My boss told me that we have to make hay while the sun shines. Make Hay.. Make Hay he says. Usually he doesn't come up with such phrases. He's usually a yes.. no.. k... go ahead kinda guy. So i ask for some hay. That made him laugh but he did send me some hay.

Summer holidays are almost over but we didn't seem to have our lull period this year. We had Myanmar... and we have a lot of things to do with Myanmar.

With the extra hay, i sent my dad and nephew off to Krabi for a short holiday. A 20 and a 70+ year old man. What could possibly go wrong in Krabi? Its just a collection of islands. For starters.. they almost missed their flight as the checking in queue became too long when they spent too much time having lunch at McDs.. *LOL* But it went smoothly after that. They even got to go to Nosey Parker for elephant rides thru the jungle. My dad have never sat on an elephant before so he had a good time i think.

I had a great time when i was in Krabi with my lover urmm friend. We went on motorcycle rides without helmets and went everywhere without a care in the world. It was a very happy time and we almost missed our flight out too. We were staying 2 islands away from the airport and the ferry wait was horrendous. But Ko Lanta was beautiful. It was memorable to just be... there.

We (my siblings and i) sometimes become overly protective of my dad. I do not allow my dad to drive at night as his eyesight is not too great on one eye. I drive him to church on Saturdays. But other than that, i don't really do everything for him. Sometimes he just gets lazy and be with his ipad for many hours a day and keeps sighing and sighing.. he's bored.. hahahhahaha. When my mom was around, these two siamese twins will go everywhere together. If you see one, you'll see the other.

When we go on holidays, we would prefer that people do not call us. I didn't call them at all. If they are in trouble, they will call me. I am sometimes overly confident that they will be okay. On the other hand, my eldest sister insist on calling all the time. She even called me from Hong Kong Disneyland to complain about dad. *LOL* I told her to put down the damn phone and go enjoy Disney. Crazy.. yes.. i have quite a circus in the family.

I stay with my dad with Dommy and some strange cats at the porch. Boy comes back during his semester breaks. Its a strange arrangement but i seem to be the most convenient one to take care of my old man. Dad doesn't really need taking care of. He's usually up and about by 6.30am and off to meet his friends at the park. As long as he is happy (and just a tad bored), i guess we'll just keep on staying here till we find new adventures.

My mom passed away 5 years ago. I spent the first 3 years grieving and just blanked out. Each day i had to deal with a very angry dad who compares my cooking with mom's. He pushes so much that sometimes i just cry and cry at night. Most of the time i was just crying because i missed my mom. After 3 years i discovered the tv again. It became a place to just numb the weariness of the day away.

This year, i realised that i was watching too much tv and just not doing anything productive with myself. I do know how to do a lot of things but i don't do it because i am lazy. After one of those days when too much cat watching got me into trouble again with dad, i went to seek shelter.

I've always have a very close unit of friends and colleagues. I missed them all the time as they are in another town and state. My colleagues were like my sisters. The longest hours of my life used to be when i am in the office. We laughed and joked and did all the stupid things. We bitched too but when one is in trouble, we always get together to help out. When mom passed away, the whole group of them came all the way in a taxi to just see my mom and me. They being here with me touched me deeply.

I found my shelter in the arms of some furries. While i am not doing that much to help them, they have in turn helped me a lot by making me smile more and be happy. I made quite a lot of new friends too. Some old, some young and quite a funny mixture of people. I am practically the kid in the group.

On Sunday mornings, i sneak off to the shelter and help them take photographs of the shelter cats to post them on facebook. I've always loved how HeARTs Speak helps the shelters by using photos and art to effect social change. I am not as good as the photographers in HeARTs Speak but practise makes perfect. I'll get there some day.

A picture can speak a thousand words. A good picture of my furry friends can up their chances of getting adopted. Taking pictures of cats is quite easy as some of them loved to pose and they don't really move much. You just got to sit with them for a few hours.. play with them.. connect and you become part of them. Usually i shoot blind as i want to connect by looking at them... they look back and i get a good head shot. I've never really seen so many different types of cats in one place. They are so beautiful and each have their own special traits.

Usually i'll take a few hundred pictures on a Sunday and post their pictures on the days that follow till i get to Sunday again. They i go seek my shelter again. Sometimes its about me needing them more than they needed me. They helped me find my balance... somehow.

Some of the furries have become my friends and most of them will just wait their turn to jump on my lap. Its heartwarming and fulfilling. Some of them have been in the shelter for a long time. Our shelter in Ipoh is a no-kill shelter. That also means that we have to go the extra mile to get some adopted so that there will never be overcrowding.


I do not know if you'll be able to view this short movie above (which is a mighty big file). They are of some of my friends at the shelter.

On another note, i went to see my friend last weekend in Kuala Lumpur. She still have not decided to go for the mastectomy yet. She'll probably live longer than me perhaps or go out with a bang. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. But its her life and if she chooses to go this way, we as friends will support her and try to be happy when we are with her. I would have liked to just club her and dragged her off to the hospital to get the tumour out but the laws do not allow me to do such foolish things. A person still has the right to choose how he/she wants to live.

We had a good weekend just laughing about stupid things. We talked about crap and crapping. Laughed about dumbness and how dumbness do not solve problems but it was a good weekend. Here's my friend again. Her hair has grown. Her short crop is quite nice. The other girl is my good buddy too. Can you see me... ? I'm the one in the middle with the camera *LOL*


My poor Dommy has been so patient with me and with my unfaithfulness. When i come back from the shelter, he's usually so happy he'll do leaps on his thin legs. Why we should always adopt and give a chance to older dogs/cats to have a forever home. Rescued dogs and cats will come with a history but most of them are grateful. They are grateful for a warm meal, a warm bed and someone to love.

When i was growing up with asthma, i was not allowed to touch or go near animals with furs. My dad still am afraid of me spending most of my time with Dom. Dom is furry.. hehehehehe He'll probably have a fit if he knows i am at the shelter with so many cats. Sometimes we are too afraid to die we forget to live.

Whatever we do, i guess the most important thing is making the moment count. Just be with the people and furries that makes you happy. Everyday is a bonus.

12 woofs:

Sandee said...

I'm glad everyone had such a great time. That's what life is all about.

Have a terrific day and scritches to Dom. :)

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We don't understand this 'having to contact people by phone several times a day' especially on holiday.

You just can't replace good friends...human or animal.

XXXOOO Daisy, bella & roxy

georgia little pea said...

Dear Anny,

I learnt a lot about you today. You've had a tough few years but I think you're coming out of it. I hope telly hasn't made you stupid yet. There's always a chance of that happening you know (as it has with me). Duh. You're doing good work with the shelter cats. Are there no dogs there? I think you take terrific pictures, having seen your other blog.

Relationships with parents can be difficult. I had lots of ups and downs with mine. I think I let my dad down in the end, which is obviously something you're NOT doing. You're a good person Anny Oon, and I hope your life gets exciting and happier soon. Want to move to Ecuador? :)

HUGS to you and Dom X

georgia little pea said...

P.S. forgot to mention that I love that picture of your friends :)

sprinkles said...

This was a great post! I learned so much about you.

I would love to ride an elephant someday!

I think my pets have helped me more than I've helped them too.

I'm glad your friends were there for you when your mom passed away. After my dad died, my friends weren't there for me at all. Some friends have never even acknowledge his death at all. Luckily, my online friends were there for me.

booahboo said...

GLP,

Telly has made me stupid and brilliant at the same time :D it depends on what i am watching :D
There are loads of dogs at the shelter too... about 300++. The vet i work with told me to just do the cats.. first. Start small... :) Both sides are managed by different people.

I have my good and bad days with dad. He's not unkind.. he's just angry.. lonely and bored. If not for Dom, i might have bolted long time ago. I do not wish to have many regrets in life.

Ecuador sounds great! maybe one day... i'll visit Cushion and you there.

booahboo said...

Sprinkles.. elephant rides are a great experience. It just brings a big big grin to the face :D its exhilarating!

i think our pets and most animals teaches us to be more human.

sometimes some online buddies make great friends too... i know i have a few!

Ann said...

You summed it all up very nicely by saying make the most of every moment.

the booker man said...

miss anny!!!

i totally missed you and dommy and piper so very super much! it's really really good to be back at your bloggie again!
thankies for being a little vulnerable like and sharin' about your experiences. it sure does sound like you've been through lots. me and asa and mama are very glad that you've got close friendz to help see you through. and i hope you know that your bloggie friendz care to help see you through the hard stuff 'n thingies, too.
thankies for helpin' take care of those kitties at the shelter. there is no such thingie as a small job when you are providin' the lovins 'n cares for the less fortunate -- animals or hoomans.
oh, and georgia little pea is right on. you are takin' the bestest care of your daddy. he is a lucky ducky to have you watchin' after him.

*woof*
the booker man

pee s -- btw, my mama LOOOVES that bacon tease video. you have no idea how many times she's watched that on the youtubes. overandoverandoverandover again. *sigh*

Restnrileks said...

Olla Anny,

Terima kasih atas ucapan di restnrileks.

Tau tak apa yang rizal suka bila anny datang komen di restnrileks, anny selalu di dalam keadaan gembira sehingga terasa aura. Selalu buat rizal tergelak kecil bila baca komen anny.

Anny banyak lalui pengalaman tu, dan rizal harap anny berjaya lalui dengan penuh tabah dan semangat. Rizal kena belajar dengan semangat anny yang selalu tersenyum. : )

Rizal memang setuju kena buat yang etrbaek dalam apa jua keadaan dan hidup pada masa sekarang. Sokongan rakan-rakan penting dan adalah penting untuk ada kawan yang boleh bersusah payah dengan kita.

Selamat yang terbaek anny.

Terima kasih sebab berkongsi sedikit sebanyak kehidupan anny dengan kami. :)

yuki and rocket said...

It's not very often that I see a post as long as yours and read it from beginning to end, but i really love the way you write. you are very good writer, very honest, so much so that i want to keep reading because you make the reader (me) feel your emotions. You've been through a lot and it seems it's made you a stronger person.

georgia little pea said...

Sorry to hear about your dad. He must still be missing your mum. Aren't there any social clubs there he could join? Some old friends to hang out with? you're a good daughter, Miss Oon :) X

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