It's Christmas Eve Day. The most beautiful time of year. I can remember my first Christmas in New York with Herself and AuntJ. Oh...it was soooo beautiful.

I was thinking about whose Birthday it is. A very special Baby was born in a manger somewhere in the desert a very long time ago. Along with the Baby and his Mommy and Daddy and other visitors who came, I know there were animals, sheep, big funny looking things called camels, (what is going on with that back of theirs?) and other creatures ... but no dogs. Not even a little one like me. I would have come, if I knew. But I didn't get the message. It was, after all, a very long time ago and I wasn't born yet. I understand from Herself that the message came from angels and a very bright star that was shinning in the dark sky to lead the way to where the Baby was born.

I love little babies, we talk whenever I see one. I look in their eyes and tell them things (silently) and they tell me about their little lives, up to now. I usually tell them that they are going to have a wonderful time here learning all kinds of things and meeting lots of different people and other babies. I then tell him or her that I'm really glad to have met them. I love to talk to little 'creatures' like me. You'd be surprised what they tell me, even before they can speak words.

It's Christmas and I wish you a most blessed and peaceful day and a wonderful new year. Remember, to reach out and make someone happy. I'm a very happy dog. I tell Herself and AuntJ and all my other human friends that all the time, mostly by just letting them know that there is no other place in the whole world than I would rather be than with them and they tell me, mostly by feeding me, hugs, playtime and kisses, lots of kisses. What could be better than that? And I have so many friends, who I just love to see and play with. I'm a very lucky dog.

Joy and Peace to the world. Love to all the little children, in Mangers and carriages everywhere. And love to all my fellow dogs all over the world, too.

My Latest Hair Cut, or Who Ever Taught Her How to Groom????

I went (actually, I was taken) to one of those chic hair grooming places on Lexington Avenue. I knew instantly that I was in (as President Bush 41 would say) (and it's probably appropriate for me to say) deep doo doo, when I was carried into this place. My then long hairs stood straight up and I knew I was not in for a pleasant day ... I just knew it.

Very expensive thingies all around for us dogs; the finest outfits, the prettiest bags, the most decadent treats, everything to make us and our humans think this dog world is probably too good for us dogs ... but I'm diverted ... it's a place where you would think I would want to hang out, but I got this really strange feeling and tried to tell Herself in my various ways like trying to squiggle out of her arms to make a hasty retreat but no, she held on tight.

A very long explanation followed from Herself to the groomer, who came out from the back room to get instructions and get me. I heard Herself tell her what length my hair should be cut (not short just shortened a bit), how my face should look (clean around my eyes with other precise details), yes, it was alright to cut my topknot, watch out for my tummy (I get scratched there easily), and then Herself repeated it all again. "Ok" "Sure" "I got it", this not-for-primetime-grooming groomer said and off she carried me to the back room. I squiggled and wiggled and whimpered but to no avail. I was stuck and not happy and, worse of all, not sure I would ever see Herself again. Would she come back and rescue me? (She just stopped typing and translating this down for me and said "Oh Mystical, don't be so silly.")

You know, reliving that day is already so exhausting that I need to lie down and nap ... so I'll continue this story in another post.

Suspense will build about what happened in that back room with that 'I-just-learned-how-to- groom, groomer'. I'll leave you hanging while I nap...

This Dog's Delight

It's here - the first snow arriving in the early days of December. I was watching out my window. Have you ever noticed that each snowflake makes it's way down without bumping into another snowflake. How do they do that? Dogs bump into things all the time.

I was running down the hallway of my building the other day, playing with Herself, and I turned around so fast to catch my toy that I bumped my head into the wall. What was that doing there, I wondered? Of course, it was always there and I should have remembered.

But snowflakes are these gentle things that float down in a kind of dance, almost a waltz, and never bump into anything until they come to a halt onto a tree limb or rooftop or sidewalk or nose of a little baby in her crib. Snowflakes are one of my favorite things. I think snow is actually angels fluffing their wings.

I'm staying in today and watch the snow fall, so I'll wait for you by the door. Wait a minute! How can I look out the window at the snow and sit by the door at the same time?

I know ~I'll run back and forth.

Favorite Names for Us Girl Dogs

Please note that my name is not here ... that's because I'm so unique. And besides it's a fitting name for me ... but I'll keep those stories for another time.

MOLLY	MAGGIE
DAISY	LUCY
SADIE	GINGER
CHLOE	BAILEY
SOPHIE	ZOE
PRINCESS	BELLA
ANGEL	LADY
SASHA	ABBY
ROXY	MISSY
BRANDY	COCO
ANNIE	KATIE
SAMANTHA	CASEY
GRACIE	ROSIE
MISTY	EMMA
SANDY	HEIDI

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

Now, I wouldn't stand too long to be dressed like this ... I happen to like the birthday suit model, but I think these two are definitely sending a message - don't you?

You see, we all can get along. Remember it all takes place in the heart first then our minds can follow and find the way.

Herself, AuntJ, and all my other 2 and 4-legged friends wish you all and all your friends a most Happy Thanksgiving.

I have a list of reasons, as long as my long legs, to be happy and thankful and I intend to think of them all day today.

I look forward to having a piece of turkey, a delicious apple and lots of water to drink. I will sit around and watch and listen to all that is being said and smile. A romp in the fall leaves ... oh girl!

God Bless us all.

Beautiful Allison, Our Hearts are Broken.

I am really sad. I've been moping around the house or staring out into space for days now. I look up at Herself and she looks down at me and I know what she's thinking ... it's the same thing I'm thinking and feeling, we are both really sad.

Allison, someone we love very, very, very much has gone to heaven. I knew something was wrong because Herself was crying for days. Then she sat me down and told me that Allison got really sick and went to the hospital and although the Doctors tried, they couldn't make her better. So, she went to heaven. The nurse said that Allison said to her two days before, "I'm going to go to heaven".

Oh my!

She was beautiful and I loved being around her ... and she loved me too. Every time she spoke to Herself on the phone she'd ask, "How's that Dawg". Isn't that silly to call me - a Dawg? I didn't mind 'cause Allison could call me anything she wanted. We have pictures of me playing and laughing with Allison and her son, my absolute best friend, Graham. He's a big boy now, he's eight years old, just a bit older than me. I just know he is missing his Mommy very much. He used to say to her, "Mommy, you're prettier than Britney Spears". I certainly agreed with that. Actually, there was no comparison. Allison was beautiful ... inside and out. Her son adored her. He would walk into a store and point out something and say, "I'm going to tell Daddy to buy that for Mommy". He must have learned generosity from her. She was one of the most generous humans I know ... she would bring me things ... like one of my favorite toys, a penguin in a Santa outfit. I love that thing. I love Allison. You couldn't help loving her.

I don't know very much about heaven, but Herself tells me that it is the most beautiful place in all of the Universe and everyone in Heaven is very happy and healthy and feel at peace. There is lots of all-encompassing Love. I've been wondering, can dogs go to heaven?

My eyes get all teary and I rub my eyes with my paw. It just doesn't seem the same knowing that I won't see her again ... unless I'm a very good dog and I, too, go to heaven one day (when I'm very old). I know I will run up to meet her. I'll give her a lot of licks and she'll give me lots of pats and hugs. She would laugh. She had a wonderful laugh and a big, fabulous smile. I'll smile at her too, but it won't look at pretty as hers 'cause my front tooth is missing.

Herself, AuntJ and I miss you very much, Allison ... we will never, ever forget you. I know you knew that we loved you very much and will think of you always. You shone and you are shinning in Heaven and when the Moon is very bright, I look up and feel your bright, fabulous smile shinning down on me.

I'll still wait by the door ... in case you come.

I Looove Compliments

Now I really don't have a big head, actually it's rather small, about the size of peach, so it doesn't swell very much when I get a compliment.

I was walking down the street with Herself today, and a youngish human male pointed at me and said "Now that's a million dollar dog". I heard Herself answer, "Yes, I think she is too" and then she added, pointing down at me, "and Mystical does as well".

Now I don't need compliments. I know I'm loved by Herself and AuntJ, Allison and Graham and many others. I know because they tell me ... a lot. But hearing it from a stranger, out of the blue, is a tail-wagger.

So, remember, everyone loves a compliment. All of us, four-legged and two-legged. It puts a smile on your face. It's a treat. You know what I mean?

By the way, you look mahvelous.

Sticking my Paw into Politics

You know I don't really care all that much about politics, although I hear Herself talking about this one and that one all the time. So, I do try to keep up with it. I agree with Herself most of the time ... I'm not a foolish dog, I don't bite the hand of the one who feeds me. You know what I mean?

But, this I came up with all by myself. I read about this scruffy looking man from Iran, Mr. Abanajaddy or whatever his name is. I just know I would growl if I came near him. Anyway, this is what I heard.

They take dogs to Jail in Iran. They also come up to young Iranians on the street and take their dogs away and put them in crates out in the open and leave them there for days. They arrested a young boy because he was posting an ad for his lost dog. They say they are getting "rid of Western Culture". I'm not a culture. I'm a dog. And I'm going to stand up on my back legs and fight for all dogs, in this case, Persian ones.

Here's the story. You read about it.

I've been growling under my breath for hours. I say, put him in a room filled with some tough-guy-dogs, you know which ones I mean, the ones who have a reputation for intimidation and let them at him.

What will they want to get rid of after us?

Birds?

Flowers?

Kittens?

Stars?

GRRRRRR. I don't growl very often, but this stuff puts my tail down, real low.

A Dog At A Film Festival

Glad to be back...I've been really busy, playing, running around, taking care of Herself, eating and sleeping...you know, just plain busy. (Also, I couldn't remember my password to get into my blog...it was so 'secret', that it was a secret from me.)

But I now have time to tell you about the Jo Eisinger Retrospective Film Festival held in a positively, fabulously beautiful Barn in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (I did tell you in one of my earlier posts that I came into this world in Pennsylvania, didn't I?)

First of all, this was the first time I was ever invited to a Film Festival. Eat your heart out Robert Redford, you weren't invited or you neither, Robert deNiro. Jo Eisinger was a brilliant screenwriter. He wrote the words to Gilda...WOW! Rita Hayworth was sooooo beautiful. I loved the way she tossed her hair in that sexy dance she did ... as she sung "Put the Blame on Mame, Boys".

You know, I can move my hair like Rita, too. Her hair was red and mine, white. You should see me as I run down the hallway...it flies all around The jury is still out as to whether I am considered a sexy Maltese ... or just plain adorable. Anyway, in the film Gilda loved Glenn really bad, and he pretended he hated her. Sparks flew. That was so great. I sat on Herself's lap surrounded by all the other invited guests (more later about them) and loved every moment of it. "Put the blame on Mystical, Boys".

Anyway, Jo also did a lot of what they call, Film Noir films, those are films that are in Black and White...no color and sort of gritty. (That's my new word of the day...gritty. Isn't that a terrific word?)

I'll finish my "review" about the JE Film Festival in another posting.

Meanwhile, I'll wait for you by the door. Hurry the show is about to begin.

Happy Mother's Day to Herself

I had my dear friend Kim write a Mother's Day card to Herself for me. I told her what I wanted to say and she wrote it out, put the stamp on the envelope (she licked it, not me) and put it in the mail box for me.

I was home when it arrived the next day and Herself opened it. She laughed and laughed and picked me up and gave me a really big kiss, actually, lots of kisses.

It felt so good. I may pretend that I'm not crazy about kisses ... but actually, I do love them, from her. I think my Mommy is the most wonderful in the whole world. I get really blue when I don't see her. My tail hangs down and I mope around the house.

Mommies are the very best. I can't imagine living without her. I can't imagine living without my other very special human, AuntJ.

To all two and four-legged Mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day.

~I'll wait for you by the door.~

Doing yoga is fabulous

Doesn't this look just wonderful?

You know, when I stretch, I call it ''my yoga moves". But can you imagine doing yoga with your human. I would love it.

Go on, stretch those legs. Wiggle those paws. Take deep breaths.

~I'll be doing my sun salutation pose, while I wait for you by the door~

Dog food and love.

You know, I have a very sensitive tummy so, early on, Herself decided that she would cook for me. Everyday she slaves away cooking me chicken and rice and other goodies and my tummy has been just fine, thank you very much.

I've heard her say that she cooks more for me than for herself. Isn't that silly of her?

Anyway, I know a lot of dogs who have all of the good dog food that is packaged in those really LARGE bags (some of them weigh more than all of me) are now reading the news. Everyone, the dogs and their owners are so very worried about what may have happened to that food to make so many dogs really sick and some of them not coming back home from the vet. Oh my!!!!!

What's the answer? Should all owners, like Herself, start cooking for their dogs? Or, will they trust the dog food companies to find the reason for this terrible thing and to have it fixed? I don't know what they'll do, but I sure am thrilled that Herself cooks for me. So neither one of us have to worry about what I am eating. I think we should talk about organic chicken. When I'm about to go to sleep, I like to have peace of mind ... and I do. I take a deep long breath and go immediately to sleep. Nothing to worry about.

I do hope all you 4-legged friends out there are well and strong. And back to running around with your ears flapping in the wind.

~I'll wait for you by the door~

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Too cold for a dog.

I'm about to go out into the freezing cold. I've been hanging around the hearth for days now, but I'm ready to brave the elements. Global warming? ... I donno about that.

I have my basic black winter coat on and I'm wrapped in a red wool scarf-thing. Just my adorable face to wink at you as we pass each other on the sidewalks of Manhattan. Herself is going to carry me because I don't have snow boots. And New York snow after a few days is not anything I would want to prance around in. Get the picture???

I need to buy some booties. It doesn't seem like that global warming thing is coming anytime soon. We will go online and shop when we come home.

Stay warm.

Love ya!!

A trial with a Judge over 2 dogs

Oh my! This is too sad. These two dogs were sent from Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina, to Florida and now the two original owners have to go into a courtroom and fight for them from the adopted families. They were even renamed. Read about it.

Will the Judge do a King Solomon thing and say I will split the dogs in two ... and the person who says "No, don't. I love them too much - you take them" is truly the parent that loves them the most? The really sad thing is that there are now two families for each of these dogs who feel they are the parents and don't want to let go.

Thank goodness, storms like Katrina don't happen often. Better make plans for your dog when a storm is brewing. We need to be planned for too. Don't forget.

I sure hope Herself has a plan for me? I can't imagine being separated from her and AuntJ. I get goosebumps thinking about it. I would certainly try to find my way home. But many States away, I don't know if I could make it back . And the new owners even changed the dogs names. You keep your hands off my name; I love it and I will never answer to anything else in my entire life. Don't mess with me. I might be small but I'm mighty.

~I'll wait for you by the door~

This dog has special friends.

One of my dearest friends is Kim, Herself's cousin. I can get her scent blocks away, why I even know the lobby of her apartment building ... I know exactly where we are going. I loved her from the very first time I met her. She and I got along right off the bat. She's fun and kind. She always has an apple for me, and I leap around her until she peels it and hands it to me. Oh Boy!!! Excuse me. Oh Girl!!! Ain't life grand? You might say, she's bribing me, or even buying my friendship. Nope. Not so. I just plain love her, with or without the apple bit.

Friendship. So much of our life is made around our friends. What is life without them??? I try to be the very best friend in return, lots of affection and lots of licks and tail excitement.

~See you soon, I'll wait for you by the door~

History was made in the early days of 2007.

As a girl dog, I am excited to see history being made today in our Congress with the first woman Speaker of the House. Does that make me a Democrat? Not necessarily, just a good American ...even though I'm Maltese. You know the new Speaker, Mrs Pelosi, is Italian American. So am I. My dog ancestors are Italian and English. But I was born here, in incredibly wonderful, America. And boy, am I proud of that. Do I keep up with politics...you better believe it. Both Herself and me are constantly watching the doings of Washington and, yes, Albany, my State's Capitol. Most of the time we are not amused.

You know, these people in the high reaches of Government, can affect my life too. For example, here in New York City, they have a program that encourages, ahem! "fixing" us dogs so that there are too many homeless dogs and unwanted ones living on the street.

I believe each and every dog should be loved and kept safe, just like me. I am so very blessed.

~I'll wait for you by the front door~