This week's been a wee bit crummy. The internet's been down the whole of Tuesday... which got my work stuck. No internet means no work gets done. *LOL* We are too dependent on the internet for our work these days... it is almost scary when its down. Almost.

Internet went up after a few hours of downtime... and we sorted some stuffs out.

And today... *BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Oh oh... the dreadful beeping sound is back. When i had the beeping sound few weeks ago, i manage to fire it up again after many many tries. Today.. it refused to start up. This desktop is only almost 2 years old. Pretty new system which i've configured to do all my bidding. Yes.. it does most of my work. Its running on heavy.

My offsite IT support guy asks me how many beeps was it beeping. We both listen hard. He on the phone listening and me holding the phone close to the heart of my pc. We were like some doctors.. seriously... it was quite funny at that moment. He said.. sounds like 3 beeps. Then i said.. 4 beeps. We both listen hard again. I didn't know that when the computer beeps in a series of beeps, its a signal for the IT support to decipher the problem. 1 beep means something and 2 beeps means something else. There is a site that tells you what those beeps meant. I learn something new today.

Off i went to the service center to drop it off. Since it was under warranty for another year, i get to fix it for free. But i will probably be computerless till next week.

The guy says its probably a mother board issue and hopefully i don't get my data wiped out completely. Its hard when you have fine tune some things and it is going to be a chore to get it all tuned again.

But.. i call this divine intervention. I am not exactly jumping and dancing here very happy when the computer is down and in the hospital. But I take this opportunity to take a break and take my dad, Dom and Piper for a holiday. We are going on the road tomorrow :)

My dad was quite happy.. and am jumping in glee as he can go for a break. He's been wanting to visit his other daughters for weeks. I have been busy lately to take him. Well.. he got mom to help and the BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP sent my computer to the hospital and i am free to move.

I am supposed to go down to Kuala Lumpur to work. To do the knowledge transfer with my colleague. Bummer! Do you seriously think my bosses will let me go off so easily without work :) Naw!

Sometimes it is nice to be away from the electronics and gadgets for a while to smell them roses. I won't be dropping by to your blogs to visit these few days. But we'll come a visiting again when the computer is back. It will be juat family time.. and some work :)

And how am i writing this post now? hahhahahaha.. I got to steal a computer to post and i'll give it back to the owner soon :) Take care folks.. and if you are going on the road... drive safe. Its a long weekend. Loads of cars on the roads.

We wills be thinkings of  yous. Urmms... but we won'ts be missings you. Ops! Them doxie girl Puddles is prettys contagious. Go visits hers and gets yourselfs infecteds :)
How should i start this posty. Bummer. I thinks i have been "abouts" to starts a post and i got sidelined again and again and went off to play at another playground. It has been daysssssssssssssssssssssssss... And strangely, i am beginnings to talk like some doxie i've met lately. A very strange doxie mind you. With an even strange name. Puddles is her names. Before i becomes a doxie, i should quit talkings urmmms.. writings like one. *LOL*

I love this Puddles. She is so funny. You should go check her out if you need a good laugh or if yous am a wantings to talks funny. Ops! Quit quit talking.. urms.. writing like a doxie.

PP's been around here for the past 2 weeks. He's having a ball of a time sweating and running at super sonic speed in the garden. Trust me. For a fat fella.. urmm.. i mean for a well framed doggie, he sure can run fast. Sometimes his feet don't even touch the ground *LOL*

The first few days he came, he has been giving me disrupted sleep. On one particular night, he woke me up 3 times between 12 to 6am to take a leak. And all three were big leaks *LOL* He sure have a very small tank. Or probably he was cold from sleeping on the floor. His bed is a on the thinning side. Walking around with panda eyes for days, it suddenly hit me to put a thick towel under his bed. Walla! No more midnight leaks for the little one. He slept through till morning. Finally.

contentment

I live among a private investigator and an inspector. Both of them are quite serious when they are on the job.

Each time i come back from somewhere, i get questioned by the private investigator for a few minutes before i can put my things down. I am not even suppose to move while i am being interrogated.

The Private Investigator

First i get scolded for leaving the house without him. Even before i can open the door, there will be a lot of yelling.. urmm i mean barkings. Then i fumbled and drop my keys and stuffs... that will probably induced more scoldings.

I get sniffed from toe to toe and my bags and gears have to be checked too. *LOL* Sometimes when he's not fully satisfied with his interrogation, he'll run to the room after i have changed and still check on the clothings again. Even the car tires get checked.

The PI and his yellow sidekick

When he's not throughly happy, he will start complaining to his yellow sidekick. His yellow sidekick has been through good times and bad times with him. He knows he can trust his yellow sidekick. He complains for quite a while grumbling away to his ever faithful yellow. Its funny to see a furry fella grumbling away.

sometimes he smiles

When he's happy, he's quite a darling. For a small little fella, he's quite a clean freak. He doesn't like to walk on the grass. But lately he does... to poo only and quickly run back to the cement floorings. *LOL* Have you ever encountered a doggie that don't like grass?

Now he has become quite a scruffy fella. *LOL* Quite like his brother Dom and me. When you can't beat them, join them. He's happy. Really he is. You should see him run. He flies like the wind.

Today dad and i have a new name for him. Batu. Batu means rock in our language. When you called out to him, he doesn't come to you. He's a urmmm.. a shitzu after all. *LOL* They are supposed to be arrogant else they cannot live up to their name. But if you wave a treat in his direction, he'll come flying to your side in less than a second.

This small fella's been in my life off and on for many years now. He is usually with my sister and sometimes he stays with me for weeks. I've always enjoyed his antics and company. A shitzu and a poodle make quite a weird combination but they are good friends. They don't talk much but i guess both of them speak a different language. But they do look out for each other.

Its getting a bit late now. I probably have to get to The Inspector tomorrow or probably some other day :) I do not know what i have written up there. *LOL* My mind's a bit tired lately and quite a lot of projects to finish before September comes. Goodnites folks :)

Please don't mind my ramblings :p

blissful creature
  1. Listen patiently to what I have to say.
  2. Trust me, for I am always on your side.
  3. Play with me a lot.
  4. Don’t forget that I have feelings too.
  5. Let’s never fight, Cause someday, I’ll be big enough to win.
  6. If I don’t obey you, I have a good reason.
  7. You have school, and friends. But as for me, I only have you.
  8. Stay and be my best friend even when I’m old.
  9. I’ll only live about ten years, so let’s make every moment count.
  10. I’ll never forget our life together. So when my time comes, please be by my side.
The above are the 10 promises you should make to your dog or dogs.

Today my neighbour brought over an old movie for my dad to see. Yesterday, he told me he saw a very good movie which brought him to tears. He said he'll bring it over today. Bright and early today, it was already in my house.

The movie is called 10 Promises to My Dog (Inu to Watashi no 10 no Yakusoku). Its a Japanese movie which is dubbed in English. Its a pretty good movie which every dog lover would enjoy. Simple script but very touching. With the likes of Hachi: A Dog's Tale... & Marley and Me. These movies are very heartwarming.

Both dad and i watched the movie this afternoon. Both of us were reduced to cloudy eyes. It carries a deeper meaning closer to home. I won't tell you too much about the movie here. You go find it and watch it.. (its on youtube too.. shhhh)

Sometimes some of us do take our furfriends for granted. Some of us locked them up in toilets for hours because they were soiling the house or misbehaving. But did we try and understand them for a change.

I always have a weakness for Goldens. I haven't got to my golden yet :) But i do have a Curly Boo here. He is just as golden when the sun shines on him.

This is the trailer to the movie. Do watch it with your furry best friends :)



Remember this from our furfriends...

You have your world but i only have you.
Here's a recipe to share with you guys... from my best buddy :) The dish has a special name to remind me of my own folly with this dish.

Ikan Tauchu ala Jab

Ingredients you need:
  1. 3 mackerels (ikan kembung)
    One tablespoon tumeric powder + half tablespoon salt. Mix them and rub a dub them fishes. Don't forget to make vertical cuts in the fish so that the tumeric can get in.
  2.  Four tablespoon tauchu (fermented soybeans)
  3. One tablespoon sweet soya sauce
  4. One big onion cut into rings
  5. One half cucumber, cut into long quarters
  6. Two cloves garlic, chopped
  7. Four shallots chopped
  8. Three red chillies cut into large pieces
  9. One inch ginger cut into matchsticks
  10. One level tablespoon sugar
  11. Half cup water
  12. Half teaspoon tamarind paste to soak in a small bowl of water
  13. One teaspoon cornflour mixed with three tablespoon water
Instructions:
  • Deep fry fish until its crispy (to prevent the hot oil from dancing and jumping on to you, put some slices of onions in oil first). Set aside.
  • In a pan, put some oil and fry the shallot, chillies, ginger and garlic.
  • Put in the tauchu, water, cucumber, sugar, sweet soya sauce (no need salt as the tauchu is already salty). Put in the tamarind paste water. Then put in the large onion slices.
  • Let the cucumber be soft To thicken the sauce, put in the cornflour mix if u want.
  • Pour the sauce on the ikan and eat with lots of hot rice.
If you follow the instructions and ingredients closely, you will get something like this.


If you do not read instructions before you cook and leave out some key ingredients, you will get something like this... (don't laugh so loud la)


Do you see the vast difference and the follies you will get them fishes into if you don't read instructions BEFORE you cook. And not WHILE you are cooking :)

Anyways.. the darkkkkkkkkkkkk one was mine. It was pretty salty because i didn't add the cucumbers and i didn't follow the measurements properly. (I won't make a good baker). Tauchu and tamarind paste are salties, so cucumbers are important here to soak up them saltiness a little. We forgot about them cucumbers.

While dad and i were having that with rice, i had to hang my head in shame and told dad... urmm urmm.. you might need to go easy with the sauce.. scrape the sauce aside and just eat the fish *LOL*

Well... my dad loves to have his food pretty salty. Sometimes he will even have a small bowl of light soya sauce and chillies to dip his chicken or meat. His sodium intake is no good for someone his age. I am not quite helping much for coming up with such saltiness for dinner.

I bet his BP and his PSA levels went sky rocket high that night.

For the sake of my dad's health... i think its best that i stick to steaming fish or chicken for dinner :) Steaming dishes are the safest :)

Thanks to my buddy for the lovely recipe. If you are adventurous enough, you might want to try this dish. Its pretty good :) Just follow them ingredients and instructions. Its a tried and tested dish. Not by me because i don't do instructions well :)

As for dinner tonight, i'm just going to go to the Pasar Ramadhan stalls and get some real delicious food :) Its the fasting month for our muslim friends. Every evening, we have quite a big selection of things to buy to eat. I am gonna get some mini murtabaks :D I'll catch some pictures for you if it doesn't rain this evening.


We might be going on the road this weekend :) I promised someone i'll check out her exhibition before it ends... and its gonna end soon. The little one above misses home too. Probably we'll be away.

Now we got to go back to looking at some crummie codes. I am not even a programmer. I do not understand basic logic for codes. *LOL* Some people do ask for the moon.


You don't know me ~ Ray Charles & Diana Krall

Something on a lighter note for wednesday :)

We have been busy looking at some weird codes the whole day. Them codes makes no sense at all *LOL* Just pains the eyes and makes your hair grey.

We did have a pretty salty disaster in the kitchen today. When will i ever learn to follow instructions *LOL* We'll tell you more about this tomorrow. The bed seems more inviting now. Its been raining for hours and them doggies have not gone out for a leak yet. Both of them have been snoozing since 9pm.

Guess they do know better. Goodnight peeps and furry friends. Enjoy the song.
A black little fella called Oben came to our home with Piper a forthnight ago. I shouted with glee and welcome him with a mighty big grin. Next is finding a place for Oben to sleep.

Clearing some stuffs from the counter, we finally found a big empty space for him to be hot.

Tadaaa! This is Oben. Say hi to Oben.

Lately we have not been posting much as we were pretty busy with this black fella :) Since most of my trays and stuffs are still in my sister's storeroom in Kuala Lumpur, i just went out to get some basic trays as i don't really have much patience to let an oven wait in vain.

The chinese have a saying that goes... "San See Hang" means New Toilet. When there's a new toilet around, everyone is out to check it out to take a leak. Same goes for the oven. When there's a new toy/cooking thingy in the house, everyone is pretty excited to cook/bake/do something with it. Even Dommy keeps reminding me about the bone & dog shape cookie cutters that i got a while back. Bake something for us lazy bum. He seems to be telling me. *LOL*

When all the bruhaha is passed, will this Oben be a white elephant shoved in the corner? Naw! I love ovens. I have a deep love for ovens since i was a little kid. I fell in love with the first oven way when i was barely 8. Even way back then, i had a dream to own that oven. Yea.. i am a pretty weird kid.

Thanks to my baby sister, i am back to my baking days :) This house will smell of cinnamon and cakes and more burnt stuffs :) My sister does love me a lot.

Disaster No 1 - Banana Cinnamon Cake
My tray was way too big (i only had one tray at that time) and the dough portion was too small *LOL* The cake was barely even 1 cm thick.. hehehhee.. but the cinnamon saved the day. So it was edible. I don't usually read instructions properly especially when i am baking.

Disaster No 2 - Baked Lemon Chicken
Tray size is correct this time. But too much lemon. It leaves a *twaaaaaannng* taste in the mouth.. hahahahahaha Still edible as both dad and i were hungry and we only had chicken and a salad for dinner.

Disaster No 3 - Blueberry Muffins for Nessa's Birthday
In honour of Nessa's birthday last Saturday, we baked some blueberry muffins. This time it was better. How wrong can you go with pre-mix. *LOL* My colleague says that i am cheating when i use pre-mix *LOL* But premix also have some measurements that need to be measured too... like the oil and the water. Since i bought a small crummy plastic measuring cup (for temporary use) which don't have all measurements, i had to google to convert the measurements while stirring the mixture halfway. Ya ya.. read the instructions first before you start baking. I know i know. I don't do instructions properly. But hey.. this turn out pretty okay except for the few in the center which got burnt pretty fast in the top *LOL*
Note to self: Read the oven instructions before attempting to bake anything.

Disaster No 4 - Beef Lasagna
This was just yesterday. My dad's been wanting to make lasagna since he came home from his holiday at Jaiboo's home. My sister taught him how to make lasagna when he was over there. And he wrote the recipe in his book. I have never made lasagna before but since dad had a recipe all written nicely, we decided to do it. He was pretty excited about it and kept asking me what time can he start layering the stuffs. Being the smart ass and just looking at his recipe, we both grinned and said.. this should be easy enough. How did it turn out? hehehehhehee.. It was quite like eating cardboard. *LOL* Rule of thumb: With Google and Youtube... we should always check.. How to Make a Simple Lasagna before attempting to make lasagna without a few key ingredients. *LOL* Still edible because we were both hungry. Cardboard still taste good :) Oh.. we were too busy trying to munch on the cardboard that we forgot to take pictures of it :)

Hopefully we will post more about successes with the Oben than more failures. But hey... with each failure, we learn a new thing :) Failure Breeds Success! (that is if you learn from each failure and read instructions next time)

These two below are still waiting for their turn with the oven. Poor guys.




We did try.. we have been practising the whole day.. but both of us just couldn't synchronize like them corgis up there... so we are sorry. Piper is just too lazy to sit up straight. Its all his fault.

We got that lazy bum of the Anny to bake you some cake.. but she got lazy and just did some muffins for you. We already ate them for you.. noms nomsss nomssssssssssssssssssSSSS. But that lazy bum ate the most. Too much la that woman. She still have crumbs all over her shirt.


Hope you did have a wonderful day today with your loved ones. And hope you did have a great celebration. Remember age is just a number and being 16th is the best age to be. 

Happy Birthday Auntie Nessa
Love, Dommy

Happy Birthday Auntie Nessa
Love, Piper
Yes... my dad has a rocketship. And nop.. he is not a pilot :)

In this household, we have two cars. One is dad's and the other is mine. Both are just as broken and old as we both are but we are quite happy with it. We can park it anywhere and seriously... don't think anyone will want to steal it *LOL* My car is pretty banged up on the sides... as the porch is quite narrow and trying to fit two cars into the porch can be quite a task on somedays when you are sleepy or unattentive.

Just the other day, my dad was driving my car and when he tried to park my car into the porch... i was waving madly to ask him to stop.. but he nodded and keep grinning and moved forward with the car. Then there was i with eyes as big as marbles and my hands over my mouth.. speechless.. shocked. I heard the screeching sounds of the side of my car running through the pillar on the porch. Dad stopped grinning and happily reversed. Ahhh... not much damage as that side of the car is quite badly scratched. *LOL* And that is one of the reasons why we should both not be driving fancy smancy new cars.

Some days, i love to drive my dad's car more because the seats are higher and this car seems to have more power. You should see my dad driving this rocket. He whizzes by so fast.. i keep asking him where he's rushing off to. When we are going out, i don't let my dad drive anymore if i am in the car. I'll probably have a heart attack from jamming on the non-existent brakes on my passenger side the whole way if my dad is driving.

My dad went for a small procedure at the clinic last week. He's been under medication for the past few days. The medication made him woozy and weak. He didn't go anywhere in his rocketship. He didn't even go for his morning walks at the park to see his friends. But now that the medication is finished, he's back to his usual self and off he went whizzing in his rocketship just now. He told me he's going off to see mom at the church. He came back with a bag of muffins and some stuffs. Very proud of himself. But he told me later that he should probably take it easy these few days.

My siblings were back last weekend to see him. He was awfully happy that there's so many people around in the house. He even forgot that he was still woozy. Even though his mouth went.. "don't come back.. i am okay" but his heart was saying "come back come back and see me". He grinned happily knowing that everyone made time and came back. He had quite a big stream of visitors these past few days. His brothers and sisters all came by to see him too. Even his mobile keep ringing off and on.

It doesn't take much to make an old man happy. Seriously it doesn't :)

Even the small guy is back. He's staying behind for a holiday. Yes yes.. even a little doggie needs a holiday sometimes. He's right at my feet now. Another heartbeat at my feet. Life is wonderful.

Today is the sweetest day. And do you know why? Today is the sweetest girl's barkday :)


*shhh* We stole another cake. Hope you love your cake Sugar :)
This time we stole from www.cheekyweaselcakes.com/shop
They do some pretty neat cakes and natural treats.. its a dog bakery. 
A certain curly here would love to visit a dog bakery i am sure.

 
Her mommie has a big pawty for her. Let's all hop over to Sugar's home and join the pawwwwwty :) You can even see that she's all ready there singing and dancing to her birthday song.

SUGAR SIMA

Let the celebration rolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll...




When this old world starts a getting me down,
and people are just too much for me to face.
I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs and all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be and there the world below don't bother me, no, no.

So when I come home feeling tired and beat, I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet.
I'll get far away from the hustling crowd and all the rat-race noise down in the street.
On the roof, that's the only place I know, look at the city, baby.
Where you just have to wish to make it so, let's go up on the roof.

And at night the stars, they put on a show for free.
And, darling, you can share it all with me, that's what I said, keep on telling you
That right smack dab in the middle of town , I found a paradise that's trouble-proof.
 And if this old world starts a getting you down, there's room enough for two
up on the roof, up on the roof, up on the roof.
Everything is all right, every thing is all right.
You got the stars above and the city lights below, let's go up on the roof.




Up On The Roof ~ James Taylor
Its been a while since i bore you all with our life stories here. We have gotten busy with work lately and some of the work was giving us a lot of grief. But grief as grief be, we manage to get some sorted out and some still on the way.

When i am working, Dom sits nearby... a heartbeat at my feet. When i glance his way, his ears perk up and with a hopeful look... he seem to ask "are you free to play yet?" When i turn back to my work, i could sense disappointment.

Its great to be able to work from home and to have a furry one beside me. On really warm days, we both just lie on the floor and i'll give him some tummy rubs. He is easily satisfied. With back and tummy rubs, he rolls over and over and yelps in glee. We can go on and on with the tickle games and he will still yelp in glee. Such a simple minded creature. Not quite a creature of habit but certainly the most well behaved one. He does have better manners than some people i know. *LOL*

My dad usually sings with youtube on his computer while playing spider solitaire. He has the headphones on so as to hear better and to let me have some quiet time to work. But sometimes he sings out loud to some of his favourites and you know when he has the song on loop. He goes on and on with the same song. Sometimes by different singers of the same song. That's the wonder of Youtube.



Today my dad was singing this song by Hank Williams, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. At one point, i thought i heard him singing, I'm so lonesome i could die. Yes, we could get a bit melodramatic when we are bored. And when he stresses on the dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... i guess he must really be lonesome and bored.

Why do people get bored? We should fill our time creatively with things to do. For an old man who's been there and done that, don't you dare tell him to find things to do. *LOL* But what am i to do with my bored old man.

Everybody's busy living their own lives to notice this old man. Everyone has their things to do but not this old man. Even Dom is busy snoozing and running after cats.

Then it comes back to the issue of companionship. How important it is to have one to hold hands with when we are old and grey. My parents were the perfect siamese twins. They go everywhere together. They do everything together. But mom had to go first and left my old man to fend for himself.

I am not exactly one with a lot of patience. My dad tries very hard on some days to make me happy. He buys me breakfast everyday. He reminds me to drink water each time he passes by my window. He reminds me to sleep early. Sometimes it is a bit overwhelming because i have lived on my own for a while before i came home. He asks me a lot of questions in a day. Usually he asks me where are his things and if he kept it with me. My poor dad.

I live in a community where there's more old people around me than young ones. The young ones have fled to the city to work and build their own lives. When i was walking Dom the other day, i met my childhood friend's mom who lives few rows away. She was quite happy to chat with me and showed me all the things she has planted in her garden. She even asked me if i wanted this plant and that plant.

I asked if my friend has come home lately. With downcast eyes, she said... she hasn't come home since Chinese New Year. But she still defended her own child and said, you know she's busy. Chinese New Year is like six months ago. And to come back and see your mom is just a two hours drive away. How busy can you be. I told her, if she can't come back, you go over there to see her. Then she smiled. She continue to chatter away about the vegetables on her plot and ask if i wanted to take some home. Makes me miss my own mom.

How busy are we really. Our parents were never too busy to give us the time of day. I'll end this post with one of the seasonal Petronas commercials by Yasmin. She keeps reminding us about filial piety even in death. May God Bless her soul.


We are using this blog for a test today :) If you are passing by, hope you love this song.
Its a cover by Emi Fujita. I'll Have to say I Love You in a Song.
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