Why weasels are the new “it” rodent in West County

By Katie Pelech
Photographs by Mark Gilliland

Like it or not, childhood nicknames tend to trail their owners. If you had one, you have two choices: Spend your adult life fleeing the “Scooter” within, or embrace it as your own. Chris O’Brien, or “Weasel,” as she’s known to friends, family and a wealth of anonymous admirers, chose the latter route. She began her “Squeaky Weasel” blog, on which she chronicles the trials and tribulations of everyday life in West County, almost six years ago, and she’s got the fan base to prove it.

So when O’Brien began raising money for the MS 150, a bicycling benefit for multiple sclerosis research and support that she and her husband will be riding in this September in Columbia, Mo., she decided to go the way of the weasel. “I wanted to find a way to tap into the thing I have going with the blog,” O’Brien says, explaining the process that led her to conceive of the site’s fuzzy spokesmodels. She then picked up her knitting needles and went to work.

“I expected that friends and family would just buy them out of pity, but people thought they were cute,” she says of her stuffed rodents. “They’ve gone to California, Idaho ... Somebody from the U.K. ordered one!” It’s not hard to see why. Their curious expressions, coupled with the cheeky descriptions O’Brien crafts for them, make these weasels oddly appealing.

We asked O’Brien to introduce us to the pick of her litter, all of which are available for adoption at squeakyweasels.etsy.com.

Aggie

"Here's sweet little Aggie, a tiny gray baby weasel who needs a loving home. The only care she needs is a gentle pat and a snuggle now and then, and she's content just to sit and share your company anywhere you need a little companionship.

Slink

"Slink is a soft and cuddly weasel. She's almost 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide, hand-knitted and felted from pure, soft alpaca. Her favorite thing in the world is to be petted gently between her ears."

Mel, the Green Weasel of Envy

"Little Mel, with his big goofy ears and dopey eyes, is a rich, multihued green. Why? Because green weasels are universally prized for their unfailing loyalty and their renowned calming effect on children. I made that up—but Mel is darn cute."

Peanut

"Peanut is the softest, sweetest little baby weasel you'll ever meet! Measuring just 3 inches long when he stretches out for a yawn, he has a talent for seeking out warm, snug places for a nap, like a pocket or the palm of your hand."