Wednesday, March 31, 2010

All things Canine

All things Canine would be a section in my blog where I will upload stuff about canines that I receive by email or others. The article will be accompanied by its source. I hope that this section will be a place canine lovers will enjoy!

Here is the 1st story that I received via email: (you could call it a feel good story too!)

LUCKY DOG



Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.



Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease......in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her....what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him! The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.
He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.




 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A Japanese Couple in Town

Chinese New Year's Eve
Saturday, 13th February 2010







MIL invited Ta-San and Chi-San to share in our family reunion dinner.

Chi-San is her usual effusive self, very excited and honoured to be able to share CNY eve with us. She comes prepared with her camera though too shy to bring it out till I asked if she would like to take a picture of the table groaning with food that MIl had prepared a few days before.
There were the traditional dishes like jui hu char, lor bak, pig stomach soup (picture at top left) and blanched white chicken among others.

MIL's style of cooking is typically Nyonya - Nyonya refers to the women who were descended from the early Chinese settlers in Malaysia. Many Chinese men married the locals which resulted in a culture that was a mix of Malay and Chinese. Though the Nyonya's cultural practices and spoken dialect differ from that of Chinese, the Nyonyas are classified as Chinese.

Nyonyas are also referred to as Peranakans or Baba and Nyonya where Baba refers to the male descendant.

After a sumptious dinner, the cookies were brought out, the traditional one being kueh kapit; as well as the ever famous pomelo best from Ipoh (!).




The family and Ta-San and Chi-San relaxed in the house chatting and nibbling on the food. the couple also brought some gifts for the children and gave ang-pows too! Ang-pows are red packets in which money is inserted and given as a good luck wish to children during CNY.

Chi-San also showed us pictures of her taken during a dance competition in Japan. She wore a very pretty white gown patterned with crystals. She is into ballroom dancing as much as Ta-San is into golfing! Though when she is in Malaysia, she golfs everyday too but misses her dancing because she loves the food in Malaysia very much :)

Now that she is back in Japan she is practising for yet another dance competiton. All the very best Chi-San!

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