If your dog was human, what would he/she do for a living or hobby?

My dog forum posted the above question. Let me see...

Haruki would be a food tester or a spa owner.


Mariko would be a FBI agent or a mattress tester.

My natural snooze button

For a long time now, I lived without an alarm clock in the house. My kids are up at the crack of dawn... and I let them out a crawl back to bed. They usually entertain themselves ...barking at everything and anything that moves and running up and down the yard. Somehow like clockwork, my boy will come into the room at 8.45am. At first, he'll sit quietly by the bedside. Then, the soft whines will start...followed by his high-pitched bark and foot nudges.

Today, my snooze-button boy rang four times and jumped on the bed twice to get me out of bed. That was even before my maid arrived.

You see, on Friday mornings, the maid comes at 8 sharp to clean the house. However, this morning...it rained so it really felt like 7 am. I was wondering why my boy was demanding I get up so early. When I finally got up, I found that it was already 9.30 and my maid had called in sick.

I suppose from now on I should not question my alarm clock!

Meet the Cousins

Today, my kids met their cousin Bowzer for the first time. Riko took an instant liking for the four month old beagle. She kept the cutie pie under her legs as much as she could.

Ruki sniffed and frisked him well to make sure he was not the enemy. Ruki was happy just being a spectator and occasionally showing fearless Bowzer who's the boss. Otherwise, he was just rolling about the grass after making trips to his dipping pool.

The kids got along well. It shows that they could get along with a third pup...not to say that I want another. No, two is just enough!

Meanwhile, my boy has been looking and acting like a St. Bernard these days. He's been submerging himself in the pool any chance he gets...and of course, the best time is always when we are getting ready to go to daycare! He also needs to sleep in an air-conditioned room... otherwise, he can't sleep. I need to find some time to send him to the groomers to trim his fur a bit...so that he looks a bit more decent. Half the time now, he looks like a wet mess from spending too much time in his pool.

I need him to look like this all the time. My dream dog (after grooming) Look at his aerodynamic waist line just a year ago!

I almost had a heart attack when...

...Grandpa told me he tried to let Mariko go off-leash outside.



Apparently, he took my girl out to the little green patch he uses with my boy. My girl was running up and down the patch off-leash. After two successful recall, Grand dad shouted "GO!"....and my girl LEFT the scene. She took off to the roads on her own!!!

This off-leash green zone connects our street with the next street. So, off she ran down the neighboring road .... looking back only to see when grandpa was frantically tailing her. She zipped right down to the end of the road. Luckily, she didn't cross the busy junction down the road to get to her usual walking circuit.

Thank goodness, grandpa caught up to her as she was trying to get to the next street. This is not the way I want to start my New Year!

Mariko Christmas and Haruki New Year!

I've been super busy lately and hadn't the chance to make a post here. I've still got backlog work to complete, emails and text messages to reply...which I have to (unfortunately) carry forward to this year. It's been crazy month. We hosted Boxing Day dinner last weekend....serving Eurasian-styled Devil curry, ratta yogurt salad, minced beef with potatoes and rice...with Pineapple-upside down cake for dessert.

Here's Mariko looking pretty with her Princess Leia crown. It's once a year I subject my kids to this ridiculous act.

My boy did not want anything to do with his santa hat. Since he's been "off-leash", he thinks he's a big boy now.


Today, we hosted our New Year Brunch...which I had only confirmed to hold yesterday when I finally had a chance to do grocery shopping. How did I spend midnight as the fireworks were blasting away? Well, I spent it on all fours on my kitchen floor! I spilled some batter in my still-running oven which seeped through to the kitchen floor. Geez...I hope this "clean-up messes" is not indicative of the year ahead!! *touch wood*

This morning... of all mornings, my kids decided to let me sleep in...when I was supposed to be preparing for brunch! Luckily, I was awaken by my mobile phone ring at 9am. So, my kids had their New Year breakfast feast outside while I was cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Even in meals...they are in formation...right up to their tails. ;)


In the end, our New Year brunch turned out great...despite the last-minute shopping and using untested recipes I was admiring a few days back. I glad that I managed to make my quiche after talking about doing so for a whole year. Finally, last year's resolution crossed out this year!

Menu
Bacon-brie quiche (delish!)
Greek Baked pumpkin omelette
Breakfast sausages and portobello mushrooms sauteed with fresh herbs served with capsicum relish
Salad of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cranberries and toasted almond flakes with Italian dressing
Oatmeal buttermilk pancakes with blueberries
Freshly-squeezed lemonade with mint and coffee


And when it was all over, we were all dog-tired.

It felt like only yesterday....

...Little Mariko came home. I'm glad the kids get along swell. Riko idolizes her big brother. Ruki tolerates her being at his face and following his every move.

then...



now...my dogs in formation

Something smells

For the past week, it seems there is some kind of windfall of soup bones at day care. It might well be due to Grandma striking a little win from a lottery. So, the kids have been having giant bones to gnaw on during the day. Mariko seem to have an obsession to them. She decided to take one back from daycare on Monday. As it turns out, most nights this week, she has been gnawing a bone on the ride home. The car ride had been blissful until the car started to reek like the meat section of the supermarket.


So yesterday, I threw the bones out of the dogmobile into the garden for her prolonged enjoyment. All was well again when I went to bed.

You see, my bedroom is temperature-controlled for my boy. He prefers to sleep in near artic conditions. Apparently, the kids smuggled a bone in the bedroom. By the time I went to bed, I thought I had walked into a meat-packaging factory!

..except...the only bodies lying around were my kids!


After a trilogy of fart, poo and reeky odours.... I am desparate to see green pastures, fluffy clouds and blue skies by year end.

The ugly truth about being off-leash

Some weeks after my sprained ankle incident, I found out that grand dad has been taking my boy off-leash to a patch of grass next to the main road. I'm resolved to trying to stay positive about the whole idea. I'm also intrigued about knowing how it's done .... how you wake the boy from scent trance when it's time to go.

With my ankle still on recovery mode, I've mustered the courage to do some off-leash with the boy this week after dinner. On the first try-out, we went to the park down the road. Ruki went on his sniffing frenzy the moment he jumped out of the car. I was yelling at him every few minutes to stay close while walking my girl on leash. Now, every walk is not complete without a poo. So as Ruki started to squat down, I noticed his leash dangling at his behind. We rushed over to pull the leash from under but.. Too late...I got piping hot poo on my hand!! Yucks! We left the park hurriedly and I drove home with one hand on the steering wheel!

I had a feeling Ruki didn't get enough as it felt kind of rushed the first time. Like a pit (poo) stop. So, the next night...we were back again. This time, I'm trying to be calm about the whole thing...no dangling leash. Ruki was freely sniffing away. I was still calling him to stay close like every other second. When he reached the end of the path, he decided to climb up a hillside and disappeared into the darkness. Since I was in no condition to climb, Riko and I ran back to the car. As I was bundling the girl into the car, I heard running sounds coming from the darkness. It was Ruki racing down the road. Thank goodness! Immediately, I summoned him into the car. He did his last sniff and jumped up the car.

TOO SCARY...so far it's been sniff zombie, runaway boy, frantic "come here" shouts, zero recall and poo-in-the-hand.

One good thing is the prompt departure from daycare. They get harnessed-up before leaving daycare. So the dilly-dally Boy gets promptly into the car before he knows he's going off-leash in a while.

The not-so graceful side of Miss Riko

Last night...like every other night, I have my usual pep talk with my girl to let her know how good and how naughty she has been during the day. She takes in my lectures with such grace, patience and understanding...she could sit with me the whole night listening. Well...I think she enjoys head-and-neck scratch and belly rub more than anything else. So as she was enjoying herself yesterday...there was a sudden **poot** sound midway through our session. It startled the poor girl to her feet staring at her bum with a "what-was-that?" look in her face.

Hmmm...looks like someone had a bit too much of ginger and vinegar-cured meat from the table last night.

The curious case of Mariko Leong

For the past few weeks, Riko has been eating erratically again. On slow days, she spends breakfast hovering over her bowl trying swat flies, rather than eating. When she does eat, she's always chewing and looking at what's going on outside at the same time. On really slow days, we always end up having to hand-feed her. Sometimes she eats..sometimes, she doesn't even open her mouth for a kibble like a kid being forced to take some bitter medicine. As soon as you start to serve a lesser portion (to reduce wastage), she suddenly does a rare chomping down of her meal unassisted and going for second helpings. Hallelujah!

She likes her kibbles more than real meats. For that, I've attribute it to her not-so strong set of teeth. Then, I am proven wrong when I watch her take down a giant bone. She is weird.

Treasures found in our Dogmobile

Today, grand dad took our dogmobile for a much-needed car wash. Besides his usual embarrassed looks while handing the car over to the car wash attendant, he reported that they found 2 half-bitten bones, a bottle and a ball at the back seat.

Haruki & Mariko - The Book

I'm taking part in a Sketchbook Project. Last week, I completed my sketchbook!


My book will feature ..who else..but my kids. I hope to mail it out by end of this month. Yay!

My humble little book will take part in book tour in several cities in the U.S. next year. Hopefully, I'll get to view it myself in 2012 at the The Brooklyn Art Library, New York where it (along with thousands others..hahaha...) will become a part of their permanent collection after the tour.

Perhaps, I will give some sneak previews every now and then in my blog. But, if you are anywhere at these U.S. cities on the tour dates in 2011 or in New York in 2012 onwards...do visit my book (ID# 35070 and 31100)!!

Fairy Godmas come visiting

My kids' godmothers came over for pie party yesterday. It's been a while since the kids have seen them. The last time Riko was still a cuddly tiny tot. Since her period and spaying operation, she must be thinking she's all grown up. Typically, she likes to come up to a family member and "demand" for free petting sessions. But yesterday, it was a different side of her that we saw. She'd rather hide in the backyard or sit outside on the wet grass. If you know her well, you will know that she'd rather not pee than get her dainty paws wet in the garden. She was even caught sitting in the bathtub in the dark, a few times last night!



I think it must be a bad case of the "grandma wanting to pinch your cheeks and you are not likin' it one bit".

* "Geli" means ticklish in Malay

Ruki goes to face the corner

Mariko seems by default the first to be blamed for any naughtiness at home. Somehow, there is always an outpouring of guilt from her each time I say "WHOOO did this?". She usually side-steps out of the crime scene and hides behind some pots or goes to the backyard. Whilst, Ruki is always lurking around the aftermath investigating the scene with me. For some time now, I have been suspecting that Ruki is not all that innocent.

For the past 2 consecutive morning, I have woken up with the kids entertaining themselves at the foot of the bed. Yesterday, it was the coconut husk and today, it was a plastic flower pot. The moment I sat up on my bed, Ruki quickly grabs the "object of the day" into his "throne". It looks like the only time he gets on his dog bed is when he is holding something important and wants to get my attention.


SOMEBODY knocked down the coffee table this morning.

SOMEBODY moved the couch a few feet away from its normal position.

My boy and his bed

Ever since he was a puppy, my boy been totally contented on the cool hard floors. So, it was a blessing that he's one that doesn't sleep on the couch, bed or carpet. But, over the years, the hard floors have been giving him ugly callus on his elbows and paws. These days, his legs look pretty bruised up and he's been starting to look like an abused boy!

So, my boy has a new bed this weekend.

After much coaxing with butter cookies, he got on the bed. As you can see from his expression, he's not exactly liking the whole experience. Hmm..... he got the largest size from the shop but it's looking rather cramped once he's on it.

For now a least, I think the bed is going to be his throne for having cookies. It seems that the only reason he'll get on it is for cookies! I will have to keep working on him....otherwise, the bed will become the next white elephant in the house.

The referee, the ring leader and the bait

Of lately, I seem to be playing referee at home. My brown girl, the resident night owl, is always poking her brother while he's sleeping. So, he gets annoyed and starts growling. Soon, the situation erupts into a full-blown sumo wrestling match. At times, Ruki-san is not totally innocent too. Like tonight, he was up to his antics. He thought it would be fun to snitch my slipper from under my study table. He swings it around to get our attention. Luckily, I shoved Riko in the bedroom otherwise, there will be a crazy cat-and-mouse chase in the house.

Just 10 minutes earlier, I diffused another chasing situation outside. My brown girl went to grab the kong and started swinging it in front of the boy. Since she did not attract sufficient interest, she ran over to the dog pool and stuck her feet in. Usually, under no circumstance you will find Riko deliberately getting wet. For whatever strange reason, Ruki normally loves to chase a wet Riko. She was setting herself up as bait!.

I was lucky tonight because Ruki was tad lazy to give immediate chase. So I managed to shove Riko inside the house in the nick of time.

Mariko hosts her doghouse tour

This weekend, my favourite furniture shop delivered my latest piece of indulgence. So I thought it was time to open my indoor lawns (carpets) again. Everyone at home is now toilet-train...so, it is fairly safe. Mariko roused from her nap with the commotion from movers and the carpet-laying...so, she decided to play hostess to her home.

Over to Riko....

This is my living room. The coffee table inherited from Grandma while the fern is just a prop for the photoshoot. It goes right back to the patio because Momma says we shouldn't kill anymore plants prematurely. Momma wanted to keep the original louvered folding doors and retro grills from this 1970 house. So, she had them all restored...which is a good thing for her but, it makes it impossible for me to escape outside.

Momma loves that everything is in order in this room... so, it's usually for guests. But, Ruki and I think it's ok to be here when we play toy-tugging. We usually end up jumping on the couch simultaneously ...which makes it skid a few inches just for fun. The Turkish patchwork rug is back as Ruki's primary indoor lawn.

Momma opened these rooms up to let in more light to the middle rooms. But, we know that she knocked the walls for us to run from room-to-room when we play indoor chase. Originally, the room on the left was the kitchen. The right was a bedroom. She didn't want to go totally "open concept", so the huge sliding doors can be drawn for privacy, if needed. This creates a problem for us when we want to chase each other in circles.

This is the couch where I sometimes sleep on while waiting for momma to finish her work. I'm lucky to sit on this cicim, a Turkish hand-embroidered rug because momma will only roll it out for special occasions...otherwise, Ruki will make this his secondary lawn.

Momma's study used to be here. It's now our napping cum reading room ..as you can see by the shelves of books. The little pencil-leg side table is one of Momma's favourite pieces.

Momma always wanted a smaller dining room. So, she decided to set one up after finding a charming high sideboard recently. This room doubles up as her study. Her desk usually covered by piles of books and papers...so, she decided to un-clutter and store some items under her canteen bench. She has to be careful what she stores down there because Ruki just snitched her writing pad and ripped it to pieces in the garden yesterday!

This is our favourite morning room. It's where we have breakfast and guests congregate while meals are prepared.

This sideboard stores Momma's rose pyrex, her hand-painted ceramics and Chinese cigarette girl posters from Shanghai. She gets a bit nostalgic over her small collection...but, we think that she's living her second childhood because there are more yet to be unpacked for a storage box. Recently, she unpacked some art pieces collected from her travels, to hang them near the living area. It's still a work-in-progress because momma still travelling and collecting.

She also hopes to perfect her Childcraft set one day...even though she knows we can't read. She looking for her favourite volumes 1, 2 and 11 for a start.

Now, Momma's taken to growing her cactus indoors! I wonder how long they will survive on the shelf. Hopefully, she'll remember to water them since they are right in front of the study table where she sits everyday.

The patio has the best short-cut for me to get to the backyard in a flash. This is the place where Grandma and Grandpa sit over coffee and dessert after dinner. The cushions hide a big hole I made a few months earlier. I do check the hole by pulling out some stuffing from time to time to make sure it's still there.

You asked me where I learn this mischief from? Ask my brother Haruki, who is seen running away from all the questioning. Our once intact chair looked like this when my brother wrecked the patio last year. But, that was before I was born.

Happy birthday Mariko!

My baby girl is one today.

A year ago ...

This morning...


This evening, she leaped over a standing Ruki when we arrived home. I am now convinced of her destiny in the agility circuit.

First, she needs to attend Basic Obedience school.

Escape from Daycare

Since my foot injury and her spaying operation, Riko has been house bound. She seems pretty much okay with watching her brother go for his walk every evening until today.

Apparently, dog-walker dad forgot to close the gate on their way out today. Riko tailed both of them down the road. Once she was spotted, she was safely escorted back home. Poor girl.

Hopefully, this week she'll get to go to the dog park.

Re-introducing.... Virgin Mari(ko)

Riko's e-cone comes off today ....but, it was already (unofficially) out yesterday when I came to pick them up from daycare. My girl is going great..maybe a tinge too energetic. I'm so glad that it's over. She still needs to take it easy for another week. That would be tough since she's the chief wrestling and chasing instigator with my boy.

Mariko does a Houdini

Riko was at the vet this morning to remove her stitches. Yeah! Still the internal sutures will take another 10 days to dissolve...so, mobility remains (supposedly) limited. Cone goes back on her for another 3 days and will come out for good this Monday. Surprisingly, she's gotten used to the cumbersome cone but ... I can't wait till it's out.


Meanwhile, Ruki had his bath when we got home. Poor boy had been much neglected since my ankle injury, then Riko's spaying. He hadn't a his proper bath in 2 weeks! Somehow, they love to chase one another when wet. So, Riko safely stayed indoors....or so I thought! Moments after I was done with Ruki's bath, out runs Super Conegirl from the back of the house. Apparently, she escaped through the back door grille (4.5 inch spacing) with her e-collar intact. This is the back door grill. Now, imagine that she escaped here with her cone on!



I.am.totally.amazed.