Victim of my own posting...I have become addicted to shopping. i like it tremendously....the walking around, the seeing, touching, trying, the rejections and finally the purchase! It is fan-tas-tic! I recommend people to get their butts into shopping gear and head to the nearest mall....wooo hooo - I'm on a high!
"Hallo Everybody! My name is Bubbles and I'm an Shopaholic!" (Your cue to say "Hallo Bubbles")
See... this is different from Retail Therapy and this (my friends) is a true addiction! It does not help that i work in the vicinity of a mall (one of the larger ones in KL) and that i'm sufficiently comfortable with my monthly takehome to splurge and indulge. Sometimes when i sit quietly in my room fighting the urge to hit the prettily lit stores just a couple of yards away and flash my beautiful golden card at the cash register - I think...This is a real sin! Something must be done! And I tried to go for rehab but I said No No NO (Hooray! Amy Winehouse! Although i really think she should go to Rehab!)
So i think this is a phase for me and i am planning to quit this nasty habit soon! Well...maybe after Christmas! There's afterall nothing wrong with shopping for others...It's only a true shopaholic sin if I shopped for myself! So it's a pact...after Christmas and I'm definitely in Rehab!! Go Go GO
Sometimes i just crack myself up! muahahahaha!
Monday 10 December 2007
Retail Therapy
This term "Retail Therapy" was coined probably less than a decade ago. I guess people suffered symptomatic signs of this disease since the beginning of time...cave woman buying a new rock to sit on...caveman buying the latest club to swing at the closest dinosaur...etc...you get my point. Everyone since the beginning of time has purchased/bartered something. The point is anytime we get anything new - it made us happy. For example if (during the time of barter trade) I planted and harvested enough bananas to barter for a basket of mangoes and successfully managed the barter - i would be happy, proud of my achievement... So the same goes with today's modern society that if i work hard and used my hard earned dosh to get something (doesn't have to be practical and can be totally frivolous i.e. woman buying her hundreth pair of shoes or men collecting vintage cars...esp men that are in their forties...ooopss! I think this falls into the mid life crisis area) i would be happy and proud of my achievement (The definition of achievement here is highly suspect!)
Retail Therapy as far as I can tell or from what society seems to think it means - suggests that people who are upset with life or rather "NOT HAPPY" with the state of things will go out and purchase something to make them feel in control. So when we shop - do we indulge in Retail Therapy? Does it mean i have to be upset to shop? Does it mean I shop only to feel good?
I think the coining of such a yuppified (it's never retail therapy for the aunties in my neighbourhood...) term has officially made shopping a true disease of sorts. And in this chronic hyperchondriac television drama fed society - it has made shopping more attractive then ever - I would say that this term was invented by someone in the retail world to boost sales...coz the term "retail therapy"has been bandied about with such abandon by friends, family and strangers. It is used loosely and it encourages people to shop in ways that fit this profile. Suddenly "therapy" is no longer restricted to open to all that fancy themselves hip enough to be sick - it is free for all, open season for shopping.
I may come across as highly cynical and definitely suspicious of what may seem simple to the masses but i really believe this is one big marketing ploy created by the retailers (there must be some secret retailer society since the time of Da Vinci...maybe his girlfriend was one of the pioneer members) defined, refined and deployed by the psychologist/psychiatrist who were involved in the creation of this concept. I think they sold us the sale! They planted the concept/idea of retail therapy into our heads...in the process suggested that people spend money to feel in control (read as: you are in control only when you have money and can spend it! NOOOOT....SO the total opposite - if you keep spending/indulging your disease you will have no money and definitely no power) and then just let nature takes its course...AND TAKEN ITS COURSE IT HAS!! Funny how reverse psychology can work wonders....
anyway...I'm rambling...something that i have been doing for a while...hope i snap out of it...coz i know i sound totally incoherent!
Retail Therapy as far as I can tell or from what society seems to think it means - suggests that people who are upset with life or rather "NOT HAPPY" with the state of things will go out and purchase something to make them feel in control. So when we shop - do we indulge in Retail Therapy? Does it mean i have to be upset to shop? Does it mean I shop only to feel good?
I think the coining of such a yuppified (it's never retail therapy for the aunties in my neighbourhood...) term has officially made shopping a true disease of sorts. And in this chronic hyperchondriac television drama fed society - it has made shopping more attractive then ever - I would say that this term was invented by someone in the retail world to boost sales...coz the term "retail therapy"has been bandied about with such abandon by friends, family and strangers. It is used loosely and it encourages people to shop in ways that fit this profile. Suddenly "therapy" is no longer restricted to open to all that fancy themselves hip enough to be sick - it is free for all, open season for shopping.
I may come across as highly cynical and definitely suspicious of what may seem simple to the masses but i really believe this is one big marketing ploy created by the retailers (there must be some secret retailer society since the time of Da Vinci...maybe his girlfriend was one of the pioneer members) defined, refined and deployed by the psychologist/psychiatrist who were involved in the creation of this concept. I think they sold us the sale! They planted the concept/idea of retail therapy into our heads...in the process suggested that people spend money to feel in control (read as: you are in control only when you have money and can spend it! NOOOOT....SO the total opposite - if you keep spending/indulging your disease you will have no money and definitely no power) and then just let nature takes its course...AND TAKEN ITS COURSE IT HAS!! Funny how reverse psychology can work wonders....
anyway...I'm rambling...something that i have been doing for a while...hope i snap out of it...coz i know i sound totally incoherent!
Wednesday 28 November 2007
An Unforgetable November
My golly! I am pooped out and it isn't even the end of the month. I don't know about you but i think most people go through a whole range of emotions during a year but this month - my emotional thermometer just broke both ends of the scale! I have used up all emotions for the rest of this year and at lest half of next year!
So many things happening...just to name a significant few in chronological sequence
1) Friends got married in Kuching
2) Father suffered heart attack
3) Father suffered second heart attack
4) Father gone for emergency by pass surgery
5) Friend gives birth to baby boy (not same friend that got married earlier in the month)
6) Landlord for rented apartment tries to backtrack on agreed apt works
7) Grandma suffers a heart attack
8) Father showing signs of not recovering well
9) Friend that got married earlier this month is having another dinner in KL
Lots of other things in between as well as the small logistical issues that come with every problem!! Have you ever felt either too angry or too sad or too tired that you are unable to express yourself in any other way than to laugh? I feel like that almost this month. The thing is laughing does not make me happy...it just provides a temporary relief from the pressures building up inside
anyway...dun be surprised if somewhere...somehow....when you least expect it...I POP!
So many things happening...just to name a significant few in chronological sequence
1) Friends got married in Kuching
2) Father suffered heart attack
3) Father suffered second heart attack
4) Father gone for emergency by pass surgery
5) Friend gives birth to baby boy (not same friend that got married earlier in the month)
6) Landlord for rented apartment tries to backtrack on agreed apt works
7) Grandma suffers a heart attack
8) Father showing signs of not recovering well
9) Friend that got married earlier this month is having another dinner in KL
Lots of other things in between as well as the small logistical issues that come with every problem!! Have you ever felt either too angry or too sad or too tired that you are unable to express yourself in any other way than to laugh? I feel like that almost this month. The thing is laughing does not make me happy...it just provides a temporary relief from the pressures building up inside
anyway...dun be surprised if somewhere...somehow....when you least expect it...I POP!
Sunday 25 November 2007
Heart of Hearts
My father recently suffered a heart attack! TO be precise he had two, all within days of each other. The funny thing is (it's not really that funny!) that there were no symptoms as portrayed on TV and the movies (you know - the clutching of the left arm, stumbling forward endlessly, moaning and eventually dropping unconcious to the floor) which is what you would expect. My dad's heart attack created symptoms of breathlessness, discomfort/pain in the chest and tummy area, bloatedness everywhere. As the symptoms were very similar to his previous attack of gall stones falling into his pancreas - we naturally thought of the usual suspect as described above or a case of terrible food poisoning. So did he.
My father has a bit (that's a major understatement) of distrust and fear of western doctors and their medicine. He would rather seek eastern cures or pursue a course of endurance for pain. This is what we call STUBBORNESS in my family. Refusal to listen to anybody's reason till it gets nearly too late. And nearly too late it was.
When all this occurred, my sweet mom and myself were out of the country. We were alerted to the initial symptoms by my bro. He kindly informed us via sms of dad's condition. As mentioned we tot of the usual suspects. My mom was highly concerned at this point in time that it might be the more serious suspect of gall stones and wanted to return posthaste. I reasoned with her that it might just be a tummy ache and that my sister and bro who was in town would be able to handle the situation if any was to arise. Both were immediately commissioned into dad patrol duties till my mom's return. In the interim, my dad had gone to visit a Chinese Sinseh who prescibe a drugs for tummy gas (hmmm.....i shall refrain from any sarcasm here!)
Upon her return home, she found my dad in a worse state than he reported. Within two days of her return and upon the consistent urging and nagging of all family members (as well as insurmountable pain) - my dad agreed to finally go to the hospital! There, he was diagnosed as having suffered a heart attack and was asked to go for an angiogram to determine how bad the condition was. I guess the stress of going for any invasion procedure will give most people heart palpitations...it was (i believe) due to this that he suffered his second heart attack just prior to the procedure. All this time, i was in KL anxiously awaiting news of the situation and deciding when to go down. Due to the second attack the procedure was postponed till a later time (the next day)
SO tomorrow rolls round faster than i care for it and the results are not good! It appeared that his heart is only functioning at 35% capacity (that's really bad) and that his three major arteries are clogged up to 90%. The doctors advise an emergency by pass surgery to be done stating that the failure to do so would see my father alive for a very very short period of time.
At this point - there was a lot of hassle with the hospitals. He was diagnosed in one and would need to be sent to a different one for the said surgery however my mother would prefer if his surgery could be done at the hospital of her previous employment. This lead to the doctor in the first hospital being difficult (they would lose the income if the surgery was done elsewhere) in his report which created issues with my dad's transfer from their hospital to the hospital of our choice...eventually with pressure from above all was sorted out (but not without first stressing all my family with this utter nonsense! I'm absolutely fuming!!)
Even during the transfer, the first hospital managed to get it all wrong and sent my dad to a different hospital other than the one already specified. When they finally did manage to get him to the right hospital they sent him to the wrong department! Eventually they got him right where we wanted him - where all the surgeons were waiting for him! We did not find out about this till my dad came out of his drug induced state after the bypass!! Will horrors never cease? Throughout their transporting blunder they had forgotten to hook my dad up to the necessary monitors/equipment during the transportation!! All within our family has promised a swift and debiltating recourse for the first hospital!
Once he got in - the prepped him for the surgery and wheeled him in...at this time i am already on my way down in a bus (as luck would have it - there were no flights available and the buses were all full and i almost did not make my bus due to heavy traffic in town! BUT I DID! AND I PRAYED THAT MY GOOD LUCK WOULD MAKE ITS WAY TO MY DAD!) when my sister call me and she is in tears and unable to speak...she passes the phone to my bro who is also in tears...please remember that i am updated when they call me...and i tot this call with the tears was all bad news....till they told me that they were just worried, sad that it may be the last time they see him...What a RELIEF!! He had gone into surgery and they were upset that they would never see him alive again! By the time i arrived, my dad was still in surgery and we waited for him to come out each deeply in our own private prayers for his life and health.
when he did come out of surgery, he was pale but the doctors said that his surgery went well and we will know exactly how well in the days and weeks to follow.It has know been almost eight months since this event and he is breathing easier, walking better (although still much slower than before), his appetite has returned even his strange sense of humour and obscure point of views (that usually really confuses me whenever i am in any kind of discussion with him). Everyday that he lives to breathe, nag, scold, muse aimlessly, confuse me plenty... i am grateful and happy. He is my dad, my only dad - unique, larger than life and i will love him forever and ever in my heart of hearts - patched up heart and all.
when he did come out of surgery, he was pale but the doctors said that his surgery went well and we will know exactly how well in the days and weeks to follow.It has know been almost eight months since this event and he is breathing easier, walking better (although still much slower than before), his appetite has returned even his strange sense of humour and obscure point of views (that usually really confuses me whenever i am in any kind of discussion with him). Everyday that he lives to breathe, nag, scold, muse aimlessly, confuse me plenty... i am grateful and happy. He is my dad, my only dad - unique, larger than life and i will love him forever and ever in my heart of hearts - patched up heart and all.
Tuesday 6 November 2007
Right Play Wrong Actor
I always wondered what it would be like to get caught in a speedtrap...always wondered how it would play out. And recently on a trip down to Singapore with my parents, speeding down the North-South highway. It's an excellent drive by the way...green foliage on either side of the winding road with mountains in the background with mists swirling around - we got caught! Finally!!
The excitement of what will happen...the thrill of being in the front seat of this excellent play that i have been wanting to experience fully. So it goes...we pull to the side of the highway and wait anxiously as the copper strides towards us with the usual suspect of a notepad or summons pad in his hand. He fits the character perfectly - a young malay chap with dark sun glasses, smart uniform. He reaches the side of the car and that's the end of Act 1.
Act 2 begins with us rolling down our window and staring expectantly at this copper. I can imagine if the reality of bribery had a scent it would be the only smell coming from our Singapore car. All four occupants had the same anticipation. The copper says his lines as he is supposed to..."ahh....where you coming from? where you going to? you were speeding....speed trap located at so and so..."
To all these questions, my father (the driver) dutifully answered. To the accusation of speeding...my father merely nodded... End of Act 2
Act 3 - The copper calmly asks for my dad's NRIC (at this point - i'm thinking he's got this all wrong!) This is where the play starts to suck... The copper then flips open his note/summons pad and without waiting for my dad's identification begins to ask if we want to settle this summons...
End of Act 3
Intermission and Comments
Ok freeze frame! Aside - I am really pissed off with the copper by this time...firstly he's got all his lines wrong...and then the sequence of his actions are way off script! Completely ruining the experience of the much anticipated play.
Firstly, he's supposed to ask for the driver's license not the bloody NRIC! Then he's supposed to wait till my dad's handed over the identification and then flip open the summons pad to pretend to write the summons (this is meant to stress the driver to the point where WE ask for a settlement!! HE's NOT supposed to ask for the bribe!! Geez...do they not teach the rookie cops how to do this right?)
Act 4 - We agree that this is quite a shitty play with a crappy actor who has not learned his part enough and decide to end the charade with the official payoff of RM$50.00...This copper then decides to really spoil the play by refusing to bargain for more... (what is this? They are supposed to go...RM$100 coz the fine is about RM$300 but he didn't - that really took the cake!) End of Act 4
Final Act
He flips open his book and we place the substitute for a fine in it! He closes the book and withdraws his bad acting from the ambience of our car! The only saving grace was a laugh that my hubby created for me by asking cheekily where the speed camera was - was it in the center divider or was it on the left or on a bridge - and this embarrassed the bad actor/copper!
Well! What an experience - Nothing like what i have been told -so disappointing! At some point in time I was about to scream in the bad actor/copper's face - that's not what you were supposed to say! That's not what you're supposed to do! Cut! Cut!
The excitement of what will happen...the thrill of being in the front seat of this excellent play that i have been wanting to experience fully. So it goes...we pull to the side of the highway and wait anxiously as the copper strides towards us with the usual suspect of a notepad or summons pad in his hand. He fits the character perfectly - a young malay chap with dark sun glasses, smart uniform. He reaches the side of the car and that's the end of Act 1.
Act 2 begins with us rolling down our window and staring expectantly at this copper. I can imagine if the reality of bribery had a scent it would be the only smell coming from our Singapore car. All four occupants had the same anticipation. The copper says his lines as he is supposed to..."ahh....where you coming from? where you going to? you were speeding....speed trap located at so and so..."
To all these questions, my father (the driver) dutifully answered. To the accusation of speeding...my father merely nodded... End of Act 2
Act 3 - The copper calmly asks for my dad's NRIC (at this point - i'm thinking he's got this all wrong!) This is where the play starts to suck... The copper then flips open his note/summons pad and without waiting for my dad's identification begins to ask if we want to settle this summons...
End of Act 3
Intermission and Comments
Ok freeze frame! Aside - I am really pissed off with the copper by this time...firstly he's got all his lines wrong...and then the sequence of his actions are way off script! Completely ruining the experience of the much anticipated play.
Firstly, he's supposed to ask for the driver's license not the bloody NRIC! Then he's supposed to wait till my dad's handed over the identification and then flip open the summons pad to pretend to write the summons (this is meant to stress the driver to the point where WE ask for a settlement!! HE's NOT supposed to ask for the bribe!! Geez...do they not teach the rookie cops how to do this right?)
Act 4 - We agree that this is quite a shitty play with a crappy actor who has not learned his part enough and decide to end the charade with the official payoff of RM$50.00...This copper then decides to really spoil the play by refusing to bargain for more... (what is this? They are supposed to go...RM$100 coz the fine is about RM$300 but he didn't - that really took the cake!) End of Act 4
Final Act
He flips open his book and we place the substitute for a fine in it! He closes the book and withdraws his bad acting from the ambience of our car! The only saving grace was a laugh that my hubby created for me by asking cheekily where the speed camera was - was it in the center divider or was it on the left or on a bridge - and this embarrassed the bad actor/copper!
Well! What an experience - Nothing like what i have been told -so disappointing! At some point in time I was about to scream in the bad actor/copper's face - that's not what you were supposed to say! That's not what you're supposed to do! Cut! Cut!
Friday 19 October 2007
Mommy in Malacca
The Sea and sand, the salty breeze rustling through the coconut trees, the sounds of a rooster in the mornings whose duty is to wake the entire Kampung! Fresh seafood that comes from the local fisherman who go out in their small light boats and return in ladened vessels with fish to sell. A slow windy coastal road drive will lead to the city centre where one will find the usual suspects - shopping malls and cinemas! This city though is different in that it is really rich in history indicative by all the conservation ole style shop houses that are narrow but long. Also these long houses are filled with old trades, kebaya making, traditional handicraft work. One can find the most unusual and beautiful pieces of crafts (big and small) to decorate one's humble abode!
There's also places of worship that truly reflect the olden architectural influences from our european masters from the past! You would think that all this would be enough to make your visit there worthwhile. There's more! Food and the activity of consuming it (one of most Asians favourite past time) takes this obessession to a whole new level. Cultural richness intoned in everything you can put into your mouth. If you aren't so adventurous a gourmet there's always modern fast food joints or your usual mamak food that you can get round the corner of any street. But i say - try it...even looking for the good stuff takes you to obscure places with strange new things to see! Like once when we went for famous prawn mee. It was this hole in the wall with only about 5 tables max. There's usually a queue just for a table and an even longer wait for the food to arrive! They are very fast at collecting money though! anyway, it's near this monsoon drain and whilst waiting for your food, you might spy monitor lizards swimming from bank to bank!
The highlight of my visits there is always the night market (Pasar Malam) at Jonker Street. This happens only on Friday & Saturday nights! It a great place to see all things unique about Malacca gather in one place. An event that ties old trade businesses to new world economics and emerging tourism! Such a fascination! You just stroll through...checking out wares on sale. You can find the old school games or gaming items that you thought lost in our modern society! Along the pasar malam you will also see different clan associations - i.e. Hokkien Clan. This type of association appears in most part of asia where people from the same dialect group/province etc can meet and catch up (i have even heard of them tracingyour family tree route back to China). During the pasar malam these clan halls are filled with members and non members (public) partaking of "making society" through karaoking, line dancing etc...
The result is a colourful, bright, noisy environment at the pasar malam that only a chilled beer to live music can cure! So find a table at the one of the many pubs for a R&R session. Kick back and listen to the live band (usually one guy) belting out hits from all eras!
If this is too busy for you then head down to the seaside for some seafood and cool night air..watch the stars and drift quietly into a state of contented bliss! hmmm...just the thing to get away from the hustle and bustle of our regular lives!
Try it! My mommy's there now!
There's also places of worship that truly reflect the olden architectural influences from our european masters from the past! You would think that all this would be enough to make your visit there worthwhile. There's more! Food and the activity of consuming it (one of most Asians favourite past time) takes this obessession to a whole new level. Cultural richness intoned in everything you can put into your mouth. If you aren't so adventurous a gourmet there's always modern fast food joints or your usual mamak food that you can get round the corner of any street. But i say - try it...even looking for the good stuff takes you to obscure places with strange new things to see! Like once when we went for famous prawn mee. It was this hole in the wall with only about 5 tables max. There's usually a queue just for a table and an even longer wait for the food to arrive! They are very fast at collecting money though! anyway, it's near this monsoon drain and whilst waiting for your food, you might spy monitor lizards swimming from bank to bank!
The highlight of my visits there is always the night market (Pasar Malam) at Jonker Street. This happens only on Friday & Saturday nights! It a great place to see all things unique about Malacca gather in one place. An event that ties old trade businesses to new world economics and emerging tourism! Such a fascination! You just stroll through...checking out wares on sale. You can find the old school games or gaming items that you thought lost in our modern society! Along the pasar malam you will also see different clan associations - i.e. Hokkien Clan. This type of association appears in most part of asia where people from the same dialect group/province etc can meet and catch up (i have even heard of them tracingyour family tree route back to China). During the pasar malam these clan halls are filled with members and non members (public) partaking of "making society" through karaoking, line dancing etc...
The result is a colourful, bright, noisy environment at the pasar malam that only a chilled beer to live music can cure! So find a table at the one of the many pubs for a R&R session. Kick back and listen to the live band (usually one guy) belting out hits from all eras!
If this is too busy for you then head down to the seaside for some seafood and cool night air..watch the stars and drift quietly into a state of contented bliss! hmmm...just the thing to get away from the hustle and bustle of our regular lives!
Try it! My mommy's there now!
Sunday 14 October 2007
Saturday 13 October 2007
Angels at Rest
Heaven comes in small occurrences! Like in a flower blooming or when you see the smallest life form in the vast ocean or when my dogs are asleep. When they sleep, quiet rules. No growling! No jumping! No gnawing! Just quiet! Now that's heaven! Not that i don't lurve their high energy bounding - but i think balance is great and these naptimes are a different sort of heaven!
It is a bonus to watch them sleep or rest. They look peaceful, breathing easy in whatever dreamland they are in. Sometimes i think they have either have really bad or really great dreams coz every once in a while you see them twitch in their sleep! They are acting out the scenes in dreamland...who knows...they could be dreaming of open fields chasing a rabbit or in a fight scene with another pooch! A bit like what Poppet is doing right this minute! Sometimes when they awake after such a high activity dream they can either be in a great mood or a terrible bad one! The resultant mood always points to the kind of dream they had!
At this moment - all my pooches are asleep! Each in their own corner or nook! And it's quiet! Great for blogging (i dun have to worry about wolfie typing as he walks over my laptop!)
Watching my angels at rest (coz that's the only time that they are really angelic like) makes me happy! It means they had a full day and are going for a full night's rest! This also means that they will be full of pent up energy in the morning to jump! gnaw! growl! Not so great....but we lurve our poochies anyway! So for now i will continue to enjoy watching My Angels at Rest and deal with tomorrow tomorrow!
It is a bonus to watch them sleep or rest. They look peaceful, breathing easy in whatever dreamland they are in. Sometimes i think they have either have really bad or really great dreams coz every once in a while you see them twitch in their sleep! They are acting out the scenes in dreamland...who knows...they could be dreaming of open fields chasing a rabbit or in a fight scene with another pooch! A bit like what Poppet is doing right this minute! Sometimes when they awake after such a high activity dream they can either be in a great mood or a terrible bad one! The resultant mood always points to the kind of dream they had!
At this moment - all my pooches are asleep! Each in their own corner or nook! And it's quiet! Great for blogging (i dun have to worry about wolfie typing as he walks over my laptop!)
Watching my angels at rest (coz that's the only time that they are really angelic like) makes me happy! It means they had a full day and are going for a full night's rest! This also means that they will be full of pent up energy in the morning to jump! gnaw! growl! Not so great....but we lurve our poochies anyway! So for now i will continue to enjoy watching My Angels at Rest and deal with tomorrow tomorrow!
Nusery Madness!
The last couple of months have seen me go a little nuts in the nusery department. Before we go any further, the nusery in which i am referring to is that belonging to the safe keeping of green babies not human babies. That's right the plant nusery!
Anyway, this weekend is no exception. I have been down to visit my local nusery and have returned with arm loads of stuff! I have to date (a collection in three weekends) 3 rose plants, 2 little bushy things (i tot they were too cute to not get), 2 other flowering plant (the ones with the raised roots), 2 small ferns and 4 daisy looking plants (all in a bed row), and my mostest favouritest to date is a lily like plant - i got them in a pair. Oops...I forgot about Moni - my money plant (she's doing well!...sigh...if only i could say the say about the reality of my Moni situation!)
Now the rose plants - my mother and the nusery resident gardener had warned me off - saying that they require a lot of work and that with my track record (usually a plant dies off on me within a month! No exception to the hardiest ferns) or rather the lack of (of not having any green thumb tendencies) - it might be better to get hardier plants...
After two weeks i have to say the roses had bloomed and are now bloomless. I am patiently waiting for the next buds. I am hoping with fingers crossed that against the odds of my not so green twisted fingers i can get them to bloom again. My two root above ground plants are in the same bloomless state. (silent mantra in my head ...patience...patience...)
After 3 weekends of this nusery itch that cannot seemed to be scratched - i have spades, shovels, bags of soil, bags of shredded coconut husks, bags of fertilizers, bottles of fertilizer, spray cannisters and loads of plastic pots!
In half a year of slowly gathering my forest...i have managed to kill 2 citronellas, a bonsai and half of three pine trees (these are hardy fellows - they keeping coming back alive!) My dead plants have gone through a verbal post mortem. The findings were conclusive - MURDER by OVER FERTILIZATION for the Citronellas and underwatering my bonsai!
There is one other plant that i have that i have not spoken about...they were the hardest to locate and the tastiest to Wolfie. It took me about a month to locate it and transplant it. I had four pots of these wonderful butterfly leaf plants. Two of them had their leaves eaten by Wolfie anf promptly died. The third drowned in Mags' pee - it died too...the funny thing is ...all its leaves are still there and it's been preserved (sort of) by Mags' pee. The leaves are all there just that they are all yellow now! SO i have one remaining butterfly leaf plant left alive and I intend for it to stay that way!
I have also taken to walking along the street and plucking a branch of creepers and plants that i like and will try to grow them at home - it's a very strange phase that i'm going through but a very pleasant one!
Anyway, this weekend is no exception. I have been down to visit my local nusery and have returned with arm loads of stuff! I have to date (a collection in three weekends) 3 rose plants, 2 little bushy things (i tot they were too cute to not get), 2 other flowering plant (the ones with the raised roots), 2 small ferns and 4 daisy looking plants (all in a bed row), and my mostest favouritest to date is a lily like plant - i got them in a pair. Oops...I forgot about Moni - my money plant (she's doing well!...sigh...if only i could say the say about the reality of my Moni situation!)
Now the rose plants - my mother and the nusery resident gardener had warned me off - saying that they require a lot of work and that with my track record (usually a plant dies off on me within a month! No exception to the hardiest ferns) or rather the lack of (of not having any green thumb tendencies) - it might be better to get hardier plants...
After two weeks i have to say the roses had bloomed and are now bloomless. I am patiently waiting for the next buds. I am hoping with fingers crossed that against the odds of my not so green twisted fingers i can get them to bloom again. My two root above ground plants are in the same bloomless state. (silent mantra in my head ...patience...patience...)
After 3 weekends of this nusery itch that cannot seemed to be scratched - i have spades, shovels, bags of soil, bags of shredded coconut husks, bags of fertilizers, bottles of fertilizer, spray cannisters and loads of plastic pots!
In half a year of slowly gathering my forest...i have managed to kill 2 citronellas, a bonsai and half of three pine trees (these are hardy fellows - they keeping coming back alive!) My dead plants have gone through a verbal post mortem. The findings were conclusive - MURDER by OVER FERTILIZATION for the Citronellas and underwatering my bonsai!
There is one other plant that i have that i have not spoken about...they were the hardest to locate and the tastiest to Wolfie. It took me about a month to locate it and transplant it. I had four pots of these wonderful butterfly leaf plants. Two of them had their leaves eaten by Wolfie anf promptly died. The third drowned in Mags' pee - it died too...the funny thing is ...all its leaves are still there and it's been preserved (sort of) by Mags' pee. The leaves are all there just that they are all yellow now! SO i have one remaining butterfly leaf plant left alive and I intend for it to stay that way!
I have also taken to walking along the street and plucking a branch of creepers and plants that i like and will try to grow them at home - it's a very strange phase that i'm going through but a very pleasant one!
Thursday 4 October 2007
The Singing Emperor
I confess publicly - I lurve my man! But and this isn't a big but...but it's still a but! Where was I? But he's tone deaf! As i write this he is belting out Take me home country road! Not two feet from me!
The urge to knock him unconcious is subdued by the cuteness of him singing out with all his heart, staring with such fierce concentration into the lyric book! He has just put on the next song "Sunshine on my Shoulders" and asks me if i know it! I said yes and he says he's never heard of it! Makes me think my hubby is a bit of a commercial music nut stuck in the 70s era. In summary this means that he likes music that was very commercial in the 70s and has not changed his tastes since then.
He seems to like country music (provided its not been mangled by any new boy bands on the new millenium scene). He has however picked upsome new millenium habits like channel surfing at warp speed and he does the same with any new CDs given to him. This can be fairly annoying since I am usually enjoying the song privately in my head only to have the tune change suddenly and before 15 minutes are up you've gone through the whole CD. Then he gets bored and picks up something else.
Now's it's Annie's Song...oh you know the one..."you fill up my senses....like a night in the forest" and he's going at it with his squeaky voice...it's cute but definitely not american idol...he probably wouldn't make the heats! he's got this nasally effect on the songs....and the funniest thingy is that he usually has trouble with the words even though his eyes are glued to the lyrics in his hand...so it sort of ends in some kind of mumble....
The high notes are the ones you never forget when he loses wind and goes all over the place...man! I could have Simon Cowell's job...i could be his sistah! I know just the person that could be Paula Abdul as well but i'm not telling! Hopefully i survive this night of tone deafness and will return to thrill you about my happening life!!
The urge to knock him unconcious is subdued by the cuteness of him singing out with all his heart, staring with such fierce concentration into the lyric book! He has just put on the next song "Sunshine on my Shoulders" and asks me if i know it! I said yes and he says he's never heard of it! Makes me think my hubby is a bit of a commercial music nut stuck in the 70s era. In summary this means that he likes music that was very commercial in the 70s and has not changed his tastes since then.
He seems to like country music (provided its not been mangled by any new boy bands on the new millenium scene). He has however picked upsome new millenium habits like channel surfing at warp speed and he does the same with any new CDs given to him. This can be fairly annoying since I am usually enjoying the song privately in my head only to have the tune change suddenly and before 15 minutes are up you've gone through the whole CD. Then he gets bored and picks up something else.
Now's it's Annie's Song...oh you know the one..."you fill up my senses....like a night in the forest" and he's going at it with his squeaky voice...it's cute but definitely not american idol...he probably wouldn't make the heats! he's got this nasally effect on the songs....and the funniest thingy is that he usually has trouble with the words even though his eyes are glued to the lyrics in his hand...so it sort of ends in some kind of mumble....
The high notes are the ones you never forget when he loses wind and goes all over the place...man! I could have Simon Cowell's job...i could be his sistah! I know just the person that could be Paula Abdul as well but i'm not telling! Hopefully i survive this night of tone deafness and will return to thrill you about my happening life!!
Bite, Biting & Bitten
Mercy! Will the foolishness of mankind never end? I mean i dun expect peace time throughout my life with no wars ever happening in this world! But is it too much to ask for people to have a little common sense on the small details in life?
In just two instances in which i am about to relate - you be the judge! The first is WHY OH WHY DO PEOPLE LET THEIR PETS RUN AROUND UNATTENDED? The main point here is if you are too lazy to walk your pets then don't have one! The people in my estate (not all but a fair number) allows their dogs to roam free to take the daily walkabout and pissabout and poohabout. Sometimes they are walking a distance from their pet, most times they are not present and simply let the little gringos roam loose! You might think that
1) they have excellent control over their doggies BUT they don't
2) they feel bad putting a leash and restricting their doggies movements
3) they cannot be bothered to be pulled around
Well, these little gringos cause a lot of problems for people like myself. If my doggies gets antsy when it sees another dog - I still have some control over its behaviour - THE LEAD! The gringos that run free have no one in control of its behaviour and act aggressively towards me and my dogs. These owners that walk a distance behind or ahead of their loose pooches feel that they have excellent control over their pets. Yes they do - in the house. Not outside and especially when they cross paths with other poochies! Scream at them, call them back...none of them will heed you or your commands! PEOPLE!!! Please remember "PRIMAL INSTINCT"!! So since you as a homosapien is supposed to be superior in intelligence (NOT THE CASE FOR SOME!) you would be expected to exercise common sense and PUT YOUR BLOODY DOGS ON A LEASH!
The humanitarian excuse - "oh i feel bad about treating my dog like a dog by putting a leash on it" IT TOTAL AND UTTER BOLLOCKS! It is a dog...yes you love it and you care for it - SO bloody show it! What do you think a lead is for? It's to educate your doggies and to keep them from harm (read not get into fights)...SO get off your moral high horse and put the lead on the dog!
That's only one of the idiotic instances of the lack of common sense in people! The next point arises from the scenario where your dogs are agitated by other loose roaming dogs - what to do?
Personally - i would have reined in my dogs and walked away - NO CONFRONTATION! Even if the doggies are rushing me - I will stand my ground and protect my pooches from the loose roaming pooch as well as from themselves.
What i don't get is how SOME people can let the leads go slack and allow the agitated doggies full rein of the situation? I mean - is it not easier to control your dogs if they had less rope to hang themselves and you with? In situations like these...tighten the lead and lead your dogs away.
The reason for this rant is because i got bit again! and it all happened because of these two idiotic instances where the human mind lets slip and shit happens...so now i have holes in my left leg (that's right the earlier bites were in my right leg and hand - soo i'm just waiting for my left hand to get chewed off! All in the space of a year!)
RULERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM TAKE HEED! They are your pets therefore your responsibility. If they do hurt anyone or anything - YOU WILL BE AT FAULT (though the poor doggies will probably be put to sleep and the irresponsible owner just goes on to get another dog!! My thoughts? The owners should be the ones to be put to sleep!!)
In just two instances in which i am about to relate - you be the judge! The first is WHY OH WHY DO PEOPLE LET THEIR PETS RUN AROUND UNATTENDED? The main point here is if you are too lazy to walk your pets then don't have one! The people in my estate (not all but a fair number) allows their dogs to roam free to take the daily walkabout and pissabout and poohabout. Sometimes they are walking a distance from their pet, most times they are not present and simply let the little gringos roam loose! You might think that
1) they have excellent control over their doggies BUT they don't
2) they feel bad putting a leash and restricting their doggies movements
3) they cannot be bothered to be pulled around
Well, these little gringos cause a lot of problems for people like myself. If my doggies gets antsy when it sees another dog - I still have some control over its behaviour - THE LEAD! The gringos that run free have no one in control of its behaviour and act aggressively towards me and my dogs. These owners that walk a distance behind or ahead of their loose pooches feel that they have excellent control over their pets. Yes they do - in the house. Not outside and especially when they cross paths with other poochies! Scream at them, call them back...none of them will heed you or your commands! PEOPLE!!! Please remember "PRIMAL INSTINCT"!! So since you as a homosapien is supposed to be superior in intelligence (NOT THE CASE FOR SOME!) you would be expected to exercise common sense and PUT YOUR BLOODY DOGS ON A LEASH!
The humanitarian excuse - "oh i feel bad about treating my dog like a dog by putting a leash on it" IT TOTAL AND UTTER BOLLOCKS! It is a dog...yes you love it and you care for it - SO bloody show it! What do you think a lead is for? It's to educate your doggies and to keep them from harm (read not get into fights)...SO get off your moral high horse and put the lead on the dog!
That's only one of the idiotic instances of the lack of common sense in people! The next point arises from the scenario where your dogs are agitated by other loose roaming dogs - what to do?
Personally - i would have reined in my dogs and walked away - NO CONFRONTATION! Even if the doggies are rushing me - I will stand my ground and protect my pooches from the loose roaming pooch as well as from themselves.
What i don't get is how SOME people can let the leads go slack and allow the agitated doggies full rein of the situation? I mean - is it not easier to control your dogs if they had less rope to hang themselves and you with? In situations like these...tighten the lead and lead your dogs away.
The reason for this rant is because i got bit again! and it all happened because of these two idiotic instances where the human mind lets slip and shit happens...so now i have holes in my left leg (that's right the earlier bites were in my right leg and hand - soo i'm just waiting for my left hand to get chewed off! All in the space of a year!)
RULERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM TAKE HEED! They are your pets therefore your responsibility. If they do hurt anyone or anything - YOU WILL BE AT FAULT (though the poor doggies will probably be put to sleep and the irresponsible owner just goes on to get another dog!! My thoughts? The owners should be the ones to be put to sleep!!)
Monday 24 September 2007
Butter: Golden Glob
When we first got our house, the designer recommended a dry and wet kitchen with a door separating them. I thought why? why? why? it would only add to the expense of the renovation. But he said it would be an entire theme...glass windows within and without. So we agreed seeing as neither hubby nor myself have an artistic flair (that's right! not one iota anywhere in our bodies)
In the early years of our move in, way before we had any of our "babies", i never understood the need for two different types of kitchens. Now i think i could lurve my designer to death!! Thanks to his foresight or need to earn more of my moolah - the door between the two kitchens have been a godsend.
Since the arrival of Sir wolfie - we have to be on our guard with food left on the table. The cheeky git has a tendency to stand on his hind legs and reach for the food using whatever means necessary to achieve his mission. you have to give him credit for creative thought. He once pull the cloth upon which a plate with chicken liver sat on till it was near the edge of the counter and promptly gobbled everything up except the plate. Thus far (touchwood) he has not broken anything yet.
Another time, we were all watching TV in the living room when i realised that it had gone absolutely too quiet for comfort! then counting my pooches .... one...two...where was number three? So i went round the house to investigate the missing pooch (feeling as though i have a real mystery to solve) moving around stealthy like, turning slowly into corners. When i rounded the last corner to my kitchen, i peeked and spied my third pooch rummaging through a ripped garbage bag (nose deep in its contents and completely oblivious to my stealth approach - which isn't too stealthy considering that every bone in my body creaks as i move)
I was more than a little annoyed at his behaviour as i have reminded them all the time (that they've been caught) by gentle persuasion or tough discipline or ingeniuos bribery NOT to eat from the bin!! So i thought i'd drive the lesson home for poochie no. 3.
He was really content and totally absorbed in his mission to find snacks - so i snuck up behind him with my little water cannister (the same one i usually use to diffuse any high tension situation) and when within distance i shot a spray up his bum and screamed "Gotcha!"
I have never seen a dog jump so high - for a moment i thought i might have caused the first doggie heart attack in the world! he totally freaked with the wet spray on his bum and the loud shriek! he huddled into the corner of the kitchen cabinets and looked on - still a bit dazed from the shock - That's when i told him in my very calm voice "No eating from the Bin" and walked away. I went back to the living room and wait for the guilty to arrive and eventually he did. And boy! I have never seen remorse done better by anything or anyone! He came over, head low and eyes looking up to lick my hand. That's when i took his head in my hands, looked him straight in the eye and laughed!!
So you would have thought that it would driven the lesson home! It did for a couple of weeks and then he was back at his old tricks. So now i have to keep that godsend of a door closed whenever there is food about! Sometimes i forget and he gets some munchies from the bin or the countertop. Which brings me to the point of this particular post. After the walk this morning, hubby took the butter out of the fridge intending to defrost it a bit to have toast and in the interim he was going to have his morning shower. So off he went to get ready for work and i remember that i needed something from the rooms below so off i went to retrieve it.
On my way back up, i could hear rustling and the tot that one of the pooches was up to no good did cross my mind...so i hurried up the stairs to find Wolfie had torn into the garbage bag yet again and was furious so i slapped him on the rump for good measure and gave him a good yelling to and then proceeded to clean up the mess.
Just when i was about the get the toast ready for hubby i looked for the butter that he had laid out to soften and it was gone. Half a slab of butter disappeared! It would only have been wolfie! I didn't know to be angry or worried! half a slab of butter!! What would it do to his insides?! Anyway worry i did but eventually i tot the following:
1) if he got the runs from it then that'll teach him never to eat half a slab of butter or whatever
2) butter is supposed to be good for the doggies' coat of fur...so he'll be pretty shiny for the rest of the year
3) On account of him being shiny for the rest of the year - we could rent him out to the solar people so electricity is generated in an environmentally friendly way!
So this is the official announcement that Wolfie is my environmentally friendly dog who still likes rummaging through bins and garbage bags and enjoys a true adventure/mission of stealing food from the hand that feeds him!
In the early years of our move in, way before we had any of our "babies", i never understood the need for two different types of kitchens. Now i think i could lurve my designer to death!! Thanks to his foresight or need to earn more of my moolah - the door between the two kitchens have been a godsend.
Since the arrival of Sir wolfie - we have to be on our guard with food left on the table. The cheeky git has a tendency to stand on his hind legs and reach for the food using whatever means necessary to achieve his mission. you have to give him credit for creative thought. He once pull the cloth upon which a plate with chicken liver sat on till it was near the edge of the counter and promptly gobbled everything up except the plate. Thus far (touchwood) he has not broken anything yet.
Another time, we were all watching TV in the living room when i realised that it had gone absolutely too quiet for comfort! then counting my pooches .... one...two...where was number three? So i went round the house to investigate the missing pooch (feeling as though i have a real mystery to solve) moving around stealthy like, turning slowly into corners. When i rounded the last corner to my kitchen, i peeked and spied my third pooch rummaging through a ripped garbage bag (nose deep in its contents and completely oblivious to my stealth approach - which isn't too stealthy considering that every bone in my body creaks as i move)
I was more than a little annoyed at his behaviour as i have reminded them all the time (that they've been caught) by gentle persuasion or tough discipline or ingeniuos bribery NOT to eat from the bin!! So i thought i'd drive the lesson home for poochie no. 3.
He was really content and totally absorbed in his mission to find snacks - so i snuck up behind him with my little water cannister (the same one i usually use to diffuse any high tension situation) and when within distance i shot a spray up his bum and screamed "Gotcha!"
I have never seen a dog jump so high - for a moment i thought i might have caused the first doggie heart attack in the world! he totally freaked with the wet spray on his bum and the loud shriek! he huddled into the corner of the kitchen cabinets and looked on - still a bit dazed from the shock - That's when i told him in my very calm voice "No eating from the Bin" and walked away. I went back to the living room and wait for the guilty to arrive and eventually he did. And boy! I have never seen remorse done better by anything or anyone! He came over, head low and eyes looking up to lick my hand. That's when i took his head in my hands, looked him straight in the eye and laughed!!
So you would have thought that it would driven the lesson home! It did for a couple of weeks and then he was back at his old tricks. So now i have to keep that godsend of a door closed whenever there is food about! Sometimes i forget and he gets some munchies from the bin or the countertop. Which brings me to the point of this particular post. After the walk this morning, hubby took the butter out of the fridge intending to defrost it a bit to have toast and in the interim he was going to have his morning shower. So off he went to get ready for work and i remember that i needed something from the rooms below so off i went to retrieve it.
On my way back up, i could hear rustling and the tot that one of the pooches was up to no good did cross my mind...so i hurried up the stairs to find Wolfie had torn into the garbage bag yet again and was furious so i slapped him on the rump for good measure and gave him a good yelling to and then proceeded to clean up the mess.
Just when i was about the get the toast ready for hubby i looked for the butter that he had laid out to soften and it was gone. Half a slab of butter disappeared! It would only have been wolfie! I didn't know to be angry or worried! half a slab of butter!! What would it do to his insides?! Anyway worry i did but eventually i tot the following:
1) if he got the runs from it then that'll teach him never to eat half a slab of butter or whatever
2) butter is supposed to be good for the doggies' coat of fur...so he'll be pretty shiny for the rest of the year
3) On account of him being shiny for the rest of the year - we could rent him out to the solar people so electricity is generated in an environmentally friendly way!
So this is the official announcement that Wolfie is my environmentally friendly dog who still likes rummaging through bins and garbage bags and enjoys a true adventure/mission of stealing food from the hand that feeds him!
Monday 10 September 2007
Dumaguete Diving Delight
Well...to be honest! I expected more! I expected to go diving off Dumaguete and watch their black sandy bottoms crawling with critters. Unfortunately that was not the case....it was long swims till we found something to "play with" or "blind" in my case (coz of my strobes with my underwater camera) Expectations tend to get more of a reality splash when you are actually diving and then you remember that most dive trips are like that! Long swims....critter.....long swim....critter!!
Overall it was a good trip. The resort was nice...will be posting some nice little pictures...
There were things that i have never seen (a different type of seaslug). If you dun know me by now then i will have to inform you that i'm a sea slug nut case. I luuurrrvvveee them. They're soft, bright and colourful and looks soooooooo huggable. Sure as hell beat the pillows back at the resort!
By ranking with best dive site at first place isssss.......
Dumaguete Island (The Pier)
This is a commercial pier (fairly large) with large columns going into the seabed at odd angles to support the weight of the concrete pier and all it's loadings. The first meter and a half at the surface has a yellowish tinge to the water....but once down it's blue and these great pillars are covered in soft coral growth. With the sunlight it looks like some kinda of underwater cathedral! It's fantastic. Loads of seaslugs - and i mean loads...you have to be careful not to land on any. But it is fairly mucky down below and in certain areas it gets realy dark (best to bring a torch)
Balicasag Island (Blackforest)
Hmmm...just like my favourite cake this comes in second place. It's a slope off to a wall dive. Excellent visibility - loads of sunlight and seaslugs. There is a slight current and i was told that if the currents were strong then we would catch the majestic sight of barracudas hanging out. Good thing current wasn't strong so i could rest easy in taking my pictures of all God's smaller and much slower creatures!!
Dumaguete Island (Banca Wreck)
There's a wreck (literally) around 26m. It's almost completely disintegrated leaving half a hull on its side. Nice dive site...marine life in abundance with pregnant mantis shrimps, all sorts of cleaner shrimps, giant moray eels, leaf fish etc...
On one of my dives here i got molested by a remoras. It found me whilst i was taking pot shots of the preggie shrimp then it started sucking on my wetsuit near you know where!! and it followed me all the way to the shallows where it was reluctantly relieved of it's position by a swoop of my charlie stick! Cheeky little bugger!
Dumaguete Island (Sarah's Place)
Another great place to dive. The coral life is healthy and marine life abundant! It's great to just drift along and see it all happening around you! Fishes feeding, pooping, getting cleaned, protecting their home making babies...etc This is where i saw my not seen before nudi! Fab place and just between the Pier and the resort.
Dumaguete Island (Dauin and Luca Sanctuary) & Balicasag Island (Diver's Heaven)
Both on either side of the resort. can be reached ia shore or boat! I prefer boat! It's a santuary so the coral growth is extremely healthy and marine life is definitely exploding like in any city in any part of the world! Ain't great for macro photography - would suit anyone with a wide angle lens with big ass guns for strobes! Nice site anyway!
Diver's Heaven is a wall dive with a great variety of soft coral hanging off the wall...they have lots of grooves in the wall and appears very canyon like - nice easy dive!
Apo Island (Chapel, Rock Point West & Cogon)
This is a little stump of an island about 30 minutes from Dumaguete! The diving is nice and again more suited for people with wide angle lens...loads of jacks/trevally/barracuda cruising and hanging out. At one point we saw a lone barracuda! Massive boyo! Scary indeed! Some turtles but all very shy! It's alright but i probably would not venture there again especially since my interest in is the small critters.
Dumaguete Island (CarCar Wreck & House Reef)
Not my favourites but good to be underwater...nice place to get reaqquainted with diving after a long break. Easy to dive except in the house reef where you have to battle current to get back to the shallows near the resort.
All in all - i would say a fairly good trip. I would probably come back but not so soon as there are many other places that i want to visit. Balicasag Island is very near Bohol and the sand is white unlike Dumaguete where the sand is black. I think Bohol may be more for a critter hunter like myself. All experiences count for something!
The travel to get to dumaguete is a long and fairly butt aching one (in a car for ard 3-4.5 hours depending on traffic conditions from Mactan Airport, Cebu to Santander, Liloan)
Along the way you see a lot of doggies running free and this makes me miss my babies at home. We get to see loads of goats, cows, pigs, chickens and one snake! The coastal road back (I was alseep on the way in and it was the wee hours of the morning when i was going in so i could not see JACK!) reminded me why Cebu is a place to dive with crystal clear blue waters as far as the eyes can see.
anyway - this got me thinking that i should start a separate blog for my dive trips instead of lumping everything into one blog! hmmmm.....
~Queen Bubbles~
Overall it was a good trip. The resort was nice...will be posting some nice little pictures...
There were things that i have never seen (a different type of seaslug). If you dun know me by now then i will have to inform you that i'm a sea slug nut case. I luuurrrvvveee them. They're soft, bright and colourful and looks soooooooo huggable. Sure as hell beat the pillows back at the resort!
By ranking with best dive site at first place isssss.......
Dumaguete Island (The Pier)
This is a commercial pier (fairly large) with large columns going into the seabed at odd angles to support the weight of the concrete pier and all it's loadings. The first meter and a half at the surface has a yellowish tinge to the water....but once down it's blue and these great pillars are covered in soft coral growth. With the sunlight it looks like some kinda of underwater cathedral! It's fantastic. Loads of seaslugs - and i mean loads...you have to be careful not to land on any. But it is fairly mucky down below and in certain areas it gets realy dark (best to bring a torch)
Balicasag Island (Blackforest)
Hmmm...just like my favourite cake this comes in second place. It's a slope off to a wall dive. Excellent visibility - loads of sunlight and seaslugs. There is a slight current and i was told that if the currents were strong then we would catch the majestic sight of barracudas hanging out. Good thing current wasn't strong so i could rest easy in taking my pictures of all God's smaller and much slower creatures!!
Dumaguete Island (Banca Wreck)
There's a wreck (literally) around 26m. It's almost completely disintegrated leaving half a hull on its side. Nice dive site...marine life in abundance with pregnant mantis shrimps, all sorts of cleaner shrimps, giant moray eels, leaf fish etc...
On one of my dives here i got molested by a remoras. It found me whilst i was taking pot shots of the preggie shrimp then it started sucking on my wetsuit near you know where!! and it followed me all the way to the shallows where it was reluctantly relieved of it's position by a swoop of my charlie stick! Cheeky little bugger!
Dumaguete Island (Sarah's Place)
Another great place to dive. The coral life is healthy and marine life abundant! It's great to just drift along and see it all happening around you! Fishes feeding, pooping, getting cleaned, protecting their home making babies...etc This is where i saw my not seen before nudi! Fab place and just between the Pier and the resort.
Dumaguete Island (Dauin and Luca Sanctuary) & Balicasag Island (Diver's Heaven)
Both on either side of the resort. can be reached ia shore or boat! I prefer boat! It's a santuary so the coral growth is extremely healthy and marine life is definitely exploding like in any city in any part of the world! Ain't great for macro photography - would suit anyone with a wide angle lens with big ass guns for strobes! Nice site anyway!
Diver's Heaven is a wall dive with a great variety of soft coral hanging off the wall...they have lots of grooves in the wall and appears very canyon like - nice easy dive!
Apo Island (Chapel, Rock Point West & Cogon)
This is a little stump of an island about 30 minutes from Dumaguete! The diving is nice and again more suited for people with wide angle lens...loads of jacks/trevally/barracuda cruising and hanging out. At one point we saw a lone barracuda! Massive boyo! Scary indeed! Some turtles but all very shy! It's alright but i probably would not venture there again especially since my interest in is the small critters.
Dumaguete Island (CarCar Wreck & House Reef)
Not my favourites but good to be underwater...nice place to get reaqquainted with diving after a long break. Easy to dive except in the house reef where you have to battle current to get back to the shallows near the resort.
All in all - i would say a fairly good trip. I would probably come back but not so soon as there are many other places that i want to visit. Balicasag Island is very near Bohol and the sand is white unlike Dumaguete where the sand is black. I think Bohol may be more for a critter hunter like myself. All experiences count for something!
The travel to get to dumaguete is a long and fairly butt aching one (in a car for ard 3-4.5 hours depending on traffic conditions from Mactan Airport, Cebu to Santander, Liloan)
Along the way you see a lot of doggies running free and this makes me miss my babies at home. We get to see loads of goats, cows, pigs, chickens and one snake! The coastal road back (I was alseep on the way in and it was the wee hours of the morning when i was going in so i could not see JACK!) reminded me why Cebu is a place to dive with crystal clear blue waters as far as the eyes can see.
anyway - this got me thinking that i should start a separate blog for my dive trips instead of lumping everything into one blog! hmmmm.....
~Queen Bubbles~
Thursday 23 August 2007
High Cholesterol
What a pain in the bottom this diagnosis is! I mean it literally. I first got the diagnosis that my cholesterol is extremely high a couple of weeks ago and I have been advised that I should make consistent and concentrated effort to watch my diet and/or exercise more to reduce the chances of me dying in the near future from anything like a heart attack to a stroke.
The King's cholesterol is also high but not as high as mine. My nice doc explained that this is mostly hereditary and watching my diet will help but not in the long run - ultimately i will probably go on pills to control this cholesterol thingy.
Upon the diagnosis of my certain death (maybe in the near future...but then again maybe NOT) I began to check on what i could and could not eat. And as i suspected...i would be better off mowing the lawn of my garden for every meal. I mean - all the foods they stated as being good for my health do not appeal to me. Someone said to me - all good tasting food in Asia is a sin in cholestrol and i agree. It' gonna be a tough fight - what with me born and bred in Asia with Asian food i think it's a definite TOK on the diet side.
So i got to thinking about my own mortality - knowing that i may drop dead within the next ten years was sombering. I wondered to what age would be a good age to die? 50s? 60s? 70s? 80s?
If you had asked me this question 5 years ago - i would've said 60s. But then i was young and brash and felt totally invincible (living life to the max - according to my standards) and so would die with no regrets. Also i thought if one died earlier, you would have never been presented with an opportunity to decline offers of different experiences had you live longer - adds to the dying without regret as IGNORANCE IS BLISS!
Now...I would probably say 70s would be a good time to go...by then you would be sicken by what the world has become, how the younger generation have changed to keep up (not necessarily for the better) and how you probably will not be able to do most simple bodily functions with some aid. So yeah...I think 70s....
5 years down the road i may want my mortality extended - who bloody knows? I can't predict nor demand my longevity. But i can certainly command my future and everything in between.
So back to the issue on food. I figured - if you need to eat well you usually have to pay quite a fair amount for good healthy food which of course will aid in lowering my cholesterol and ultimately enabling me to live a longer but not necessarily happier (no more tasty food!!) and definitely poorer (spent all my money on "good" food!!) whilst the people that do not concern themselves with cholesterols levels etc will eat yummy food and a great time, save lots of money to go on holidays and die young but happy?! Twisted isn't it? The solution from Queen Mother - everything in moderation!! Balance!!
So in an effort to balance my diet without any drastic changes to food choices (only drastic in food consumption frequency - cannot eat my nasi lemak as often as i want:() I have been incorporating more greenies in my diet. This increases the amount of roughage going into my sytem (one way) which will generally lead to more frequent visits to the little girls' room for big business aka doing the A-bomb aka baking a mud cake aka growing a tail. But whatever pet name you have for this process there is only one for sure on my mind that that this is LITERALLY A PAIN in my BOTTOM!!
~Queen Bubbles~
The King's cholesterol is also high but not as high as mine. My nice doc explained that this is mostly hereditary and watching my diet will help but not in the long run - ultimately i will probably go on pills to control this cholesterol thingy.
Upon the diagnosis of my certain death (maybe in the near future...but then again maybe NOT) I began to check on what i could and could not eat. And as i suspected...i would be better off mowing the lawn of my garden for every meal. I mean - all the foods they stated as being good for my health do not appeal to me. Someone said to me - all good tasting food in Asia is a sin in cholestrol and i agree. It' gonna be a tough fight - what with me born and bred in Asia with Asian food i think it's a definite TOK on the diet side.
So i got to thinking about my own mortality - knowing that i may drop dead within the next ten years was sombering. I wondered to what age would be a good age to die? 50s? 60s? 70s? 80s?
If you had asked me this question 5 years ago - i would've said 60s. But then i was young and brash and felt totally invincible (living life to the max - according to my standards) and so would die with no regrets. Also i thought if one died earlier, you would have never been presented with an opportunity to decline offers of different experiences had you live longer - adds to the dying without regret as IGNORANCE IS BLISS!
Now...I would probably say 70s would be a good time to go...by then you would be sicken by what the world has become, how the younger generation have changed to keep up (not necessarily for the better) and how you probably will not be able to do most simple bodily functions with some aid. So yeah...I think 70s....
5 years down the road i may want my mortality extended - who bloody knows? I can't predict nor demand my longevity. But i can certainly command my future and everything in between.
So back to the issue on food. I figured - if you need to eat well you usually have to pay quite a fair amount for good healthy food which of course will aid in lowering my cholesterol and ultimately enabling me to live a longer but not necessarily happier (no more tasty food!!) and definitely poorer (spent all my money on "good" food!!) whilst the people that do not concern themselves with cholesterols levels etc will eat yummy food and a great time, save lots of money to go on holidays and die young but happy?! Twisted isn't it? The solution from Queen Mother - everything in moderation!! Balance!!
So in an effort to balance my diet without any drastic changes to food choices (only drastic in food consumption frequency - cannot eat my nasi lemak as often as i want:() I have been incorporating more greenies in my diet. This increases the amount of roughage going into my sytem (one way) which will generally lead to more frequent visits to the little girls' room for big business aka doing the A-bomb aka baking a mud cake aka growing a tail. But whatever pet name you have for this process there is only one for sure on my mind that that this is LITERALLY A PAIN in my BOTTOM!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Sleepless in Sepakat
I currently look like an owl. When i say this i mean tat there are similarities between your average owl and me - most striking are the big black eyes. Yup that's right i have serious dark circles not as bad as a panda's but close enough to an owl.
This is partly due to my sleepless state most nights since King Bubbles went away. I miss him but it isn't that that makes me an nocturnal creature. I essentially live in fear of being robbed/assaulted etc in my own home so i sleep lightly and listen for sounds. I end up awake for most part of the night wondering if intruders will kill my loyal subject to get to the loot in the palace. Why am i so paranoid?
Well...it all started with my neighbour claiming that his maid saw an indian fellow on my premise. He claims that she saw him climb over my fence. That's one. Another issue is that my alarm system is broken and has been totally removed for repairs. So now i cannot even see the sensors on the upper floors and will not be able to tell if there is an intruder. Not that i can do much except hide and that makes me worry about my pooches upstairs and this constant worry and paranoia makes me sleepless in Sepakat. Now that my King is climbing some godforsaken hill in tibet with his mates - i have lost my only protector.
My only solution to a good nights' sleep (this is epitomized by my snoring deeply, gurgling saliva or sucking it back in during my down time) is for hubby to return as soon as he can.
So what do i do in my sleepless state? I blog, I read, I sudoku...and eventually my eyelids become heavy and i pray that the fatigue will give me what i desperately need - SLEEP!
Like it is now.So i'm gonna bid my blog adieu till later tonight!!
~Queen Bubbles~
This is partly due to my sleepless state most nights since King Bubbles went away. I miss him but it isn't that that makes me an nocturnal creature. I essentially live in fear of being robbed/assaulted etc in my own home so i sleep lightly and listen for sounds. I end up awake for most part of the night wondering if intruders will kill my loyal subject to get to the loot in the palace. Why am i so paranoid?
Well...it all started with my neighbour claiming that his maid saw an indian fellow on my premise. He claims that she saw him climb over my fence. That's one. Another issue is that my alarm system is broken and has been totally removed for repairs. So now i cannot even see the sensors on the upper floors and will not be able to tell if there is an intruder. Not that i can do much except hide and that makes me worry about my pooches upstairs and this constant worry and paranoia makes me sleepless in Sepakat. Now that my King is climbing some godforsaken hill in tibet with his mates - i have lost my only protector.
My only solution to a good nights' sleep (this is epitomized by my snoring deeply, gurgling saliva or sucking it back in during my down time) is for hubby to return as soon as he can.
So what do i do in my sleepless state? I blog, I read, I sudoku...and eventually my eyelids become heavy and i pray that the fatigue will give me what i desperately need - SLEEP!
Like it is now.So i'm gonna bid my blog adieu till later tonight!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Wednesday 22 August 2007
My Third Quarter Resolution
I think resolutions should not only be made at the new year - that's just silly...I mean what if you felt that your life needed a change...do you have to wait till 31st December of every year before you resolve to make the change? GILA! I think any day or time is good for a resolution and so i make resolutions throughout the year. And though the old saying goes that resolutions are meant to be broken (and i have broken quite a few of my own) - I hope I can stay the course with these Third Quarter ones.
This is what i resolve to do before the year turns into 2008. I wanna get three coffee table books ready. Two will be of my family ( i am considering combining it into one) and the other is of my marine life shots.
I have to decide on a theme for all of them and this will take some time. This particular resolution is important to me as it will be indicative of whether i should go ahead with certain plans. You see, I have had dreams of my own accomplishments for some years now but have never had the courage to get things done or some other priorities would always pop up (at least that's what the coward in me always says to comfort my fears).
SO i resolve to get my ass moving on some smaller projects first - starting with these coffee table books. I plan to take candid as well as planned shots of my family and of my diving travels so that i can get enough pictures to sort through. And the best thing is that it will be completely homemade.
I feel that if i can accomplish my little projects on top of everything else on my plate then i might be ready for going after my dreams on top of everything else on my plate...it may well be wishful thinking but it gives me hope and hope gives me the strength to go through my daily trials.
I am excited by this idea....(to be honest, i am easily excitable) anyway, it's time to call it a day. My big doggies are all asleep outside and my baby Magz is sleeping at my feet snoring away. Ciao till next time...
~Queen Bubbles~
This is what i resolve to do before the year turns into 2008. I wanna get three coffee table books ready. Two will be of my family ( i am considering combining it into one) and the other is of my marine life shots.
I have to decide on a theme for all of them and this will take some time. This particular resolution is important to me as it will be indicative of whether i should go ahead with certain plans. You see, I have had dreams of my own accomplishments for some years now but have never had the courage to get things done or some other priorities would always pop up (at least that's what the coward in me always says to comfort my fears).
SO i resolve to get my ass moving on some smaller projects first - starting with these coffee table books. I plan to take candid as well as planned shots of my family and of my diving travels so that i can get enough pictures to sort through. And the best thing is that it will be completely homemade.
I feel that if i can accomplish my little projects on top of everything else on my plate then i might be ready for going after my dreams on top of everything else on my plate...it may well be wishful thinking but it gives me hope and hope gives me the strength to go through my daily trials.
I am excited by this idea....(to be honest, i am easily excitable) anyway, it's time to call it a day. My big doggies are all asleep outside and my baby Magz is sleeping at my feet snoring away. Ciao till next time...
~Queen Bubbles~
Hailings from My Tibetan King
Today i got a call from His Majesty from the Tibetan Hills. Was a bit worried that i had not heard from him for a while...so the call was timely! :)
Anyway - all is well with the troops. They had some logistical problems like trucks getting stuck in the middle of the river. It all sounds quite horrific! Sleeping in abandoned government building in their sleeping bags...not stopping for food...no water to clean up with...bad food...altitude sickness...
Kinda makes one wonder who in the world would pay money to be put through such a torturous "holiday"
I was inclined to snap a photo of my beautiful king sized bed and send it to them (Nah! I'm not that evil) In all honesty - it sounds like a good adventure and i'm sure that he is having a good although tough time and that by the time he comes home he will be so overjoyed to spend a whole week with his evil pooches that are currently driving me slightly mental! :P
The best news is that he "MIGHT" be back a couple of days earlier. Seems like they will be setting off for KunMing tomorrow and some part of their party went ahead to wait for them in relatively more comfortable settings.
I'm glad that he is doing ok. He says he's lost weight (i'll bet he's lost his cholesterol levels as well!!) but is otherwise fine. As much as i worry i guess i have no option except to take his word that he is alright and will be coming home in one piece, alive but probably a tad thinner...more than enough time to fatten my king up for the slaugther!!
I do miss my King - all of him, the good, the bad, the high cholesterol him - all of him! In the mean time, my loyal but highly mischevious doggies do keep me on my toes and shower me with unconditional love and affection and saliva!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Anyway - all is well with the troops. They had some logistical problems like trucks getting stuck in the middle of the river. It all sounds quite horrific! Sleeping in abandoned government building in their sleeping bags...not stopping for food...no water to clean up with...bad food...altitude sickness...
Kinda makes one wonder who in the world would pay money to be put through such a torturous "holiday"
I was inclined to snap a photo of my beautiful king sized bed and send it to them (Nah! I'm not that evil) In all honesty - it sounds like a good adventure and i'm sure that he is having a good although tough time and that by the time he comes home he will be so overjoyed to spend a whole week with his evil pooches that are currently driving me slightly mental! :P
The best news is that he "MIGHT" be back a couple of days earlier. Seems like they will be setting off for KunMing tomorrow and some part of their party went ahead to wait for them in relatively more comfortable settings.
I'm glad that he is doing ok. He says he's lost weight (i'll bet he's lost his cholesterol levels as well!!) but is otherwise fine. As much as i worry i guess i have no option except to take his word that he is alright and will be coming home in one piece, alive but probably a tad thinner...more than enough time to fatten my king up for the slaugther!!
I do miss my King - all of him, the good, the bad, the high cholesterol him - all of him! In the mean time, my loyal but highly mischevious doggies do keep me on my toes and shower me with unconditional love and affection and saliva!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Sunday 19 August 2007
Dumaguete, Cebu - My solution to a nervous breakdown
Hooray! Hooray! I'm going on holiday! Like all my other holidays - I'll be underwater! Calm, Quiet, Weightless, checking out little critters...
I am in terrible want for a holiday. My last holiday was 4 months ago. And the last holiday ended with the trauma of losing my Sir Poppet for a whole 20 days. So I did not have such good memories! whilst i did plan on going for another break sooner than now, a lot of things sort of cropped up...read my last blogs and of course work did not let up.
anyway, even planning this holiday was a bit of an uncertainty for me. I mean - I've got approval from His Royal highnesses' sage to go but there was the uncertainty of when His Royal highness would return so that my loyal subjects (Sir Poppet, Sir Wolfie and Sir Magz) would have been properly ruled over. This business with royalty - you can't leave your kingdom unless one of us is around is just crazy but necessary.
Since his royal highness says he may be late returning from his venture into Tibet and his plans are all uncertain - it makes it difficult for me to plan my ventures. So after queen mother took her leave of Bubble-dom, i did the boldest thing- I booked my flights. Then i proceeded to book my break with the necessary agents. I figured that His Royal highness should be back by then. If he were to be late in his arrival, I would make arrangements for my knights to be well taken care of till his return. Risky i know - but it was either this or my nervous breakdown (which I'm pretty close to)
After doing the necessary deeds to secure my ventures - i felt bad for leaving my knights as they are always there affectionate, protecting, loving. Then i imagined my venture into the blue waters of Dumaguete, Cebu (Philippines), the taste of salt in my mouth, the feel of sun on my face, the quietness of the ocean, the beauty of its inhabitants and the tropical breeze and sand between my toes.....you get the picture? I did. And i promptly stopped feeling bad.
It may sound like justification but i do believe that if i am stressed out i will not be able to care for my loyal subjects as well as if i was calm and happy. Therefore, in the name of more TLC for my loyal subjects - I am taking a holiday!!! YAY!!!
~Queen Bubbles~
I am in terrible want for a holiday. My last holiday was 4 months ago. And the last holiday ended with the trauma of losing my Sir Poppet for a whole 20 days. So I did not have such good memories! whilst i did plan on going for another break sooner than now, a lot of things sort of cropped up...read my last blogs and of course work did not let up.
anyway, even planning this holiday was a bit of an uncertainty for me. I mean - I've got approval from His Royal highnesses' sage to go but there was the uncertainty of when His Royal highness would return so that my loyal subjects (Sir Poppet, Sir Wolfie and Sir Magz) would have been properly ruled over. This business with royalty - you can't leave your kingdom unless one of us is around is just crazy but necessary.
Since his royal highness says he may be late returning from his venture into Tibet and his plans are all uncertain - it makes it difficult for me to plan my ventures. So after queen mother took her leave of Bubble-dom, i did the boldest thing- I booked my flights. Then i proceeded to book my break with the necessary agents. I figured that His Royal highness should be back by then. If he were to be late in his arrival, I would make arrangements for my knights to be well taken care of till his return. Risky i know - but it was either this or my nervous breakdown (which I'm pretty close to)
After doing the necessary deeds to secure my ventures - i felt bad for leaving my knights as they are always there affectionate, protecting, loving. Then i imagined my venture into the blue waters of Dumaguete, Cebu (Philippines), the taste of salt in my mouth, the feel of sun on my face, the quietness of the ocean, the beauty of its inhabitants and the tropical breeze and sand between my toes.....you get the picture? I did. And i promptly stopped feeling bad.
It may sound like justification but i do believe that if i am stressed out i will not be able to care for my loyal subjects as well as if i was calm and happy. Therefore, in the name of more TLC for my loyal subjects - I am taking a holiday!!! YAY!!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Gone to Tibet
It's been 10 days since King Bubbles went off to Tibet and what a long time that is...considering the second day of his leaving saw me bit by one of my precious doggies. I was more than a little apprehensive of my lord and master leaving me for 3 weeks. Usually i am as calm as early morning's sea but i had a premonition that all was not going to go according to plan at bubble-dom after he goes.
And I was right...there are times when i like being right and there are times when i hate it...THIS TIME IT WAS HATE. It didn't help matters that my rag was on the way and my hormones were bouncing off my skin. So it went like this...
First day
All went ok. Doggies were fairly good on their walkies and didn't kill me along the way. NO WE DID NOT MEET ANY STRAYS - so that was a good start to a 3 seek jail term. Dun get me wrong - I lurve walking my loyal subjects, it's stressful because I worry about meeting other not so loyal canines and that can be very detrimental to my health. The worry alone makes me break out in unstoppable sweat and i'm usually drenched by the time we get back to bubble-dom.
Second day
Seeing as the first day went ok for walkies. I foolishly tot it would be ok today as well. Unfortunately, my loyal subjects decided to squabble over something in the carpark with turned into full fledged war within 30 seconds. In every other kingdom if royalty decreed something it would be set in stone. Not so in my kingdom. Essentially all hell broke loose. Two of my doggies going for the other's jagular and me stunned beyond belief that they defied me and in such a violent manner. I proceeded (very unceremoniuosly) to carry Magz by his harness to the nearest tree and tie him there to keep him safe. Then i waded back into the war of the pooches. Here i was waving the white flag (remind me that dogs are colour blind!!) and got bit in thanks by Sir Poppet! Now bleeding through a deep puncture wound in the hand and still trying to get both subjects under control. Seemed like forever but evenutally they calmed down enough for me to take control again. They still wanted to battle all the way back to my palace. So I blew my royal top - at them, at the King (who was terribly sorry but could not return to "sayang" me). Then the pain set in and i only saw red for the rest of this day.
Saving grace for the day was when my King's sage came round to get Magz for a day of entertainment. Two reasons: I did not have to worry about my little one and he was nice to me! :P
Third day
The boys were still at it. the usual growling, stalking. But this time - Sir Wolfie is no longer so amiable as before. Now he is also pissed off with Sir Poppet that he growls unders his breath everytime Sir Poppet walks past. Palace politics can be so violent. :(
Fourth - Eight day
Hurray! Queen Mother is around. my boys are behaving MOSTLY. I get home cooked food and mummy dearest helps by walking Magz so that i have control over my two knights.
during this period, the plumber meant to better the state of the royal toilets - broke them. Enraging me to heights comparable to the the mountain my King is climbing. Ultimately sorted by banishing him from my kingdom. The royal gardens have been pruned. The royal kitchen broke down and will need fixing by middle of next week. The royal home alarm is also to be sorted by next weekend. The royal gate is still cranky and will need sorting out sometime soon (though it has to be said that it is not as cranky as when His Royal Highness was around - maybe he's taken most of the crankiness with him to Tibet .... wonder how the Dalai Lama looks like when he's cranky?!)
With Queen Mother I have explored my Village markets - very wet and dirty but the yields under her magic wok are fantastic.
Ninth - Tenth Day (To date)
Queen Mother has to returned to her own Kingdom as it needs a firm hand to govern the strategies that run it. Woe be me - alone again! My agenda for visiting international courtiers (2 GFs) were postponed as their carriage left without them. Walkies to date have been fine! A bit tiring as Sir wolfie has a tendency to stampede the entire time. I have decreed that all knights have to have a shower at least once a week. This week - like all other weeks - saw me Queen Bubbles getting down, wet and dirty with the boys. At least i can rub my nose into their furry necks and breathe in fresh scents of tea tree (for about half a day)
My strategy for combatting this irrational fear of walking all three doggies at the same time is this - It only takes 15 - 20 minutes of each morning and evening and if i time it right, I will never bump into a stray. hooray!! Now let's hope i can keep this optimism up for another 11 days!!
~Queen Bubbles~
And I was right...there are times when i like being right and there are times when i hate it...THIS TIME IT WAS HATE. It didn't help matters that my rag was on the way and my hormones were bouncing off my skin. So it went like this...
First day
All went ok. Doggies were fairly good on their walkies and didn't kill me along the way. NO WE DID NOT MEET ANY STRAYS - so that was a good start to a 3 seek jail term. Dun get me wrong - I lurve walking my loyal subjects, it's stressful because I worry about meeting other not so loyal canines and that can be very detrimental to my health. The worry alone makes me break out in unstoppable sweat and i'm usually drenched by the time we get back to bubble-dom.
Second day
Seeing as the first day went ok for walkies. I foolishly tot it would be ok today as well. Unfortunately, my loyal subjects decided to squabble over something in the carpark with turned into full fledged war within 30 seconds. In every other kingdom if royalty decreed something it would be set in stone. Not so in my kingdom. Essentially all hell broke loose. Two of my doggies going for the other's jagular and me stunned beyond belief that they defied me and in such a violent manner. I proceeded (very unceremoniuosly) to carry Magz by his harness to the nearest tree and tie him there to keep him safe. Then i waded back into the war of the pooches. Here i was waving the white flag (remind me that dogs are colour blind!!) and got bit in thanks by Sir Poppet! Now bleeding through a deep puncture wound in the hand and still trying to get both subjects under control. Seemed like forever but evenutally they calmed down enough for me to take control again. They still wanted to battle all the way back to my palace. So I blew my royal top - at them, at the King (who was terribly sorry but could not return to "sayang" me). Then the pain set in and i only saw red for the rest of this day.
Saving grace for the day was when my King's sage came round to get Magz for a day of entertainment. Two reasons: I did not have to worry about my little one and he was nice to me! :P
Third day
The boys were still at it. the usual growling, stalking. But this time - Sir Wolfie is no longer so amiable as before. Now he is also pissed off with Sir Poppet that he growls unders his breath everytime Sir Poppet walks past. Palace politics can be so violent. :(
Fourth - Eight day
Hurray! Queen Mother is around. my boys are behaving MOSTLY. I get home cooked food and mummy dearest helps by walking Magz so that i have control over my two knights.
during this period, the plumber meant to better the state of the royal toilets - broke them. Enraging me to heights comparable to the the mountain my King is climbing. Ultimately sorted by banishing him from my kingdom. The royal gardens have been pruned. The royal kitchen broke down and will need fixing by middle of next week. The royal home alarm is also to be sorted by next weekend. The royal gate is still cranky and will need sorting out sometime soon (though it has to be said that it is not as cranky as when His Royal Highness was around - maybe he's taken most of the crankiness with him to Tibet .... wonder how the Dalai Lama looks like when he's cranky?!)
With Queen Mother I have explored my Village markets - very wet and dirty but the yields under her magic wok are fantastic.
Ninth - Tenth Day (To date)
Queen Mother has to returned to her own Kingdom as it needs a firm hand to govern the strategies that run it. Woe be me - alone again! My agenda for visiting international courtiers (2 GFs) were postponed as their carriage left without them. Walkies to date have been fine! A bit tiring as Sir wolfie has a tendency to stampede the entire time. I have decreed that all knights have to have a shower at least once a week. This week - like all other weeks - saw me Queen Bubbles getting down, wet and dirty with the boys. At least i can rub my nose into their furry necks and breathe in fresh scents of tea tree (for about half a day)
My strategy for combatting this irrational fear of walking all three doggies at the same time is this - It only takes 15 - 20 minutes of each morning and evening and if i time it right, I will never bump into a stray. hooray!! Now let's hope i can keep this optimism up for another 11 days!!
~Queen Bubbles~
Sunday 29 July 2007
Unexpected Expectations
The funny thing about life is that it can abruptly turn around and either go really well or go really of the charts. Over the last few days, a friend of mine has seen her father well on the road to recovery and then lose him suddenly.
It all started a couple of months ago, when her dad had to go through angioplasty - i understand this procedure is to clear the bloodclots in the heart. He had three and during the procedure, he stroked out. This caused complications and his left brain swelled so the doctors had to remove part of his skull so that the pressure in the cranium did not build to a level where it would harm the right side of the brain. The family and all those around it were stunned that before he went in he was happy and living well. And in a couple of days he had lost the use of the right side of his body. When all this was happening and i heard about it - i was looking for someone to blame - mostly i looked to the doctors. After a while i calmed down enough to realise that these things do happen. And although there is a possibility that the doctors screwed up - we can't determine this for sure. It was such a sad day when life went terribly wrong for her dad and herself and her family. Still they were a strong family and together they pulled through.
In the few months following - her dad seemed to be recovering well. My friend seemed also to be coping well. And then we were all informed that her dad was to go through another procedure to replace the skull piece. It seemed the procedure went well but then he stroked out again - this time in the right brain. At this point when i received this information - it all seemed so unfair. He had overcome great odds through his first bad surgical experience and now this has to happen. Again i speculate if the doctors were at fault...? But stress can induce a stroke.
anyway counter measures to keep infection at bay and to prolong his life were again put in place. The doctors advised the family to let him go as he was unlikely to recover from this and would likely remain in a vegetative state. The family together decided that they did not want their beloved father who loved life with a passion to live in this manner. They decided to take him off the counter measures and he passed away yesterday morning at 840am. He was cremated today. It is a great loss to lose one's father and husband. I can only try to imagine the grief. I try to put myself in my friend's position and i feel intense grief. I know it will take time to come to terms with a death within the family. And while i expect to die sometime in the future - i guess everyone would have thought this way at sometime in their life - i know it can come unexpectedly. I guess i have to come to terms with unexpected expectation with life, death and all that comes in between.
My friend - Asther, i'm sorry that you have had to go through this earlier than expected. I know you are strong for yourself and your family. You have always been a good person with a big heart and strong faith and i truly believe that you have always made your father proud and will continue to do so. I will pray for you and your family and i hope you find peace soon and can bring yourself to look forward to seeing him when you do - as we all must travel that road. Love life like he has and he will be best remembered that way.
It all started a couple of months ago, when her dad had to go through angioplasty - i understand this procedure is to clear the bloodclots in the heart. He had three and during the procedure, he stroked out. This caused complications and his left brain swelled so the doctors had to remove part of his skull so that the pressure in the cranium did not build to a level where it would harm the right side of the brain. The family and all those around it were stunned that before he went in he was happy and living well. And in a couple of days he had lost the use of the right side of his body. When all this was happening and i heard about it - i was looking for someone to blame - mostly i looked to the doctors. After a while i calmed down enough to realise that these things do happen. And although there is a possibility that the doctors screwed up - we can't determine this for sure. It was such a sad day when life went terribly wrong for her dad and herself and her family. Still they were a strong family and together they pulled through.
In the few months following - her dad seemed to be recovering well. My friend seemed also to be coping well. And then we were all informed that her dad was to go through another procedure to replace the skull piece. It seemed the procedure went well but then he stroked out again - this time in the right brain. At this point when i received this information - it all seemed so unfair. He had overcome great odds through his first bad surgical experience and now this has to happen. Again i speculate if the doctors were at fault...? But stress can induce a stroke.
anyway counter measures to keep infection at bay and to prolong his life were again put in place. The doctors advised the family to let him go as he was unlikely to recover from this and would likely remain in a vegetative state. The family together decided that they did not want their beloved father who loved life with a passion to live in this manner. They decided to take him off the counter measures and he passed away yesterday morning at 840am. He was cremated today. It is a great loss to lose one's father and husband. I can only try to imagine the grief. I try to put myself in my friend's position and i feel intense grief. I know it will take time to come to terms with a death within the family. And while i expect to die sometime in the future - i guess everyone would have thought this way at sometime in their life - i know it can come unexpectedly. I guess i have to come to terms with unexpected expectation with life, death and all that comes in between.
My friend - Asther, i'm sorry that you have had to go through this earlier than expected. I know you are strong for yourself and your family. You have always been a good person with a big heart and strong faith and i truly believe that you have always made your father proud and will continue to do so. I will pray for you and your family and i hope you find peace soon and can bring yourself to look forward to seeing him when you do - as we all must travel that road. Love life like he has and he will be best remembered that way.
Tuesday 24 July 2007
Introvert or Extrovert?
I like
1) Reading (lotsa lotsa - but i tend to lose interest if the description goes into too much details)
2) Knitting (though i cannot find in KL a shop that instructs on this skill)
3) Cross - stitching (it just damn addictive and i do like the colours of the thread - soo yummy!!)
4) Sleeping - one of the best past times with no buts
5) Hugging my doggies - most therapeutic method of destressing
6) Talking to my doggies - second most therapeutic method of destressing
7) Swimming - peace and quiet...no conversations with people
8) Scuba diving - peace and quiet...no conversations with people
9) Yoga - breathing, focusing and calm...back to basics of life
10) Shopping Alone - best done on weekdays (no crowds)
11) Travelling Alone - less hassle as no one to drive the itinerary but ME!
12) Playing and singing along to my fav tunes while driving ALONE
I Don't like
1) unnecessary interactions with people as they do a lot of the following:
3) society norms/stereotypes
4) crowds (masses of point 1)
Definitely Introvert! What do you think?!
1) Reading (lotsa lotsa - but i tend to lose interest if the description goes into too much details)
2) Knitting (though i cannot find in KL a shop that instructs on this skill)
3) Cross - stitching (it just damn addictive and i do like the colours of the thread - soo yummy!!)
4) Sleeping - one of the best past times with no buts
5) Hugging my doggies - most therapeutic method of destressing
6) Talking to my doggies - second most therapeutic method of destressing
7) Swimming - peace and quiet...no conversations with people
8) Scuba diving - peace and quiet...no conversations with people
9) Yoga - breathing, focusing and calm...back to basics of life
10) Shopping Alone - best done on weekdays (no crowds)
11) Travelling Alone - less hassle as no one to drive the itinerary but ME!
12) Playing and singing along to my fav tunes while driving ALONE
I Don't like
1) unnecessary interactions with people as they do a lot of the following:
- Whine/moan
- Lie
- Manipulate
- Create problems for themselves and then blame others
- turn into anally retentive characters
- smallminded
- like minded - like sheep (why couldn't they be goats - i hear goat were a lot smarter)
3) society norms/stereotypes
4) crowds (masses of point 1)
Definitely Introvert! What do you think?!
Tuesday 17 July 2007
The Kingdom of Damned if you do, Damned if you don't
This Kingdom really sucks! It sort of blows into town (MY TOWN!!) and we dun likes it much!!
The sucky thing about this is like it's name - damned if you do and damned if you don't. Either way - when this kingdom and it's monarch rolls into town - it's hell on earth with eggshells all over the place and bulls (actually only one - ME!) running around like ants on a hot roof.
The Kingdom of damned if you do and damned if you don't doesn't care what you do, don't do, say and don't say - it will all be wrong! nothing will be right! No matter which way you look at it...you will still pay for everything that goes wrong or right in this monarch's life!
A couple of "cheerful" examples
FLIGHT OR FIGHT
When there are arguments/diagreements/misunderstanding that ended up fairly heated - one can either fly or fight. It's a 50/50 rule isn't it? A chance that if you picked the right strategy you may avoid a complete nuclear meltdown - Let me say this - IT IS COMPLETE AND UTTER BOLLOCKS?!?!
In the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't - either flying or fighting will end one in hot soup. It's a no win. The monarch is extremely strict about no fly or fight laws and the usual sentencing is into the hot soup the perpetuator goes until he/she admits mistake - whether the mistake is factual reality or or the best fictional story that was ever created in the mind of the monarch.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
usually when one is asked an opinion on a subject - Most Regular people will take this invitation to present their opinions as an honor. This is because the person asking for your opinion values it enough to want to hear it to see if it can solve the problem at hand. So in an obscure way the person asking for your opinion is seeking "help" - YOUR HELP.
So you provide this help (doing a good deed) and i guess you can tell from which kingdom did the phrase "no good deed goes unpunished" originate from - that's right folks...the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you Don't. If you provide this opinion (help) - you are going to be a great deal of trouble with the Monarch if the result of your opinion and eventually his decsion leads to problems of any kind. Even if your opinion does not result in tremendous loss (the Monarch is a great spinner - one that can make even a mouse think its a goat!) you will be blamed for not considering all the facts (not all available to you at the moment of opinion giving).
If you think not providing an opinion will definitely ensure safety in the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't - you have another thing coming!! NO CHANCE! If you fail to provide the royally requested opinion you are seen as a traitor in the eyes of the Monarch as you fail to show your support for his "conquering plans for the universe!"
PROVIDING SOLACE TO THE MONARCH
this Kingdom seethes with danger with every corner you turn, every side street you take and every building you enter....so on and so forth. It is covered in egg shells that scream for punishment when you step on them accidentally - enraging the Monarch.
In your defence - you would advise the Monarch to not place so many egg shells around as the population is finding it difficult to get by without getting sentenced to soup. It might be better to keep his eggshells somewhere safe. There are times when the Monarch will step on eggshells deployed under his rule and when that happens - you see the Monarch all depressed and sad and pissed off at the same time. You try to comfort the sole Monarch of the Kingdom that it's only an eggshell that's been crushed and that there's many more eggshells around...no point crying over cracked eggshells...there are other eggshells to look after. In this situation - you will hear the MONARCH SCREAM - I WANNA WEAR MY PINK DRESS!!!! (Private Joke..... :P)
For now the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't has moved on. Phew! It will come round again but at least bubble-dom will have some time to recover its bouncy-ness and elasticity to take the constant screaming and stretching that comes from the reigning Monarch of that terrible kingdom.
The sucky thing about this is like it's name - damned if you do and damned if you don't. Either way - when this kingdom and it's monarch rolls into town - it's hell on earth with eggshells all over the place and bulls (actually only one - ME!) running around like ants on a hot roof.
The Kingdom of damned if you do and damned if you don't doesn't care what you do, don't do, say and don't say - it will all be wrong! nothing will be right! No matter which way you look at it...you will still pay for everything that goes wrong or right in this monarch's life!
A couple of "cheerful" examples
FLIGHT OR FIGHT
When there are arguments/diagreements/misunderstanding that ended up fairly heated - one can either fly or fight. It's a 50/50 rule isn't it? A chance that if you picked the right strategy you may avoid a complete nuclear meltdown - Let me say this - IT IS COMPLETE AND UTTER BOLLOCKS?!?!
In the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't - either flying or fighting will end one in hot soup. It's a no win. The monarch is extremely strict about no fly or fight laws and the usual sentencing is into the hot soup the perpetuator goes until he/she admits mistake - whether the mistake is factual reality or or the best fictional story that was ever created in the mind of the monarch.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
usually when one is asked an opinion on a subject - Most Regular people will take this invitation to present their opinions as an honor. This is because the person asking for your opinion values it enough to want to hear it to see if it can solve the problem at hand. So in an obscure way the person asking for your opinion is seeking "help" - YOUR HELP.
So you provide this help (doing a good deed) and i guess you can tell from which kingdom did the phrase "no good deed goes unpunished" originate from - that's right folks...the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you Don't. If you provide this opinion (help) - you are going to be a great deal of trouble with the Monarch if the result of your opinion and eventually his decsion leads to problems of any kind. Even if your opinion does not result in tremendous loss (the Monarch is a great spinner - one that can make even a mouse think its a goat!) you will be blamed for not considering all the facts (not all available to you at the moment of opinion giving).
If you think not providing an opinion will definitely ensure safety in the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't - you have another thing coming!! NO CHANCE! If you fail to provide the royally requested opinion you are seen as a traitor in the eyes of the Monarch as you fail to show your support for his "conquering plans for the universe!"
PROVIDING SOLACE TO THE MONARCH
this Kingdom seethes with danger with every corner you turn, every side street you take and every building you enter....so on and so forth. It is covered in egg shells that scream for punishment when you step on them accidentally - enraging the Monarch.
In your defence - you would advise the Monarch to not place so many egg shells around as the population is finding it difficult to get by without getting sentenced to soup. It might be better to keep his eggshells somewhere safe. There are times when the Monarch will step on eggshells deployed under his rule and when that happens - you see the Monarch all depressed and sad and pissed off at the same time. You try to comfort the sole Monarch of the Kingdom that it's only an eggshell that's been crushed and that there's many more eggshells around...no point crying over cracked eggshells...there are other eggshells to look after. In this situation - you will hear the MONARCH SCREAM - I WANNA WEAR MY PINK DRESS!!!! (Private Joke..... :P)
For now the Kingdom of Damned if you do and Damned if you don't has moved on. Phew! It will come round again but at least bubble-dom will have some time to recover its bouncy-ness and elasticity to take the constant screaming and stretching that comes from the reigning Monarch of that terrible kingdom.
Monday 9 July 2007
Mags and his homecoming
I am excited to announce the homecoming of Mags. As you know Mags got his name from Maggots which aptly suits him as that was the way i found him (with maggots). he is maggot free and doing very well. I will be fetching him to come back and continue his recovery journey at our home (of course away from poppet and wolfie)
His previous owner has not called back to ask for his return even though she has my number. So i will keep him in my custody till he is better to be rehomed. There are people who are interested in taking him in even though he will probably have only one good eye to see through. This touches my heart and makes my sad days seem dimmer and further away.
Having said that - i am still concerned that they might use him for breeding or other evil purposes (EVIL EXISTS IN GREAT QUANTITIES IN THIS WORLD). SO to decrease the possbility of using him as a stud (i know...i know...it's a tiring job but someone's got to do the studding work...BUT it ain't gonna be Magsy Boy!) i have decided to cut his nuts off.
His case is slightly different from that of Poppet's and Wolfie. Why have i not castrated them and will castrate Mags. Well...first off...nobody wants Poppets' or Wolfies' puppies but they will want a purebred like Mags'. So to avoid abuse better to cut nuts off.
Secondly, both Poppets' and Wolfies' testes have descended properly (i.e. they hangin loose as they should) whereas Mags' testes have not descended at all. And in my research - doggies with undescended testes have a higher chance of getting testicular cancer so in this case we will have to remove them to safeguard his health. This does mean that he is probably gonna be in a high risk group for prostate cancer. A animal activist friend of mine is checking out the stats for this likelihood and we have time to decide later on the fate of Magsy's balls. If at all, he will only be sent for this surgery after he recovers from his existing ailments.
Mags will be returning to a hyperactive wolfie (dunno what's up with that dog these days?!?!) and a head shaking poppet (no...he has not taken up head banging as a preference!!! nor is he on E!) Poppet's got this headshaking thang going on. We went to see MrVet who promptly checked him for ear mites (thankfully he had none!!), cleaned out the poor dog's ears with such vigour that reminded me of when i was a toddler and my grandpa used to scrub behind my ears!! In order to do all this - we had to sedate Poppet and he took the longest time comng out of this sedation and when he did manage to groggily walk to the car and afterwards into the house he was like a drunk...Swaying when he was standng still...getting all his four legs tangled and his style of walking was sooooo terbantuk leh!!! (a.k.a. spastic)
Way....going back now to check on my babies and prepare for the arrival of another in a couple of days time. I will be bringing Mags to Port Dickson with me and hubby on Saturday so that we can go visit a possible home for Mags in Malacca later that day. Ciao! See you soon.
His previous owner has not called back to ask for his return even though she has my number. So i will keep him in my custody till he is better to be rehomed. There are people who are interested in taking him in even though he will probably have only one good eye to see through. This touches my heart and makes my sad days seem dimmer and further away.
Having said that - i am still concerned that they might use him for breeding or other evil purposes (EVIL EXISTS IN GREAT QUANTITIES IN THIS WORLD). SO to decrease the possbility of using him as a stud (i know...i know...it's a tiring job but someone's got to do the studding work...BUT it ain't gonna be Magsy Boy!) i have decided to cut his nuts off.
His case is slightly different from that of Poppet's and Wolfie. Why have i not castrated them and will castrate Mags. Well...first off...nobody wants Poppets' or Wolfies' puppies but they will want a purebred like Mags'. So to avoid abuse better to cut nuts off.
Secondly, both Poppets' and Wolfies' testes have descended properly (i.e. they hangin loose as they should) whereas Mags' testes have not descended at all. And in my research - doggies with undescended testes have a higher chance of getting testicular cancer so in this case we will have to remove them to safeguard his health. This does mean that he is probably gonna be in a high risk group for prostate cancer. A animal activist friend of mine is checking out the stats for this likelihood and we have time to decide later on the fate of Magsy's balls. If at all, he will only be sent for this surgery after he recovers from his existing ailments.
Mags will be returning to a hyperactive wolfie (dunno what's up with that dog these days?!?!) and a head shaking poppet (no...he has not taken up head banging as a preference!!! nor is he on E!) Poppet's got this headshaking thang going on. We went to see MrVet who promptly checked him for ear mites (thankfully he had none!!), cleaned out the poor dog's ears with such vigour that reminded me of when i was a toddler and my grandpa used to scrub behind my ears!! In order to do all this - we had to sedate Poppet and he took the longest time comng out of this sedation and when he did manage to groggily walk to the car and afterwards into the house he was like a drunk...Swaying when he was standng still...getting all his four legs tangled and his style of walking was sooooo terbantuk leh!!! (a.k.a. spastic)
Way....going back now to check on my babies and prepare for the arrival of another in a couple of days time. I will be bringing Mags to Port Dickson with me and hubby on Saturday so that we can go visit a possible home for Mags in Malacca later that day. Ciao! See you soon.
Sunday 8 July 2007
Good News, Good News, Good News, Bad News
And in that order we will begin this post.
Good News
Mags is recovering well. The hole in his head is healing properly. We will know about the eye in a week's time. He is more playful now and barks a lot.
Good News
I have a couple of people that are interested in taking him in - will need to check their backgrounds etc before i pass him over.
Good News
I found a microchip on him and managed to trace the owner through the breeder.
Bad News
The owner is some chinese educated low life that bought the dog and left it with her mother. This lady sounds like she is in her late 30s and when i did speak with her - sounded very drunk and hung over. She claims that she lost the dog a couple of months ago but doesn't know exactly when as she does not live with her mother. Her mother leaves the gate open for the dog to "run in and out". And one day it just disappeared - little wonder!
I dun really want to return Mags to her seeing as it will happen all over again. I told her to call me back when she's awake. She hasn't to date.
I think it is such a waste when you spend time and money to get the dog back to health only to have its irresponsible owner let the same horrible thing happen again. So i have decided the following:
1) If the owner wants Mags back then she will have to pay for his medical bills in full.
2) if the owner does not call back in a week's time - i will bring Mags back for a couple of days and then rehome him for free.
We'll see and keep this situation updated and posted.
Good News
Mags is recovering well. The hole in his head is healing properly. We will know about the eye in a week's time. He is more playful now and barks a lot.
Good News
I have a couple of people that are interested in taking him in - will need to check their backgrounds etc before i pass him over.
Good News
I found a microchip on him and managed to trace the owner through the breeder.
Bad News
The owner is some chinese educated low life that bought the dog and left it with her mother. This lady sounds like she is in her late 30s and when i did speak with her - sounded very drunk and hung over. She claims that she lost the dog a couple of months ago but doesn't know exactly when as she does not live with her mother. Her mother leaves the gate open for the dog to "run in and out". And one day it just disappeared - little wonder!
I dun really want to return Mags to her seeing as it will happen all over again. I told her to call me back when she's awake. She hasn't to date.
I think it is such a waste when you spend time and money to get the dog back to health only to have its irresponsible owner let the same horrible thing happen again. So i have decided the following:
1) If the owner wants Mags back then she will have to pay for his medical bills in full.
2) if the owner does not call back in a week's time - i will bring Mags back for a couple of days and then rehome him for free.
We'll see and keep this situation updated and posted.
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Poppet
gimme sexy...oh yeah!