It's For Mimi

Coco...that is Mimi's Rose of India...

Rose of India For Mimi

Mimi
November 21st 2009 ~ June 30th 2011

June has not been a happy month. Mimi left us all today. I took a day off. It rained, after a rather long spell of unbearably hot weather. Mimi would've appreciated that I went in search for her tree in the rain. I now know the name of the tree - Rose of India. A beautiful name for a beautiful tree. Beautiful trees for my hamsters. Thank you for the time we had together.

Selfish Dog

What's that? SHARE my chewies? I don't know the meaning of the word.

Wake--Wake--Wake--UP!!!

The sun is shining.........why isn't she up?

Get up! Get up! Whiiiinnnneee...woooooo....weeeee! And on and on he goes until I get out of bed. That is my annoying alarm clock.

Coco doesn't believe in whining. She just looks out the window and yelp at all the dogs who are out there pissing and pooing without her. I no longer know what it feels like to get up at 8 or 9 or noon.....:(

Days Of The Week (And A Nice Dream)

My moods pick up on Thursday because the next day is Friday. I like Fridays because of its very long lunch break (11.30am to 2.00pm). It is for Muslims to pray at the mosque but we non-muslims also benefit from this privilege....:) I go home, eat, let the dogs out of their grillingly hot enclosure, close ourselves in the air-conned study and blog. Exactly what I am doing now. And of course, Friday is much loved because the very next day is S*A*T*U*R*D*A*Y! Come Sunday my mood will plunge. Don't know why, it has been like that since my school days. I never liked Sundays.

To make up for the nightmare with Yadah Blah I was blessed with a dream of my Mom this morning. My sister and I are always very pleased when we can dream of Mom. That's the only way we can be with her again, for now. I remember driving through very narrow and congested streets and mumbling "if you people don't move away my tires will go over your toes". Then instead of driving I was walking with a cane (my knees have been aching of late - old age) and going down an extremely zig-zagged staircase. I turned around and saw my Mom trying to make her way down. As usual she was dressed in her sarong kebaya. As far as I can remember, my mother never wore any other attire except for sarong kebaya nyonya style. I offered her a helping hand and she told me with a smile that she isn't a child anymore. Now, that's strange because when she was alive, she always needed a helping hand due to poor eyesight. After my Mom passed away I dreamt of her almost every other day and in all my dreams my mother never uttered a word. She was there but always a silent figure. As years went by she spoke in my dreams like a normal person. Has it ever occured to you that in all your dreams you can never see yourself? But I had one dream where I saw myself standing a short distance away.

A (Horrible) Nightmare

Wawa sure looks nightmarish as he tries to grab a new toy from my nephew (who is a great torturer of dogs). I deliberately chose this photo because I had a nightmare this morning when I went back to sleep at 5 am. I dreamt that I was travelling in a distant part of China (that's the nice part) with............Mr. Yadah Blah! That's when the nightmare began. But I woke up right after I abandoned him to his fate. He was lost in China. And I was going back to Malaysia, without him, wahahaha! By the way, thanks again Rubie for giving me a nice award (again) but due to limited connectivity and time I am still struggling to look for 10 inspiring posts. Trying, trying, very hard!

Audrey And Me

We have the same.....

.....beautiful eyes!

We have the same........

.....mesmerizing gaze!

I couldn't smile like her but.....

.....I can sure arch my neck! Tee-hee! Aren't we beautiful?

Milky! We Like!

This is one of Coco's favorite titbits (every titbit is her favorite).

It is also, obviously, Wawa's favorite.

There is no doubt about that.

A Tree For Ping Ping

I finally laid Ping Ping to rest today. I planted a tree right next to him, one which will bear beautiful pink flowers. I hope it will grow quickly and bloom quickly - I will take that as a sign that Ping Ping not only lives on but that he remembers me. Of late I have been mulling over that - whether they live on after death. Or do they stop existing altogether? If a pet lives on then how about all the animals we eat!!? This kind of thing never bothered me until I kept pets.

Only 1 Life

They say a cat has 9 lives but not poor kitty cat. I took 3 days off work and didn't go to the office to feed it on one of those days. When I went yesterday a staff who lived in one of the quarters (where kitty cat loitered outside) told me that it had died. I know she threw leftover food outside for 4 other kittens so poor kitty cat must've gone hungry and ate bad food. She told me it was purging before it died. At least her husband helped bury it. Although we knew each other for such a short time, he still left a fair bit of emptiness in my heart. My last visit he actually ran to greet me even though his legs must've caused him some pain. I hope you're in a beautiful place in heaven where you limp no more and all pain is gone for ever........!

Very Camera Shy Coco

Finally! I managed to get Coco professionally groomed. But she refused to sit still for a good pic. Look what she did.

She offered me a view of her back though, looking more like a goat. Mr. Groomer said, "Coco has grown very big...I think she has grown bigger than her (real) mother lah!" That's a nice way of saying she is F.A.T.

This is the best pic I could get of her sweet face. My nephew said she looks so feminine and reminded him of a HK movie star! So I said must be the pretty and very sexy Coco Lee! Um...no...he replied.

How Could You?

While waiting for our transport at the veterinary I noticed that kitty cat went after 2 kinds of people. In fact, he limped so fast after them I had to run a little to catch him. First, he was attracted to male figures. And even more so, he was attracted to ladies wearing heard scarves. He will meow and go after them on his 3 paws without looking back at me! It happened too many times to be a coincidence. I think his owner must've been a Malay family and God knows whether little kitty lost his way (unlikely) or whether they just decided to get rid of him. I came across a dog poem entitled "How Could You?" and it was so heart-breaking I couldn't finish reading it properly because I was sobbing too hard and looking for Coco and Wawa so I could hug them for comfort! The author, Jim Willis, needs our help in promoting this poem. The more I see starving and suffering strays, the harder it is to turn a blind eye. Yet, how much can one person do? Here is the poem, it is very, very long.....

How Could You?

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad" you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?" -- but then you'd relent and roll me over for a bellyrub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect.

We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -- still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate.

Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love." As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch -- because your touch was now so infrequent -- and I would've defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.

There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject.

I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf. Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers." You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you...that you had changed your mind -- that this was all a bad dream...or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief.The prisoner of love had run out of days.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said"I'm so sorry."

She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself -- a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her.

It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

by Jim Willis

A Note from the Author: If "How Could You?" brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly "owned" pets who die each year in animal shelters. Please use this to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious. Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay & neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals.Please pass this on to everyone, not to hurt them or make them sad, but it could save maybe, even one, unwanted pet.Remember...They love UNCONDITIONALLY.

Time For A Drink

Momo : Thristy, thirsty!

An An : Me too!

Today's New Toy

It's mine-mine-mine!

Let me just lick it....please? So nice the color....

One lick......? No?

An Emptiness In My Heart

The ending of a day has a way of making you feel like somebody's missing. Today, after all the day's activities and busyness, I thought of Ping Ping. From the moment he was born, his growing up and growing fat down to his growing thin and going blind and groping about on his stomach weakly for the food I placed in front of him. My heart felt so very heavy. Weighed down with an uncomfortable emptiness. I had just finished watching a K-drama called "49 Days". Traditional Chinese believe that when somebody dies, the soul remains on earth for 49 days before entering the other world. This drama is a far-fetched story about a girl who had an accident, went comatose and her soul was given 49 days to collect tears from 3 people (family excluded) who loved her. If she succeeds she will live. Being a kind and friendly person while alive, she thought that would be an easy task. To her dismay (and mine), it took her more than 10 episodes to find those tears. Ping Ping would've easily collected tears from 2 persons who loved him - me and my sister.

The Veterinary

The poor kitty cat which was mauled by the dogs in my office didn't seem to get any better and seeing it's leg folded in an odd way I had no choice but to quickly bring it to the vet. The vet was away so his beautiful and immaculately made-up assistant (in high heels - what if she has to attend to a thrashing dog/goat?) attended to the cat instead. She pinched its paws and didn't think anything was broken. That was a bit of good news. After dressing its wounds and giving it 2 jabs kitty cat couldn't be contained in its box anymore. It can now limp about unsteadily. A vast improvement!

While waiting for our transport under a cool, shady tree (negative ions everywhere), I took a few photos of the surrounding. This is a government veterinary - very nice brick building. I noticed 2 goats being unloaded - aha, high heels. Government veterinary is serious business, they attend to farm animals as well as pets.

This is a fruit tree that my mom planted in her garden when I was still a child. I seldom see this tree being grown nowadays so when I saw one growing right next to the vet's house it brought back happy memories of my childhood days. The fruit is called "cermai" (pronounced cher-mai) and is so sour you won't be able to eat it with a straight face. We normally dip it in sugar or pickle it. All I could do NOT to get my hands on that bunch....

I Miss You....:((

Ping Ping
December 23rd 2009 - June 10th 2011

This has not been a good time for me, watching Ping Ping getting sick and growing weaker by the day. Now that he is gone, his tank looks sadly, sadly empty.

3 + 6 = Dog Meat

This is Wang Qi, a dog-lover who stopped 520 dogs from..........

......ending up in a pot like this. He is labelled as an "activist". I don't quite like that word because it conjures up images of mobs and demonstrators and unrest. To me, he's just a person who cares about dogs. Enough to save a truckload of them. Eating dogs must be illegal in my hometown because as far as I can remember, nobody tells anybody I-want-dog-meat-for-lunch or how-about-dog-meat-tonight? It's always a hush-hush thing and people will say so-and-so-is-cooking-3+6-tonight-sshh-sshh-hee-hee-hee-let's-go! 3+6 = 9 (kiu) which sounds the same as "dog" in the hakka dialect. So if anybody tells you to go have some 3+6, it means lets go eat dog meat. I used to have Korean neighbors years ago and their son happened to be in my Sunday School class. I noticed that puppies came and went in their house and it was rather disgusting to find out from the boy that Mom is the one who does the killing and how did she do it? Oh, she uses a string (rope, I think) to strangle the dog, said the little boy. I gulped. A new neighbor just moved into the apartment below mine a couple of weeks ago and I was VERY curious about who they were because he complained about my dogs BEFORE he moved in. I now know that he is a Korean and his friends have moved into the apartment next to his. Gulp...!

Most Chinese have no qualms about eating dogs (or cats, or rats). I remember a classmate who hated her brother. One of the things he did was force dog meat into her mouth when she resisted. She's a dog-lover. She should've kicked below the belt. I have just deleted a big chunk about the way dogs are killed for the pot - it's too cruel. To Wang Qi and his friends, I salute you for your courage. He must've gotten a lot of hate mails and death threats (one netizen said he will kill a dog a day for what happened) for his act.

At Long Last!

Yeehee! It's raining........

.........cats and dogs! After endless days of hot weather it finally poured.

I Am Getting Smarter, OK?

Nightfall + enclosure =

Food!  Therefore I will willingly go inside and S-I-T.  Yeh, minced beef with mixed veg!

Daytime + closing windows + enclosure + titbits + sweet calling of my name =

She is going to lock me up so it's time to RUN and HIDE!

Yes, that is the daily ritual for Wawa and me.  He used to lead me on a merry-go-round when it's time to lock him up but after a really good whacking for eating my couch he now runs and hides under the deck chair.  That makes my job really easy!  Coco is an angel, a gluttonous one.  Just put titbits in the enclosure and she will happily skip inside.  What a sweet dog.

Lord! Are You Sleeping?

I am not sure if this kitty cat wandered into my workplace by accident or whether some unkind person just abandoned it there.  When I reached my office 2 mornings ago, it was surrounded by 5 to 6 excited dogs, all out for its blood.  It was almost torn to pieces and although there were lots of people watching, none ventured to lend it a helping hand.  Out of consideration for all the rice and chicken that I had been feeding them, the dogs dropped the kitten on the grass as soon as I went near and shooed them away.  Poor kitty cat can now barely move.  It's hind legs are badly injured.  My cat-lover colleague said no bones broken but muscles are probably torn.  It was still bleeding a little when I left it yesterday....life is full of pain and suffering.  A friend of mine has taken the liberty to remodel God after seeing all the suffering in the world.  Not that he has stopped believing in God, but it is his way of reconciling God and His apparent lack of concern for all suffering humans.  He no longer believes that God is all powerful and all knowing.  To him, an all loving God who can't lend a helping hand is better than an all powerful God who doesn't lend a helping hand.  I think it's more productive to let God use us to ease all the suffering we see each day than to ask Him why He's sleeping on His job.