Prince In Meditation (8.00 am. 18th January 2005)

I found this short video clip recorded with my phone cam almost exactly 9 years ago. Video quality is bad but audio is tolerable. This was a daily morning routine for Jeannie and Prince with one of Prince's favorite mantras playing and Jeannie with her Nescafe. The guy not only meditates, he snores like a human too!

He's Human

He is as human as a dog can be...

J.J. Evolution

How did this

...become this?

Must have started with this:

Or is it because of Prince Cheah?

Prince The King (er...Scumbag)

J.J. endearingly calls Prince "Scumbag" and sometimes the word fits Prince to the "T". There are so many things that Prince does, the list is endless:

• he will wipe his mouth on the nearest person after drinking water
• wipes his ass on you as he pretends to be playing with you
• wakes you up in the morning by covering your nostrils with his tongue or he licks your eyelids open
• if the above failed, he would bark incessantly into your ears till you get up and take him outside to do his "business".
• piss in the house as you tell him not to and while he is doing it stares at you as if to say, "come clean it up"
• ...and on and on

The best part is, he never dared do it to Jeannie. For example, he would never have his backside at her face when he slept on the bed. Indeed he would even be in "reverse gear" when he moved away. He also did not dare wake her up in the morning and would only get up when she did...no matter how late. At about 10.30 at night when Jeannie was at her computer below the staircase Prince would climb the stairs to her eye-level and softly bark at her as if to remind her of bed time. When she was unwell we once saw him pull her blanket to cover her. Not many people will believe what we say.

Domination? Took this photo at 3.30 am yesterday.

It's A Dog's Life? Or Is It A Dog's Soul?

Krystyn was in Singapore/JB on an assignment for a few days. Her two Shih Tzus Fudge and Toffee were visibly pining for her after the first two days. They sleep with her on her bed! Prince, their father on the other hand was his usual "take charge" self trying to call the shots on their food/water replenishment, dinner and sleeping times, morning toilet calls, etc., etc. He sleeps in his own basket beside my bed as he has been doing since he came to Jeannie years ago.

Since Krystyn was not around we decided to allow her two Shih Tzu to sleep in my room but with the door open so that they were free to loiter around upstairs. 

At 3.40 am on the night before Krystyn was due to return I woke up to find Fudge on the landing looking down the stairway. I took this photo with my phone, WhatsApp it to Krystyn and went back to sleep:

Then, at about 5.10 am the same night I woke up to find Prince in exactly the same spot and posture as Fudge was earlier. I reached for my phone to take a photo and when I pointed it, Prince had moved. He is canny in very inexplicable ways. The following is the shot taken seconds after I took my phone:

Notice the wispy figure between the grill and the wicker basket. I know for a fact that it was not Fudge nor Toffee because they were in my room! Sure looks like another Shih Tzu to me! Also, the dogs were behaving unusually earlier and were suddenly barking down the stairs on a few occasions.

Could it have been Chili, the departed mother of Fudge and Toffee? 

Unfamiliar Surroundings...Prince On Grass

He absolutely refused to move...

Mummy's Boys

Prince Cheah

HRH Prince Cheah turned 11 on 27th July. His cake? A slice of Mille Crepe from Food Foundry.

Most dogs will rush to eat the cake rather than pose for a photo first. But then, most dogs are not like Prince who does not think he is a dog and justifiably so!

HRH Prince Cheah

This morning I was at my desk top in the bedroom, tweaking the FirstLife site and Prince Cheah was comfortably under the table snoozing as he usually does.

Being at the table for more than a few hours I accidentally kicked him lightly a couple of times when I stretched my legs. The third time I did that was the last time today! Prince Cheah bit one of my toes! But that was to be expected of Prince these days. He never used to bite anyone before Jeannie passed on.

However, he is still the same measured old dog who can give you two chances before whacking you. The guy is almost human! How else can one explain the actions of a dog who a couple of years back took a full two minutes after I had accidentally kicked him particularly hard (under the table too) before attacking me! Prince's responses are always measured; he is even better than many humans.

So today, this post is about Prince Cheah Ah Kow and the words are mainly from Jeannie. One piece entitled, "More Than A Dream" is a blogpost dated 15th November 2006 that Jeannie adapted from the Net for her blog and another, entitled "My Beloved Prince", also from her blog is dated 27th July, 2006. They say it all.

More Than A Dream

He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds.
He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being: by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.)He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.

His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to be with me... whenever... wherever -- in case I need him. And I expect I will -- as I always have. I love my Royal Highness.....The Prince.


My Beloved Prince

A bad migraine is no fun.

Was lying in bed and Prince came up to me, staring right into my eyes.
Something wrong baby? I asked him.
He looked miserable and disappointed.

I was thinking what is it that he wanted?

Oh yes!...Very quickly I got up and said to him.
Its your birthday Prince, with or without a migraine, mummy is going to bake your favourite walnut/banana bread ok?

His tail was wagging and he seemed pleased.

I went down into the kitchen and started to make his birthday bread (cake) hahhaahha!

He was waiting impatiently while I was talking to him. I was also thinking, baking for a dog?

Well, why not? He is our baby and a member of the family.

A lot of things went through my mind while I was still busy with the ingredients. I am a woman who never liked dogs. No way!

The kids have always wanted a pet and I will always say NO! Now 2 years ago, a friend of my daughter wanted to give up her pet and of course, my daughter had to do her sweetest talk with this mom of hers. I still say NO!

What changed my mind was, when she came to the part where this little Prince is not being well taken care of by his former owners. Guess they have no time or whatever.

My heart skipped a beat and I said to my daughter. Well, okay. Let's go take a look and see if there is any chemistry between us. One big step.............got into the car and still not sure.

When we arrived at the apartment, I saw for the first time a dog that looked more like a cat.

What kind of species is this? I asked.
Oh..he is a Shih Tzu and his name is Prince.
Got introduced to Prince and I was still deciding.

Shall we or shall we not.

As I sat down, I saw the most beautiful, sparkling pair of eyes staring at me. I could almost hear him say.......would you please? Awwww........that's it. I said YES! We'll take you home and we'll give you a home.

Prince got settled with us nicely and quickly I must say.

Start grooming that dirty fella was the first thing I said to my kids.

Well, mummy gave him his 1st bath.

My 1st time bathing a dog? Geez.....I must be mad.

I set something like ten thousand rules?

No this and no to that and that.

Guess what?

Today Prince sleeps with me on my bed, eats with me, has his own chair next to mine.

Listening to mantras every morning and meditating with me.

Prince is now mine more than anyone else in the family. We cannot live without each other, not even for a day.

Ever heard of someone calling her dog while away?

I do that now or he will not do anything. He will be so miserable, they do not know what to do with him. My phone calls always set his/my mood back to normal.

I thank the Universe and Masters for they have put this message into me.

That you can do anything even if you do not like it...for the 1st time.
Now I cannot see myself living life without my dear Prince. His presence is always comforting and loving.
I cannot ask for any other than Prince.

We all adore him and literally made him a King.

Happy Birthday Prince.

You deserve many many more birthdays.

Long Live Prince Cheah.

We are grateful to have Prince and even more so to have him make Jeannie's last few years that much more special. The two were inseparable. Special appreciation to Eva and Andrew for taking care of him in his first three years.

The Third Qingming...

Krystyn decided today would be the day we did Qingming and so it was today. It also happens to be the 27th today; I wonder if it could be as much an auto-suggestion as it is a coincidence.

This is the third time after Jeannie's passing that Krystyn has been in charge. It has become routine and since we observe this tradition for tradition sake without religious beliefs, it was more an annual pilgrimage to where Jeannie'sand my father's ashes are located.

Prince Cheah was as usual present and the care-taker at Nirvana recognizes him more than he remembers us. Prince again showed he knew where he was going today.

This year, I felt like giving Jeannie's memorial website a new feel. Do check it out by clicking on the screenshot below.

Poor Prince In Plastic

Prince Cheah is unwell and has a bacterial infection on his tail. To prevent him from getting at it and to allow it to heal, the vet put a plastic cone on him. So now he has to sleep in Krystyn's room...with his whole family; Chili and the two newly born pups. Poor Krystyn.

Post Domination; Friendship

Further to my earlier post entitled "Domination", this is the latest development. Shadow the young Lab is still too frisky to be allowed into the house as he will destroy everything! It is now a daily routine for Prince to hop out every morning to do his "business" and then strut around the porch and irritate Shadow. Other times the two communicate through the semi-opened window as shown in the attached photos. They are now friends.