Chicken Little's Fear

pix taken with my mobile

This happened just on the next street from where we live. (see link below to story in the local paper today)

Someone i met last week asked me where I lived and when I told her she said "wah- you live in a happening place"- but what she really meant was our area boasts of one of the most famous local food streets (Jalan Ah Lor) in KL, shopping malls (ranging from the swanky and exclusive to the "cheap and everything sold here" establishments), eateries and the business district. But yesterday's incident was another aspect of "happening" that we've seen since moving here in the last 6 months.

A couple of months ago just a street down from yesterday's happening, a nasty fire razed a coffee shop and adjacent provision store and several low cost apartments above. Apparently the fire was started by a short circuit in non-regulated re-wiring done for the makeshift provision store. It seems like building regulations and construction standards are somewhat ignored and neglected here, something we are quite familiar with in our previous country of residence. Every now and then we read in the local paper of buildings collapsing and landslides that take buildings with them. This has left us with Chicken Little's fears. Now we prefer to go for the al fresco dining alternatives

We were frequent patrons of this particular coffee shop for char kwey teow (fried noodles)which apparently is quite well known in this area. Recently they changed hands, I think and its been renovated. The "new look" didn't quite appeal to us (probably more due to the fact that we missed the old food stalls) so we haven't been there since. For no particular reason yesterday P and I decided to have lunch there. Luckily for us we missed the big happening which occurred hours after we were there. I saw the collapsed building on my way back from a visit to see Fa at the vet's and of course had to stick around and join the neighbourhood busybodies too!

photo in today's local paper, The Star

And here's the story in the paper:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/27/nation/20460120&sec=nation

Playing House

It was just like an episode out of House, only this wasn't something we could switch off and retire from for the day and sink into a good night's sleep.

The sudden onset of symptoms indicated some severe internal infection at work breaking the body down rapidly. Each 24 hours took a turn for the worse. Xrays were done, full diagnostic blood work and we were faced with possibilities, possibilities, possibilities but no clear indications of the cause. Not that we didn't have a medical professional on hand who didn't know his stuff. This Doctor was thorough, interested in the patient and conscientious. The Doc had to make a decision. Go with this possibility or the other one while life hangs by a thread and time takes with it another weak breath of life. Administer this treatment or that? One incorrect decision meant a loss of precious time. I witnessed the Russian roulette being necessarily played. I didn't envy the Doc. I grappled with my own fears and sadness.

Six days ago our Flower Fa got hit by a super infection. Her WBC (white blood cell) count was alarmingly high indicating the body was fighting an infection. Sudden loss of appetite, depression, inability to stand, abdominal tenderness, vomiting. All this came so suddenly when she was eating well, energetic and actually gaining weight like never before.

Fa was hit by a serious infection about a month earlier with the same symptoms. She pulled through. Now this time the symptoms were more severe and progressed to affect the kidneys and liver. In 2 days she was jaundiced and showed signs of bruising all over her underbelly and ears as her blood clotting factor was compromised. The vet had hoped that her earlier 2 weeks on antibiotics would have knocked out the infection but it seems it has been lurking.

Two possibilities surfaced. The infection could be related to surgical procedures during her recent spaying or Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a contagious bacterial disease affecting both animals and humans that can result in chronic liver and kidney disease and fatality in the dog. The most common modes of transmission of the infection occurs with contact with infected rat urine or ingestion of urine-contaminated water like blocked sewers and drains or swimming in ponds. Less common modes of infection are through the membranes of the eyes, abrasions or bite wounds, or ingestion of the flesh from infected animals such as rats, raccoons, skunks or opossums. Suburban and urban areas see less of this disease although decaying cities must be a host to goodness knows what armies of rats.

Dr Y made his decision and thankfully Fa has responded to the treatment. She's still surviving on a drip but 2 days ago she managed to eat one hard boiled egg I brought her and then collapsed in exhaustion, hardly able to sit up. Yesterday she ate 2 eggs AND some boiled fish! She's pulled through for now. We're waiting to see what next in case danger is still lurking.

Fa weak and depressed, barely able to hold herself up

the Liz collar is to prevent her from wrenching her drip out

I was suddenly reminded yesterday that in the last year that I lived in Bali, our night watchman came down with a severe infection attributed to rat pee. He was so ill and weak he stayed in bed for weeks. Thankfully he recovered over a long period of time. So it's a good thing to be cautious when rats are enjoying the run of the house and work on immediate elimination or it'll be the rats who'll be playing house!

The Winter Of My Content

10 degrees in Hanoi and where was the suffering I had anticipated? Pre-vacation fussing revolved around real and dramatised worries about whether we had suitable winter clothing since most of our heavier winter wear reside in a different country from where we currently live.

A fortnight ago we disentagled ourselves with determination from the shackles of P's work and took our long awaited break. Arriving in Hanoi we were promptly whisked away by the driver of our hotel pick up service, hardly feeling that our feet had touched the ground. With the aid of the car horn that has never been underused, we elbowed, muscled, wove and raced our way to the Old Quarter. This was a plunge into the heart of Hanoi.

There was no doubt that it was the middle of winter- grey and COLD! But the moment I stepped out of the car in front of the hotel, I KNEW. There was something in the air. It felt almost tangibly vibrant! This was my kind of city and it was going to be good! Despite being cloaked in sombre winter grey, the streets were a hive of activity, adding to the excitement of discovering a new place. This was not a city that dragged its feet.

Streets were packed shoulder to shoulder with shops and eateries, ploughed by people on sidewalks and motorcycles and hawkers muscling you out of the way, selling everything imaginable. Interwoven with the usual mod-cons of urban living were signs of the traditional life. Thank goodness not just another city. The Old Quarter has a history that spans 2,000 years and it's reflected in the original street layout that still exists. I couldn't spot the ao dai being worn but everywhere you looked, the traditional conical rice farmer's straw hat abounded, worn by itinerant hawkers plying the streets.

Two treasures followed us home. These paintings now hang on our walls. Well in truth, one has been hung up and the other is propped up by the dinner table chair!

the winter pallette brings back vivid memories of crisp cold days

the richness and heavy texture of oil paints

I digress from winter and Hanoi- but oil paintings employing the heavy strokes of the impasto technique appeal especially to me with the characteristic body and texture. In oil painting, the medium dries slower by comparison to other techniques. This essence results in the rich textural work of brush strokes given to contemplation and thoughtfullness. By applying transparant deep colours over opaque tones, the painter can produce rich modulations of darks and this gives the work a tonal depth not available in most other techniques. The painter can mix exact colour nuances on their palettes without being challenged by time. This mixing of colours and layering of slow drying brush strokes are much like thoughts in the making.

this beauty came home with us and graces our wall

Trees On The Go

Yes it was definitely Trees On the Go EVERYWHERE! Tangerine trees laden with startling bright orange fruit for sale lined stretches of roads as we drove out of Hanoi last week heading for the airport. Needless to say the crowds looking for a good buy added to the heat of the traffic jams typical of Hanoi city.

Buying a decorative tangerine tree for the home for the Chinese New Year is similar to the ritual of going out to buy a fir tree at Christmas. Symbolizing abundant happiness, who would not want a tangerine tree for the home! The green leaves symbolize wealth as the Chinese word for green rhymes with the word for wealth. The shapes of the small oranges are a symbol of unity and perfection. Now trust the Chinese to find a tree laden with everything a Chinese could wish for! And not forgetting that at least part of it is edible too!!

a huge tangerine tree gracing the entrance of a temple in the old quarter of hanoi

So what does a Vietnamese do after selecting the perfect tree and paying for it? He takes it home on his trusty Wave 125cc motorbike. Amazing feats seen only at famed circuses awakened our sense of wonder. Some were spotted strapped with 3 orange dotted trees, at least 10 foot tall, on a single motorbike just weaving through dense traffic just like on any other day.

trees on the go!!

not surprising the rider and motorbike can hardly be seen

the most juicy and sweet kumquarts sold on the street