The weather has been stinking hot for the past couple of days, and I am pretty glad that my new (much) shorter hair cut is keeping me cool. In fact the heat had been so bad that it's given mom a migraine (again).

Ok I am marking the lamp post... The humans claim that I have no more pee left in my tiny bladder to squirt out anymore, but hey, I still try.

And then of course we have to end the walkie with the obligatory photoshoot...

Oh and last but not least, here's the crazy pup trying to act all innocent and sweet for the camera.

I overheard a conversation between the humans one evening... it started off by someone saying that my fur looks long and messy, and my nails are too long. It was followed by a chorus of various other people agreeing. Before I know it, that someone picked up the phone and booked me in for a grooming session tomorrow. **HORRORS** Spending 3 hours in the torture chamber is NOT a good way to spend the weekend!!

It'd be nice to have some company but Hershey is spared from it because her fur does not require much maintanence, other than the usual brushing. This isn't fair, I tell you... Look at me, do I look 'messy' at all??? **sigh**

Mom is back from the faraway place called London, and due to jet lag, she hasn't been much fun to be around with yesterday cos she is always sleeping/ feeling sleepy, or when she isn't sleeping, she is grumpy and grouchy. We found some photos in her camera and London seems like a very lovely place. She hopes to go back there with dad one day for a vacation (and hope they take us with them!!)

Since she isn't up for a trip to the park, we spent Sunday lazing around and doing a lot of snoozing. Hopefully we can go to the park next week...

After barely a week of returning home from Japan, the big suitcase is out again and Mom started throwing in many winter coats, woolen scarves, and leggings. She says that she is going someplace far and cold. This will be a much longer trip than the last (14 hours in the plane each way) and she won't be back till the weekend. Well at least she got to spend her anniversary with Dad yesterday.

Our Dad and Mom thanks everyone for your lovely wishes for their anniversary!! Dad gave mom a pair of earrings from Tiffany. Mom loves the 4 little silver hearts as they each represent Dad, Mom, Lucas and Chloe.

Mom being ever so practical, bought dad a laptop bag while she was in Tokyo. Can't exactly say that it was a romantic gift, can you?

07 Mar is a very special day for Dad and Mom. On this day 12 years ago, they 'officially' became a couple after Dad held Mom's hands for the first time on the pretext of leading her across a road. They were on the way back to their hostel after a group date with a bunch of friends to the Moomba Festival in Melbourne. The interesting thing to note is that there are no cars on that stretch of road because that road was closed to all traffic for the festival!! It was pretty funny but Mom allowed Dad to contiue to hold her hand anyway. This day in 1998 marked the start of their future together.

On this very same day 2 years ago, Mom returned home from a business trip from Tokyo realized that she had forgotten to buy an anniversary present for Dad. He had bought her a matching set of Tiffany necklace and bracelet for their 10th year anniversary, and the necklace has 10 silver hearts, each one representing the number of years they had been together. Mom was mortified, totally guilty and 100% embarassed for not getting him anything, and promised that she would make it up to him. Little did she expect that on that day, she would give him a son, their firstborn, their little Lucas.

Sadly as you all know, mom miscarried Lucas after a short 14 weeks.

I wish their story has a 'and they lived happily ever after' kind of ending but unfortunately, that's how it really is.

Mom gave Hershey and I each a new toy that she'd bought for us from Tokyo over the weekend and I am very pleased with my blue ball 'cos it sure can squeak REAL loudly!! I am going to try squeezing it at 3am tonight.... the humans will be so thrilled!!

Mom just arrived home from a work trip to Tokyo and bought some things for us!! She didn't have much free time, so could only make a quick dash to a pet shop in the city to get us some pressies.

I (Huskee) have got 5 toys and 2 bags of treats while Hershey only got 1 bag of treats and 1 pink Elephant kong (it is written on the tag that the name of the elephant is 'Dexter'... wonder if it is in anyway related to Mango's little brother Dexter??). I am no Math genius, but I think it is clear who is Mom's favouritest pup.

Our poor dad fared even worse, he only got 1 pressie from Mom. This coming Sunday, the 07 March, marks the 12th year since they first dated/ became a couple, so that's Mom's anniversary present to him.

Here are some random photos that mom took during the trip... She had sushi and sashimi for dinner 3 nights in a row and I think she's still not tired of it yet!

Hershey has this really sweet habit since the day she came into our family. Everytime dad goes into the bathroom without her, she will loiter outside and look forlonly at the closed door until dad emerges... she will stay there regardless how long dad takes inside, and the humans find it so sweet everytime they see her doing it.

Interestingly enough, she only behaves this way towards dad... she doesn't really bother if it was mom. This had made mom quite mad (jealous???).

We are quite curious if any of you do the same thing too?

During the Lunar New Year, as a tradition most Chinese families will paste a sticker with the Chinese characters '常满' on the containers which they use to store their rice. '常满' means 'abundance' or the literal translation is 'always full'. Since rice is a staple part of the diet for Chinese, it is important that the rice container is never empty.

Borrowing this concept, I thought it is very important to ensure that the container used to store my kibbles is also kept filled to the brim, so I borrowed one of those stickers from mom and pasted it on my all-important food source. Hopefully my Year of Tiger is off to a roaring good start!

This photo of Hershey posing next to the pussy willows was taken during the Chinese New Year period last year. The oriental vase was a gift from dad's parents when we moved into our apartment in 2008, and both Hershey and I were warned not to break (referring to Hershey) or pee (ummm.. I think this one is referring to me) on it because it is 'expensive'.

This vase only 'sees the light of day' during Chinese New Year, and spends the rest of the time in the storeroom where mom uses it as an umbrella stand and to hold the vacuum cleaner noozle when it is not in use. LOL!! (Just wait till dad's parents find out!!)

Anyway, here we are, one year later with Chinese New Year just 3 days away. The vase had found its way back into the centerspot of the living room. Below are the photos taken this year... you can see that nothing much has changed (yes, my pesky black and white sister is still the same).

This is the sight that mom woke up to one morning... (sorry that it's blurry cos the room was dark and the only camera mom had was the one on her handphone). Mom was trying to decide between 'Awwwwwwww.. so sweet!!' or 'Ewwww.... so gross!!' while fumbling with the camera. When the photo was being taken, dad was still in slumberland while Hershey was trying to wake him by giving him a very thorough 'face massage'.

It took a while for dad to be roused from his sleep (you think he was dreaming of drowning in saliva??) but Hershey persisted. Her 'hardwork' paid off when dad woke up and took her out for a long walk!

(Shane: I have a strong inkling that this will soon be a 'regular sighting' on weekends... Poor hubby will have to forget about sleeping in on the weekends from now on!!)

The reason why there hasn't been any photos of me lately is because I have those dreaded itchy-scratchies, and thus the dreaded e-collar is back!! We aren't too sure what the 'trigger' is, but it seems 'seasonal' and comes and goes by itself, so rather than taking me to the vet and feeding me with steriods, the humans decided to bathe me with medicated shampoo and adopt the 'wait and see' approach. They have also eliminated chicken from my diet.

I totally dislike the e-collar because it gets in the way and keeps knocking into things. It's hard for me to hide under any furniture now without a few knocks and bumps.

I am NOT a happy pup...

Our mom and Chow Chow's mom (Aunty A) arranged for a playdate for Hershey and Chow Chow at the park last Sunday.

The humans tried to take a few nice photos of the 2 of them so that we can blog about it, but it was more difficult than anyone could imagine cos neither of them was interested!! Trying to get a decent photo of ONE dog is hard enough... trying to get a decent photo of TWO dogs is almost mission impossible!!

Looking Right...

Looking Left...

Looking Right (again)...

And finally one decent photo!!

After all modelling is hard work, so Chow Chow and Hershey took a much deserved rest... (Chow Chow's brand new little sister was at the park too!!)

Actually Chow Chow did better than just lie down to rest. He took a mud bath in a hole that some other doggie had kindly dug and left behind earlier. (See evidence of a muddy Chow Chow below)... His poor daddy had the unenviable task of bathing him when they get home!!

*** Aunty A, we are hoping for good weather from now till Sunday (so that 'THAT' hole stays dry) and hopefully Hershey and Chow Chow can have another play date this Sunday!!

One morning, Mom was jolted awake feeling breathless and felt like there was something pressing on her body and she couldn't breathe properly. The picture below explains the source of her discomfort...

Clearly, some doggie was searching for a soft and cushy place to lie on and she found the best one in the house! LOL...

We are overwhelmed by all the sweet, encouraging messages that we received for Aunty Jo and Max in our previous post... Yet again, we are overcome with gratitude by the outpour of love and compassion from all around the world. A number of the messages were left by kitty friends whom we have never 'met' before and we are so touchedQ THANK YOU to our friends, both old friends and new friends!! We will compile all your messages and bind it in a book for Aunty Jo as a keepsake of Max.

Thank you again, to all pups, kitties, hamsterriers, birdies and your humans too!

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I know that Christmas was some 3 weeks back, but good things still keep happening to us! We received a surprise parcel from Addie, Lucie and Hailey, with a lovely card from the girls. Our mom cannot get enough of Hailey's cute, tiny paw print! THANKS girls!!

Lucie's mom found out recently about Lucie's health issues. Unfortunately it seems like surgery isn't an option... We know that Lucie's mom must be so worried about Lucie because these 3 girls are all so dear to her. We really don't know what we can do except to cross our paws and hope for the best. Lucie is still very young and totally deserves to spend a long life with her family because that is where she truly belongs.

(Shane here) Don't know why, but all the things that have happened around me recently made me re-evaluate my love for Huskee and Hershey and how I have been treating them. Life is just so fragile and unpredictable... you can be here today and gone tomorrow. I think I have not been very fair to Huskee & Hershey ever since I lost Chloe in late June 09. Maybe it's because I have been too wrapped up in my own grief and too focused on my own pain, which is why I ended up neglecting them and not showing them as much love and attention as I used to. It's not a 'valid' excuse and I don't condone my actions. Don't get me wrong, I still love them as much as ever, perhaps even more, but I just have not shown it to them.

I feel very bad about it because it is not their fault and they are the innocent ones who have been patiently kissing away all my tears, trying to comfort me by cuddling close to me and not asking for a single thing in return. I think Hershey bore the brunt of the lack of attention and sometimes, even my foul mood because she livess with me whereas Huskee lives with my sister and parents, who dote on him and 'worship' him 120%. And to make matters worse, it is Hershey who has been spending the most time with me over the past 6 months, even more than my husband because she is at home with me all day... I guess I have taken her for granted.

Although Hershey is still very young, I hate to think that I have 'wasted' the last 6 months of her young life by not showering enough attention on her... Everytime I call her name, she'll happily prance to whichever room that I am in with typical puppy enthusiasm. So did I take her out as often as I should have? Did I give her enough belly rubs? Did I praise her often enough? I honestly don't think so.

As I am typing this on the bed, she cuddled closely next to me with her paw on my arm and head under my chin, waiting for me to look at her and into her lovely chocolate brown eyes that is oozing with so much love and devotion.

Give your pups/ kitties/ hammies/ birdies a hug and a kiss today, ok?

We found out this morning that mom's friend, Aunty Jo's doggie, Max, passed away last evening. Max was 13 years old and he hasn't been well for a while due to kidney failure. Aunty Jo had been doing everything she possibly can to try and make him well. Despite all that was being done, sadly Max's condition took a turn for the worse on Monday and he lost his battle last evening. He was brave throughout and fought hard battle, with his best friend alongside him every single step of the way.

Aunty Jo is devastated because she's lost her best friend of 13 years. Max doesn't have a blog, but if you can each take some time leave some words here for Aunty Jo, we will pass it on to her and we know for sure that she will appreciate it lots. Thanks guys!

Aunty Jo, we will never be able to replace Max's place in your heart, but if you ever want a dose of doggie kisses or if your fingers are itching to give a ear/ head rub, you know where to find us... Hershey, the Energizer Bunny, will always be ready for you!! She is still waiting to complete the scrawling the rest of her name on Aunty F's arm.

*** Tribute To A Best Friend ***

Bright sunlight streams through window pane
unto a spot on the floor....
then I remember,
it's where you used to lie,
but now you are no more.

Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,
and muted echoes sound....
then I remember,
it's where your paws would joyously bound.

A voice is heard along the road,
and up beyond the hill,
then I remember it can't be yours....
your golden voice is still.

But I'll take that vacant spot of floor
and empty muted hall
and lay them with the absent voice
and unused dish along the wall.
I'll wrap these treasured memorials
in a blanket of my love
and keep them for my best friend
until we meet above.

Author Unknown