There are times when I feel as though my job is the only stable, sane, life-affirming thing left in my life. Everything else seems to be tinged with madness. But when I look at things with a sense of perspective, I realise how privileged we are indeed to have the things we take for granted, like the right to a nationality and education, and freedom to contract and of employment and property ownership. For many of the people I work with daily, people like you and I are fortunate beyond measure.
Covert Cubicle: A discreet photo of my cubicle at work, taken at the request of That Special Someone.
My animal rights campaign literature and buttons at my cubicle, and an ancient and under-utilised copy of Blackstone's International Law Documents which I have had since the 1990s.
Covert Cupcakes: We had a training session at work the other day, and in keeping with the theme of armed conflict, the organising committee had these army-themed cupcakes specially made for us. The cupcakes tasted as good as they looked! I had a camouflage fatigue one and a hand grenade one.
I am honoured to be part of a team of dynamic individuals whose daily work it is to find permanent solutions for some of the world's most vulnerable people. And I am humbled that people in need come to us because they believe we will be able to afford them protection. Knowing they have put such a high degree of faith in us makes me want to work harder that I may be able to serve them better.
I will be taking Gypsy to Kak Mazni of the SPCA for boarding by tomorrow, in order that he may be put up for adoption over the weekend. I wish I didn't have to give any of my babies up. It's like putting up pieces of my heart for adoption. Well, if Gypsy doesn't get adopted, I will bring him home again on Monday.
Gypsy has doubled in weight and confidence since the day I brought him home. Here he is, looking playful. The condition of his hair and coat has also improved with good food and supplements.
It has been another ordinary weekend for me. I had spent Sunday at the parental home, cleaning the house, tidying the yard and looking after Amber.
Saturday was my SPCA Day, as usual. I arrived in the afternoon and proceeded to bathe and tickwash the dogs in the Hospital and B-Extension areas, at the request of Dr. Pushpa.
One of the B-Ext dogs, Claire, had matted hair and I proceeded to trim, clip and groom her hair. As I worked, I sang to her:
"Claire, the moment I met you I swear/
I felt as if something, somewhere/
Had happened to me/
Which I couldn't see/"
Claire didn't seem terribly impressed with my singing. Look at how sullen she looks here.
I put away the shampoo and Tacktik EC after I finished bathing the dogs and started cleaning and disinfecting the shelter. I removed all the rubbish and soiled paper and swabbed all washable substrates and surfaces with soap and disinfectant.
The SPCA cats are just happy to have someone in the Cattery to keep them company, disinfectant or no disinfectant.
I finished cleaning the shelter by 1900h, tidied up, showered, changed and ran a few errands before going back to my bachelor pad.
It looks like the rest of the week is going to be a scorcher as well. At this rate, we will have migratory raptors soaring in on thermals galore. Bring 'em on, I say.
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Anyway here is something fun.
Cat-In-Sydney has tagged me in an Internet Meme, called the "888" meme.
Here are the rules:
1. Go to your photo files… select the 8th photo folder
2. Select the 8th photo in that folder
3. Post that photo along with the story behind it
4. Then challenge 8 blogging friends to do the same.
Here's what I got:
My 8th folder is of my old Offroading trips. This is a photo from hard copy that was scanned and e-mailed to me by our friend Atan. This was taken in 2006/2007 when my offroadie friends and I organised our own relief mission to Sg. Selai, Johor, to deliver food aid to our Orang Asli friends who had no access to food and other provisions due to the worst flood in modern Malaysian history. Many of the bridges and parts of the road have been washed away and we had to rebuild them. Soldier Man is driving the Land Cruiser II in this photo and I am riding on the bonnet, which is dangerous and illegal but awesome fun!
Friends I am tagging:
1. Pat
2. Keats
3. Bubbles1956
4. Ellen
5. Pak Idrus
6. JamiSinc
7. Wassup, Nat?
8. Louis
10 comments:
Hope you get some good sightings of those raptors. Eagles are a wonderful sight riding those thermals or swooping down on their prey. Occasionally I am lucky enough to catch sight of one soaring over the nature preserve, or to hear their calls I have seen them in action in Alaska.
Privileged to be chosen to be tagged. Thanks. I have reservations about tagging but check my blog later today.
Dear Louis,
Thank you for coming by and for taking on the internet meme! I've read your post and will be commenting shortly! I trust we will get plenty of raptors flying over this weekend. They've been flying past for the last 2 weeks or so. Will take lots of good photos for you, my nature-loving friend.
Well Ee Lynn, when you see me,you see more!- my family members will be at the Raptors Watch too.Have missed it for a few years and this time round,my diary says 'BIG APPOINTMENT'!Hope to bump into you 'coz you'll be busy, busy,I'm sure! Let's enjoy this huge event!
Dear Keats,
YESSSSSSS!!!! You'll be there, woooo hooooo! I hope to see fellow blogger Patricia there too! I'll be at the emcee station or the Green Living booth if you need me. Will you be staying the night, i.e. be there on Sunday? If you are, we are conducting a Fun Challenge on Sunday morning!
E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I innocently visit your page and *dish* right between the eyes: I'm tagged!
Aiyoh, yoh! Haven't you learnt that it is useless to tag me because I am such a spoil-sport, the tag dies with me?! But I will oblige. I think. . . .
I don't know if you'll see me at the Watch. It is too hot, and I don't know if I'll have the strength to venture out of the house. . . .
But - Gypsy looks exactly like a little kitten I rescued in the late '70s!!!
She was ebony black and totally gorgeous. I held her in my arms (yes lah, red eyes and allergy be damned!) and promised her I'd find her a home.
And I did. With a darling friend who named her 'Patricia Bikini' - after moi ;) and because when you turned her on her back, she had a lovely white bikini on!!!! Wooot!
Dear Pat,
Please come to the event grounds laaa.... when it's not so hot. You can bring a brolly and sit under the trees and eat ice cream ;)
I am glad you rescued the kitten despite your allergies! I wish more people extended a helping hand instead of excuses. Wish you had a photo of Patricia Bikini. Must have lived to a ripe old age and become a really big cat.
You've always been good with tags. Remember the Water Conservation Initiative Meme that I created? You did really well in that one! Pls try this one, it will be fun!
CO78,
Gypsy looks so....emmmm....elegant! Hope a kind hearted family will adopt the kitten soon. My bro Tom was about that size when my Mama picked him up from the the streets. psst...eavesdropped Mama and Dad talking about setting up a new charity for felines...something in the line of cat sanctuary and spa... Hmmm...facial, mani/pedi and massage for cats too? And I'll be the Queen of them all... purrr....meow!
Dear Kitties-In-Sydney,
Your Mum and Dad are planning to start a charity for needy cats? Sounds WONDERFUL! Can I sit on the Council pls? ;o)
Gypsy is back in my home. He hasn't been adopted yet so I have to work harder at finding him a good home. He is a little angel and really growing fast. He eats any supplement I put in his food and has taken all his deworming medication nicely. I love him so much.
CO78,
The Masterplan is: buy a 5-ha property, build a 5-storey mansion, each floor is an indoor theme park for felines, in-house vet, groomer, cleaner, therapist, trainer etc. Outdoor - fish, herds of cattle, goats and sheep, chicken and ducks - all reared organically for feline food. Oh....what a dream....purrrr....meow!
Dear Kitties-in-Sydney,
Oh I can see why the therapist is needed all right.
"I feel sad because I wanted to be on the second tower of the scratching post and someone else got there first."
"I have low self-esteem because I didn't get the feathery-bell-ball I wanted."
What rum!
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