Life with the Two Crazy Dogs

When my colleague, Brent told us he was going to get marry, we had a little party for him at another co-worker’s home.  The party was for him and his wife to be, Angie.  The folks from the benefits group bought some cute sexy corsets forAngie.  Do you think we had a good laugh?  Yes, we did, it was funny seeing how red Brent turned.  He blushes really easily anyways.   My department got him a gift certificate to an Italian restaurant in Denver (that’s where they going for their honeymoon).  It was a small little gathering amongst us colleagues, and I know he really appreciated the gestures from us. 

Brent, you were such a sweetheart, helpful and the clown in our HR department.  It has been 3 years since your passing and I still think of you.  Thanks for being my friend.

We have so many computers in this household it is really absurd.  DB bought a new computer last October because his PC which he put together konked out.  He bought the barebones computer and was hoping that it would be better.  Unfortunately, it only lasted for 2 years and he put in so many hours building the PC where it was really fast that I wanted it for myself.  I was the one who actually gave him the idea of putting his PC together; something to occupy him during the day when he was done at work.  Back then he was working night shifts.  It worked out perfect for him.   He is currently trying to fix it but no-can-do.  Looks like it is going to join the other 3 PCs collecting dust in the basement.

The time of the year for my annual physical came and I went for my it.  I had to see a different doctor this time, but she is not a doctor.  She is a PA, a Physician Assistant.  My doctor who I like so much left for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  I am not driving 1.5 hours just to see her for 40 minutes.  Aall the other female doctors in the clinic I go to were all booked up and some do not accept new patients.  

I can’t say this PA is the best, but I had better ones at other clinics I have been to.  This particular PA seems a little rude, rough and not friendly.  She did ask the entire medical histories on both sides of my parents.   She commented how good my blood pressure was, how active and a shaker and a mover I am, but there is something missing about her.  I feel she is missing the doctor/patient interaction thing.  No signs of being caring?

I was waiting for her to ask me about my bloodwork done two years ago.  She didn’t, I had to ask her.  She then logged in to the system, pulled my records up and said I don’t need to.  Then I asked her about my glucose which at the back of my head, I’m a prime target with family history with diabeties and my love for carbs and desserts, I ought to get my glucose check out.  She looked around my records, that was what it looks like to me, and told me “I will send along the blood work form with you after this.”  Was it really necessary?   Since she is the professional, at least tell me yey or neh if I need to test for glucose, or asked me if my diet changed, or some thing to that effect.   The only thing she asked if I was fasting.

I told her about my knees, she bend it, sort of twist it here and there, and did the reflex thingy and both knees work fine.  She said I have runners knees, in other words tendonitis, no torn ligaments.  Again, she said her nurse will give me a physical therapy appointment form on my way out.   And finally I had to ask her if my shots were up to date.

I got both sets of forms from the nurse on my way out, walked downstairs for my blood work, registered with the nurses and they asked the time I last ate which was approx 12 hours ago.  It was a quick draw of blood.  Results will be mailed to me in 2 days.

Overall, my physical exam was just ok, not very impressed with this PA.  Will never go back to her again.  The bloodwork for my glucose came in on Friday.  The result was…..a little bit shocking to me. I’m at 97mg!  Normal is between 67-100mg.  Yikes!!!!!    My last glucose test done two years ago was 72mg.  Holy Hannah, it went up 25 mg.  Time to cut down on my carbs.  Arghhhhhh, NO!!!!!!  I Love My Carbs! (And I still wanna make more cakes and kuih :)  )

DB and I did give the thought of getting another puppy, but I shoved it off.  The two big boyz are more than enough for me to walk, bathe and split my attention-giving for them.  DB insisted that we should at least get a puppy within the smaller breed category, but I was persistent, No means NO. 

Having another puppy right now is not the right time for us.  If I want another puppy I would check out other dog breeds besides Labrador Retrievers.  Labs are great dogs, but they are high maintenance dogs.  I love all kinds of breeds and especially the one our friend, Dorothy has, a miniature Dachshund name Greta.  Greta is such a loving dog, so affectionate and very playful.  Probably she was still a little pup then when we last saw her.  (Dorothy and family have moved to South Dakota.)  Greta has long hair and she is black with tinge of brown patch on her paws and belly. 

I remember my cousin has a Dachshund dog, too, named Sparkle, a brown colored pure bred with smooth short hair.  I remember dogsitting Sparkle for a day or two.  He was the most well behaved dog I have ever encountered.  He obeys all voice and hand commands so well.  Bathing and drying him was so easy, and it could be because he was an older dog, he was around 8 years old then, he stood still for me to wash and dry him, no fuss at all.  All I can say now is Sparkle was a very loved dog.  At his age, he was still very playful - loves to play fetch and enjoyed all his walks.  My cousin maintained his weight so he wouldn’t be overweight.  Dachshunds should not be overweight.  When trained from a pup, Dachshunds will enjoy their exercising time.  My cousin tossed a tennis ball and Sparkle would run for it for hours.  That was one of the ways he stayed so slim and maintained the muscles  that made him looked so fit and trim. 

My cousin told me training him was very easy, too.  Dachshunds and with any other puppy, when train from young they will be happy and so will the owners.  Sparkle was trained to stay at a position, either sit or down, when he was only 8 weeks old.   Dachshund puppies are very smart.   When training a dachshund puppy, Dorothy told me she used quite a bit of food to motivate Greta, but once she got it, she can make to without the food and she did very well too. 

Caring for the Dachshund puppy is the same as caring for all other puppies.  Patience and consistency are the keys to successful training them.  Initially they will at a lost when they set paws in your home, but once they get their surroundings checked, they will start looking towards you for everything from food, play/walk, bathroom, and attention.  Do not misjudge their short legs.  These Dachshunds can run with those short legs of theirs.  I remembered chasing Greta in the backyard, and that backyard was a huge .5 acres, she was able to run the entire yard, zig-zagging all over the place.  Dachshunds are hound breeds, they are bred for hunting.  They know how to dig holes, a burrow in your yard if you are not careful of execising them enough.  They can be very noisy when bored.  That was why Greta was able to run me down, a human who is so much bigger, taller than her, to run her energy off!

DB has been asking me if I know how to make steamed rice cake?  In Cantonese it’s called “Fatt Koh”.  He tried them at my parents’ home, I think on one of those 15th day of the month on the Chinese calendar.

Since he was pestering me about it, I hopped online and found this website call Chowtimes, a couple who resides in Vancouver, BC, food blog.  Suanne and Ben blogs about the restaurants they went, and the food Suanne cooked.  I found the steamed rice cake recipe from their blog. 

I will have to think about it should I attempt this recipe.  It sounds quite easy, but for me, anything easy can turn out to be the hardest!  I should ponder on it more!!

My friend lend this sewing machine to me which she said I can keep it for as long as I want.  The reason she said that was because her eyesight is giving her so much problems and she does not like this machine either compared to her Singer machine. 

What am I going to do with this machine  you might ask?  I actually didn’t ask her for the machine.  Initially I asked her if she would alter the hem of my pants and shirts which she said she has actually given her Singer machine to her DIL and the only one she will give it to me so I can do the alteration myself. 

That would save me a bunch of money for alteration.  Unlike when I was living in Ipoh, altering the hem for a pair of pants cost approx RM$5, and that back in the early to mid 1990s.  Currently I have no idea, but in the US, it would cost me $12 for just one hem and the other will cost another $12.  Again, that was shortly after I after here in 1997.  My friend told me I should not waste my money for alteration since everything in the US is DIY, pretty much.

Knowing  how bad my sewing is, I hope I won’t screw up my pants that needs alteration.  They are long - long because I have to go up a size!!  :((  Go up one size the length goes up, too. 

My mom will be shaking her head if she reads this! :)  When I was in Ipoh last  year she did some hemming for me and told me it is very easy even if I don’t have a sewing machine.  She told me to sew it with the X stitches that I have no idea how.   I have not sewn anything since Form 3, and that would be 1986 when I was 15 years old studying Home Science.  I have since returned every thing to my teachers, Mrs. Ng and Mrs. Chin.

Hopefully I will get them shirts and pants hemmer out soon.  I will tackle this sewing thing after my final tests which is March 5.  Will let y’all know

Ellie invited me to her home a few weekends ago.  It was more like an all girls day, girls having some fun without the men.  When I got to her home and the first thing I saw was their brand new plasma TV.  She said Best Buy gave them a deal for the TV and plasma mount and her hubby could not resist the price.  The TV is mounted above their fireplace and watching a movie with the fire going was lovely.  I told her she should have told me, I would have rented movies.  There’s always next time.

Nadine and her hubby celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary three weeks ago.  No, we weren’t invited but Nadine invited both DB and I for dinner at California Grill out in Mall of America.  DB and I were wondering what gift will she be showing us this time.  Nadine’s hubby buys her gifts each he travels overseas.  This year’s anniversary he bought luxury watches for her and himself.  When I saw the Longines watch, it made me drool!  It was so beautiful, very well crafted and elegant.  She didn’t disclose how much and we sort of know how much it costs!

I was over at my friend’s office last Friday on my way home to pick up her sewing machine, those electric portable ones.  When I got to her office, it was a mess.  The executive area were all torn down, every single door frame, panelling and even the carpeting were gone except for the fiber optic cables hanging from the ceiling.  I was kinda curious since on the local city papers, it mentioned of an aquisition in the near future.  It must had happened.  I asked my friend she said the closing was on Wednesday and the executives actually left the company a week earlier.   I guess I must be a snoop but it’s the same that is happening to the company I am at right now. 

The weekend came and it’s almost gone.  I have been going to bed late every night.  I am having trouble sleeping, might be too much going on in my mind.  Thinking about school, my parents, my dad’s health, his impending surgery to remove a hernia, and the worse is worrying about my VISA debit card.  9:30 pm on a Sunday night and I’m still “nudging” Stef on Facebook to make her move on Scrabulous.  I can’t even remember how many times I nudged her, and still no reply from her.  I’m so hooked to Scrabulous now.  I want to thank my friend, SY for introducing Scrabulous to me.  I have not touch my text books at all, well, I did touch it but have not read a single page for the 4 chapters due next Wednesday.  The quiz  on last Wednestday was alright.  I did better with where there were questions on the maps.  The True/False and multiple choice questions are the hardest.  This instructor is damn good in constructing tricky questions.  Maybe I didn’t study well for it.  The next and final quiz is in two weeks, adios for now and I better get some pages down before I hit the sack.  *Make a note to contact the credit union to issue a new card*

The theme for today’s PhotoHunt is Wooden.  

I was over on Trinity’s blog and saw this little thing call “What City do you Belong In”?  Well…..it’s……..

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

London is one of my must go places. I simply love the architecture, the palaces, sight-seeing, the history….there’s just too much to put in words.   All I can say is I must go visit London and the entire Europe before I kick the bucket!

We have yet to file our taxes for 2007.  Db is doing all the work - getting all the receipts, W2’s, 1099’s, whatever paperwork that he has been checking off from a list the accountant sent him.  We agreed we are not going to the accountant friend of his in Rochester.  Instead, we are going to another one just around the vicinity of our neighborhood.  This accountant gave us a bunch of personalized pens for being his client, and those pens are nice to write with, too.   They are not those cheapy ones, but are those gel pens with a comfortable grip with Medium point.  They are great for signing forms.

Since we moved into this house, I have used the elliptical machine once, and we have been living in this home for a year plus.   DB said I should use the weight equipment in the exercise room since I have knees problems and doing leg and knees curls will help.  Right.  To be honest, since the exercise room is in the basement and he purposely bought a TV for it, I still do not have the motivation to walk into that room.  For some reason, the images of the movie “The Ring” keeps creeping into my head whenever I’m in the basement.   That very one time I was in the basement, the boys were with me.  Yes, I’m CHICKEN!!

DB said Ranger looked stoned in this picture.  To me, it looks more like “Picture again?”  I took this picture two weekends ago.

Ranger is getting old, he will be eight in April.  He turning gray around his snout and eyes.  We found two lumps on the side of his thigh.  The vet checked them and even drew blood from the lumps for some tests.  The results came back negative.  They are actually fat.  Both vets told DB and I those fatty lumps are very common with Labs.   The only thing we have to worry is when those two lumps are affecting his movements or pain.

My boss’ daughther had to put their yellow Lab down on Sunday for the reason I mentioned above.  Her dog, Rusty, could not get up, walk, eat, or even go for his business.  He was 12 years old.   Rest in peace, Rusty, hope there are plenty of other doggies in doggy heaven.