Pets

I had a few pets over the course of a may years. I’ve had the privilege of sharing with my lovely family the joys of caring and owning a pet. Off course owning a pet is a huge responsibility and should not be taken lightly. You must be prepared to spend money and time on caring for it, ensuring your pet has sufficient and ample food, lodging and affection. A happy and healthy pet translates to years of joy for any owner or pet lover.

My first pet I would say were chickens. I grew up in Larkin, Johor Bahru during the 80’s. My dad, being a government servant was blessed by the government providing us a staff quarters. We were lucky as the staff quarters albeit not being fancy but had ample land for us to do as we pleased. We even had our own Rambutan tree at the back of the house. Being a government servant, finances were tight for my dad and he provided us what he could at the time. Hence, we adopted baby chicks from our neighbors and these were officially my first pets.

I was provided a wooden storage box with an exposed top and made my own cover for the top using mesh steel fencing held in place by nails. At the bottom of the box, I placed old newspapers to contain the chicken droppings which we would change on a daily basis. I placed inside the box a small bowl for water and sprinkled chick feed on the old newspaper as their daily feed. Like I said, I was on a budget.

I have provided some pictures below to provide a better illustration.

Sample of a wooden box obtained from the internet

Sample of a steel mesh obtained from the internet

My own hand drawn sample pf a wooden crate box with mesh steel top, held in place by nales, just like the one I actually used

As the chicks grew bigger I let them out of the cage and they were free to roam the land. In due time, I was given a pair of green birds and a pair of white headed nun finch for my sister to look after. They were both placed in very small steel ball like cages. We were supposed to feed them daily with water, seeds and sugar mixed with water. Needless to say due to our ignorance, laziness and lack of maturity at that tender age, they died. Hence, I cannot stress enough that any parents getting their kids pets must bear 99% of all responsibility, failing which the circle of a pets life will be much shorter than nature intended it to be.

Then from there, I progressed to rabbits. I personally preferred colored ones but as I recalled when it came to choosing it, my mum preferred pure white and for some reason I agreed. If memory serves me right a pair of baby rabbits at time cost my dad RM25.00 and he was not too pleased. Remember, we were not well off.

Anyhow, these pair, one male and a female provided great companion. We grew fond of each other and were very much attached. They were mostly fed with leaves from a tree that grew in the edge of the jungle behind our government quarters.

Off course when finance permitted, I fed them with vegetables, mostly carrots and kangkung. I am rather sure that I kept them in the same wooden box previously used for the chicks. In the evenings after I had finished my primary school, I would let them to run and jump freely in the yard. They loved it and so did I, running and chasing after them to ensure they do not run into the jungle or road nearby as the quarters did not have any fencing.

We were so found of each other that there was a time when the family had to make a weeks trip to Seremban, and I had to leave them in a rabbit’s shelter owned by dad’s friend. They had a lot of rabbits there and worst of all mostly pure whites too. Therefore being the genius that I thought I was, I placed purple iodine on their feet so that it would ease identification when the time came to take them back. After the said trip, I returned to the shelter to find that all rabbits there were so dirty and mud like brown in color due to the fact that their cage was merely steel fencing with a roof laid on top of barren sand. I honestly did not know which were my rabbits and was confused and heartbroken as all looked alike and there was no traces of iodine at any of the rabbits feet. But to my utter amazement and surprise as I was heading up to the fence, a pair of rabbits ran immediately to the edge of the fence and started jumping greeting me. I knew it was them. There was so much excitement in the way they ran up to me. I never knew rabbits were such smart and loyal creatures.

One day I woke up in the morning to find that only one rabbit was left and it was shivering with fright. I knew immediately that the mate must have squeezed out from the hole in the steel mesh fencing due to insufficient nails holding it in place. I was afraid it ran into the jungle. Despite my father’s stern warning not to go into the jungle to look for it, I still went as it was my pet. Something I grew to love and cherish.   I tried looking for many weeks but to no vain. What I feared the most that it became a meal for a cat that always roamed the area. Moral of the story, don’t keeps your pets exposed to the elements at night, i.e. don’t leave them outside the house without a proper cage.         

Then I proceeded to Japanese carp, Goldfish and Arrowana. All kept in aquariums. All were gifts from friends of my dad’s. What I learned from this experience? Do not keep Japanese carp with Goldfish in the same tank split by a mere glass partition, as the carp (Koi fish) has a tendency of jumping over the partition at night. This resulted in show grade Goldfish without eyes or damaged fins and lost scales caused by attacks from low grade Koi fish. During those days, we did not have fancy external filters like we do now. Hence, the filter I had was merely plastic filters buried under sand with a pump used for circulation the water into the filter and a separate pump to provide oxygen. In those days, changing water was a real chore, imagine to change the old aquarium water, I had to use a water hose and suck the water out with my mouth until there flow was steady flow. Needless to say, accidentally I drank and choked in the process. Who wants to drink (even accidentally or unintentionally) fish water????

Cleaning the filter was a bigger chore. All the sand had to be removed as the filter was buried under the sand. This meant that I had to remove all the fishes in the aquarium and place them in a separate pail before removing all the water in the aquarium to gain access to the filter. After cleaning the glass aquarium from all molds, I had to place the cleaned filter, sand and replace it was water kept or stored more than 24 hours, in the hopes to remove all traces of chlorine. Now imagine doing that every month and a 2 aquariums the size of 4 feet each.

   

For many years thereafter I did not have any pets until my lovely son was born. His first pet? Yup, you guessed it right. They were rabbits. Lilo and Stitch. They were lion head breed. What I learn from rearing rabbits at this age? For starters, they need lots of water and quality food. I provide them daily with a full huge bowl of filtered boiled water. Fed them daily with a variety of vegetables. You will need to experiment as each rabbit will have their own preference of vegetables. I would also feed them with grain and rabbit pallets. Get the best brands. Your pet will take some time to get used to its taste as it is not as tasty as the cheaper brands due to the fact that it is packed with oats, grains, seeds and etc. But it is much healthier and it would show in your pets health and silkiness of fur. Secondly, clean their cage daily. Spend as much time with them. Let them loose to jump and roam your compound as much as possible. Rabbits left is seclusion are bad pets. They will not be comfortable when people them and will even bits and scratch to get loose. Hence, the importance of playing daily with them.

 Mix breed lion head. Stitch. He was really big. And at times can be a handful to handle.

I would be laying if I said I did most of the work. The truth is most of the work (80%) was done by my maid. Credit must be given to her for caring for them.

Once a month I would send them for grooming. Rates vary from RM60 (at Overseas Union Garden) and above per session. The groomers would usually trim its fur and cut their toe nails.

Also, ensure that your rabbits and kept indoors, i.e. away from direct sunlight that may cause dehydration.
                  

My son had the privilege of keeping rainbow crabs, fishes, turtles and the latest budgies.

Budgerigar or parakeet or budgie, is a small seed and fruit eating parrot. Originally from found in the wild throughout the drier parts of Australia where the species has survived harsh inland conditions for the last five million years. Budgies are naturally green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings, but have been bred in captivity with coloring in blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. The species was first recorded in 1805, and today is the most popular pet in the world after the domesticated dog and cat.

Blue cere above the beak indicates it’s a male (Pic below). Always keep any birds or small pets away the reach of cats. Trust me on this, I had to learn it the hard way.  

Always ensure they have ample supply of clean water for drinking. I use diamond filtered water. The same water me and my family use for our daily consume. Also provide them with a small piece of cut and peeled red Washington apple (2 inch x 2 inch) every 3 days. Sometimes pears but no bananas as they tend to mess up the cage with bananas. Their daily staple are seeds. Once a month, I provide them with cuttlefish bone which serves as a source of calcium, that is lacking in seeds. It also provides the budgies with a hard surface to gnaw on, which should help to prevent his bill from becoming overgrown.     

Captain's log, stardate 16 October 2013 (Wednesday). Ha ha ha just reminisces the memories of star trek USS Enterprise. Anyhow, coming back to our current topic, on a lighter note I just wanted to share some funny signs I came across the internet that I personally found funny and amusing. It would be a nice recap in the hopes the weekend would swiftly come faster... Mr. Scott take us to lightspeed warp 10 to the weekend. Engage! 

Listed below in no particular order, the signs I thought was funny. Have fun perusing the below.

One of my favorites, well as you had guess it. I'm a Volvo owner. 

Although this is not a sign, a mere photoshop edit of a picture of some innocent women with words subsequently added, but I think its simply cool.

This is definitely not a sign but simply awesomely funny. Sorry no punt intended and although being sexist which I do not condone, its just funny and lets end it at that.

   

Who can argue with Ali G! 

I don't know if this is photoshop and I do not condone vulgarity especially in public but enough said. Can anyone argue with Amitabha Batchan.

Now this is how a daycare would be run if men were placed in charge. Respect. 

Ha ha ha, hang on I need to post this on Fb.

I wouldn't mess with her. Would you?

Harry Callahan: I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire six shots or only five?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow you head clean off, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

My own twist, beware of owner, recently released from asylum and has skipped his medication, dog is equally shady, cat is always scheming and the duck is ferocious due to frequent abuse. Ha ha ha   

Don't take this the wrong way. I love the Avengers and so does my lovely son. But the below is just funny!

    

Cactus Garden...

14 October 2013 (Monday)

I always had a fascination with cactus's, ever since I was a kid. Something about its shape, pattern and exoticism attracted me. I guess you could say, staying in Malaysia with its vast "Khatulistiwa" jungle and lush tropical scenery made a cactus oasis even more desirable, exotic and appealing, well to me anyway. That's how I saw it then and that's how I see now (sometimes anyway).

So a few months back I began planning my vision and execution only was completed yesterday. Below are the pictures as a guide (for sharing purposes) in the event viewers would like to do the same.

The white ceramic and black clay pots were previously used for a bonsai plants but as you can guess by now, it has long died. Hence, as an advocate for the environment, began the recycling pots process. Firstly, I placed a flat piece of rock at the bottom of the drainage hole in each pot. The reason being is to ensure that sand does not sip out every time I water the plants. You could also use dried coconut husks in replacement of the flat stone.  Then placed small pebbles for better all around drainage. I also placed broken pieces of charcoal "arang" to retain moisture. I dried all items for a minimum of three days under direct sunlight to ensure that all bacteria and weed growth is hindered. This is to ensure that I do not get any unwanted weed growth in the pot at a later date.    

I purchased 3 cactus's at a local peddler in the Section 6 Shah Alam market  on 12 October 2013 for RM5 a pot. I don't know the scientific name of the cactus I purchased. I merely choose the ones I think looks nice and filled my criteria for the pot or vision.

Thereafter, transfer them to your selected pots. As depicted below.

Place black sand in the pot surrounding the cactus. I use black sand as its the most fertile. Purchased at RM2 a bag. It can be bought from most nurseries. Press the black sand down to compress it and cover all gaps or air pockets. 

Thereafter, I place clear crystal white sand to cover the black sand. This is to create the illusion of an oasis or desert. You would still need to compress the sand with your fingers. This is to ensure that there is no loose gravel that will spill out every time you water your cactus. Sprinkling water once a week will suffice as these are desert plants and has adapted to minimum water supply. Furthermore, if the roots are soaked in water, the cactus will die. The other reason for the minimum water supply is to ensure that the sand remains white and no mildew grows destroying illusion of a desert oasis. I had placed miniature figurines to create a more realistic illusion. Use your imagination and become creative with visions of how you would like your desert oasis. You could also place some small stripes of blue plasticine to create an illusion of a flowing river and place some animal figurines. You are only limited by your own imagination, equipment and off course size of pot. Cheers and good luck!      

      

Another view of the desert oasis taken from a different angle for your viewing pleasure. 

Famous people and their conversation pieces...

Morning all. I guess that depends on what time you are reading this. Today, 2 October 2013 I took the time off to update this blog on a topic I find interesting. Each and everyone of us has something in our home that will be the center of attraction. For some it may be their blossoming Japanese Cherry Blossom (sakura) in their garden, others might be their koi pond while sipping on their evening tea, or maybe even their antique collection of rarities or Extra Super Huge LED TV, some their deluxe top notch kitchen (signature kitchen / aino) or it could be something niche or even small like a rare autographed book on your coffee table, a unique painting/portrait, an old clock and etc. I think you get the picture.

Celebs on the other hand with their quirks and eccentricities have a preference for the not so faint of heart...Mike Tyson had pet tigers (even white Bengals), Nicolas Cage on Castles, Shrunken Heads and pet Octopus and the list goes on.

What I would like to raise here is, what would the normal average Joe and people on the street like me or you want in their home as a conversational piece without raising your neighbors eyebrows yet you will become the envy of many.

Here is my two cents worth. An elegant coffee table. No! Not the usual rare wood or some metal art work made by a struggling artist but one made from an actual car engine. Note to readers... This is a guys and petrol heads thing. See the pic below to get an idea. If its good for Jeremy Clarkson on BBC's Top Gear, its good enough for me. Enumerated below are some pictures I obtained from the internet.

          
A real petrol head would adopt or extend his vision of the man cave to the bathroom as well and below would be the result...

 Pic from Internet.

As time goes by I would add some pieces from my home for sharing purposes. With that I hope readers would aspire to do the same and have pieces of items at your home that reflect your identity or highlights you that makes you unique and standout from the crowd. Cheers!  

Illustrated in no particular alphabetical order would be some of my personal items / conversational pieces. They are not centered in a showcase or "almari" but scattered thought the house to be displayed and enjoyed by all my house guests.

Tibetan singing bowl. This is the genuine item. The forging process is done mixing numerous materials to produce a humming effect.  Singing bowls produce harmonic overtones creating an effect that is unique to the instrument. The subtle yet complex multiple harmonic frequencies are a special quality caused by variations in the shape of the hand made singing bowls. The art of making singing bowls in the traditional way is often called a lost art, but traditional craftsmen still make singing bowls in the traditional manner. They are one of the longest made traditional objects still being made today. Note, this is not an antique singing bowl but one made during the mid 2000's.

Now this is an antique glass butter container. Made in England during the 1970's. Guess where it is located? Right. In my fridge to store butter. I pray it will go on lasting for years and all family members who use, use it carefully and diligently as its class and breakable. 

Now this is a genuine piece of history. The plates from Federal Hotel during the 60's where Tunku Abdul Rahman dined. Located at 35 Jalan Bukit Bintang  Wilayah Persekutuan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it was a place where TIME seems to stand still in the interior of Mandarin Palace  and exuberant history since the  hotel's opening in 1957. The interior decor of the restaurant has remained untouched and most of the artifacts, chinese antiques, carvings, pillars, paintings, furniture and fixtures  handpicked and custom-ordered by hotel founder Tan Sri Low Yat have hardly  moved from their original position where the business tycoon first placed them in 1957. Tunku had advised Tan Sri  to have the hotel built quickly so that it could host the Merdeka celebration that year.  The hotel,  after much work,  was completed   on Aug 28, 1957.  Atlas, the piece de resistance...the place used in the hotel during the 60's. And where is it kept? In storage for now. HA ha ha. Have not found a suitable location for it. 

  

Now here's something nostalgic. Diners of kopitiam during its heyday (1960's to 1980's) would remember this tea set. Those were the good old days. No i'm not talking about the kopitiam (Hailam Kopitiam, Old Town White Coffee, Pak Li Kopitiam Benta Kaya and etc) of the present but the kopitiam of yesteryear (Ah Lai, Hui Mui, Sin Seng Nam, Yut Kee and etc. You will remember this tea set you would had engulf your coffee with a piping hot bowl of delicious curry laksa. Currently this set I have kept in storage and will be used when required. 

      

Also have added to my collection, a Japanese Dragon and Phoenix tea set with geisha lithophane. Atlas, behold.  This is a genuine set from the 1970's and not a modern reproduction. One way of identifying a genuine product is it will not be perfect and will be time correct based on the period of production. There will be hairline fractures and cracks in line with age of the item and also lumps in the ceramic. This will be due to the fact that during those times, they had not perfected the art of mass production in perfection. Hence no two sets are the same. Even in my collection I had noticed that they are minor defects from one cup and saucer to the next.