Life with the Two Crazy Dogs

I will be on my way to Vegas this Sunday, and yet I was still procrastinating on what I need to bring and so forth.  DB kept telling me to bring the luggage from the basement, air it out and sort out what clothes I want to bring with me.  He telling me so many times since last Thursday, I finally succumbed to get the luggage and the backpack I’m bringing along.  Now, I have to figure what the heck clothes I want to wear.  The temperature in Vegas at this time of the year is around 70’s and 80’s Farenhiet.  Not too bad as long as it’s not humid. 

So far, I have packed:

• Couple pairs of shorts/jeans/capri
• Jammies (need them since I’m sharing room with 4 others)
• A pair of dress pants
• A nice dressy blouse to go with the pants
• Shirts/long sleeves for the mornings (morning temps are around 40’s-50’s)
• and more sleeveless
• Sun block/shampoo

Since I have only 1 memory card that is only 1GB, I need to get another one.  DB said he will buy one for me, a 2GB will be enough, I hope.  I am bringing along my battery charger and reader.  Hopefully there is a business center in The Mirage where I can use the PC (of course for a fee, nothing is free in Vegas) to download my pictures if I run out of the 3GB cards.  Who know, right? 

I was going to pack some instant coffee with me, but I was told by my boss that the hotels in Vegas do not provide coffee nor a electric kettle to boil water.  I will still bring some with me just in case there is a kettle somewhere in the room. 

Next I need to bring is a hat, a good pair of walking shoes and most importantly plenty of dough!! Hahahaha, I wish I could do that, but whatever I have on this Friday’s payday, will be what I have for my trip.  What happened to the rebate check that Prez Bush says is going to stimulate the economy?  We were suppose to get the rebate check deposited to our account today, yeah sure, na-da.  Not there at all. 

Every one whom I spoke to said it’s not cheap anymore in Vegas.  If you want coffee, you have to go to the vending machine or to the hotel’s restaurant, Starbucks, or for cheaper version, McDonalds.   Entrance to the Glitter Gluch is $15 for entrance fee, Liberace museum entrance fee is $75, if I remember right, gondola ride at the Venetian cost $50/person, breakfast buffet is about $17-19+ and dinner buffet is $22-24+.  We might try a few slot machines while we are there and if luck is with us, we might hit some thing! If not, lose all, I will come home and live like this:

Yep, it’s confirmed, I’m going to Las Vegas on May 4-7.   I had to ask Ms. E to move her flex Monday to a different so she could be here in the office while my boss and I are in Vegas.  It’s weird, my boss will be in Vegas that week, too.  We might bump into each other.

Tammy will get the air tickets and I will take care of tickets to Cirque du Soleil.  I told Corrine and Tammy about Le Reve, an aquatic presentation by Cirque du Soleil.  I have employee discounts through my company so tickets are about $108.90 per person plus children need a ticket, too.  Yeah, it’s cut-throat but what to do, we really want to see Cirque du Soleil.

The next event I would like to attend is the Richard Petty Driving Experience.  Since I’m already in Vegas, I should visit the Las Vegas Speedway and hop in one of the NASCAR  car, going 160 mph for 3 laps.  I might pee in my pants, but that is one of my one thing to do before I kick the bucket!  Moreover, who knows when will I ever go to Vegas again. 

The rest of the activities will be arranged while we are there like the Hoover Dam and maybe the Grand Canyon tour.  There are employee discounts, too, from my company.   Will have to discuss with the other participants.  I am so pumped!

Since I came back from my vacation last year, I have not put up my thoughts on how I felt about KL.  When was the last time I was in KL before my vacation last year?  I think it was in 1995, not sure but I have a gut feeling it was ‘95.  I remembered the base of the KL Towers was just slowly erecting from the ground.  The bases of the Twin Towers were sorta constructed.  It seems so long ago.

The Petronas Towers.  Yes, I have been there, finally.  I felt so “jakun” (someone who has not seen a big city) when I saw the two towers.   I actually felt proud.  Can you friggin believe that??  I kinda felt weird myself but I sure was happy to see the towers with my own 4  eyes!

Next is the night lights of the city: the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad with the KL Towers in the background.  Again, I was awe on how much KL has changed, more than I thought.  

The above picture was taken on a rainy Wednesday evening (Dec 5, 2007).  It’s not a very good picture but it is still my favorite.

When I was in KL, my friend Deb took me to Suria KLCC.  It was the first time I was there and I was so glad that I got to go see what the Petronas Towers look like.

We walked almost every floor and till I had to pee. So happened we were on the second floor, the floor where all the designer stores are located.  As I was walking I saw the sign for bathrooms and told Deb I’m going to the bathroom.  She told me not to go to the bathrooms on the second floor.  Why I wondered??

There.  Because it’s a Premier Paid Toilet.  Whoever needs to go do their business and so happen you are on this floor, you have to pay RM2.00, and exact change, too.  I should have paid the RM2.00 and take a look what so special are their bathrooms that one has to pay that much pee or poop.  Does it not smell like the other non paying bathrooms?  I wonder if they are spotless and dry?  Must be some fancy schmancy toilets, gold trimmings with bidets??  :)  Wonder how many people has patronize this Premier Paid Toilet?  I suppose whoever thought of this idea thinks that if one can afford to shop on this floor, he/she can afford to pay the RM2.00 for a pee or dump.  Can’t be curious anymore coz maybe the next year or two when I’m in KL, it’s not required to pay anymore. 

DB received 2 red envelopes from Marlboro, just like what I had received in the weekend.  Those two envelopes are the exact ones, immediately I told DB we now have three chances to win a trip to the ranch, the Crazy Mountain Ranch in Montana.  Here are some pictures from our previous trip in the fall of 2006.  Excuse me for the crappy pictures.  The free camera provided by the sponsors were not that good. And yes, there were a lot of free gifts from them: digital cameras, hats, two luggages, backpacks, jackets,windbreakers, pens, picture frames, ashtrays, cigarettes, shirts, bandanas, I think that were all.

This was taken on the second day after our trip to the Yellowstone National Park.  It rained, sleet and snowed the whole day but we still enjoyed it.

Out by our room getting all ready for the group picture.  The hat and red windbreaker were a gift from Marlboro upon our arrival.

This was inside the saloon where we have our breakfasts, lunches and happy hours. 

The General Store where you can buy films, toilettries, stamps, change of activity itineraries, etc.  Here are two more pictures of the inside of the General Store.

DB waiting for his turn to change his next day’s activity itinenary.

The displays in the store.

Clay shooting with John the guide on day 3.

Horseback riding on our third day.

Wagon ride to the Pavillion on the third day.

The Crazy Mountains in the background on the way back from the Pavillion.

Isn’t it gorgeous?  I can definitely go back to this ranch again.  Picture taken by Steve and Kim, who we befriended on this trip.

When I was in Ipoh, I met up with only a few buddies of mine:  Stef, Samm, Kiran, Mike, and Rose. 

Here is Mike with Db and I at Tanjung Tualang for our seafood feast.   Here is where you can read about this seafood restaurant.  I have known Mike since my Seagate, Ipoh days, all the way back to September/October 1995.  Back then Mike has a Japanese restaurant, Bushi, out in Ipoh Garden right across the Fatima Hospital.  Both he and I have gone through hell a lot - we know each other so well with our relationships with our ex-es; we cried on each others shoulders, yakked till the sun down and up, boozed and out eating along the hawker stalls and restaurants.  It is a strange friendship between him and I, we just clicked on our first meeting in Seagate - he delivered the take out boxes for my orders.   We are the best of friends, for me a guy as my best buddy is really rare and vice versa.  And now I’m so happy for him, he found this wonderful wife, Vickie, a very soft spoken girl.  I met her during our luncheon and also his mom, Gwendolyn (I think) for the very first time, after all these years, even when I was at his parents’ home, I I missed her.

Below is the picture of the happy family, Mike, Vicki and their daughter Yan-Yan (can’t remember her actual name, but all the adults called her Yan-Yan).

Updates about my other buddies will come when I’m bored at work again!!

Yeehah, my holidays have started.  I took today off since I still have 3 more vacation days to burn.  I will have the entire weekend, the holidays, and the day after Christmas off.  Long frigging weekend. 

Friday today but it sure feels like Saturday to me.  I went to work for Corrine at Satay2Go this evening.  I told her I will work for only if she needs help, especially when school starts on January 16th.  It will be a challenge trying to get my reading in and work in the weekends. 

Tomorrow is the day SD and her fiancee are moving to their townhome.  I’m happy for them.  DB will go over to help out.  He rented some moving rugs for them.  I’m not going - have stuff to do at home and have to work for Corrine, too.

What did I do this morning?  Shopping and went to the pharmacy to get my prescription but I still have not receive my insurance card (I had insurance coverage under DB’s company, but the cut off was Nov 30).  So, now I have more paperwork to do for claims.  Haih…..

Oh, I made a banana bread and it was a disaster initially.  I fold the flour in to the mixture and poured it to the pan and just realized I forgot to add eggs!!!!!  Duh!!!!!!!  Threw the entire mixture into the disposal and start a brand new batch.  The recipe asked for 3 bananas, I only have 2 left.  It turned out not too bad, of course short of bananas, but it was a little too dry I think.  The stupid oven’s temp is not what it says.  Damn thing.  Oh well, DB still like it.  We will have that for breakfast for a few days.

Of all books, I read this when I got to me parents’ home.  The first time I read this was I was 15 years old - Form 3.  This was one of the English book I needed to read during class.  The stories are good.  I forgot how good this book was: it test your comprehension and my comprehension really sucks.  You think I did those questions?  Hell no.

Then, I saw this larder.  If my old brain buckets tells me, this larder has been in this house even before I was born.  My mom repainted it from its original wood.  It used to have a very dark colored wood and it actually makes the kitchen rather gloomy.  But that larder stocks all the daily usage of plates, bowls, oil, sugar and other whatnot for cooking.

The kitchen: not much changes to it.  The marble table dates back from my great grandmother’s time, I think.  And the food cover on the table has been there forever.  The big bulging thing right at the top right of the picture is where all the shopping plastics goes to.  This kitchen is always hot.  For me, I always have the table fan, which is next to the refrigerator, on each time I sit there for meals.

The living room: The two vases between the TV, were from my dad’s father.  I told my mom once I wanted them, but now that I’m here across so many hills, mountains and seas, how to bring them back here lah??  Plus, the four wall panels - I think they are the 4 most beautiful women in China (a million years ago!)  And the painting of the two boats (not sure what you call them things that can be found in HK) were bought in HK so many umpteen years ago.

There are more pictures I want to put here, but there are still in DB’s laptop: that damn laptop is having a fit now.  So, will put up more pictures as I get them downloaded to Photobucket.