Project RED

We had executed "Project RED" today. After a mere three hours, our house was cleaned (only 60% completion) and decorated with as much red as possible! Every corner has a little red and an auspicious symbol/wording for the coming CNY. Luckily there was beancurd skin ginko nut dessert to comfort every tired limb. Though we did not involve in the project, Wynn Wynn and I were given a sip too. Sweet sweet soft soft neh! :D

A sweet sweet dessert = A sweeter Rat Year :))

Is your house going through "Project RED" too? The ending is always being looking forward to. But the process towards the ending is just as rewarding too. Enjoy!*Winks*

I Had Mail!

I had mail today! Yes, yes! They were two white envelopes being addressed to me. Yes, only to me - FRANKIE!

Seeing my excitement, MM helped me to open them. WOW, they were various types of dehydrated treats! I guess MM must have ordered them for CNY from Auntie Jadey. While the humans have their bak kwa and other CNY goodies, we have our own CNY goodies too. Being 'naturally' generous, I am sharing these goodies with Wynn Wynn, though MM had clarified that these treats were (as a matter of fact!) bought for BOTH of us. Ok ok... I know I know.... but since they were addressed to me, shouldn't I own a BIGGER share? :))

Beef lung, pork, chicken and pig heart... WOW WOW!!!

An Unexpected Visitor

We had an unexpected visitor today. She came with a big trolley bag and a foldable metal that looked like a table. Well, Christmas was over. Thus, Frankie and I concluded she was not sent by Santa Claus. In fact, she was here to give us our "finally-it-is-here" grooming! Yes, our very first home grooming! *GOSH*

Jiejie Feng started with Frankie first. I decided to snoop on the new groomer's trolley bag, since it should take at least an hour before my turn. To my disappointment, the bag did not contain any treats or toys. What a killjoy! While I was feeling sad over my discovery, the humans were trying hard to stop Frankie from biting his paws. Seemed like Frankie was into his scratching mood again. In the end, he was to wear his elizabeth collar, so that Jiejie Feng could continue with the grooming. Hmmm... I wonder whether Frankie actually did that deliberately. He was okie in the morning before the groomer was here. Well, regardless whether it was real or just an act, I must say Frankie was working real hard to hinder the process. Silly boy, he should know he would never succeed. Anyway it was high time to chop off his "white cabbage headgear"! Heehee...

After almost 3.5 hours, we were finally done! Our new looks? Well, I guess Frankie and I are qualified to join the "Gong Gong Club".

Gong Gong Boy - I am still having my cheerful disposition!

Gong Gong Girl - See my new bushy "moustache"?

Small Yet Powerful

MM introduced a new vegetable into our weekly diet today. It was almost round, brownish, rough skinned and attached to a little stalk of leaf. Though it looked clownish (unlike a big turnip), but I would say it was quite cute in some ways. When MM removed its brownish outer layer, its flesh was actually a distinctive purpish red! Hey, I thought veggies are mostly green or yellow. This little thing was interesting. :)

Though most of it would be blended together with the other vegetables, MM still cut some small pieces for us as a first trial. Conclusion? Not too bad... it tasted neither sweet nor bitter, but it was super crunchy! WE LIKE! MM said it is called beet or beetroot. Despite of its small size, it does have a lot of beneficial properties.

The powerful antioxidant betacyanin gives beetroot its deep red hue. This vegetable purifies the blood and has anti-carcinogenic properties. It is known to boost the body’s natural defenses in the liver, gall bladder and kidney, regenerating immune cells. It also contains silica which is vital for healthy skin, nails and bones. In all, beetroot contains sodium, potassium, iodine, copper, vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6. It is particularly rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Though it does not taste sweet, the root consists of about a tenth portion of pure sugar. The rest is mainly starch and gum. Thus a moderate amount each month should give us a cleaner bill of health?

We certainly hope so. It is too early to tell since we are still on the trial process. But one thing is unexpected yet certain - our pee became RED!

~ Edited from an online pic ~

He Is Sick

Frankie is not in his usual self today. From what we have observed, he seems to be falling sick, and perhaps falling really sick this time.

1) Just after his bath and blow-drying, Frankie suddenly spewed a little pool of brownish liquid. MM thought perhaps he must have drunk some water during the "water fight" they had earlier on. After a while, he simply dozed off to his dreamland.

2) Though the neighbours were chatting happily outside the corridor, Frankie was totally oblivious of the surroundings. Usually he would run all the way to the door and bark at those "intruders" with his high-pitched yelp! But looking at him now... he is acting too lethargic to do anything.

3) When the dinner was served, Frankie did not respond enthusiastically. Only after much coaxing, he managed to finish up his chicken wings and cod fish. This is very weird - Frankie had showed a lack of interest in FOOD!

4) After the dinner, Frankie went to his favourite corner and dozed off to his dreamland again. Oh no, he had actually slept for almost 6 hours in a straight record! He was like a piece of paper when MM carried him up from the cold floor. He was lifeless and sluggish, as if he had swallowed a handful of sleeping pills.

5) In his sleep, Frankie gave out a strange wheezing sound that was so different from his usual snore. His body felt feverish and he was panting quite heavily too. MM made Frankie stand up to walk and luckily he could do that effortlessly. Could Frankie have caught a cold? Or could it due to playful gas acting up in the tummy? Anyway, MM decided to observe his condition for the night before bringing him to the vet in the next morning.

Poor Frankie... he must be feeling very sad and agonizing. How I wish I could help him! Though neither I knew how to treat his illness nor I could suffer in his place, I could actually help by eating his dinner for him earlier on. What he needs most now should be our TLC and a good rest. Frankie Boy, please take care and get well soon.

Poor sick boy...

Reflections

Time flies! Year 2008 had finally arrived with much anticipation, joy and perhaps some mixed feelings. Since it is the 1st day of the new year, Wynn Wynn and I decide to reflect on what had happened in year 2007 and what we should look forward to in year 2008.

2007 Highlights:

~ Our blog was born! Hip Hip Hurray!!!

~ My yeast infection was on the road to recovery. But the road was quite rocky. *Sighz*

~ We got our first taste of canned food with tripe! YUMMY to us but YUCKY to the humans. *Hiak hiak*

~ With a wetter 2007 and plus MM being super busy in her new job, our walks became lesser and less frequent. However, she had travelled lesser in the year, thus hanging around more with us. :))

~ With a 破斧沉舟 mindset，MM fed me Azmira Yeast & Fungal D'tox though most so-called natural herbs were unknown to us. I managed to stay alive *winks* and get to eat Azmira kibbles too! It had been a long break from those crunchy kibbles. I MISS THAT FEEL!!!

~ We started to have regular home-cooked SOUP and herbal DRINK for detoxification. Perhaps MM thought body toxins should be able to be removed with MORE liquid. :P

~ I was getting more grouchy and bad-tempered. Hey, I could not help it. My condition really bothered me a lot. *SOB*

~ Wynn Wynn became more choosy with her food. GOSH, she really thought she was a connoisseur of fine food and drink!

~ Oh yes, lesser teeth brushing yet CLEANER teeth & gums! All thanks to the powerful ProDen PlaqueOff Animal. :))

~ Dr Chua gave us a clean bill of good health. But I still have to work harder to be totally 100% recovered from my skin problem. 加油！加油!

~ Towards the end of the year, we began our new diet - BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). No more home-cooked food (HCF) and no more commercial dog food. We LOVE those raw meaty bones! :D

Looking Ahead in 2008:

~ What else but a BETTER weather, MORE walks, MORE dehydrated treats, MORE trees and lamp posts for marking, MORE freedom, MORE hugs & love and definitely LESSER scolding! *Heehee*

~ NO MORE elizabeth collar on my neck PLEASE!

~ May our immune system become STRONGER and MIGHTIER!

~ Ok, I shall try my very best to be LESS cranky and barkish.

~ Not to forget Wynn Wynn to lose some pounds!

~ Hope MM would get her new toy soon. It has been a year!

~ Last but not least, a MORE fruitful and blissful year for everyone! Cheers!

Have a sweet sweet 2008!!! :))