A Visit to the Vet

I had the honour of “accompanying” Shaggy to the vet three Saturdays ago. Poor boy had a raw nickel-sized gash on his head which Mom thinks he probably got from foraging too deeply into the thick, thorny neighbourhood shrubs during his daily walks/explorations. There wasn’t anything else wrong with him but still a check-up was insisted to ascertain the gash would not lead to an infection.

If the iconic Benji is the role model for doggies, Shag is certainly not far behind. A picture of equanimity, he patiently waited for a good half hour while his doctor attended to another patient, a shihtzu pup. Well, the only time he fidgeted was to indicate that he needed to go mark his territory outside the clinic, which I um, relented. But he was back to his calm composure as soon as we stepped back into the waiting area.

When it was his turn to be seen, the whole 21 kg of him was lifted to the examination table. The good doc checked the affected area thoroughly. Then, he proceeded to gingerly shave off the hair at and around it to remove the debris and dirt and finally, apply antiseptic ointment. The whole time, he (Shag, that is) was very Zen-like, accepting the ordeal like a monk accepting his karma.

Shaggy was next examined from tip-to-toe to ensure he was in good health. He’s already in his sixties (in human years) so there is no harm in being extra vigilant. Has he been vaccinated? Check. De-wormed? Affirmative. Multivits? Daily! Regular exercise? Er, a lot more than I can say for myself. But alas, Shag failed his normal weight range test, all right. The line chart of his weight history trends like KLSE going bullish – he had gained a whopping 4 kg in two years! So the doc prescribed a sensible diet plan to get him back to his healthy weight. We shall see if he triumphs.

Speaking of triumphs, indeed Shag is one of SPCA’s success stories. He was adopted by my brother and has been part of the family for six years. He is such a darling and wonderful companion. There are plenty of furry ones awaiting their own adoption at both the SPCA and PAWS. Pay them a visit, and may you find your Shaggy there.

In the Arms of the Angel...

It was an out-of-the-box experience attending the Angel Healing introductory session yesterday. The lull of the morning rain visible from the windows of the room we were in set the mood for what I was about to experience. The therapist matter-of-factly explained that everyone has guardian angels, and that we can actually sense or even see their peaceful presence if we open our minds and hearts to them. The angels are there to gently guide and heal us in our oft troubled daily lives.

We were then asked to perform an exercise to open the channel to receive them. I went along with it, placing myself in a supine position on the yoga mat and closed my eyes. Just try, I willed myself, just try. The exercise lasted for about fifteen minutes. No luck, I didn’t see or sense my guardian angel, but I did feel an inner calm and that, perhaps, was her way of reaching out to me…



On googling Angel Healing, I found that it is indeed quite a popular alternative therapy. There are many therapists and numerous testimonials from practitioners. I can understand why it can be a comfort to those who believe that angels are always there for them. In difficult times, the mere thought that someone is there to look out for us is invaluable, and can literally be a life saver. In difficult times, we take whatever we can.

Thanks to Soumya, the earth angel, for attending the session with me.

A Very Beer-y Gud Bier!

I am now officially a fan of the Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrüb, the most delicious beer I’ve tasted to date. Perhaps it was also influenced by the convivial company; it sure tasted perfect. Whatever LDP traffic woe hitherto suffered melted with every refreshing gulp.

Thanks to sweetie Swee Lin who knows her beer (and where to get it!) and recommended it to me :-).

Kevin, Celina, Caryn, Swee Lin... Prost! (Cheers!)