A good friend is cheaper than therapy.  ~ Author Unknown

At certain stage of our lives, we keep certain friends. Sometimes we have the convenient friend and if we are lucky, we have the all weather friend for life.

I have a couple of friends which are probably more like my sisters and some of them are the all weather ones. We've gone through good times and bad and sometimes extremely "happy times".

The "happy times" were the days when i would sit at a counter stool and sip some spirits at some watering hole in town with them. Sometimes over a pint of kilkenney, the floor would suddenly seem very far from where we sat on the stools. But that was like when i was in my twenties. The days of no care and no responsibility.

The all weather friend will do the obvious crazy with you. I remember the day when we found out that we have locked our car key in the car (don't ask me how we manage to do that) but we decided to drink first and worry later. *LOL*

The all weather friend was also the one who will stay with you under the stars to wait for the meteor rain all night but not seeing anything the whole night because of cloudy nights.

The all weather friend will also keep promises to perform your last rites for you if you should conk suddenly one day no matter where they are at that time.

I have a certain all weather friend. We have spent many good years together. We have also spent many years apart in different continents but still manage to pick up where we left off.

My all weather friends are never angry or bitter with me. We always have good laughs each time we meet up. And who really needs therapy when we have friends.  I should count myself lucky to always have friends and family on most part of my journey in life.
I read somewhere today that there's a Rent a Friend thingy on the web. For a fee, you can have a friend for an hour.
Today is my last day of bachelorhood again (no.. i am not getting married). There goes my days of eating bachelor food and living a bachelor life with just a Curly.

My dad will be back this evening from his long holidays from Thailand to Kuala Lumpur and lastly to China. I have been having a couple of weeks of "freedom" which led to my laziness and lots of tv dinners plus acute tv addiction. It was fun while it lasted.

Curly and i came back home yesterday from our roadtrip to Kuala Lumpur. The house was dusty and floors were sandy but it is good to be home again. I am sure dad can't wait to be home too.

We left on Wednesday evening for Kuala Lumpur. I did consider taking the new electric train but i didn't want to leave Curly at the boarding place. Both Piper and Dom came back quite dazed the last time we sent them. There is no decent boarding place for pets where i stay or maybe i have not found one decent one yet. They either get sick or come back dazed and disorientated. We can only trust our own families to take care of our furfellows.

my co-driver trying to keep awake

it was getting dark by the time we got there

The next day, i joined a couple of friends on the intercity trains at the central hub to our destination. We didn't want to drive as it would probably be too tiring to drive down and back in the evening. We were like a bunch of excited kids on our journey. We had two virgin first timer train travellers among us. It was quite an experience for them to do the balancing trick in the loo on a moving train. *LOL*

We got stuck here

Halfway through the journey, the train stopped at the Tampin station and the station master came on board and told us that they are stopping for 15mins. He even asked us to check out the stall by the station for some snacks and hot drinks. This is pretty odd as they would usually prefer the commuters not to wander too far.

We went down to check out the snacks... but were too afraid to sit down and have a meal as we do not want to run after the train if it starts to move *LOL* Back on the train.. and we waited for the 15 mins to be up. 30 mins and no sign of the train moving. 45 mins and we began to worry as we have another train to catch to go back to the city in the evening.

We went down the train and looked around. Some fellas were looking at the tracks ahead of us. A train track machine seems to be lopsided on the tracks. I asked my friend to look too.. and horror of horrors... the machine has indeed fallen off the track. We asked the station workers and they finally told us it would take another hour or two to move that machine and lift it back on the tracks.

We got someone to help us get a taxi... grab our stuffs from the train and scoot. In the taxi for the ride of our life. The taxi was flying so fast on the trunk roads, we were fearing for our lives. At some point along the way.. we told him.. double line double line.. then it was car coming..lorry coming... break break break (ops! it should be brakes). *LOL* We were breaking for him on our own on imaginary breaks in the car. Bet the taxi driver wanted to just tell us to shutup. They know the roads very well.

We reach our destination in one piece thanks to one of them who was praying very hard.

I saw my boss whom i have not seen for a few years (but he still pays me on the dot every month) and some friends from the Singapore office. We should probably try and meet up more often and not only under such circumstances only.

 Segamat. Pretty big town. I always love these hand-drawn signboards.

When it was time to go, we were taken to the railway station in Segamat but the northbound train was delayed for another 2 and half hours. We told ourselves, no more daredevil taxi rides on trunk roads, so we went looking for a bus to take us back to Kuala Lumpur. We were just walking towards the bus station when a northbound bus stopped beside us and ask us if we wanted to go to Kuala Lumpur (we probably look like a bunch of lost fellas). Packing silly smiles, we boarded the bus quickly and went on our way home.

Even though the journey was long, someone was looking out for us all the way. I kinda think that Mr Mathew helped us in a way. He got us there and home safe in pretty good time.



In The Garden ~ Alan Jackson

Mr Mathew was a very kind and quiet man. He shall be sorely missed by all that knew him. May He Rest in Peace.

May you find comfort in this song Anne.
We are going to be on the road again. An unexpected trip but a needed one to be with a friend. We shall be back this weekend.

Here's something for you all to guess while we are away. Can you all guess which one is Anny :) This is a picture from a long time ago. From the kindergarten years.

A prize for the first one who got it correct the first time ^.^

>> click on picture to see it bigger <<

Do not worry about Dommy... he is all packed and ready to go.

For the record... he did have some bits and pieces of nuggets and fries from our last trip to Mc Donalds *shhhhhhhhhhhhh* Don't tell the dog trainers. Even though dog should eat dog food, we always share some stuffs with our best friend. Thanks to The Booker Man for your concern and the sad pleading eyes. *BOL*

Gotta run. Byeeeeeeeeeee.

*woofies*
Grandpa is away on a roadtrip with his buddies. He says he's going to where Avatar was filmed. It must be some pretty exciting place to go. Wish he had taken me along. I could sit very still and pretend to be a stuffie.

But he says no... i have to take care of Anny and secure the house... alone... without the small one to bark along with me. And Anny doesn't bark very well. Well... i do hope grandpa will buy me lots of goodies and probably bring us some pictures to share with all of you. My grandpa does take some pretty awesome pictures.

Since grandpa is not around, we decided to take his old clunky out for a ride and finish up all his petrol. Both grandpa's and Anny's car are old clunkers. If you don't drive them at all for a few days, it probably won't start anymore.

And off we went in the heat of the midday sun in the clunker than clinks and clonks as it speeds away. Anny says she's taking me to a spanking new joint.

How long am i suppose to keep my eyes closed? Are we there yet? 
Can i open my peepers now? Are we there yet?

This is it? Do they have yummy nom noms there? Are we going in...? Are we?

Driving thruuuuuuuuuuu...
For the record... i was in my best behaviour and didn't bark at any of the service crew
Hope they packed an extra sundae for me for my good behaviour

We sure did get some yummy nom noms... 
this old clunker hasn't seen better smells since i came along...

What?? You want me to get into the bag?
How is that even possible?

Are you happy? Can i get my treat now?

A jumping jack in the bag of fries? WHAT?
You think i am some kinda clown?


 Are you happy now?

Being an only dog in the house is hard work sometimes. To get a decent treat, i got to perform like a circus clown. I know i love to do jumping jacks before a walkie... but this is taking jumping jacks too far. Jumping jacks in a bag of fries will just squish all the fries in the bag. Hope she's happy eating all the squishy fries.

Footnote: No Curly was hurt or injured in this post. 
No Curly was given any fries and nuggets too. *BOL* 
Dogs should only eat dog food.

Small fella went home with his mommy yesterday. He has been with us for a month's holiday and it was time to go home. His daddy is probably missing him even though he says that he don't mind Piper being here with me. Piper is his constant companion when he watches movies. Piper is also a great companion when you have to watch scary movies alone.

He did gain a bit of a weight and he surely generate more smiles while he was here. He always kept grandpa company in the hall. Still a fiesty little fella who wants to bark at all the dogs in the neighbourhood. These dogs are all much much bigger than him. They could probably just bounce him off. He still doesn't know his size and his very small mouth and teeth.

He'll be back again in a month's time for his year end holidays with us :)

Without Piper around, the Piperless Days strikes again.

mealtimes are lonely

naptime are naptimes.. no more jumping on unsuspecting "other" smaller fellas

car rides are boring without my brother barking at Anny's ears... 
i don't even wanna open my eyes to look out

But...

*sniff sniff sniff* 
I am smelling something brand new.. what izit? what izit...?

to be continued...
We have a lot of complaining to do here today. Here's me sulking.

I can sulk too you know... i know a good sulk if i wanted to sulk.

Oh boy.. i am fainting already. When is dinner served?

Hey Anny.. when are you gonna be done with your work? I am famished.

Tv tv tv.. is this all you are good for. This woman watches too much tv. 
From CSI to Bones to CSI to some race... tv tv tv... 
Wait till grandpa comes home. I am going to report to grandpa.

Follow my lead little one... 
Just don't poo when you are walking dood.. 
the view doesn't get any better around here... bummer!

Hey... check that out.. peemail.. I got peemail... that's urmm from.. urmmm...
That's my mail silly. I just left it a while ago.

YAY! Camwhoring moment. Can you share some of you dinner with me. 
I'll give you my best smiles. For godsakes, can you use a better camera. We are all blurry lately.

We have gone for many walks and lately they have walked back in sync again. Beautifully i must say so myself. One waits for the other to poo and one waits for the other to catch his breath. Dom is of course more tolerant of the little one and stops and waits and even watch out for any danger. He is the leader of the pack. He secures the house every night and sleeps with one ear open and one eye half closed. He really does take good care of us.

He usually does a couple of jumping jacks before we go out for walks... excited jumping jacks. For an old fella, he sure can jump sky high. Today while doing his jumping jacks, i hear a tiny whimper from him to see him sit down with a painful look on his face.

I guess he landed wrongly and might have twisted his thin legs. We checked all his legs and his tummy as well... (anytime is a good time for tummy rubs) and he's back to doing his silly jumping jacks. This time not so high. He didn't limp so i guess his legs are okay. But seeing the pain in his face, i am quickly reminded again to watch his food and not to get him too fat. Our groomers keep reminding me of his thin legs and to watch his weight.

Its getting a wee bit late here now. We got to catch up on some doodling for the sketchbook :)

Note to Pip's Mommy: We just did 2 pages. The paper is not too bad actually :)


For our dear friend Wilf, may your journey home be smooth. And no more pain.
Just A Dog

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog,"
and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog"
gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust,
and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of "just a dog", I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away
from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog",
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
"just a man or woman."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog"
just smile...
because they "just don't understand."

by Richard A. Biby

Some of you might have read the above before... while for some others many many times before. I've read it many times. But i still go back and read it.

Each morning, before i start my work, usually i'll browse through some of your sites. I've made quite a lot of  dog and cat friends these past months in the bloggieworld. So many that sometimes, i find it hard to visit all of you in a day. There are always some of my favourites and there's this one dog in France which i always love to visit and to read about his life and his daily adventures.

His smiles brings a silly grin to my face while i am enjoying my coffee. He has the most joyful face. His stories told by his beloved owner are most entertaining. His PONderings are most endearing.

I only know what a PON means after i stumbled upon Wilf's blog. A PON is a Polski Owczarek Nizinny, Polish for Polish Lowland Sheepdog. Before that, a PON to me is just a sound that a horn makes.

Wilf is my favourite PON. He is sick now. Reading about him brings tears to my eyes. Yes.. its just a dog. Why am i crying over a dog. And its not even a dog that i know personally. Its just a dog that i read about on bloggieland.

You will understand if you have a dog and you love your dog as much as he/she loves you.

The Power of the Paw is most needed now for Wilf. Reach out to him at Wilf the PON and send him some love.

Wilf

We had one of those lazy days again today. Today is also my momma and daddy's wedding anniversary. I am not with them to celebrate it since i am in another town for a holiday with Dom and Anny. But i guess they could use some alone time away from me too sometimes. Hope they are having a good celebration with cake and romance and thinking of me plus missing me loads.

Both Dom and i got a big greenie to celebrate the day. There should be celebrations everyday... so i can get greenies everyday. *BOL* We only get greenies on special days. Like birthdays and whimsy days. Our greenies should be savoured slowly. I've included a video on how to eat and savour a greenie properly.

Don't eat it like Dom and gulp everything up fast without chewing properly. Gulping greenies are not good. Big chunks of treats can get stuck in the esophagus or the intestines.

The reason we don't get much greenies these days is because of that Dom. He gobbles up the treats like he's the hungriest animal on the whole entire planet. Its all his fault.

Sometimes, we do have green days. Today is one of our greenie days :)

Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy!

love, 
Piper
  1. some garlic
  2. a few shallots
  3. a knob of ginger
  4. shaking salt n pepper
  5. garlic powder
  6. oregano flakes
  7. orange zesty zest
  8. the juice of an orange
  9. soya sauce sprinklies
  10. chicken wings about 18
  11. olive oil drizzle
I wonder how it will taste like :D Picture of the cooked fella later.

Ahh.. we are back with the picture.. after two days of cake and party :)


The above was a recipe for orange chicken or chicken orange which don't quite look orange. This is baked chicken in foil. I don't know how it taste like. No one complained about the taste so i guess it was okay... *LOL*

I don't usually taste the stuffs that i cook for family parties. I love to taste other people's dishes instead :) Especially since all my aunts are great cooks. Why in the world would i want to eat my own cooking. *LOL* If i get a heaven forbid... don't ever let her cook chicken again... then i know that its real bad. Well... out of 10 cookouts... sometimes i get lucky.

I think it was not too bad... :) It could have been worse or burnt. Hope you enjoyed the picture.
Yes... it was a daze :) And yes.. we went into hiding since the crooks were out to get us. And yes... we hid very well. And yes... we uncrooked the crooks and now there's no more crooks here. Now i am not making much sense here.

Let me try again. Its been a looooooooooooooooooooOOOOng week since our last post. We didn't go on any roadtrip this time. We just took some time off from them computers and mobiles but we watched a whole lot of tv (which is a bad habit to break too). *LOL* Okay.. this don't make much sense too.

We went on a short hiatus of sorts. Just the furries and me. Dad took off on a short vacation with his friends. We took the liberty to trash the house (shhhh! don't tell my dad) and we left them dishes piling high up in the sink. Both furries and i were just lying on the floor playing dead. We went for some walks and both of them are starting to walk in sync. We ate a lot of cookies and left a lot of crumbs on the floor.

Dom went for grooming (finally) and Piper tagged along to keep him company. Silly Dom was shivering so much when we reach the groomers shop. I had to carry him in and calmed him down on the sofa. He only goes for grooming once in 2 months or so. Usually a crew cut. They will tidy up his nails and ears too. He has his bath weekly at home and that is why he's still not used to strangers handling him.

 before

after

Small guy is always well groomed. For a furry, he's quite a clean fella. He don't like to go on sandy places... and he don't like to walk on wet grass or ground. I've never seen him roll on the sunny grass too. Sometimes i think he believes he's not a dog. But he loves the water if you have a hose and spray water all over the ground. But he doesn't like baths too.

 before

after

Oh... we have been sketching really fast. Too fast. Our hand control is out completely and we are in trouble. A cow look like a cartoon cat with horns and a cloud looks like a sandstorm. Its October now... and we have not actually sketched on the sketchbook project yet. Oh bummer!

Yesterday we had to wash and clean up the house before my dad arrived back home. Dom and Piper.. my partner in crime were no help at all. The just continue to play dead and snooze away.

Dad is finally home yesterday bringing home a lot mangoes, pineapples, poms, an assortment of nuts and lot of clothes for the kids. He had a very good time and hope to go again end of the year with his siblings. They were all talking about it this evening and planning a trip soon.

Tomorrow is my uncle's birthday and we are going to have a surprise party for the old man. He's gonna be 71. I don't even know what i'll be making yet. Hopefully it doesn't get burnt and hope it will be edible. My aunts are all great cooks. My mom too. Me... i am a temperamental cook.

I guess we better head off to bed now. Here's my mom's favourite song to end this post. She loves the raspy voice of Louis Armstrong. She only loves his version of this song.



What a Wonderful World ~ Louis Armstrong
  1. Do you hold him/her more?
  2. Do you see his/her face first thing in the morning before you see anything else?
  3. Do you have secret giggles with him/her when your other half is not looking.. and sometimes when he/she is looking?
  4. Do you spend more time with him/her than your other half?
  5. Do you rather play with him/her than anything else?
  6. Do you ignore housework or work just to spend time with him/her?
  7. In a roomful of people, do you rather be alone with him/her than try and make decent conversations with other people in the room?
If you do... then you ARE having a secret affair :)

For some people, their mobiles/phones (him/her) is an extention of them. They keep it beside them at all times even when they are bathing or in the toilet having a poo and especially when they are sleeping. The phone/mobile sleeps with them or on their pillow or under their pillow.

With some nasty emails going around about how you can get cancer from having your mobiles too close to your head when you are sleeping (don't know if this is true yet), but many still keep them close as alarm clocks or just in case they get a beep or a call.

With the onset of super things which you can do on a phone, the mobile has suddenly got a bigger piece of you and gained first priority when it comes to you. In a life and death situation, some people might rather save their mobiles than perhaps their more important stuffs.

With twitter, social-networking, facebook, youtubes and emails, every beep from the phone seems to bring such joy to a person who's too attached to the phone.

My berry and i are quite close. I cannot deny that i sleep with Berry too (you see.. it even has a name).. but Berry sleeps on the floor.. and not under my pillow. I have weaned off Berry for quite a lot of things. I don't answer some calls sometimes when i am busy. If the call is urgent, the person will always leave a message. When i am working, Berry only vibrates and don't make some loud "DING" each and every time i have an update or an email. Sometimes i leave Berry at home when i go out for a ride. I rather take Curly.

Have we become a society that is too dependent on our electronics? Do we crave the attention from electronics rather than from family and friends? Do we rather check out other people's facebook status or photos than spend more time with our dogs or take them for a walk? Are we too deep in the affair with our mobiles that it has taken over our life. Are we inseparable and cannot live a day without it?

Did you ever try leaving your mobile behind while you go to the loo with a book instead? hehehehe

Mobile phones are important as a thing of communication but not when it overtakes your life. You forget to smell the roses and look at the beautiful sky before you. You are too busy looking at the small blinking screen in your palm. You forgot to look at your other half and didn't see that he/she is sad. You keep looking at your screen, you forgot to look at your old folks and didn't notice that they have aged so much. You are too busy looking at your mobile, you missed the cute guy/girl who just passed you by.

Try and take the weekend off your mobile and just spend time with real people and real lives :) It could prove more exciting and fun.


Small guy is back for a holiday. He's been around for a week now. Taking Piper and Dom for a walk together seems fruitless as both want different routes.

One loves to christened tyres of all the vehicles along the route while the other wants to christened all the lamp posts and check for any secret mails left in the bushes. One loves to walk on the road while the other loves to walk on the grassy side of the roads. My arms have gotten longer while trying to navigate both to walk together.

They have gone out of sync since they have not been walking together for a while. Maybe we'll try a walk together again tomorrow. Else Piper will stay at home and bark the house down while Dom hurries with his walk to come back to Piper taking his time with his walks while Dom barks the house down worrying about his pack mate. *LOL*

Sometimes i just let them run wild in the garden and give up on walks. But walks are important to them as both has gone.. quite rotund. Its always not my fault as the rainy days don't allow walks in the evenings and i am seriously not a morning person. Maybe i should learn to be less selfish and get up early for the love of my dogs. But it does rain in the mornings too... :)


Piper: Let's wake her up real early tomorrow morning

Dom: You got to be kidding. An earthquake will not even wake her up.

Piper: But we can go for walks if she gets up.

Dom: Even if she gets up, she'll be too lazy for walks.

Piper: I can try and walk in sync with you. You just follow my lead.

Dom: Follow your lead? What if you poo midway

Piper: But but... i have to poo too sometimes...

Dom: Whatever. Wake me up too if you can get her up.
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