Wow. I just love it when Mom tells me stories of my ancestors, and how they were patriotic and helped save this country. Like Smoky, also known as Yorkie Doodle Dandy way back before Mom was even born. (Grandpa...you have to click on the pink link to see this, then click on the arrow to play the video!!)
I am just so amazed and proud to be an American! Yup!!
(saluting)
Lt. Chaplain Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Yorkie Brigade
(Sir, YES SIR!!)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Case of the Missing "Shoose"
We got back from Philly a week ago, tired and grumpy (at least Mom was, anyway). She wore her favorite Josef Seibel sandals on the plane. She says they're the most comfy shoes she has. She LOVES them. She LIVES in them. Got them new on eBay probably five years ago for $39.99 (retail about $120). Blah blah blah. Stoopid shoes. That's all I hear. I could go for the rest of my life and not have to hear "Where's my shoose?" ever again.
Fast forward to ...hmmm....I think Tuesday. "Where's my SHOOSE?", she says. I shrug and crawl under the covers. Wednesday? "Where could my SHOOSE be?", she asks. I wander off over to my water bowl, rolling my eyes.
By Saturday she's dumping stuff out of her closet looking
for "Shoose". "Nope...nope...not there!" This morning she's pulling out furniture saying "Here's one, but WHERE'S the other?". And she's getting bugged. She looks at me. "What?", I mutter. "What?"
Tonight, she says to me: "There's only ONE place I haven't looked".
"Uh oh!", I say, as she walks over to the closet she tosses her laundry in. I might add that this closet is my very private place and there's nothing I like better, when I want to get away from it all, than to curl up in the dirty laundry inside the dark closet.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!", she says, and gives me a dirty look.
"Well?", I explain. "A little taste of heel can be relaxing."
OK OK....it's just a teensy little piece or two out of the heel. With her foot in it nobody will notice. Much....hardly. See? Besides, these "shoose" are indestructible, pretty much. Picture peasant women trekking across the mountains of Hungary with water jugs balanced on their shoulders, wearing flowered dresses and bandanas around their heads. I imagine they'd be wearing their invincible Josef Seibel's with indestructible tire-tread like soles, too.
Enlarge the bottom photo and you can see for yourself. It's NO BIG DEAL. Just a couple of hunks out of the right heel. Little, tiny, itsy bitsy hunks.
To my way if thinking, it's just NOT something that Homeland Security should be called about. They're not like those uber-expensive cork soled shoose she bought for Hawaii and had to trash before even wearing them. That's the thing about cork. One nibble and a huge chunk comes off into your mouth. Yes, I learned my lesson about cork...the hard way.
I'm literally in the doghouse tonight, and best I should keep out of my mother's way. Gotta run...she's headed back to eBay to see if she can find another pair.
I AM SORRY! There...I said it. I will TRY not to do it again.
G'night for now...
Mary-Margaret "The Big Heel" O'Brien
Fast forward to ...hmmm....I think Tuesday. "Where's my SHOOSE?", she says. I shrug and crawl under the covers. Wednesday? "Where could my SHOOSE be?", she asks. I wander off over to my water bowl, rolling my eyes.
By Saturday she's dumping stuff out of her closet looking
for "Shoose". "Nope...nope...not there!" This morning she's pulling out furniture saying "Here's one, but WHERE'S the other?". And she's getting bugged. She looks at me. "What?", I mutter. "What?"
Tonight, she says to me: "There's only ONE place I haven't looked".
"Uh oh!", I say, as she walks over to the closet she tosses her laundry in. I might add that this closet is my very private place and there's nothing I like better, when I want to get away from it all, than to curl up in the dirty laundry inside the dark closet.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!", she says, and gives me a dirty look.
"Well?", I explain. "A little taste of heel can be relaxing."
OK OK....it's just a teensy little piece or two out of the heel. With her foot in it nobody will notice. Much....hardly. See? Besides, these "shoose" are indestructible, pretty much. Picture peasant women trekking across the mountains of Hungary with water jugs balanced on their shoulders, wearing flowered dresses and bandanas around their heads. I imagine they'd be wearing their invincible Josef Seibel's with indestructible tire-tread like soles, too.
Enlarge the bottom photo and you can see for yourself. It's NO BIG DEAL. Just a couple of hunks out of the right heel. Little, tiny, itsy bitsy hunks.
To my way if thinking, it's just NOT something that Homeland Security should be called about. They're not like those uber-expensive cork soled shoose she bought for Hawaii and had to trash before even wearing them. That's the thing about cork. One nibble and a huge chunk comes off into your mouth. Yes, I learned my lesson about cork...the hard way.
I'm literally in the doghouse tonight, and best I should keep out of my mother's way. Gotta run...she's headed back to eBay to see if she can find another pair.
I AM SORRY! There...I said it. I will TRY not to do it again.
G'night for now...
Mary-Margaret "The Big Heel" O'Brien
My Business Cards Have Arrived!!
A gift from my Aunt Shelly. Woo hoo. I know I have a clear picture of them someplace and I'll post it as soon as I can find it. Mom has a silly way of filing things, and too darned many computers that it could be on. Meanwhile, here's me trying to open the package. If you ask me, some people use way too much packing tape and bubble wrap.
Ahhh...! We never could find our photo of my business cards but my Aunt Shelly sent another one so I could show you.
Aren't they everly so kewl??
Mary-Margaret "The Working Girl" O'Brien
Monday, August 11, 2008
Home again!
Thank you to all of our friends and relatives and other interested parties who inquired about our flight. Here's a little narrative from one who flies "under the seat of the pants":
We boarded two hours late... and sat on the ground for another hour or so. Lighting hit all around us, maybe yards away. Me? Oh, I was in my cozy little car seat UNDER the seat in front of the console. I made a couple of polite comments about my unfortunate situation and the next thing you know Mom covered me with a dark blue US Airways blanket. Like...what am I? A bird?
I took the hint and slept most of the time. There was a 3-year old girl kid on the flight who probably never heard the word "No!" in her entire life. She disobeyed her parents several times and the best her mom could come up with was "Now you've really hurt my feelings. You can't get back into your seat until you say 'I'm Sorry!'." Oh great. The holy terror was climbing over the seats, using a mirror to shine the reading lights all over First Class and into other passengers eyes, and doing other self-entertaining tricks. You got the picture?.
She tried to get me, too. ("Where's the puppy? I wanna pet the puppy!") and she crawled across the aisle on the floor so we were eyeball to eyeball. I gave her a couple of warning arfs, telling her I was working and to back off. She kept coming and Mom said, quite firmly, "NO!!". Her Dad gave Mom a dirty look, and Mom told the little brat...I'm mean...girl, that if she was still awake when we landed she could visit with me. Lucky me. She conked out and was in a stupor when we de-planed at what would be about 3:30AM Eastern time.
As soon as the plane and the gate paired up, I "arfed" a couple of "thank you" barks to the Captain for a job well done. Anytime we land back on the ground after flying 7 miles high is, to my way of thinking, a job well done.
I visited the ladies' room after an eleven-hour stint. The last time was at 4:40PM Eastern, but us Yorkettes have quite a holding tank, you know? Front paws on piddle pad, back end over tile....and SQUAT! Yup. I think I got my point across. Mom flipped the pad over and soaked it all up. "Oh, Mary-Margaret. You must be pretty mad about now, huh?". Well, yeah? You think??
We got home at what would be about 4:45AM Eastern (1:45AM Pacific). I peeked through the slider glass at CATS. CATS IN MY BACK YARD!! Well, I fussed and squeaked so much that Mom let me out to clear the yard and do a patrol of the perimeter. "NO MORE CATS!!", I told her, and I came back in with wet feet and tummy, but with the satisfaction of a job well done.
This is Mary-Margaret "East-West" O'Brien, reporting from Temecula, California. Back to youuuuuuuuuuu, fans.
We boarded two hours late... and sat on the ground for another hour or so. Lighting hit all around us, maybe yards away. Me? Oh, I was in my cozy little car seat UNDER the seat in front of the console. I made a couple of polite comments about my unfortunate situation and the next thing you know Mom covered me with a dark blue US Airways blanket. Like...what am I? A bird?
I took the hint and slept most of the time. There was a 3-year old girl kid on the flight who probably never heard the word "No!" in her entire life. She disobeyed her parents several times and the best her mom could come up with was "Now you've really hurt my feelings. You can't get back into your seat until you say 'I'm Sorry!'." Oh great. The holy terror was climbing over the seats, using a mirror to shine the reading lights all over First Class and into other passengers eyes, and doing other self-entertaining tricks. You got the picture?.
She tried to get me, too. ("Where's the puppy? I wanna pet the puppy!") and she crawled across the aisle on the floor so we were eyeball to eyeball. I gave her a couple of warning arfs, telling her I was working and to back off. She kept coming and Mom said, quite firmly, "NO!!". Her Dad gave Mom a dirty look, and Mom told the little brat...I'm mean...girl, that if she was still awake when we landed she could visit with me. Lucky me. She conked out and was in a stupor when we de-planed at what would be about 3:30AM Eastern time.
As soon as the plane and the gate paired up, I "arfed" a couple of "thank you" barks to the Captain for a job well done. Anytime we land back on the ground after flying 7 miles high is, to my way of thinking, a job well done.
I visited the ladies' room after an eleven-hour stint. The last time was at 4:40PM Eastern, but us Yorkettes have quite a holding tank, you know? Front paws on piddle pad, back end over tile....and SQUAT! Yup. I think I got my point across. Mom flipped the pad over and soaked it all up. "Oh, Mary-Margaret. You must be pretty mad about now, huh?". Well, yeah? You think??
We got home at what would be about 4:45AM Eastern (1:45AM Pacific). I peeked through the slider glass at CATS. CATS IN MY BACK YARD!! Well, I fussed and squeaked so much that Mom let me out to clear the yard and do a patrol of the perimeter. "NO MORE CATS!!", I told her, and I came back in with wet feet and tummy, but with the satisfaction of a job well done.
This is Mary-Margaret "East-West" O'Brien, reporting from Temecula, California. Back to youuuuuuuuuuu, fans.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Bye Bye, Chair!
Well, "Sweet Niblets"!! Mom actually took that rocking chair apart and took it back. I'm impressed. She also fixed the garage door ALL BY HERSELF. I supervised, of course. Once she figured out that she spent about $230 on a chair that felt like a torture device, she got busy with the screwdriver. AFTER we took it back, it turns out we spent more like $260 ($178.xx for the chair PLUS $80.xx on "shipping and handling"). My left paw!!
I tell youuuuuu, the internet shopping sites get you coming and going, especially Target. We paid $14.99 each for 2 pillows, but they charged us twice for shipping. Their excuse? Oh Puleeeeze! They shipped from two different locations? Uh....I don' theeeeenk so. I told Mom to call and get the charges reversed. She did and they did. Nice thing about Target is that they will reverse outrageous charges if you catch them on it.
BTW...in case you don't watch "Hannah Montana", "Sweet Niblets!" is one of her favorite sayings. Not that I watch...much. Ok...maybe a little more than once in a while. Well, she was a pretty interesting kid before she got all famous. Now she's an up and coming Spitney Brears or Lonesy Linhan....whateverrrrrrr!
We finally got all our scheduled stuff done and yesterday we just crashed on the new sofa. We dozed off and the DOORBELL rang. "Wha..? Huh? Who?", we both jumped up and plotzed over to the door. It was Matt wanting to see where we wanted the address sign put.
Since definitely no one else would be coming by, we curled up on the couch again (it's REALLY comfy, by the way!), fell asleep, and ...dang it... the PHONE rings. Mom thinks it's a universal plot to keep her blood pressure up. I think we should unplug the phone and not try to analyze the whole thing. Takes up too much brain space, if you ask me.
Anyway....today we leave Pennsylvania for a while. I'll really miss my pals, the chipmunks, the ground hogs, the squirrels, my new buddies Scarlett and Rhett, Abbey Mia and Harper, and my boyfriend, Hashimoto. Like the Governator says "We'll be baaa-aaack!"
Love and snoozles...
Mary-Margaret
PS - About "The Singing Pig", we'll post the video when we get to a computer that moves faster than this one. You know it took us almost two hours just to read our email, and post to my diary? We'd never get the video up. We tried day before yesterday but gave up after about three hours. It must have gotten stuck or something.
I tell youuuuuu, the internet shopping sites get you coming and going, especially Target. We paid $14.99 each for 2 pillows, but they charged us twice for shipping. Their excuse? Oh Puleeeeze! They shipped from two different locations? Uh....I don' theeeeenk so. I told Mom to call and get the charges reversed. She did and they did. Nice thing about Target is that they will reverse outrageous charges if you catch them on it.
BTW...in case you don't watch "Hannah Montana", "Sweet Niblets!" is one of her favorite sayings. Not that I watch...much. Ok...maybe a little more than once in a while. Well, she was a pretty interesting kid before she got all famous. Now she's an up and coming Spitney Brears or Lonesy Linhan....whateverrrrrrr!
We finally got all our scheduled stuff done and yesterday we just crashed on the new sofa. We dozed off and the DOORBELL rang. "Wha..? Huh? Who?", we both jumped up and plotzed over to the door. It was Matt wanting to see where we wanted the address sign put.
Since definitely no one else would be coming by, we curled up on the couch again (it's REALLY comfy, by the way!), fell asleep, and ...dang it... the PHONE rings. Mom thinks it's a universal plot to keep her blood pressure up. I think we should unplug the phone and not try to analyze the whole thing. Takes up too much brain space, if you ask me.
Anyway....today we leave Pennsylvania for a while. I'll really miss my pals, the chipmunks, the ground hogs, the squirrels, my new buddies Scarlett and Rhett, Abbey Mia and Harper, and my boyfriend, Hashimoto. Like the Governator says "We'll be baaa-aaack!"
Love and snoozles...
Mary-Margaret
PS - About "The Singing Pig", we'll post the video when we get to a computer that moves faster than this one. You know it took us almost two hours just to read our email, and post to my diary? We'd never get the video up. We tried day before yesterday but gave up after about three hours. It must have gotten stuck or something.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Me and The Singing Pig
OK...here's the new couch. I guess we're keeping the rocking chair, too. Mom's too lazy to take it apart so it will fit into our car. She tried earlier and ended up lugging it back into the house. In the process of trying, she managed to disconnect our automatic garage door and we couldn't get out anyway. Sheesh! 
Here's me in the morning, just relaxing and taking in the neighborhood smells. Ahhhhhhh... There's nothing like good, clean mountain air to clear one's head, I always say. And it helps that the people next door have a bunch of cats in a giant cage on the side of their house. I can talk to them all I want and they can't run off. Talk about having a captive audience.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Shopping, shopping, shopping...!!
Thisis our new kitchen table that we got from Unclaimed Frieght. We saw it on Monday with Auntie Elaine, Abbey Mia and Harper. Thought about it over night and decided to drive back to Reading to buy it. Long story short - Reading won't sell stuff direct but they order it from their Bethlehem store and you have to come back in 2 days to pick it up. Like we don't HAVE TWO DAYS. So Mom asked Mr. Grumplestiltkin where Bethlehem was. He says "IN Bethlehem!". We were getting no place fast. Another young guy bailed us out, gave us an address and a map, and in about a half-hour, we found it. Bought it, loaded it and voila. Here we are.
Today we went to Bostov's in Pottsville. Wooooo hoooo! Big sale. Got a picture, a ceramic chicken, two pots of red geraniums (the kind that don't wilt or need water) and a set of dinnerware ON SALE for $9.99. Can't beat it. Had my ice cream in one of the bowls tonight. I tell you, presentation is everything. Tasted so much better in our new stoneware.
Here's me getting comfy in my old bed. My new Stow Creek bed is just to the side. See? It's in red satin with sort of Chinese embroidery. I'm learning how to properly use my new Stow Creek Designs bed from Aunt Connie. It's very gentle on my hair. Would be like a well coiffed lady sleeping on a satin pillow. Same thing.
And for my Grandpa and my Uncle Mike, here's a room full of "Ware Chairs". Started back in maybe 1790 by Jacob Ware, the trade was passed from generation to generation. We passed Jacob's house in Bridgeton on our way to the Gibbons House which is now a museum. One whole room is dedicated to "Ware Chairs". The Bridgeton crowd was pretty patriotic and hopped on the tea bandwagon to show those Brits we don't want to be ruled by anyone. So the Bridgeton kids, home from college, got all the tea from storage and burned it in the town square. This is my understanding, but....well, a lot goes over my head. Especially considering I'm only maybe 10" tall.
Today I decided to get Mom's goat (who I haven't met yet, but I'm told I manage to get him on a regular basis). I hippity hopped into the garage and decided to go exploring. "GET BACK HERE!!" is what I usually hear. Wasn't disappointed this time either. Snuck out of the garage and made it half way up a wooded slope where I sat and waited for Mom to figure out where I was. Man...I tell you. That is so much fun. For me, anyway. I think she's a bit annoyed, but that's what makes it so fun.
Going to bed now. Am on Eastern time now. Kinda like it. Mom says if we get our new red couch tomorrow early enough we may venture back to Boscov's and see about the twins birthday presents. Good stock there, and great prices. At least Mom's not griping about them, anyway.
Love, Mary-Margaret "Super Shopper" O'Brien
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
More New Jersey and my New York cousins
I found this nifty bed in an antique store. Had to have it so I looked for my credit card....nope! Maxed out. Checked my pockets....Nope. Don' got no stinkin' pockets. (sigh) It's on my wish list. Only $221 at Joseph's Antique Store and Hair Salon in Bridgeton. If you're so inclined as to honor a pooooooor Yorkie's wishes.
Lunch on the Delaware Bay at Hancock's on the Cohassey River. Mom had a delicious shrimp salad sandwich and Auntie Connie had fish and chips made with fresh halibut. I guess it was good 'cause they ate the whole thing. I can't tell for sure though. NO ONE OFFERED ME ANY!!
Here's me ...HuckleMary Finn....running off for an adventure. I stuck pretty close to Mom the whole time in New Jersey until the MINUTE we were ready to leave. Then I suddenly realized that there were trails to explore, woodlands to sniff...places to go and friends to meet. You can't tell from the picture but both Mom and Connie are yelling at me telling me to "Get back here, young lady!" and I don't care. I'm on a mission here. Had a really good time, too. Took them about a half hour to catch me.
My cousins, Abbey Mia and Harper, from Rochester, New York came to my house on Monday. Boy oh boy. Did we ever have fun. Aunt Elaine even brought some treats and here we are, all sitting down like good puppies, waiting for our "Little Jacs". They're yummy.
We hung out all day, went shopping and Mom found the perfect couch (thanks to Aunt Elaine). It's supposed to be delivered on Friday. I'll send you a picture. Mom was tired, but my Aunt Elaine talked her into looking in "one more store". So they stopped at Bascov's Outlet in Reading and.....oh, I'll let you wait for the photo.
Love and kisses,
Mary-Margaret
Sunday, August 03, 2008
MEEEE on TV on WE!!
Blink and you'll miss me. Mom even had to ask "Where's Mary-Margaret?". So Aunt Connie, my fiance's mom, and Scarlett and Rhett's mom, found where I was and froze it on the TV, then she took a picture of me. See??
Here's a really pretty tree in Aunt Connie's yard. I wouldn't mind moving in there, you know? They're on 3 acres, surrounded by another 40 of farmland. This time around, there's fresh sweet corn growing. YUM!!!
Mom's staqrting to doze off....can y ou tell? I'll have her finish up tomorrow. (Yoicks....her spelling is awful when she's sleepy!)
Oh yes, and here's some flowers. I always did find myself attracted to color. Yup.
We had lunch on the Delaware Bay sort of. Actually the Cohassey River. Was way kewl. Mom had a fresh shrimp salad sandwich with potato chips to die for (I got ONE). Aunt Connie had fish and chips, and the fish was fresh halibut. It smelled divine.
Mom's sure having a lot of fun and good food on this vacation. Aunt Connie, my boyfriend Hashi, and his brother and sister (Rhett and Scarlett) are coming to visit MEEEEE on Thursday. Oh boy Oh boy!!
Love, Mary Margaret
Here's a really pretty tree in Aunt Connie's yard. I wouldn't mind moving in there, you know? They're on 3 acres, surrounded by another 40 of farmland. This time around, there's fresh sweet corn growing. YUM!!!
Mom's staqrting to doze off....can y ou tell? I'll have her finish up tomorrow. (Yoicks....her spelling is awful when she's sleepy!)Oh yes, and here's some flowers. I always did find myself attracted to color. Yup.
We had lunch on the Delaware Bay sort of. Actually the Cohassey River. Was way kewl. Mom had a fresh shrimp salad sandwich with potato chips to die for (I got ONE). Aunt Connie had fish and chips, and the fish was fresh halibut. It smelled divine.
Mom's sure having a lot of fun and good food on this vacation. Aunt Connie, my boyfriend Hashi, and his brother and sister (Rhett and Scarlett) are coming to visit MEEEEE on Thursday. Oh boy Oh boy!!
Love, Mary Margaret
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