagging it like the directions said.

Which is why I get fresh roast chicken from Albertson's all the time. Except when they're out. And then she takes a few "chicken tenders" from the bag in the freezer and poaches them in ...let's see now...Chardonnay is what the bottle says, and also some lemon juice. You know, to be perfectly honest? I'd rather have that than roast chicken, but my Grandpapa is worried I might get hooked on the wine part. He thinks I'll get tipsy. Everybody knows that wine evaporates when you heat it and all that's left is the flavor? Right? I just get happy because I like the taste so much.

Anyone know what part of a chicken is the "tender"?? I haven't forgotten what part of the bull made a "bully stick" and I sure don't want to be chewing on anything like that from a chicken. Assuming chickens have stuff like that.

Well, that's it for tonight.

Love you all....

Mary-Margaret "The Gourmet" O'Brien

Ahhhhhhhhhhh! SPRING!!!

Ahhhh! Monday! Ahhhhh, SPRING!! Gosh, today was absolutely beee-yoo-ti-full! Blue skies, puffy white clouds, snow-capped mountain peaks in the back ground. And my "river". Yup...the one that runs behind my office building most of the time except in the middle of summer....it had DUCKS!

Today - Monday, actually (Mom isn't writing this for you until Tuesday), I had company at the office. Ozzie's mom, Mrs. McMillin, dropped by with a friend just to say "HI" to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Not Mom....just ME! (heh heh)

I got belly rubs in the elevator, belly rubs in the hall. I tell YOUUUU! If I could pick just ONE day out of my life and carry it with me forever, it would be today, March 3, 2008.

Here's hoping you all have a day you'd like to keep forever, too!

Love,

Mary-Margaret "Tra la la" O'Brien

Friends, Romans, Countrymen.....

....Fans, and other interested parties....(with apologies to William Shakespeare, of course), AGAIN!! IT'S NOT MY FAULT.

My mother, my best friend and bed buddy, has been absolutely overwhelmed at work. She didn't even have time to open her very own mail for THREE DAYS. Lucky for her it was just money, huh? Anyway.....I've been busy, too. I've taken on a lot of responsibilities, like meeting people at the door and escorting them to an unoccupied chair. When they leave, I walk them back to the door and "arf" "ADIEU" to them. I keep little kids entertained so my mom can get her work done with her clients. I pick up stuff from the carpet, sniff out granola bar wrappers in the trash (for pleasure, of course), and try very hard not to make a mess.

I am typing this with my own two "fingerettes" (what my Auntie Shelly calls my stubby little fingers) and it's taking everly so long. I know you all understand and will forgive me, I hope.

Mom's so stressed that she's only eating stuff that's white. No lettuce or anything red, like meat or things that might upset her stomach. She finally caved in and hired someone to work a couple of days a week. That would be Ellen, my very good friend JAMI's mother. Ellen is a good person, and even takes me for walks in my flower bed by the parking lot. I think this is going to work out well. Yup. So expect some more pictures by maybe next week.


Meanwhile, I have just this for you. It's a picture of papers evicting someone that my mom took. Made me sad, too. This is the same place my mom and I first met each other and bonded. But not the same owners, thank goodness.

Still....that place will always have a special spot in my heart. The glass kennels with the torn newspaper strips are still there; the display cases; the cash register and the machine that made my name tag. All are still there like maybe waiting for the owners to come back. But alas, the Cigar Lounge next door told Mom that they moved out in the middle of the night a month ago and haven't been back since. Good thing they took the pups and kittens with them, huh?

Wistfully yours,

Mary-Margaret "A Sentimental Fool" O'Brien