Sunday, May 22, 2011

Happy Sunday everyone! Today is Sunday, May 22, 2011 and we are HAPPY!! No more tornadoes, no more flooding. Things are getting back to normal and the good Lord has kept us all safe.

We wish every one adopted in the month of May a very Happy "GOTCHA DAY". How lucky we all are to have our families to love and support us. Home is where the heart is! No matter what the rest of the world is doing, we are safe in our forever homes.

Mom's taking a little vacation this weekend. She's absolutely exhausted and so she told me to rummage through my "quote box" and find something suitable. I like this pretty much. It fits just about everyone I know. I wish I knew who wrote it but I don't and it was submitted "author unknown". Still, it was obviously written by someone who loves dogs, and probably dogs love them, too!

(ahem....cough cough....and Mary-Margaret begins to recite!)

Why Own A Dog?

Why own a dog? There's a danger you know,
You can't own just one, for the craving will grow.
There's no doubt they're addictive, wherein lies the danger.
While living with lots, you'll grow poorer and stranger.

One dog is no trouble, and two are so funny.
The third one is easy, the fourth one's a honey.
The fifth one's delightful, the sixth one's a breeze,
You find you can live with a houseful of ease.

So how 'bout another? Would you really dare?
They're really quite easy but, oh, Lord the hair!
With dogs on the sofa and dogs on the bed,
And crates in the kitchen, it's no bother, you've said.

They're really no trouble, their manners are great.
What's one more dog and just one more crate?
The sofa is hairy, the windows are crusty,
The floor is all footprints, the furniture dusty.

The housekeeping suffers, but what do you care?
Who minds a few noseprints and a little more hair?
So let's keep a puppy, you can always find room,
And a little more time for the dust cloth and broom.

There's hardly a limit to the dogs you can add,
The thought of a cutback sure makes you sad.
Each one is so special, so useful, so funny.
The vet and food bills grows larger, you owe BIG money.

Your folks never visit, few friends come to stay,
Except other "dog folks" who live the same way.
Your lawn has now died, and your shrubs are dead too,
But your weekends are busy, you're off with your crew.

There's dog food and vitamins, training and shots.
And entries and travel and motels which cost lots.
Is it worth it you wonder? Are you caught in a trap?
Then that favorite one comes and climbs in your lap.

His look says you're special and you know that you will
Keep all of the critters in spite of the bill.
Some just for showing and some just to breed.
And some just for loving, they all fill a need.

God, winter's a hassle, the dogs hate it too.
But they must have their walks though they're numb and your blue.
Late evening is awful, you scream and you shout
At the dogs on the sofa who refuse to go out.

The dogs and the dog shows, the travel, the thrills,
The work and the worry, the pressure, the bills.
The whole thing seems worth it, the dogs are your life.
They're charming and funny and offset the strife.

Your life-style has changed. Things won't be the same.
Yes, those dogs are addictive and so is the dog game.

Written by "Unknown Poet"


Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Thank you for being here
faithfully every Sunday and for loving each other and everyone in
our church family, and for your postcards to Sister Chiquita in
the Amazon. She wrote back the other day and said your well
wishes are what keeps her and the girls going.

Bean sprouts, soybeans, biscuits and apples chunks are on the buffet table
today, courtesy of Fachsie Dachsie Brownie troop #411. They
prepared everything all by themselves, and they even washed their
paws first. Very colorful and tasty, I'm sure.

Please turn to your pew mates and wag your tails and fluff your feathers
as a sign of peace and love.

Dear Lord - Please help us to be as we wish others to be! Amen

Go and share your glow with others not quite so fortunate!

Blassings...

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Lt. Chaplain - Yorkie Brigade Chapel
"Yorkie prayers are Angel's wishes!"
"Pups for PPL"
"A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue." Anonymous

A Bunny Thing Happened: An Oral History of the Playboy Clubs Culture: vanityfair.com

A Bunny Thing Happened: An Oral History of the Playboy Clubs Culture: vanityfair.com

Dear Grandpa - Mom says to click on this link so you can read the article. Mom even got quoted a whole THREE times, too. How come she got quoted is beyond me, though. With all the famous people associated with these clubs it's just surprising is all. On the other hand, maybe I should start listening to her instead of turning away every time she says something. Maybe I should give her more credit than I do?

Anyway....here you go. First time anyone that I know of personally ever got their name in an international magazine with over a million circulation.

Love you, Grandpa!

Your Grand Dogger....

Mary-Margaret

May 15, 2011 - Happy Sunday!

Good Morning on this beautiful Sunday, May 15, 2011. Most everywhere the sun is shining and life is good. Our prayers are in force and the tornados have stopped. Unfortunately they were replaced by flooding, which in turn will cause many more problems. Before we get started with today's message, let's put our paws together and ask God for some relief from the flood waters, and ask for his help in the recovery of our economy. I know the Lord never gives us more than he thinks we can handle, but so many are at the breaking point, and so many souls have been lining up at Heaven's gate recently because of the tragedies in the South.

Please, Lord, we ask you, PLEASE help us get through these trying times and help us to see the way beyond. Amen.

Now...today's message is about "commitment". Yes, about taking personal responsibility for following through on your promises.

Let's talk about adopting a fur baby, for example. God made newborn fur babies so darn cute that they're hard to resist. We're little, cuddly, smell sweet and give tiny little kisses that are absolutely addictive to most humans. We are adopted and we become a part of a family. We learn, we love and we grow.

The first two parts are a given - we learn what the humans want from us and we try really hard to live up to their expectations. We also love our adoptive families unconditionally. We don't question our people when they put us outside and they go off for hours at a time because we trust they will always come back for us. Even if we get swatted for some minor "faux pas" (puddles, shredded toilet paper, a little brown pile on the carpet) we know that they will forget and they will hug us and forgive us and we will love them again as if nothing ever happened.

It's the last part - the growing - that some humans have trouble with. Hardly anyone of any species ever stays the same size. That's just life, guys. And when we start knocking over Aunt Grace's porcelain collection, or shedding on the couch, or eating bowls of kibble proportionate to our weight, some humans forget that we are family, and they forget their commitment that they made when we were babies. And some of us end up in the back yard or kennel for days instead of hours. We are fed and watered when someone remembers to do so. We get fleas and sores and no one cares. And finally, some of us end up at a shelter because our families no longer want a grown up dog. We are abandoned and left to our fate.

Rescue groups and shelters are full of residents that are grown. We have already learned and loved, but we are (pardon the expression) "dumped" because we grew. Many of us, but not all, get a second chance. That's when those second chancers will find their forever families. That's when our existence is truly validated and we know we are part of God's plan.

There are all kinds of commitments that humans make throughout their life. Commitments to each other, like "marriage", and a while into the relationship the reality of the commitment sets in and the humans forget their promise of "until death do us part".

Or promises to God - like saying "Dear Lord, if you just let Uncle Aloysius get better, I promise to quit smoking", but when God helps Uncle Aloysius walk again, the human who made the bargain with God in the first place celebrates by bumming a cigarette off the first smoker he sees.

Even our Inspirational Message for Chapel is a commitment that I've made to you all and I intend to keep. You are all part of my family and we never let our family down, no matter what.

I'm sure you each can think of promises that you or those close to you have made that are broken without another thought. Unless that promise was made by a dog (or a duck). And us pups ALWAYS keep our promises. Once we are part of a family we are a part of it forever. If you leave, we grieve. We find your scent and we follow you to the ends of the earth. If you see us years later we will remember you and love you with all our hearts as if you had never left us.

We wind up these inspirational messages with a couple of quotes: A quote from John Holmes: "A dog is not "almost human" and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such." and one from Robert Brault: "An old dog, even more than an old spouse, always feels like doing what you feel like doing."

Let us grow old with you and you will never be sorry.

Please put your paws together and bow your heads as we ask that our Lord or Higher Power help us to honor our commitments and fortify our resolve on a daily basis:

Dear Lord - we ask you to make us wise and alert in our duties. Help to keep us faithful in the time of routine; to be quick to make decisions; and and to be courageous to act in a time of crisis. Help us to always keep peaceful and focused in our minds and our hearts so that we can take care of our families and keep them from harm. Take care of our loved ones when we are separated. Help us honor our commitment and always keep us true to each other. If we have to be apart, help us to return to each other with safety and love. Amen.

(a moment's silence as our prayer fully sinks in....and then Mary-Margaret speaks!)

And now I ask that you turn to your neighbors and wag your tails or fluff your feathers as a sign of peace and love.

We still need volunteers to be guest speakers at Sunday services. Please PLEASE submit your stories so we can incorporate them into our messages. Mom says I'm going to have to start paying her if we don't get some outside help and ....well...collections have been pretty meager in the cyber basket.

We will be serving raw carrots and freshly picked green beans from our garden on the side of the church by the now-functioning fountain dedicated to our parish by the Sisters of St Francis. We have a new member to introduce to you: The Sangster family has adopted little Raffie (Prince Rafael Zane) and he will be in the nursery class for Preschool Puppies starting next Sunday. Congratulations Sangster family!! We also remind you that our Parish Library is open 24/7 if you would care to review our Parish Family Albums and get to know your church family members face to face.

A reminder to you all to pick up your tails, links and photos from our cloakroom on the way out. Our "lost and found" is getting a little cluttered, and those items left after Memorial Day will be auctioned off at our next yard sale, June 5th, with the proceeds going to our Summer Camp fund for Underprivileged Pups (SCUP).

Blessings to you all...

Have a wonderful day!!

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Lt. Chaplain - YorkieBrigade

Bogart and Me at the Doctors!

My new friend, Bogart. Isn't he cute? I mean, what you can see of him? He's sort of a golden blonde Maltese and he's only eight weeks old. He hit on me right away. Oh yes he did. At only EIGHT WEEKS he was right on my rear end, sniffing away and dodging my waggy little butt. He didn't know it but I was laughing at him. He tickled. He's way to little to get all serious, and every time he'd try to sniff my girlish charms, I'd knock him in the nose with my tail. It was pretty funny.



Mom wouldn't tell me what this said but the same sign was put out on two doors while were were waiting. You have to double-click the picture to see the writing on it. I'm pretty smart, though, and I have a good idea what's going on. I know it's a very sad thing because there were some ladies there who were crying a whole lot. I know I should mind my own business but when folks are in trouble and hurting in their hearts I think it's my job to comfort them. So I did. I just snuggled and kissed and loved all over them. I really think I helped, too. They didn't stop crying but they did smile through their tears for "Midnight", their pet. I didn't find out if Midnight was a cat or a dog or anything, but whoever it was they sure had a lot of love to take to the Rainbow Bridge with them.

God bless Midnight and those two ladies. Amen.

Love,

Mary-Margaret

My new friend, Chica!!

This is my new friend, Chica. She lives across the street and she's about one and a half years old. Her mom is named Nancy. Today when we came home from working Nancy and Chica were outside and me and Chica said "Hi!". Our moms started talking and next thing I know is they're talking "play date". Oh this is SOOOO exciting.

I see Chica outside sometimes but I'm inside and I can only say "Hello!" through the window. Now we have sniffed each other and even gave kisses AND we will have a play date.

I might add that I need some friends my own age (and species) to play with. Today when we went to pick up at a client's office I got off the elevator on the wrong floor. Hey, what do I know? All the floors look alike but this one smelled different. So I said "Hello" to everyone on the floor before I'd get back on the elevator. That kinda made Mom mad and some guy was hollerin' "LET GO OF THE ELEVATOR!" on one of the other floors. Oooops (I said)...sorry!

Then when we got on the third floor where we were supposed to be our client wasn't there. The envelope was by the door. That was fine for Mom but I wanted to see our client. So I sat by the door and wouldn't budge. Again, the "momster" comes after me but I'm too fast for her. I duck and dodge and I'm having the best time with this game.

Pretty soon a lady comes over and says "Is that Mary-Margaret?". I guess I have a reputation in town. So Mom says "Yes! And I can't catch her!". The lady is very nice and I know I've met her before so I go over and flip on my back for belly rubs, sort of like a Shmoo in a frying pan (if you remember L'il Abner comic strips, anyway!). I get my belly rubbed and then I get scooped up and handed to Mom.

Sheesh! Can't trust anybody any more.

Love,

Mary-Margaret

Happy Mother's Day - Sunday, May 8, 2011

(It's Mother's Day already somewhere in the world - This is for Australia, New Zealand, India and Nepal and all those other places!)

Good morning everyone, and especially to all the "bee-yoo-ti-full" mothers, both present and departed. Today is Sunday, May 8th, 2011 and we are celebrating those who not only gave birth to us, but those who loved us enough to raise us and who raised us with the capacity to love unconditionally.

I barely remember my birth mother, Sissy's TooToo (by T and J), of Elkland, Missouri.
While I know my bloodlines by reading them off my "Birth Certificate" also known as a
"Certificate of Pedigree", I am who I am because of my adopted mother, Michele (by Ruth and George) of Temecula, California. At the tender age of nine weeks I had already been ripped from my birth family, shipped to California, undergone surgery for an inguinal hernia and tossed into a plexiglass box full of shredded newspaper in a local pet store. It was there that I first spotted my REAL mom and made it my business to leave that pet store with her, no matter how long it took.

She wasn't particularly impressive on the outside. She was a little older than the
other ladies who had come into the shop. She looked maybe a little sad and lonely, and she could stand to lose a few pounds, but I saw the beauty in her soul and the light in her eyes and I knew that we were destined to be a couple...a TEAM, if you will. I thought she was absolutely the most beautiful human being in the whole world. I could tell she only stopped in for a quick puppy kiss and to sniff the sweet milky smell us puppy kids have when we're babies. If I didn't act quickly, she'd walk right back out of my life forever.

Together, I knew we could handle anything that came our way. It took me two hours to talk the other pups into chewing on her shoes, barking incessantly, piddling in the middle of the playpen, etc. and otherwise make themselves totally unacceptable to her. Finally, at long last, it was just her and me..side by side on the little bench. Yup. Me and my "soon to be" Mom!

The sales lady, exhausted from bringing Mom pup after pup, finally asked us if we were
going home together. I saw the lady's lips moving slightly as if she were praying we'd say "Yes!". Mom paused for a moment and then asked "How much?". She just about
passed out when Ms. Saleslady quoted her a price, but I was negotiated for and finally
Mom whipped out a credit card. She looked at me, hugged me even closer and gave me a
big kiss, while saying "You can't put a price on love!". I totally agree with her on
that! Moms are just naturally beautiful that way. Truly!

Helen Keller once said "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even
touched, they must be felt with the heart".

And Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese poet said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart".

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was quoted to say, "People are like stained-glass windows. They
sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."

"You don't love your Mother because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her!" (Mary-Margaret O'Brien)

And on that note, I know you are all anxious to celebrate this special day with your
beautiful mothers. We will be serving Pupcakes and Snausages in the Great Hall to give our special moms a day off from the feed bowl.

Special Announcement - Graham Quacker's family has adopted a baby chick with a
dislocated leg. We ask that you offer prayers for the baby's speedy recovery. Also Graham is now sharing his personal pond with a Red Slider turtle that heard that the Quacker home is a shelter for homeless critters of all shapes, sizes and species. We hope they will be coming to Chapel with Graham.

We are still recruiting volunteer speakers for future Sundays. Please let me know when you'll be available and we'll work your presentation into our Inspirational Message.

Before you leave, please turn to your neighbors and wag your tails (and fluff your
feathers) as a sign of peace and love. And wherever your Mom is, please take a moment
to silently thank her for being your Mom, and for giving you the opportunity and foundation to share your love with the rest of the world.

Blessings to you all....

Mary-Margaret O'Brien
Lt. Chaplain - Yorkie Brigade Chapel
"Yorkie prayers are Angel's wishes!"
"Pups for PPL"
"A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue." Anonymous