We are going on the road tomorrow morning. So we are gonna cheat a bit schedule a post and hopefully Blogger will help us post it up tomorrow to continue with our Matchaton with GLP. I can't wait till the 7th day. *LOL*
We are running out of material to post as its almost gonna be 12 and we have not packed at all. *LOL*
My nephew is going to be confirmed tomorrow. He's going to be 17. I am not even baptised yet. It will be a nice break for dad... and to play catch up with my siblings too.
Dommy's all ready... and all puffed up and pretty from today's shower and home groom. Hope he still smells nice in the car tomorrow.
We are going off to see Mr P. We'll bring the big old gigantic camera.. and hopefully be able to catch some pictures while we are there.
Hoping not to bore you all too much, we plugged in some mooziks for you from youtube. I grew up listening to these oldies which were not OLDIES back then. We listen to these songs in the car.. at home and whereever there's a radio. You can almost gauge how old i am from these songs. *LOL*
Its all my papa's songs. I swear! Enjoy.
Curly is already snoooooozing.
Note to GLP's Typist:
3 posts and 4 more to go. YAY! Then we are freeeeeeeeeeeeee freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee i tell you. FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! How and why did i let you talk me into this.. wanna call it quits? hahahhahahaa
Don't you just love oldies. They sing more about love and fun. The lyrics are more simple and true. And catchy.
I love oldies because i am an old soul. I love oldies because i grew up listening to all these songs but they were not oldies back then :) That kinda makes me old now :D
The Platters were and still remain one of my favourites.
My dad just got his ipad loaded with loads of oldies. He's been blaring the songs every single day and that kind of makes him happy. Someone has been very kind to share all their oldies with him. Now he's more occupied with singing. He won't get up to answer the phone and he won't get up to answer the door. So try calling him now. *LOL*
To be at his age, life can get a bit lonely. He sends me and my siblings emails everyday even though he's just sitting in the hall. He forwards a lot of funnies, thought provoking things and gentle reminders sometimes.
Here's one of the gentle reminders he sent yesterday which i think that i should share it here with all of you. Its a very long poem. I am sure some of you would have stumbled on it before.
Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses?. . . . . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking. . . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man,. . . . . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit. . . . . . . with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food. . . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice. . . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice. . . . . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . . . . . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not .. . . . . . . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . . you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . . . . . . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen. . . . . . . with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now. . . . . . . a lover he'll meet
A groom soon at Twenty. . . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows. . . . . . . that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now. . . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide. . . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . . . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young son. . . . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me. . . . . . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more,. . . . . . . Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children. . . . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me. . . . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future. . . . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing. . . . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years. . . . . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man. . . . . . . and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age. . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles. . . . . . . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone. . . . . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass. . . . . . . A young man still dwells,
And now and again. . . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys. . . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living. . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years all too few . . . . . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . . . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man. Look closer. . . . . . . see. . . . . . . ME!!
My dad is quite a cranky old man too. On some days, i actually tune out. Mentally drained. But its not so bad nowadays. I've learnt to cope and he has learnt not to be too cranky on me... sometimes.
Try watching the news on tv with him. He'll curse and swear at all the government issues in the country *LOL*. You do not know whether to laugh or cry or just run to another room. Try driving with him in the backseat. You'll wish you can just stop the car in the middle of traffic and run out. For every other thing, he will find some negative thing about it.
But when i get too quiet, he will worry. *LOL*
My dad buys me breakfast every morning after his walks. He bought a whole lot of ham and bacon when he saw that i was so sad when Dom was not eating. He told me... give him some ham. Dom will surely eat ham. He folds all the clothes in the house after the laundry. He wipes my car all the time. He buys me food when i am sick.
How can i be angry with my cranky old dad. They might be cranky most of them time. But i guess if i am at his age and have aches and pains everywhere and with no one to talk to except Dommy and Piper... i could be cranky too.
Be nice to your old folks and if they get too cranky and grumpy, just tune out if you cannot take it. Don't pick fights with them. Don't hurt them with words. Silence is always the better weapon. Its funny. When i am silent, people are always afraid. ^.^
Dom is getting much better. Still wearing his road construction orange top. Still sleeps a lot. But he is eating more. Still loves chicken stew and raw fish. Still handfed. I think he just likes the idea of handfeeding.
Some people say that i should stop handfeeding him and just let him eat on his own or starve. They say that he will eat eventually when he's hungry. I only have one Curly. I don't think i can get to heartless yet. He must eat.. and be well first. He does have springs on his legs again :D
Thursdays. What usually happens on Thursdays? Nothing much actually. It has been a slow day at work with not many people buzzing me :D Its been a slower day here in our town. Warm and just very warm. Today is the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. After 15 days, i am sure we could all let our tummies have a little rest.
Lonesome Town is the song my papa's been listening to currently. He's been singing it over and over again these past few days.
My papa celebrated his 70th birthday last Sunday. My siblings were back and papa's siblings too. We had quite a big bash at the restaurant. We celebrated our uncle's 60th birthday and my nephew's 1st birthday plus a CNY gathering. We had a private room with 5 tables and karaoke and lots of "happy spirits". A lot of dancing and singing and howling. *LOL*
My dad didn't want a big bash as my mom is no longer around. But his siblings insisted that birthdays must be celebrated. We don't get to choose our families but families should always stick together through good times and bad.
Some things money cannot buy is family.
papa's cake
Here's the cake by Missy Nancy Chong. Missy Nancy Chong is a very famous baker in Ipoh my hometown. We always love to order her cake as its super dooper nice. Its just a simple butter marble cake with butter icing. But her cakes have stood the test of time. I had these cakes since i was a kid. Even royalties and big wigs love her simple cakes.
She just operates her business from her home. Her cakes looks the same. Same icing.. same colors all through the years. I requested for a green base this time as green is my papa's favourite color.
Missy Nancy's pretty old now. I saw her in the kitchen still icing the cakes just the way she did long time ago. She is a very nice lady. If you are in Ipoh, don't forget to order her cake. The nicest butter cake ever. I got a mighty big sweet tooth too.
all the cakes @ the party
We are a very "sweet" family. *LOL* The amount of sweetness in the cakes will last us a whole year.
Dommy didn't get any cake... as it was very sweet but when we came back from dinner, he had gone thru the extra bag of trash which was not in the bin and helped himself to some icing. Bad Dommy Bad.
Its all quiet here now at home. Everyone's gone back home to the city. We are back to lonesome town.
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 going on a summer holiday.. no more working for a week or two. Fun and laughter on a summer holiday. No more worries for me or you for a week or two. We are going where the sun shines brightly.. we are going where the sea is blueeeeeeeeee...."
Cliff Richard. My eldest sis was such a big fan of Cliff Richard. Was and still is. She used to sing his songs over and over and over again when we were kids. She went nuts when she saw/hear him sing. *LOL* I still see a sparkle in her eyes when she hears Cliff Richard over the radio today. Summer Holiday is the song from my childhood. We used to sing it in the car when my parents took us for roadtrips. We used to go for many roadtrips way back then.
My dad is humming this song quite happily now. He is having his headphones on in the hall and singing quite loudly :) Maybe he is getting pretty excited and happy that we will be going off for a short roadtrip this weekend. We are going off to see Anne and to some beaches and finally to stuff ourselves silly with food. Hawker food :D Yum yum...
We have summer all year round here in Malaysia. We melt especially on a February when we get intense warm weather. Staying under the shower seems like the best thing to do in February.. and even now. I probably shouldn't complain so much about the lack of rain. In some parts of the world, rain is creating much havoc.
We have a giveaway coming up soon :) If you are interested to win a voucher to shop online, come back here tonite. I'll probably be done drafting it out by then. Its just a simple contest. All you have to do is just leave a comment. We'll do an old fashioned way of drawing a winner and walla! We will have a winner then.
PP is coming home tomorrow. Yippppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Here i was watching tv and Glee. Then i heard this song which was sung by Kurt and Rachel. I thought Kurt sounded pretty good on this. Loved his boyish charm.
Its been a while since i caught up with my tv time :) Glee was a nice comeback to tv. We just came back three days ago from our short holiday with dad.
Dommy was sick with a bout of diarrhea when we took him back from the pet boarding place. Even though he was sick, he was still so happy and excited to see us, i guess he forgot about his sickness. It is a joy to see him when we went to pick him up. His joyful welcome back which he showered to us made me felt bad for leaving him for so many days.
The guy at the pet boarders place mentioned that Dommy was just sitting at the couch and looking at the door for those few days he was there. In his mind he must have thought that we have dumped him and never coming back. Now he tails me like my shadow.. hahahahahaha At least he had Piper to keep him company. Poor Piper was worried sick too and just hid in a corner and refused to mix with the other dogs.
Even though we brought their own food to the pet boarders place, Dommy still came back with diarrhea. I guess he must be stressed and dehydrated. And he didn't get to go for his walks. A bit of straining on the poo side and not enough fluids probably made him sick.
He's getting better now. I boiled some rice water for him which he gladly drank to line his guts. Yesterday he had some rice with carrots and potatoes. Hopefully he'll be back to normal self soon. I'll have to take him to his vet next week for his yearly distemper jabs or when he's back to his normal self. Now he's on house arrest.
Good thing Piper was okay and his poo was all nice and not runny.
I've been a bit under the weather too since yesterday. Must have caught the flu bug when i was back in the office to collect some of my old debris and to say my goodbyes to my two colleagues who will be moving back home to work too.
It will be lonely to work at home in the beginning. But with the traffic getting from bad to worse in Kuala Lumpur, it is a better option to work at home and save on petrol and stuffs. Working at home is not all that bad. We get to manage our time better and the quality of life can be better.
Its all about self discipline when you work at home. I am sure both my colleagues will enjoy their time at home. I was at one of my colleague's house to help her setup her system today. We fixed everything but the printer. For the life of me, i couldn't get it to print. *LOL* It must have been the wind in my head and my woozy head.
I did have had a wonderful holiday with my dad and my sister. We went here there and everywhere. Going on a holiday with my father was a wonderful experience and we have many happy memories to keep. I guess my sister who is in a foreign land now is waiting for me to tell our travel stories. I'll keep my holiday memories here too as my memory is failing me each day *LOL* I gotta go get myself some gingko biloba to help with the memory department.
Let me start by telling you about Billy.
Defying Gravity is a song from the musical "Wicked". Defying gravity is also about flying against convention and finding your own self and way even when you are told that you can't.
I got something to own up now. Today's the 17th December... and our Christmas tree is not up. *LOL*
We are not going to be home for Christmas this year. But that's not really a valid reason not to put up the tree and make my old man happy. I'm just lazy. Really.
My batteries are finally depleted and i'm just bumming around these few days :) Its kinda fun just bumming around.
Every home needs an anchor. Mommies are always the anchor in a home. The anchor keeps everyone and everything in place. The anchor decides on things to be done for the home. The anchor keeps the home alive and filled with laughter.
We lost our anchor in 2007. Ever since then, we all keep going off somewhere for Christmas.. hahhahaa. We run away. Christmas reminded us too much of our anchor. Even last year, i put up the Christmas tree with only Dommy by my side. I scooted off too after that.
What is Christmas without a tree?
Well.. i hope to put up our Christmas tree tomorrow since Boy came back tonite. We always need a kid around when the tree is up. After our tree is up, we'll be going off on our road trip :)
Christmas is the only time of the year when i really take a break. We have our yearly shutdown and i hope to get some alcohol to drown myself... hahhahahaha Its been a while since i had a drink and i have been thirsty :D
Hopefully... i'll have a picture to share with you guys tomorrow of our tree... or any tree :D
Karen Carpenter was a wonderful part of my childhood memories :) We grew up listening to her quite a lot. She has such an angelic voice. May she rest in peace.
Christmas has always been special even when we were little. We don't have a christmas tree then but we still sing christmas songs each december and wait for good ole santa to come in the big big bus (yes bus! and not a sleigh) with the carolers from the church.
Santa will bring with him lotta sweets for the whole neighbourhood kids. Some younger kids will be so scared of santa somehow.. *LOL* Some years we get big big santas that go booming ho ho ho.. and on some years.. the santa's a bit thin. But we still love that part of christmas :)
The last time the carolers came to our house to sing was a few years back when mom was still around. They had a good time challenging the motion sensor reindeer toy that we hanged on the door. When they reached a higher pitch.. the "clapping motion reindeer" will go HO HO HO and break off into a christmas song on its own. The carolers sang louder and louder to set the reindeer off. Everyone had a good laugh and lotta fun that night.
Jim Reeves is very much a part of our Christmas. We only had that one cassette by Jim Reeves for christmas carols way back then. Every Christmas, Jim will come out from the drawers and sing again :) Jim was even in the car when we go out. I think i still kinda like his christmas carols.
Christmas is just round the next bend. Dommy and i will probably take leave soon here and be off on our Christmas break and hopefully wean off some internet time :)
Papa is listening to this right now. He's singing... humming.. whistling. Today must be a happy day for him :)
He spends many hours on the computer on YouTube & Spider Solitaire almost everyday. I think he loves YouTube more than his other games on his Gameboy that the kids left with him.
Maybe i should consider getting him his own netbook so he'll always have YouTube and Spider Solitaire on hand and never be bored wherever he goes.
I leave songs that my papa listens to here so that my sisters will know what he's up to. Most of these songs are from our childhood. I was not a fan of Cliff Richard. But eldest sister was. I remember her going awoo awooooooooooooooooooooooooooo over him *LOL* If she sees this post... she'll have my skin. hahhahahahaa
Its been a month ++ since both my dad and my sister last talked.. *LOL* This cold war is like going to go on forever. I wonder when they will be talking again. Maybe Christmas will bring them back again... hopefully. Maybe if mom was still around, this won't be happening.
On another note, i think i won't want to talk to any of my sisters till urmm.. urmm.. till the cold war is over. I create a new solo war. My war will be called.. No Speaking War.
"Home on the Range" is the state song of Kansas. Dr. Brewster M. Higley originally wrote the words in a poem called "My Western Home" in the early 1870s in Smith County, Kansas. The poem was first published in a December 1873 issue of the Smith County Pioneer under the title "Oh, Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam." (read more on Wikipedia)
Today is the first time i heard about Amy Belle and her songs. Love her voice... soothing. Guess who introduced her to me?
Papa... he has been listening to this other song... for a few weeks now. Keeps humming this song every single day. Today he told me about Rod Stewart and Amy Belle. So here is the song that my papa's been listening to constantly. Enjoy :)
I Don't Wanna Talk About It - Rod Stewart & Amy Belle
Papa is listening to this right now :D Today he is not wearing his headphones :D lot more songs to share with you and me.
We used to listen to this song quite often when we were growing up. We do love to sing along to this song. Especially when we got scolded or practically have a bad day, this rhyme usually comes up automatically.. so emo.
Sometimes children go through tough times and when parents get really angry, harsh words do come out unintentionally. If they can still sing like my sisters and i about it, i guess they will be ok. But if they keep it all pent up inside and be quiet about it, then it will not be quite healthy in the long run.
I know i am not a parent to comment but before you open your mouths to yell at your kids, do count to 10... mebbe in the process, half of the harsh words would be gone by then.
I haven't been posting much of my papa's songs lately even though he's still singing with Youtube everyday :) It is because he found the use of headphones *LOL*
I couldn't listen to what he is listening to anymore. But sometimes, he will turn on the speakers loudly and share his music with me.
Hope you'll like this too :) more on Paul Anka here on www.paulanka.com
I just love soppy love songs when i am bored.. Even Dommy is bored. He just sent me a loud sigh.. hahhahahaha
I have loads to do before the week is up but i am bored... hmmm.. restless maybe..
Oraits... catch you all later. Now i got to spruce up some work before i get barked at.. hehehee... Not only dogs bark. Humans can even bark viciously on yahoo *LOL* Don't ask me how i decipher them as barks... ^-^
This is one of the songs that my papa's been listening to a lot lately :) I'm sneaking this to you. Don't tell him *shush*
Fräulein (literally, "little woman" or "little Mrs.", colloquial form Frollein) is used as a title for young girls or unmarried women as opposed to Frau for married women. It is used with the first name or last name (Fräulein Anna or Fräulein Schmidt). courtesy from Wikipedia
This is one of my favourites from the great Nat King Cole. I love how the double bass makes the song livelier with a dup dup dup :) This makes a pretty good dancing tune with a loved one. Don't you think so? Close your eyes and soon you'll be dancing ;)
TGIF.. let's drop all your guards and go dancing :D
Its been a while since i posted a song. I've always loved the Beatles and the Beetle as well :D Hope you all will enjoy this song. It sure is a long and winding road to lead me back to your heart.
Here's the lyrics if you want to sing along to it :)
The long and winding road That leads to your door Will never disappear I've seen that road before It always leads me here Lead me to you door
The wild and windy night That the rain washed away Has left a pool of tears Crying for the day Why leave me standing here Let me know the way
Many times I've been alone And many times I've cried Any way you've always know The many ways I've tried
But still they lead me back To the long winding road You left me waiting here A long long time ago Dont keep me standing here Lead me to your door
But still they lead me back To the long winding road You left me waiting here A long long time ago Don't leave me standing here Lead me to your door.
Today my papa came back from Novena and told me that Father Rudy ask them to look for the above song on Youtube... because its a great song. It is a very meaningful song.
Sometimes when we go visit my mom at the church, there's this man who will always ask for a dollar or two. Sometimes people will give it to him... sometimes not. Sometimes people run quickly because he smells of liquor. I believe if we are not going to give, we should not judge him. I guess he was just looking out for angels among us too.
Today i drag my papa all over town at 1pm in the afternoon to test out his camera. We went from old town to new town to church and everywhere. We came back a few shades darker.. hahhahahaha.. but i guess he was happy.
At least now he knows how to use his camera. I was nagging.. err.. i mean.. not nagging.. err.. just talking.. hhahahaa.. telling my papa.. if you are not going to try to use the camera, it will gather moss. hahhahaha.. I mean.. if you are not going to test the camera, when you want to take pictures.. u won't know how to use it. And yada yada yada.. hahhahahaa.
But next time we go in the mornings for our photography outings. We were sweating a storm and it was a very very warm day today.
In life, when we lose our way or direction, we are sent angels in many forms. Sometimes it could be the doggy down at your feet who wags their tail at your every move. Sometimes it could be just a total stranger who gives a kind word. And sometimes its just friends you've never met but they appear all the time in your virtual world. With words of encouragement and smiles.
Today, Marzie posted a sad story about Mufasa (LJ's cat) who passed away. To some people, they would just say, its just a cat. Or.. its just a dog. But to people like us who love animals, they are our life.. and a good part of our life. Our pets are our angels when we are weary.
When you have to work alone, it is sometimes extremely quiet in the dead of the night. So you plug on your headphones and off you are in another world (without disturbing the whole neighbourhood and sound like a crazy nut singing in the middle of the night).. hehhehee
Oldies and my Papa's Songs seems more fun to listen to and they are simpler and easier to sing along :) Sometimes i need some other genre of music depending on what work is at hand.
Hope you all like Petula Clark. She was a blast during her time :)
". Defying gravity is also about flying against convention and finding your own self and way even when you are told that you can't.