Quick update

 

 

 

Well you just wouldn't adam and eve it!!!!

Monday Cola was going down hill and I was all ready to take her into the vet...djd was saying...lets just leave her today and see what she is like tonight and if we have to then........

She was eating but then just bringing it all back up...which meant she was getting no medication.....

Monday night and she was still being sick but alert

Tuesday - we'll give it another day??

Wednesday - hold on...she's wagging her tail

Thursday - wait a minuite....she's started to eat the cats food again!!!

Friday - well blow me down with a feather.....she is starting to bounce around the house....looking for food...

Saturday - you do know you nearly died on Monday dont you!!!! Your meant to be on deaths door!!!!

Sunday - welcome back Cola....

 Bit blurry but I think you will get the idea :-)

I smell food!?!?!?!?!

Well are you going to give it to me!?!?!?!

Or do I have to jump!!

 

And you will be pleased to know she did get it and ate it with great gusto!!

 

Life in the old dog

 

 

There is some life left in the old dog....well even with djd turning one year older and closer to a "that age!" he still manages to get about the garden :) Happy Birthday sweetie :)

As for the other old dog in the house.....Cola....well she has a little life left in her as well. Back to the vet again this week. We could see her getting weaker and weaker and more and more sick as the week progressed, we took her in on Wednesday morning...thinking this is it...but they pumped her up with fluids and pills and kept her in. The vet rings us....could we bring in some "home" cooking for Cola and see if she will eat as she wont eat the food they are giving her.

Duly said we left work went to the supermarket got some meat...took it home cooked it up and went for a visit to the vets. What a different dog she was to when we dropped her in that morning....hungry and eager to eat. So the next morning we took in breakfast and dinner that night...we could see her improving...but still on the drip to keep the fluids up. Friday morning and we dropped in more food.

The vet decided to slowly reduce the fluids ....there is nothing more they can do for our girl....but she cant live the rest of her life on a drip. Cola that night decided she no longer wanted to be on the drip and removed it herself!!

"Well in that case" says the vet "you probably can take her home"

So she is home with us. She is not as ill, is a lot more alert and looking for food but its just time now...her kidneys will again give up and that will be it for our little girl....a good loyal friend of 15 years...but at least we have a few more days with her.

I have some piccies of Cola...but when I look back at them most of when she is asleep...well mainly because she looks so damn cute when asleep.

So here are a few of our darling girl....I espcially like the one of the "family" :)

Don't I look cute in pink :)

I have a built in shade mechanism

If mum had sound on her camera you could hear me snoring :)

"Family Member down....all gather round" - I wonder what it is about animals that they sense when things are not right....these pets of our never get this close and cosy with each other unless the heater is on...and yet here they are giving loving support to one who is not well.

So we expect our girl will leave us some day soon...but for now we have her home and I can cuddle her for now :)

Oh did I mention that djd had a birthday yesterday :)

 

Just not in the mood

 

 

My baby is not well....my beagle - cola

We took her to the vet on Wednesday and she was not right...they kept her and put her on drip...and then over the next few days she went from bad diarrhea to kidney failure,  to bad kidney infection and a urinary infection and not eating.

We picked her up on Saturday...her kidney's better but still not eating, they thought she might eat this special diet at home...now on a special diet she wont eat.

My girl turns 15 years old in November...thats 73 in human years (some argue that its 105)

There is no way I can deny she is not my usual hungry beagle who I have to lock out of the laundry while I feed the cats...who goes for her morning walk and when we turn for home...she knows she is heading back for the left over cat food...this weekend..she has not even blinked an eye in the direction of the cats food

She wont eat the food the vets want her ot eat....some bland dired up can of gunk (but pepsi likes it...fo figure!!) we have given her chiken...a bit of pork....but she is just not the same doggy she was last week.

Just time now to see if she comes back to being my puppy cola

 

 

Hong Kong

 

 Oh my how I love Hong Kong. If I could I would go back tomorrow and explore all the places we never got a chance to. I think, other than wonderful Wellington...I could easily say I would live there. Apart from Vanuatu after we win lotto of course :)

Arrived late afternoon on our first day, settled into the hotel room and wondered out for dinner....The next day up and out there we go................I had done all this research before we had left nz...it resulted in me printing out a 45 page (double sided) book of things to do and places to see.

Found a wonderful site that gave instructions street by street, bus stop by bus stop, ferry by ferry description of how to get to different places.

This day brought the walk called "Central and Western District - This Hong Kong Walk is also very well known as "Travel Through Time" and travel through time we did...from streets with all sorts of dried food, to shops with antiques, to the more modern convenience of escalator after escalator taking us up up up.

Was a rather hot day....and we walked for miles....we promised ourselves to go back but never did. We brought tiger balm patches you can place on your body to ease the pain of strains and aches....they are life savers for djd when he hurts his back :) In fact I think we had to use them occassionally in Hong Kong :)

After the escalators came a wonder garden....and then a walk back down the hill to catch the MTR back to the hotel, to allow two rather weary travellers time to recover :)

Trolley buses...one of the oldest forms of transport

Only a tourist would find this interesting :)

You strange tourists you....

Dried food everywhere :)

If you let your imagintion go wild you wont see nuckles and a bone :)

Ancient Hong Kong surrounded by the new Hong Kong.....a temple in a city

and inside the old with the young

We found our wonderful park from our last visit...you would not believe how small this monkey really was

We sat in this park looking out over the water fountain...catching our breath and soaking up the scenery

A sign of modern Hong Kong

How much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats 4 million in kiwi dollars thats 2.5 million USD

Maybe it was the view they could see that  I couldn't see that made it that pirce????

and that was our day in Hong Kong :)

2 days in Brunei - warning there are a few pictures

We arrived tired but happy to be there. Flew Royal Brunei.....I had read some very mixed views on this airline....there was some good and bad ...the seats were a bit small for us slightly larger than the average person :) but the food was nice the staff were lovely and being a alcohol free country....so was their airline...and I have to say it was actually really pleasant not to have loud, raucous drunk people on the plane....everyone was well behaved and mostly slept. Even me and djd got some shut eye on the way over.....unfortunately the same can not be said for the trip back :(

Cindy our tour guide picked us up from the airport and chatted all the way to the hotel...about 15minute ride...pointing out all the European restaurants along the way....thinking thats where we would be interested in eating at....no actually we want local food.....ane we certainly did eat local food while there.

the hotel was spectacular....just sorry I didn't get a picture of the magnificent chandilier that was hanging over the lobby.

After the sleep we were off to the water village and up the river.

I could have spent a day just going up and down that river.....the speed of the trip up the river was thrilling and the animal life at the waters edge was fascinating. I must admit I didn't take piccies of the wildlife on the river....one I had the wrong lens on and even though I could have swapped it over...I was just soaking it all in with my eyes. But djd did and thank goodness he did as the memories come flooding back when I look at them :)

It was growing dark as we ate our dinner at the riverside at the night food stalls. Really interesting food - so glad we ate there. Then back into the car and a drive around to see the lights that were on display in honour of the Sultans birthday - all the month of August was the Sultans birthday....now thats one hell of a party isn't it :)

The night time shots of the mosques and then off to the last market of the night....I was just too tired at this stage though...hot, sweaty and just wanted my bed....djd was happily walking around taking snaps of people and the market life...and I would have as well except he was a foot taller than the people around him and more able to get the shots in...and men seem to be more accepted in Brunei...not that I didnt feel welcome but men definitely hold a higher esteem in their society.

The next day was spent mostly in the city just touring around Museums.....one was ok but after the 3rd....we were getting a bit sick of them :)

we drove back to the Sultans palace to have a look at it in the daylight....I saw this very cute looking light and this very somber man!

Last stop......the mosque from last night so we could climb the tower!!! 300 steps up and surprising enough 300 down :) I got the privilage of walking them on my own :)

Boy was it hot, stuffy and very exhausting....but first there was a quick sneaky look into the mosque itself....there I was cooking in the heat again and I had to put on a black robe to cover my entire body.....phew....still I got to look into the pray room.....what a huge area.....and the carpet was especially made to set out a square area for the kneeling to pray ......and not only that but it was made in New Zealand! we were only allowed to stand inside the doorway though and not step onto the carpet.

From there the trail up the stairs....but can you spot the picture I took of djd outside waiting for me?? :-)

My first rest for breath!

My 2nd rest for breath

The 3rd

the 4th

I made it, I'm level with the domes!!!

And on my way down.....I spy with my little eye

I'm up here...look at me!!!!!

And that was Brunei really....wish we had gone up the river again the second day...as there were other trips that did this but sometimes you just don't know what to expect and do the best you can....next time...definitely up the river and an overnight stay!

Hong Kong here we come.....yippeeeeee

Like Riding A Bike

So whats changed in town?? hmmm not much :)

Have I changed...hmm not much probalby a good thing..except for the weight which is neither going up nor down

Has much changed around the house...well apart from a great ruddy big vege garden starting to emerge on the top of our section...not much else which means we have done nothing about upgrading anything on the inside like we should

How are the pets...well Cola the beagle is older....gets to do things her way....gets away with far too much and as we come home each day we hold our breath until we hear the bark from the garage

Pepsi the mixed up huntawy- poor pepsi she has a bad case of arthritis in one of her back legs and her muscles are getting weaker and weaker...she still loves her walks but hobbles alot more and will be on drugs now until it all gets too much

George the king of cats- well that cat seems like he will live forever and shows no signs of being old except to sleep all day...what a life :)

Mickey the cat who adopted us! - she seems to be getting older...put on a bit of weight even...even took to eating a bit of cat meat...stops her chasing the birds...she will last for years to come

so for anyone who is interested and hasn't been to djd's page we recently went on the most fabulous holiday to Brunei for a couple of nights and then on to Hong Kong for 10days....it was just the best best best holiday. Would it be my most favourite...hmmm thats a hard one but it sure is one to beat!

Now all I have to do is get my photo's organised. But here is a taste of some from the first day/night being there

 

 

A water village.....houses on stilts with wooden plank walkways connecting everything just like streets and footpaths where I was caught and taking pictures and waved at :)

and there are always flowers about

Mosques abound...but these two were particularly pretty at night

And this tower...the next day I would get to enjoy walking up the 300 steps to the top...there's more to that story :)

So I guess writing and posting pictures is a bit like riding a bike...one never seems to forget how to do it.