Happy Niu (Ox) Year

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wishing everyone a prosperous Niu year in 2009.

I've been really busy... err.. I truly know that this is not a good reason for abandon my blog for more than 2 months. Anyway, I'm back since I'm free now. LOL

Just a quick update. I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and housekeeping most of the time, yet no time for baking even though I wanted to bake so much for this Chinese New Year. If you were to ask me if I can cook well, I guess I just have to leave it to those who have tried my cooking before. Let me share with you some of my cooking… *don’t expect much ya*

Bagutte for Breakfast...

Pan-fried Salmon and Salad... and Beer of course... for dinner

84 days later...

One of my friends complains that I have not been updating my blog for about 2 months (indeed, it’s close to 3 months, my dear). Well, perhaps I shouldn’t say it’s a complaint; it’s more like a compliment to me, which they miss reading my blog and that they would like to know what really happen to me recently. They really warm my heart with their love and care.

Life was pretty busy for the last three months. Busy for??? Big stuff in life I guess, but definitely not about the wedding or anything close to that. Indeed, renovation, touch-up and house-keeping took much of my time and yet it is still eaten up big part of my time until today. It’s always the biggest dream to posses my own house, my home sweet home and life is just so complete and wonderful to have it finally.

I’m glad that everything has come out nicely as planned and I just can’t wait to share this excitement and joy of my life with you, my fellow friends. No matter how hard I wish I could invite you for my house warming party, the mess just halts me from doing so.

So, friends, I know you feel like paying a visit, but please bear with me at the moment, okay? The day will come soon, I promise. I must ensure I have at least a couch for you to sit on, right? *wink*

Without you...

Looking out the front door, I don’t see him in the crate waving his tail in a way asking me to free him. At night, when it’s time for dinner, I don’t see him wandering in front of the house in a way hoping me to remember to feed his hungry stomach. When I step out from the bathroom after shower, I don’t see him lying on the floor in the house waiting for me to pat him and play with him. I always thought that life without him could be so much easier, but not until I’ve tasted it. It’s heartbreaking without him and life just turns to be so dull. I start to understand mom’s feeling when her children are not around. I keep worrying if he eats well and sleeps well. I keep wondering if he is comfortable with the new environment… Does he mix well with his new friends? Do they take good care of him? Do they bathe him often? There are so many questions in my mind and so I decided to ring them up for his condition. To my relief, he is doing alright with the new environment, not much problems, as according to the caretaker. This is the third week and hopefully I’m allowed to pay him a visit this weekend.

p/s: I’ve sent my pet to the caretaker’s home as the evil neighbour beastly J lodged a complaint to the city council after we’ve called up the police that he did massive sabotage to our property and the pet.

The Angel beside Me

Angie is the name to call.

She has been here beside me for more than a year’s time and I always wanted to share with you how nice this person is but time never allows, not until today.
Probably it’s her personality or whatsoever that has made her a good listener, and that I feel comfortable sharing my thought and feeling at any time I’m happy or upset. I’m certainly more than happy to lend her my ears on her story that she is willing to share.
Do we gossip about others? Hmm… No, I don’t think we do. We are more into personal stuffs, like our pets, family, the other half… you know that kind of stuffs, some truly private talk.
She is 3 years younger than me, that makes me feel like we are more like siblings, but most of the time, it’s she takes care of me most of the time even though I’m elder and I do feel that I’m such a useless butt.
She is an outgoing person; her talkative and easy-going behaviour brings many friends to her, and certainly she draws most of the attention whenever she goes.
But please don’t be fooled by all these, she does have serious face at times. If she is so focus at work, she would even ignore you though you want to chit-chat with her. At most, she would just say, “huh?” and then continue working on her tasks.
I don’t know how long we will be here like this, but I do hope the longer the better, at least my time will be full of joy and amusement.

Now, what if I tell you she is not really a she, but a he? *evil laugh*
Guess who this Angie is and why.

The Month Full of Excitement

Time ticks so fast that it’s now the second half of month July.

Life seems getting a lot better than in June. *touchwood* I am not sure if it’s because of him who has helped me out to settle most of the problems, or things are getting clearer now. Whatever it is, I am definitely more comfortable at this stage, except the annoying major break out around the T-zone.

I must tell you that life is just so excited every minute since the day our house undergoes massive renovation. I’m so energized right now having to think of how wonderful the house will look like after the renovation and there are always new surprises each time we visit the house. And hey, I’m going to see her this weekend. Oh, I just can’t wait to be there. *muaks*

The Repayment for Loyalty

A mommy dog surrounded by 4 puppies that are taking their turns for milk should make up a nice and warm picture for sharing, but not until you find them in this situation.

A black mommy dog feeding 4 puppies with 1 already dead lying beside them was found in the City Dog Pound this morning. I could hardly hold back my tears after seeing them in the big dog cage, which their fate is known to be somewhat negative. They will be seized by the officers if no one claims them back within 1 to 2 weeks’ time. And what saddened the thing is that there are at least 30 dogs in the Dog Pound just today, which have been abandoned by human! It breaks my heart seeing some dogs bleeding due to skin disease being quarantined in poor environment with no medical aid, probably just waiting to be seized. And it surprises me when I found one of the sick dogs to be a Golden Retriever! Why do people have to dump these poor animals that were once their loved one when they can save their lives and change their fate by paying the vets for curing them?

The condition and environment seems a little better in the SPCA, short for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but there are still countless dogs being abandoned and some waiting for adoption. I feel a little warmer seeing some young kids playing with the dogs, bringing them out for a couple of hours’ walk, at least they shower the poor animals with love even though they cannot bring them home.

Isn’t human’s responsibility to take good care of the animals since the day they adopted them and treat them as their family members? Shouldn’t we, the human, treat these poor animals nicely as they treat us like their best buddy? Looking at the situation they are now in these places, are we repaying these poor animals exactly what they have offered us?

May the bad things end…

Life is a tough combat in this June. have been encountering at least 4 real sickening things for the past 30 days. As a result, major spots break out! *sigh*
That beastly J is on his move again, abusing my dog! What do you think I can do besides lodging a police report? I thought it’s a wise move, at least the police said they will warn that fellow for no more second time else they will put him into the jail, but they never keep their words for giving warning to him, they never show up! *Sigh*

I pray hard for these awful things to end in June and please give me back my porcelain complexion. Go away acne!

God bless me!

Did you hear my prayer?

Just realize that I have only published one post in June! Sorry guys, I’m just not in the mood for blogging. This June seems to be a not so good month to me. Hiccups and obstacles everywhere and I just have to spend maximum effort to overcome everyone of them. If those are challenges in life, can God don’t deliver them to me at the same time? It’s pretty hard to get over them all at once; especially the progress in fixing defects for my house by the developer is extremely slow that keeps bugging me up. Can I hit the emergency brake, get down from the car and take my time for relaxation before continuing the journey? I’m seriously tired in everything. I wish I can sleep a whole night long without waking up suddenly from nightmares.

Dear God, can you realize my birthday wish this year? It has been the same wish I ask for in many years but it still hasn’t come true. Did you hear my prayer?

Huge Pressure in Life

I should be happier this month, the day that only comes once a year. Looking at my financial status versus the recent huge price hikes on the basic needs, there isn't much reason for me to stay happy. *sigh*

The prices for things like cement, bricks, steel and other raw materials for building construction has shot up this June. Besides, the price for rice and other edible stuff has also increased. How do we overcome the situation when the increment of our pay check is never in line with the inflation? *sigh*

Today, the government has announced the new price for petrol is $2.70 a litre, effective midnight tonight. The price goes up by $0.78 from the current $1.92, a hike of 40%. That means, with the same amount of mileage, it will cost me $90 extra per month for the petrol and that would make up $1080 a year since the hike. Although that wouldn't take up much of my salary, but imagine... the price of rice has shot up about 30% this month resulting in a pack of 10kg rice costs around $45. Price hikes cause chain effect in the entire market, the hawker has increased their price by 10% to anticipate that, and I definitely need to pay 10% more for a simple meal, i.e. if I am paying $500 per month for food, I guess by now I have to pay an extra of $50 for the same old things or probably smaller portion. Do you feel the pressure of life? Still no? Well, put yourself into my shoes, the government decided to have majority of the raw material price for building constructions lift when I am just about to start the renovation of my new house with great extension. Will I need to revise my extension plan? I hope the answer is no. Whatever it is, I'm struggling so hard to survive in this ever changing and very competitive world.

God bless me! It's my birthday this month and I hope the prices will go down tomorrow. However, people say any wishes make that are known to others will not come true. True?

Rare uncontacted tribe photographed in Amazon

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Amazon Indians from one of the world's last uncontacted tribes have been photographed from the air, with striking images released on Thursday showing them painted bright red and brandishing bows and arrows.

The photographs of the tribe near the border between Brazil and Peru are rare evidence that such groups exist. A Brazilian official involved in the expedition said many of them are in increasing danger from illegal logging.

"What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilized' ones, treat the world," Jose Carlos Meirelles was quoted as saying in a statement by the Survival International group.

One of the pictures, which can be seen on Survival International's Web site (http://www.survival-international.org), shows two Indian men covered in bright red pigment poised to fire arrows at the aircraft while another Indian looks on.

Another photo shows about 15 Indians near thatched huts, some of them also preparing to fire arrows at the aircraft.

"The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct," said Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International, which supports tribal people around the world.

Of more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in either Brazil or Peru, Survival International says. It says all are in grave danger of being forced off their land, killed and ravaged by new diseases.

Tag: More pictures here.