Life with the Three Crazy Dogs

- Blogging on my life events & whatever that comes to my mind!

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Monthly Archives: February 2008

Our IKEA sofa

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Here are the pictures of our sofa which DB and I bought on Monday, and all the crap, according to DB, we had to go through to make a purchase.

The delivery guys came according to the said time yesterday which made DB super happy coz he was already telling me he will have take time to assemble it.  What a whiner!

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The final product all assembled with Ranger as the center of attraction.  As you can see, I didn’t even bothered to iron out the creases.

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I have not sat on it for a movie yet let alone take a nap laying on the sofa.  Guess who did???  Yeppers, that King of the house.  He took an hour nap about 2 hours after we had it all set up, plus he even watched Jericho last night when I came out from my office seeing him all stretched out, comfy as ever.  I sure didn’t hear anything from the complaint department!

Filed under Shopping
Feb 20, 2008

President’s Day, big shopping day, and a grummpy old man!

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It was President’s Day, Monday, February 18.  My company had the day off for all, thank you, Mr. CEO.  I slept in which I tend to do now on weekends and on my off days. 

The weather was quite nasty with bone chilling temperatures.  I asked DB if he still wants to have a sofa for our living room.  You see, DB saw a flyer from IKEA that came with all the other city papers on Wednesday of last week, advertising the Prez sales for Ekthorp sofas and others.  He was the one who told me it was a very good buy, and if that was the sofa I wanted.  Yes it was and we left it that way.  No more discussions about making a big purchase till Saturday when we were having our breakfast.  He looked at the flyer and we talked about if we should get one sofa, and actually what we discussed was a corner sofa which comes to the same price, according to him (a few bucks more to be more precised) if we only get the 3-seater and the love seat. 

After much putzing with Facebook and trying to see if we can look into IKEA.com for the corner sofa.  I made up my mind I will buy it and he was up for it “Anything you want, Sug.”  That was his response, and he said maybe we can get it online so there’s no need to fight the crowd at the store.  Tried the online way and it was more expensive just shipping fees alone.

I told him I’m going to IKEA and put the order in and deliver it since home delivery cost $52 compare to $200+ for shipping fees.  He said he will come along too which shock the hell outta me.  He never like going shopping especially on holidays (so-call since it’s not really a “real” holiday).  Off we went to pick up my car from the garage for brake/rotor job and then to IKEA.

That trip to the Swedish mega furniture store was DB’s 2nd time since it was opened back in 2003, I think.  I showed him the 3-seater and loveseat, sat on it and he liked it a lot.  Good, that was what I want to hear!

Next was to look at the corner sofa since he has not seen it.  Right away he said “Nice”.  I walked over to the floor assistant and put my order in for the corner sofa which turned out to be a Cash and Carry item.  Huh?  What the hell was that?  “Take the print out from the floor assistant, pay for it at the cashiers downstairs, walk over to the Pick up Furniture and then to Home Delivery. ”  We walked around the store and after we saw other office furnishings, I could see he was getting antsy. 

If he had told me he doesn’t want to walk the entire store, I would have taken the elevator down to the cashiers and pay for our merchandise.  Nope, he followed me and his face/head was RED.  While standing online waiting for our turn at the register (can’t use Self-Checkout for this item), he received a PIX Text from his daughter – a picture of a puppy.  (You can take a look at the pictures if you are in my Facebook.)   He became so agitated after he flipped his phone off.  He told me he thinks SD bought a puppy.  He replied to her was “You didn’t” and she replied “Yep”.  He was just fuming.  He was saying all kinds of negative things about it like they should wait till the baby is born; in their situation, they should not have bought the puppy;  they will regret it;  guess who will be the dog sitter.  He sent a reply to her saying “you will regret it.”  Man, when he told me that, I told him he shouldn’t have said that.  They are old enough to think what they want.  The chose to have a puppy and if things are not working right, it’s their funeral.   She will be mad at him, which she was.

He was still fuming, and when we paid for our big purchase, we have to walk over to pick our furniture up.  The wait was suppose to be, the longest 10 minutes, but we waited for 30 minutes.  Guess what?  Mr Anti-Shopping was complaining up a storm.  When our number was called, I walked over signed some papers, and the IKEA guy helped us pull the pallet to Home Delivery.  More waiting there and made another payment for delivery, turned around and headed towards the parking bay. 

The moment we were out at the parking aisle, he said, “This is the most stupidiest thing I have ever experience; walked the damn maze just to pay, then the waiting game to pick up the furniture and more waiting.  This must be a Japanese store.”  Well, I wasn’t any nicer to him either.  I told him “Hello!!!!  IKEA is a SWEDISH company.  And too bad, it’s already done deal with, and guess what you will have to answer the phone tomrwhen the delivery guys call tomorrow and you have to set the time for delivery.”  He shut up and I pretty much maxed out my credit card, the biggest purchase (the house does not really count) I have ever made since I have been here.

I should have told him to stay home.  I have to write this down to blow of steam myself.  Pictures of the sofa will be up later….not with me now.

Filed under Shopping
Feb 20, 2008

The darn wireless connection

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It took me 2 hours and 15 minute to get the CNY post up last night.  KNN!!!  The darn wireless internet on my PC kept disconnecting every 10 minutes, sometimes less and if I’m lucky, I will get continuous internet connection for about 15+  minutes.  Even after I rebooted the PC or shut her down for about an hour, the same problem which drove me up the frigging wall.  DB even had to re-enter all the information for the network thingy twice and the same problem, and I’m not sure what the hell he was dinking around either. 

I thought of using DB’s old laptop that’s hooked up wireless too, but that ancient Dell is super slow.  Maybe I need to be more patient, but when I want to get some thing done and out of the way, I want it done presto, not largo.  I used the laptop during the weekend and on Monday and Tuesday for Facebook purposes, it was slow enough to almost send my blood pressure sky rocketing.  

Now I’m at work, it helps to get this out which I started typing out last night before the connection died. 

Anyway, that’s all for my ramblings.  Just want to get it off me.

Filed under Ramblings
Feb 20, 2008

CNY 2008 Gathering

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This weekend we girls had a wonderful CNY gathering at Peninsula, a Malaysian cuisine restaurant in Minneapolis.  Simmie, Leena, Leena’s friends (sorry, can’t remember your names), Tik and his wife, Forrest’s BIL Darren, their nanny Danniella, and his daughter Maddie were there to join the feast.  This is the first time I met Leena.  It was nice seeing the person who I have been following her blog for a while in person.  It’s great to get to meet you at last, Leena.

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The above are some of the food we had and pictures of Daniella, Maddie, Leena, me and the group picture with Simmie at the front.

Thanks again for the company, girls.  Hope we can do that again next year.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Filed under Festivals
Feb 19, 2008

Photohunt: Free

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PhotoHunters

This week’s theme is Free.  I can’t really find some thing that is describe as “free” in my picture collection.  I can only think of one thing, that is my dog, Ranger.  We adopted him from the kennel he was bred.  We didn’t pay a dime for him.  We called up the owner of the kennel, Mandy, and asked her if she knows anyone who has a dog for adoption.  She said she actually has one in her own kennel that needs a family to go to.  A dog that she rescued from the owner she sold Ranger to. 

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Ranger was three years old when we picked him up on May 2003, a real chow hound.   His life revolves only in food because that was how he was brought up: a bucket of food and water in the backyard with no human contact.  He was a case of negligence from a pup to his adulthood.  He is now eight years old and still a chow hound but we are not worried about that.   Even though we didn’t send him for any obedience classes, he is quite well behaved and as long as there’s food around, he will sit, down, shake hands and come to you in a heart beat.  We have no regrets adopting this funny dog – he has the noisiest and stinkiest farts ever, and he will play “dead” when he’s in a playful mood. 

Filed under PhotoHunt
Feb 16, 2008

Home improvements for us, maybe?

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I am hoping we can work on some home improvements this year so we can get some tax deductions for ourselves.  DB has been talking about changing the storm door for our back door and replace the windows in the executive bathroom.  Doing all these replacements will definitely help save our energy bills that are sky rocketing especially during these hard times.   With gas prices going up, having a cold draft from the windows and door is definitely not helping at all.  Even with DB winterizing the house, it’s not much of a help.  He said the whole house really need a lot more insulation than just replacing the doors and windows.  Should we then sell and move away to a warmer state?  He might.

Filed under Product, Writing
Feb 15, 2008

Invitation to baby shower

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Sd has been calling up her dad quite frequent these past week.  She wants her dad’s opinion who she should be inviting for her baby shower.   Her mom reminded SD to invite ME for the shower, and that was why she sent that email to us.  SD’s mom and sister are getting the party invitations on SD’s behalf whicl is driving SD crazy.  She feels like the shower is for them instead its for her.  DB told her that is her mom, she needs to be involved with everyone’s lifes.  I told him I’m going to stay out of this. 

Filed under Product, Writing
Feb 15, 2008

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

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It’s Valentine’s Day, Happy Valentine’s Day everyone.

DB and I are not doing anything at all.  Everything seems to be so expensive on this day: chocolates, roses to dining out.  The roses I know are outrageously expensive.  DB told me there will be no flowers for me this year, I told him, that is find with me coz all I need is just some  HUGS which, really, that’s all I want.  And I got a big one this morning before I left for work. 

Valentine’s day is so commercialized now that I don’t even feel anything special about it anymore.  When I was younger and dating, it was, like something to look forward to.  Now, huh!  It’s just another day.  As long as I am appreciative of what my other half has done for me and knowing how much he still loves and care for me, it’s enough for me. 

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“Happy Valentine’s Day, babe!”

Filed under Just
Feb 14, 2008

Another cold blustery weekend

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The weekend’s temp dropped to subzero with windchill of minus 45.  That was what the Channel 11 weather guy said.  DB and I did our shopping early Saturday morning.  We did it because before the cold front hits MN, we will be smacked by an inch or two of that white fluffy thing call nuisance snow.  

When we went for our dim sum brunch at Mandarin Kitchen, the snow had already started and 35W was already bumper to bumper.  Good thing it was not a work day.  Usually it takes us about 15 mintues to get there, it took us 30 minutes.  The restaurant was pretty quiet at 10:15 a.m.  As soon as we sat down, the carts came rolling towards us: char siew pau, siew mai, har kow, sticky rice, chee cheong fun, spare ribs, beef balls, fu pei wrapped with shrimps, carrot cake (can’t remember what it’s called in chinese), deep fried sesame balls, pak thong kueh which was quite sour!!, and some sort of shrimp dumpling.  Yes, we ordered all of the above, of course we had to ta pau the unfinished trays.  The lady who pushes that cart with the sesame balls and fu pei thing was so chatty.  Spoke to me in Cantonese and told me that CNY have to eat more, any left overs is a good “yee tou”.  So I just ordered and we both ate like pigs.  That’s our celebration meal for Chinese New Year, anniversary, Valentines and my birthday!  I forgot my camera, so no pictures to the food we ordered.  All the steamed trays took up the entire two tables.  

The first thing we got home was walked the boys.  Yeah, I had to walk the food off.  Good old 1.5 hours walk with snow just blowing onto my face.  Temperature was already falling.  Nice MN weather.  My MIL tells us “You can have it” to us all the time when she is enjoying the 70sin Texas. 

When I got home, this was what I saw in the living room. 

dsc01263.JPGDB brought the wood in and about to start the fire and I saw all the mess on the carpet, and he obediently sucked them up before I start at it!!!  Imean there were wood chips all over the carpet from the entry way to the living room. 

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While he was sucking up the mess, I prepped for my DVD for my school homework, and he got the fire going after. 

dsc01267.JPGIt was sure toastie in the living room and the only thing I do not like about is the rest of the house gets quite chilly.  This is because of the temperature control is between the living room and the dining room.  The controller gets the heat from the fireplace and will not run since it’s warm. 

I just love the fire from the fireplace especially when there is a good set of ambers going.

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We had the fire going till 10:30 p.m.  DB and I had a few cups of hot instant Milo while watching my school DVDs, and after dinner, I was reading and doing my homework by the fire.  DB was in his office with the boob tube on.  Just nice of him to keep the fire going for me and he goes in his cold office to watch the tube. 

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The above picture was taken with the night scene mode.  I set the camera on a table and took the picture.  It turned out so much better compared to holding on to the camera.  Anti-shake feature, mana ada?? 

Well, Sunday was the same as Saturday except that I didn’t go for a walk.  If the gale force winds weren’t that strong, I might, but I hate the wind as it makes the windchill dipped to minus 60F (something like that!)

Filed under My Weekend
Feb 11, 2008

Photohunt: Heavy

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PhotoHunters

This week’s theme is Heavy.  I wanted to put a picture of DB up – a picture that he kept telling me he looks “heavy”, but then I thought I better not, he will definitely be giving me that WTH look for letting the whole wide world to see that picture!  So, I browsed through my collection of pictures and found the pictures of our fallen tree – the 70 mph heavy winds that brought the young Mr. Oak down.  This happened last year August in the middle of the night while the entire neighborhood were asleep.  I told DB we could move the tree out of the street and he said, “Do you know how heavy a fallen tree is???”  No, I don’t coz I am a city girl, and I did try to move the tree by grabbing on to a bunch of branches, it didn’t move an inch.  Well, that’s by picture of “Heavy”.

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Filed under PhotoHunt
Feb 9, 2008

Our 11th wedding anniversary

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Happy anniversary, babe!  (Yeah, I know how much you like your pictures taken, but I can’t help it. :) ) 

I love you for what you are, the goofball who makes me laugh, drives me super mad and then makes me smile and laugh within seconds.  We have gone through a lot of hardships and we stayed strong and live life with our funny antics, a good sense of humor to make our lives easier.  I’m very happy being with you through thick and thin, I’m gonna stick by you.  Thank you for being you and loving me for who I am.

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This year anniversary we are laying low.  No gifts, flowers or cards.  I actually forgot about it!  Yes, I ought to be shot!!!!  We gave each other a big, big HUG and held on to each other for a while and said a thank you to the good old Lord for putting up with us! :D  

Feb 8, 2008

SD’s baby shower

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I got an email from SD yesterday morning re her baby shower:

Hi there,
Well I am getting ready to help my sister plan a baby shower…. Just seeing if there is anyone that I should invite that I didn’t think of…. also Dawn do you want to come? (it is going to be at my mother’s house) I figure I give you that warning before you decide. If you want to that would be cool, but if not I understand also!! So if not maybe we can do lunch and some shoppig some saturday or something? let me know what you guys think……
k talk to you later
ME!

*Sigh*, I’m in a dilemma now.   The shower is on Saturday, March 15.  I want to go but then………if you get the drift.  I have been to her mom’s house once but that was when her mom was at work.  I saw her sisters before but that is a different thing.   I suppose it would be easier to go have lunch and then go shop just the two or three of us (SD, BF/DB and me).  She has pretty much got most of every thing set for the nursery.  And I’m sure she is going to register with Target and Baby r’Us for her baby shower. 

I have only attended three baby showers so far.  When I received my first invite several years ago, I was like “What the heck is a baby shower?!!”  I never heard of baby shower when I was in Malaysia.   To be honest, when my friend in Ipoh gave birth to her son, I think that was 13 or 14 years ago, I gave her an angpow and bought some newborn clothes for her.  The angpow for her was a little bit fatter because she was my good friend, it’s like a special treatment for her.

Before I attended my coworkers’ baby showers, both mom-to-be told me they were registered at Target, Kohls, Walmart, and Baby rUs.  They registered at these stores for what kind of stuff they want for their baby.  For example, milk bottles, clothes, bath mat, blankets stroller, etc.  The invited guests can go to any one of these stores and go to the kiosk for Baby Showers, type in the mother’s name and it will print out what the mother wants for her baby/nursery. 

The day of the shower and usually the guests will be all females, there will be food and baby shower games.   I remember the one game we had was each guest has to change the “baby’s” diaper and whoever changes it the fastest, she will win a prize.  When my turn came and tried to change the diaper with whatever experience I had when I was babysitting my nephews, I flipped and flopped the “baby” so hard every one knew I am not a baby handler.  If that was a real baby, that baby would be in pieces!  It’s fun to attend coz you are with your friends.

Anyways, I still have some time to think about SD’s baby shower, and I know if I go, I would be very uncomfortable coz I do not know the people she invited except few of her friends, and then I have to deal with her relatives.  I guess I have already have an answer for her….”No, I won’t be going.”

Filed under Family
Feb 6, 2008

Happy Chinese New Year

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Dear all,

I want to wish all my readers, friends and family celebrating Chinese New Year, Kung Hei Fatt Choi.

May the Year of the Rat brings you abundance of joys, good fortunes,  prosperity and great health.

GONG XI FA CAI!

————————————————————————————————————— Chinese New Year is just another day over here for us.  It is not a holiday in the US.  And since I so not have any family around, it is just gonna be with friends.  DB and I might go out for dim sum this weekend, and that’s only if I can coax him to fight the crowd in the restaurant.  My sister and her family are driving to Ipoh for the celebrations.  Yes, I do want to go, too, visiting my friends and that is when all will come back to Ipoh from KL, Singapore and where ever they are to reunite with their families.  Big eating festives which I miss so much.  My grandmother’s “chai” (vegetarian dish) which my mom will make on CNY day 1. 

Oh well, I know I will virtually be eating them from the pictures which I know my sister will take for me to savor them!  Kung Hei Fatt Choi, my friends.

Filed under Festivals
Feb 5, 2008

My 5 fave links

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Trinity tagged me with my five favorite links. 

  • MUST be clean. No X-rated sites.
  • Only FIVE links.
  • MUST tell 5 people.
  • A link back to the person who tagged you ;)
  • An active link plz.
  • And, my favorite links are:-

    1. YouTube must be one of my all time favorite site to go to for free music videos (old, new, classical, pop), politics, or just to have few laughs.
    2. iTunes my favorite place to download music and subscribe to podcasts
    3. American Kennel Club where I can browse all the news, events, breeds, updates, and reports, or simply view the gallery.
    4. MSN is the only place I will go for all the latest updates on what’s going on in the news, entertainment, business, sports world.
    5. CNet a product review site for all sorts of computer gadgets, free downloads, music, news, prices and products comparison

    Now share your favorite links with me, and they will go to: Stef, Che-Cheh

    Filed under Those darn tags!
    Feb 5, 2008

    Friendship Meme

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    Friends

     

    Anger is only one letter short of dangerIf someone betrays
    you once, it is his fault;If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.Great minds
    discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people.He, who
    loses money, loses much;He, who loses a friend, loses much more;He, who loses
    faith, loses all. Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,But beautiful
    old people are works of art.Learn from the mistakes of others You can’t live long
    enough to make them all yourself.Friends, you and me…You brought another
    friend…And then there were 3…We started our group…Our circle of
    friends…And like that circle…There is no beginning or end…Yesterday is
    history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.

    So now, let’s see how many circle’s of friends we can make by simply adding your link on this Friendship Meme!1- Catsy Carpe Diem, 2- Catsy Downloads, 3- Out of the Blue, 4- A Day to Savor and Relish, 5- A Piece of Idea, 6- Write Shy, 7- Stupid Wise, 8- http://onlinememorylane.blogspot.com/, 9 – http://www.jk-nocargo.blogspot.com/, 10- FIELD OF DREAMS, 11- moms…..check nyo, 12- Juliana RW, 13- Rooms of My Heart, 14- Life with the Two Crazy Dogs, 15- Continue here

    I pass this friendship chain to Stef, SY

    Filed under Those darn tags!
    Feb 5, 2008

     

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