This photo encapsulates what #LAB-testing, #WETnesday and Sony XPERIAnce is all about. A particular madam is holding the Xperia XZ1 Compact and testing its new Autofocus Burst on us.

Six months past when I first laid my paws on the Sony Xperia XZs and after much bonding time with that trusted phone, boom! Sony Mobile released the XZ1 - I call it the upgraded version of XZs.

I forget how fast technology moves.
A little too fast for old man me.

I am a tech-dinosaur, remember? 😏

For those who read my 'Top 10 Sony XPERIAnce' Part 1 and 2, it was clear that I am now a big fanboy of Sony Xperia phones. Before March this year, I was still a hard core user of the iPhone. And from being an absolute anti-Android user, I have been converted. Thank you Sony Mobile. Now I live in trepidation of my future without Xperia.

Drama becomes of me.
I learnt it from Frodo Choo.

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DISCLAIMER (just because its a FAQ)
I am not paid to write these reviews. I am not required to write these reviews. I do not get commission from any sales (if any... ha!). I do it because I want to and it truly is a good product.

The main focus of this review is the XZ1's new camera functions so if like me, you are fanatical about good phone cameras, I welcome you to read on.

And I need to re-emphasize that I am no tech-expert who speaks all that tacky techy language. I personally don't really give two hoots what's on paper. It lies - I learnt that a long time ago.

My review is purely based on tech-dinosaur end-user experience and that's that.

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What's New, Xperia XZ1?

Miss J decided to select me (again), Flapper Choo, to test their then-upcoming Sony Xperia XZ1. I was super duper excited. I secretly put on my reading glasses and started reading the specifications of this new phone before meeting up with Miss J to discuss about this new collaboration.

A boy gotta impress the ladies, no? 😏

On paper screen, the improvements from the XZs seem negligible. In fact, someone commented, "Nothing impressive".  The Xperia XZs and Premium were revolutionary and exciting because of its boastworthy incorporation of the 'RX Super Slow Motion' function and Predictive Capture. I gawked for the Premium just because of it was running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor versus 820 on the XZs.

And the word 'Premium' just sounds darn good.

HOWEVER!

When I finally met up with Miss J, it was finally divulged the new camera functions of the XZ1 -

1. Autofocus Burst Mode - this was the main function Miss J wanted me to test.
2. 3D Scanning - This tickled my tail and made me wag in excitement. I couldn't wait to test this!
3. Smile Shutter - Great for selfie/wefie fanatics. You smile, it takes. Handsfree.

Burst mode is nothing new. For as long as I owned a DSLR and iPhone, I always knew of burst mode. So imagine my surprise when I found out the XZs made burst mode obsolete in place of predictive capture. It did not bother me very much with the lack of burst mode but it was one of Uncle Nic's biggest gripe which I did mention in my XZs review. For a professional pet photographer like Uncle Nic who has his artistic eyes set on different shots, it was a function he respects and wants.

The minute I found out that Sony Mobile has updated the Xperia XZ1 with burst mode function, I immediately messaged Uncle Nic to let him know. It tickled his fancy - A LOT.

The function name itself is self-explanatory. Of course Sony Mobile would not settle for just plain 'ol burst mode. It had to push innovation with 'autofocus' burst mode. Conceptually, what this means is the camera is fast enough to track a moving object and produce multiple in-focus images.
I must say this. Sony Mobile Singapore is very brave to use dog as a test subject especially when the end-user is no photography expert. The mummy is a 'point-and-shoot' type who cannot even be asked to edit the colours of the photos. Very brave, Sony Mobile Singapore!

So off to test the effectiveness of Autofocus Burst Mode, I did.

Note: The camera takes up to 100 shots (in full resolution) per burst which yields 10 seconds of Burst Animation. I will explain more about Burst Animation in a bit.

Warning: Burst mode uses up storage space very quickly. A set of 100 burst shots in 19MP can use up to around 640MB of storage space.

How to set the camera to 'Burst shot' mode. Personally, I prefer to turn on "Auto Tracking" too.

By default, the camera is set to 'Take a photo'. Unlike the iPhone, you will need to change the camera setting to activate burst shot. Also, I tend to shoot in 19MP just because I had better success with 'predictive capture' on the XZs and have stuck to that mode since. Purely personal preference.

The beauty of using Xperia phone cameras is the option between using the on-screen shutter button or that fabulous shutter button at the top right of the phone. I have come to love the latter a lot as it allows me to shoot certain shots easily without having to battle with the screen (especially underwater shots!).

So. Once the camera has been set to burst shot mode, the rest is brainless. Just tap on the screen to determine tracking object then just press and hold.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW ALL 37 BURST SHOTS (RAW. UNEDITED. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET).

Yep! This was our latest WETnesday LABtest. There's Uncle Nic on the left testing the new Sony RX0 which he rented. I don't think I am ever getting the RX0 to test. Anywoof, mummy was testing the Autofocus Burst Mode with 'Auto-Tracking' off. Not too shoddy I must say. She wanted to track me but it captured Frodo decently too.

Click here to view the full set of photos.

Apologies for the front few repetitions. Mummy had to throw tennis balls and shoot in burst mode at the same time. Give her some credit. Not bad for a juggling mummy. 😂

To review images recorded -

I appreciate the fact that it is neatly filed under individual 'Burst' thumbnail rather than an entire series of photos mish-mashed with the main album library. Makes reviewing the photos a lot easier.

Selecting images(s) to save -

The cool scrolling gallery to review each individual set of burst recorded. I have to admit though, my old man eyesight finds the main image a tad bit to small to see without enlarging it.

I truly appreciate that I can just press and hold to select multiple images from a set of burst images to save.

Burst Animation

Yes yes. I know. Some other phones have this feature already, or so I was told. But I do want to brag about it just because I do love it. It just adds that oomph of fun to this burst mode thing.

Burst animation is akin to creating timelapse videos except it caps at 10 seconds max. As mentioned above, a set of 100 burst images yields a 10 seconds footage = every 10 frames to 1 seconds of video.

The end result is pretty cool. Has a GIF type of feel to it. The burst shots individually may not capture 100% sharp images but when pieced together as an animation, it actually works and the images are pretty darn sharp. Fun-o-meter - I will give it an 8!

How To Create Burst Animation

And here is the burst animation of the above set of 37 images which I decided to convert into GIF format for easy viewing purpose.

via GIPHY

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Xperia XZ1 (shot at 17MP with Object Tracking) versus iPhone 8 Plus (12MP) Burst Shots

I was actually done with my review on the Autofocus Burst mode and even gave a modest rating. I have to confess I was none-too-impressed. I said it was 'Okay'.

That was two weeks ago before Flapper Nightingale ruled by night and daddy got a brand spankin' new iPhone 8 Plus.

My techy-paw could not resist the urge but to conduct a #LAB-test of the iPhone's burst versus the XZ1. After all, I was once a diehard iPhone fan and the call to test its camera was too strong.

I was nervous.
Very nervous.

Based on past experiences, I was [almost] certain the test would favour the iPhone.

The camera specifications and impressive megapixels on paper usually mean nothing. The end result is all that matters.

I reminded mummy to turn on the 'Object Tracking' on the XZ1 BUT switch the resolution back to 19MP. So we ended up doing this test shooting in 17MP. Oh mum! 🙄

TEST CONDITIONS

• Same lighting condition/direction
• Same user (aka mummy)
• Similar start points (I did not have markers!)
• To be completely fair since the iPhone has no manual camera mode, the test conducted is 'Point-and-shoot'. The XZ1 is set on normal 'auto' camera mode, no manual adjustments whatsoever.
• All photos are unadulterated.

Let's begin with Single Shot Test

Of course I had to do a Single Shot #LAB-Test to compare! The iPhone is stark on the contrast and carries a strong yellow hue in its photos. Uncle Nic was very quick to point out that the XZ1 'quietened' the noise which is especially obvious with the muted ground texture and 'quietened' tongue textures when zoomed in.

Burst of the One-Armed Swordswoman Dogswoman

Mummy decided to do a true-to-life camera test both cameras which means she holds the phone in one hand to take photos while throwing the ball on the other.

Aye aye.

She is the One-Armed Dogswoman with very tiny hands.

• iPhone 8 Plus - 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 (mm) / 202 grams
• Xperia XZ1 - 148 x 73 x 7.4 (mm) / 156 grams 

"Urgh... your phone does not have the camera button at the top!", mummy lamented to daddy with a huge frown on her face. "I am so scared I am going to drop your phone...."

Both phones were 'unprotected' and with mummy's tiny hands, she really struggled with the One-Armed Dogswoman test with the 8 Plus.

When I first browsed through the photos, I was 'wowed' by the colour intensity that jumped right out to me, the details (including my teeth in the 3rd burst), overall photo clarity and that final close-up shot of the ball in my mouth. I was absolutely certain that 8 Plus had won handsdown.....

Then I saw this on big screen from my XZ1 (and all the others). The object-tracking had validated Sony Mobile's claims of 'Autofocus Burst Shot'. The colours aren't as stark as the 8Sand I started to notice there is an odd 'softness' to the photos....

Verdict of the 'One-Armed Dogswoman' Test:
The Sony Xperia XZ1 wins on one-hand usability with its precious remote camera button (see image on right).  If one is going to argue about using the 8 instead of 8 Plus, I can tell ya mummy will still vote the XZ1 (she struggles with that size too!) on this test just because THAT camera button makes taking photos that much easier.



But in terms of end result, I am still very undecided which I actually prefer better.... Both have its own merits.


It Takes Two To Snap
The 'One-Armed Dogswoman' act is hard work. Now it is time to test what happens when mummy finds back her 'other arm' so no phone juggling and no shaky hands. Daddy throws the ball. I catch. Mummy snaps.


Ready, Get, Set.... i-Run!

After testing both phone cameras on the jump shots, it was time to see how both phones will capture my sprints. Just FYI, it usually takes about 4-5 bursts and we, the dogs, are out of frame. That's how quick we are in our movements and actions.

I was very tempted to show the entire set of burst but I held my paw down and decided to select only 4-Burst of the main action per set per camera.

With running shots, more often than not, either the head and/or the or the legs/paws are motion-blurred. So the main thing was to see which phone camera can capture a successful burst set of me running - clarity, sharpness, expressions, movements and action.

That's not much to ask for a phone camera, right?

Old man CAN run! I was quite blown away at first review of this set of burst by the 8 Plus. Yes. Camera slanted. User problem. But just looking at the clarity and sharpness of the images, I was impressed. For a phone lacking in snazzy camera settings, the iPhone delivered. As usual.

After my initial test with the XZ1 Burst (without object tracking) that yielded mediocre results, I honestly thought the XZ1 would have lost this Burst battle. And I admit I never for a moment doubted the 8's camera capability. Clearly, the object tracking is a MUST for the XZ1 Autofocus Burst to work like magic. This set of burst , I love. I was truly impressed by the XZ1 tracking capability which is more distinct on big screen.

And The Derp-Face Moment Award Goes To....

Last but not least, we had to test not one... but two dogs in action!

Once again, I had full confidence in the iPhone. I was a little more worries about how the XZ1 would perform against the iPhone due to my mediocre initial tests. I sound so bias huh? But you can't blame a blonde boy for trusting the iPhone. I was, after all, a diehard iPhone fan before the Xperia invaded my life and swept me off my blonde paws.

I really liked this set of burst even though our faces were motion-blurred. However, at such close-ups and high speed dash, it was impressive it captured the burst of our actions. It was also blatant that the camera was background-focussed in this series.

BURST SHOT OF THE DAY! The Derp-Face Moment Award goes to none other than my brother, Frodo Choo! Mummy missed her 'clicks' and did not manage to capture a full set of burst but numbers don't matter when one has captured that 'million dollar shot' of Frodo's derp face... never mind the camera ended up tracking me. *guffaw*

Burstin' To Decide....

I cannot decide. I'm on the fence on this. I REALLY cannot decide which I prefer better. I started out thinking the 8 Plus had won hands down. Then with the object tracking mode on, the Autofocus Burst phenomenon of the XZ1 hit me and then recognizing its tracking capability... I was blown away.

I am on the fence of this and I truly cannot decide which is better. Both are good. Both are impressive. Both captured action moments well. As that non-professional end user, I am happy with both!

The iPhone IS idiot-proof with its lack of additional settings and pretty much just point-and-shoot. The stark images (though I am not liking how heavy the contrast is) make it very appealing and pretty much social media ready with minimal editing required.

The XZ1, on the other hand, has more settings in place and when one forgets about turning the 'object tracking' on, the burst shots are merely mediocre. So for anyone looking for that 'idiot-proof' phone camera, the Xperia needs some fiddling around and testing. Not as brainless as the iPhone.

HOWEVER, I will give the Xperia 10 points just for the remote camera button and another 10 points for the tracking ability - it was apparent the camera was tracking the object and not the background. I think Frodo's derp face moment may have won them additional points too.

At this point, even though I am a lazy user, I am inclined towards the XZ1 - not because I am the 'Xperia Boy' but purely based on the end result of the test. True that the images have been 'quietened' which lost some textures and definitions. True that the image colours are flatter, which I understand professional photographers prefer for editing purpose, but even in its unedited version, call me weird but I am favouring the colours better. Acquired taste perhaps?

So yeah, I think for me, the XZ1 may have just won by that itsy bitsy tiny bit.

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How Now, Blonde Dog?

Capture life in a new way with our Motion Eye™ camera. Built using know-how from our α™ and Cyber-shot™ ranges, the Xperia XZ1 reveals moments you could only imagine. - Sony Mobile

After remembering to turn on the 'object tracking' mode, my verdict on the Autofocus Burst changed from 'meh.... it's okay' to 'very respectable'.

I started out this never-ever-seem-to-get-finished Autofocus Burst review with the intention of only talking about the XZ1. Then daddy strutted home with his iPhone and my geeky paws could not resist testing it out.

Moment of truth.

Being an Apple boy since iPhone 3 till 6, I expected myself to, well, go gaga over the new iPhone 8 and even miss using an iPhone. I confess that I started out a little bias when I did the burst test and was sure the iPhone would win. Hands down. What surprised me was when I laid paws on the 8, I had become an iPhone-idiot! And it's only been some 7-8 months since I stopped using an iPhone. I have become so familiar navigating the Xperia that the 8 was underwhelming. I was truly shocked. Me? Flapper Choo? Not liking the iPhone? Noooooooooooooooo.

*Drama moment*

However, when it came to the camera test, the XZ1 surprised me - in a good way. I was very realistic in terms of expectations about this whole Autofocus Burst thing. Doing camera #LABtests with Uncle Nic opened my eyes to a whole new world of pet photography. To date, my vote of best camera goes to Sony A9. It used to be A7 till A9 came along. *guffaw*. The tracking on the A9 is out of this world. The details and expressions it captured caught me by surprise. I have been running #LABtests with Uncle Nic for quite a few years now so I do not get awestruck that easily but the A9 got my heart racing and still my favourite album to date.

Even though the XZ1 states of 'using know-how' from their α™ and Cyber-shot™ ranges', I was not expecting it to perform or product images akin to the A9. The XZ1, afterall, is a mobile phone. Not an actual camera. And the fact is, the A9 costs a mere $6,000-ish (SGD) while the XZ1 costs an $898 (SGD). So for what the XZ1 is worth, I cannot complain at all for how they have innovatively merged their different camera technologies into a mobile phone.

So yes, I dare say Sony Mobile lived up to its boast of its camera's technology and the XZ1 Autofocus Burst exceeded expectation especially when viewing on my big iMac screen. At first glance, I was blown away by the iPhone 8's images when I reviewed it on the phone itself. But as I review both phone images on big screen, the XZ1 Autofocus Burst images silently crept under my fur and I started to see the power of its object tracking. And surprisingly, I preferred the slightly muted colour tones of the XZ1 images and was oddly disturbed by the heavy contrast of the iPhone 8 images.

I stared at the images for a long long time and was truly undecided on which I preferred better. I had to study the images carefully and eventually, the XZ1 edged in as the winner - for me. Not because I am the 'Xperia' boy but it is the honest truth. My own verdict surprised me too! I really really REALLY thought the iPhone would win.

So yep.

Sony Xperia XZ1 autofocus burst won.

"If you only had that one chance in life, will you grab it in one shot?" (Photo: Uncle Nic of Furry Photos using the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact autofocus burst mode)

To be continued.... next up. That oh-so-awesome XZ1 3D scanning and more.

It has been a month since my birthday has come and gone. Please forgive this semi-retired blonde old man for his skiving ways. I have been hiding my laptop from mama and giving her those big round eyes to claim my innocence.

Old man just wanna have fun.

Mummy got annoyed and plastered a 'To-Do' list on my forehead.

Time to bring out my dusty laptop from hiding.

Maybe I should just chew the laptop and declare its demise.....

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Everybody's Birthday Is Dumbo's Birthday... and Grandma's

24th September 2017

Birthdays come in pairs, or it seems with this Choo household. Life is either that coincidental or the humans are just pure lazy. Mummy says it is meaningful to have birthdays in pairs. No prizes for guessing, I am paired up with mummy on my imaginary birthday.


It has become a tradition that each birthday involves mahjong = Grandma's birthday. It is mummy's fault, really. She abhors meaningless restaurant dinners and rooted for chill out home celebrations which quickly became an opportunity for Grandma to hustle for mahjong sessions. So yep! Happy Birthday, Grandma! *snigger snigger*

Birthdays ain't birthdays without mahjong. Happy Birthday Grandma!

Dumbo LOVES birthday. He recognises the candles. He recognises the cakes. He recognises Grandma's special birthday love meal. Dumbo is deaf, half-blind and progressing on to senile but he still recognises the humans claps and 'sings' his 'Happy Birthday' rendition in boisterous woofs with much pride. If it makes grumpy old man happy, then everyday can be his birthday. This one minute of birthday fame can be his five. Now that I am 72 years wise (although Pedigree age calculator says I am 82), I have long learnt that my birthday is everyone else's birthday. Too.

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Give 'Em Some Love

25th September 2017
Monday
Bright sunshine

'Twas the morning of my birthday. I woke up with much excitement! I wonder what mummy has planned for my birthday this year. I sniffed out two pup cakes which mummy collected the day before. Mummy has been very secretive about my birthday plans. I heard many whispers between Uncle Nic, Daddy and her. I heard something about a yacht. I heard something about 'I think it is going be Frodo's birthday instead'.

Whatever Mummy has in stored. I know it should be something pretty darn awesome.

I opened my eyes expectantly, hoping that I would be served breakfast in bed. I am a good 'ol fashion boy who believes in good 'ol fashion romance. Unfortunately, romance is not synonymous with mummy. No breakfast in bed. No "happy birthday sweetheart". All I got was barking orders from Empress Dowager to get out of bed.

"Flapper Choo! (When the 'Choo' is called, mummy is getting a little annoyed) We are going to Love Cope this morning to celebrate your birthday. What would you like to wear?", mummy asked with irritation in her voice.

LOVE COPE! I am going to spend time and Happy Birthday with my lovely groups elderly. Woohoo! Now mummy is talking my language.

In a flash, I sprang out of bed and my body is 11 months young again.

"Can I go in my birthday suit?", I replied.

Mummy pointed to my world map body. Oh yes. My idiotic brother has been treating my body as his artistic canvas of late and chewed UN-Holey patterns out of me. Cover up needed, i-Sigh.

"I'll wear Frodo's Woody outfit", I told mummy.

"You sure? You know that everyone is going to say that Frodo carries the outfit better, right?", mummy asked.

Admittedly, Frodo wins.

"I don't want to look like I am attending a funeral with my Shogun outfit. Birthday is meant to be bright and happy. Frodo's outfit is all that.", I replied.

I paused.

"And you know better than anyone else that no matter what he wears and even when he is farting, everyone will always think Mister Universe looks better and is cuter.", I retorted with a wry smile.

Mummy nodded her head in agreement.

Woody outfit it shall be!

Uncle Nic came to pick us up. How exciting! For the first time, daddy is joining us at Love Cope. I could not wait to 'show off' what I do. Uncle Nic drove us to Bengawan Solo to pick up the cakes I ordered for my lovelies. I broke my doggie-bank to pay for it. My Treat. For my Lovelies.

We arrived early at Love Cope. Everyone squealed in delight as they saw me in my Woody outfit. Aye aye! 'Woody' Flapper reporting for duty!

With many thanks to Uncle Nic (Furry Photos Pet Photography), the photos tell the story of my fantabulous morning with my lovelies. Need I say more?

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Flapper In A Trash Can

After spending quality time with my lovelies at Love Cope, we headed home to get ready for part 2 AND! Wait for my epic birthday cake from Barkery.

Ah! THAT tail about the trash can.

If you are thinking it is one of those old grandmama tale about 'I was picked up from the rubbish chute', I'm afraid not. ALTHOUGH! I was that unwanted smelly boy at 8 months old when mummy adopted me....

Truth is, I LOVE the trash can, dustbin, trash bag etc. etc. Like LOOOOVVVVVEEEEE the trash can.

Rumour has it.

I once visited Auntie Angela's home and immediately navigated my way to the kitchen. Apparently, in less than 2 minutes of stepping into the house, I had opened up a trash can and mummy found me with my head stuck into the bin.

Rumour has it.

I am only an angel when mummy is watching me. One Time in band camp.... One time at my buddies' place, I laid quietly at mummy's feet. As she walked away, I kept a close eye at her to ensure she is out of sight except I did not know she could still see me from afar. I started to 'Pink Panther' out from under the table and quietly attempted to sneak to the kitchen. Everyone reported to mummy that they saw me sneakily take a few steps and I would turn my head to check if mummy could see me. When I finally made it to the bin, I heard a loud booming voice. "FLAPPER CHOO! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?". Oops. 'Flapper Choo' means I am in trouble. I nonchalantly made my way back to under the table and gave mummy my innocent look of "what did I do?".

Rumour has it.

During the last day of filming for 'My Dog Dou Dou', there was this moment when mummy needed to use the toilet. Since I appeared to be such an angel and everyone on set had gotten to know me, my favourite 'ah longs' (loansharks) volunteered to help watch me. Mummy sighed and said, "You wait and see. Once I am out of sight, he would head straight for the bin and stick his head in." No one believed her. Upon mummy's return, the 'Flapper bin report' came fast and furious. "Oh my God! After you left, he went straight for the bin. The minute we shouted 'Flapper!", he dug his head deeper into the bin!". Mummy replied with a smirk, "I told you....".

Shortly after, mummy looked at them and said, "Let's talk and pretend to look busy. You watch. When Flapper thinks that I am not looking, he will try to make his way to the bin... again." So the 'ah longs' played along and as per mummy's prediction, I headed to the bin and yep! There it goes again... "FLAPPER CHOO! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?". Fell right into mummy's trap. I slowly made my way back to my lonely pillow, slumped myself down with a loud thud and conjured the saddest look I could muster with eyes that said, "Oh mummy.... How could you embarass me this way."



Rumour has it.

I think I am a Chihuahua and no one can see me sneaking to the bin.

Flapper, when you pass on, I am going to put you in a trash can.

Aye aye. I exasperate mummy so much with my love for trash cans that many many moons ago, she declared the best resting home she could give me is a trash can. For many years, she has been looking for a 'Oscar The Grouch' trash can. No no. Not that mummy is cursing me. She just thinks it is darn hilarious. And couple of months ago, she finally found THAT trash can.

With one paw in the bin, Mummy finally found this tiny trash can. Hmmm... not sure if it can fit all of me inside but rumour has it, the other half of me will go to the sea - my other happy place.

Along came THE 'Flapper-in-a-Trash-Can' cake.

Mummy thought very hard about the birthday cake design. Truth be told, she was running low on ideas this year. So she thought about my bucket list and 💡! She quickly messaged cheh cheh Ann from Barkery and asked her, "Do you think it is possible to make a 'Flapper in a Trash Can' cake this year? You know, like Oscar the Grouch in a trash can except it is Flapper's head sticking out."

Mummy sent an image of Oscar the Grouch in the trash. Cheh cheh Ann said they will try but she was also not sure if it could be executed. After all, the Queen of 3D sculpting had put down her sculpting knives and retired. There were a few discussions about possible execution issues but mummy had faith that they will pull it off somehow.

2 pm.

There was a knock on the door. It was cheh cheh Ann! O.M.G.! I could sniff the fish-base cake out. I may be old but my nose is working very well, thank you very much. Mummy nearly burst out in tears. ONCE AGAIN, BARKERY SINGAPORE HAS OUTDONE THEMSELVES AND EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS.

"You are so so lucky. My aunt (Queen of 3D) was there and we managed to get her to help with the cake.", cheh cheh Ann gleefully explained.

"For once, the luck is on Flapper's side", mummy gushed with happiness.

The size of the cake was perfect too. Mummy heaved a big sigh of relief. She had been worried that the cake may be too big to bring on the yacht with us. Barkery's cakes are made of fresh ingredients so refrigeration was necessary.

Mummy declared to Uncle Nic and daddy, "You boys take care of everything else. I am guarding the cake only."

Flapper-in-the-Trash-Can in its full glory before it went a little wonky,  no thanks to mummy's lousy guarding skills. Queen of 3D even sculpted in my distinguished white face and can you see all the intricate details right doen to the trash? THANK YOU BARKERY! This is a truly stunning cake. Flapper In A Trash Can? CHECK!

With the grand arrival of my birthday cake, we were ready to set off for our adventure. I just have a sneaking feeling, this adventure will be.....

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Happy Birthday Frodo.

4:45 pm.

We arrived at Sentosa Cove. Up till then, I still had no idea what mummy had planned. Uncle G and Auntie RQ joined us on this adventure too (Thank God if I may say so). Mummy got out of the car and quickly asked Uncle G to help with the cake. It's all about the cake. *guffaw*

Mummy was happy this adventure was finally happening. This year was especially difficult to get an adventure going. She was running out of new ideas, birthday swim is a must and most of all, there were not many places we could go to. We live in a small dog-friendly country. For whatever lousy recommendations these websites or blogs put about "dog-friendly" hotels in Singapore, it is only applicable to small dogs. I wonder how much they are paid for  their overglorified articles with superficial information.... hmmmm.

Anywoof, mummy was not getting much 'feel' about staycations either this year. She tried for the sake of trying but her enthusiasm was lacking. Uncle Nic and daddy had already taken leave so she did not want to disappoint anyone either. She spent MONTHS mulling about what to do for my birthday and she was close to not wanting to do anything. She was tired. Very tired.

I know that there is one adventure she really wants to embark on is to fly us on a private jet and do a road trip thereafter. She always tells me tales of her once upon a time vagabond days. She really wishes she could do a trip with us but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime unless by some stroke of miracle.....

Anywoof, about a month before my birthday, she decided to go 'yacht renting' google window shopping. She decided to 'shop' at m-barq by Marine Bookings and well, I think at desperate times, prices somehow appear more reasonable. She decided 'what the heck' and communicated with the friendly online staff to find out more. Of course, first thing she asked about is dogs-on-board.

It was a YES!

Apparently, there is only one yacht that allows dogs - The Vantage. The lady efficiently emailed mummy the information and crunch time - $1,300 nett (promo price) on weekdays for 5 hours. A short sail to St John's Island or Lazarus Island.... that's about it. $1,300 for a private yacht seems reasonable BUT she was having a mental cha-cha about the extravagance for 5 hours. While her head was whirling in financial justications, she continued to chat with the patient staff of m-barq who entertained her endless questions.

Tempted, but she could not decide. Although Lazarus Island is nice and we (Frodo and I) loved it, but mummy was not so keen on repeating a location. She would rather international location. But of course, no chance of that.

Mummy consulted daddy and it was a resounding yes. Mummy was surrounded by water-babies. Daddy started relating tales of his diving days to her so it was clear he was excited about a possible yacht trip.

Mummy told Uncle Nic to pack his bags for the yacht trip and thank Daddy for the decision she had made.

Most of all, mummy did not want to regret.

'What if next year never comes?' (touch wood).

'What if by next year dogs are not allowed on board anymore?'

And that was that.
That was how yacht adventure came to be.

Vantage for the vintage it shall be!

The vintage on the vantage in this group was mummy and me.

The Vantage is a nice, well-maintained small yacht suitable for small parties. The recommendation of up to 30 guests was stretching it. Our cozy group of five was good. Very good. We never got to see the interior/cabin because we were only informed by the Captain when we got on the boat of the 'no dogs allowed inside' rule. Mummy was slightly pissed off of not being informed of that rule beforehand but she refused to allow it to spoil the fun so she accepted it.

The only view of the interior I ever saw. There's a bedroom below but that.... neither mummy nor me ever caught a glimpse of it. Can you see me peeking through the window? (Photo credit: Auntie RQ)

The next decision mummy had to make was - do we dock at St John's Island or anchor at Lazarus Island and swim to shore? After some discussion, it was decided that it shall be the latter. Mummy was a little worried about us swimming the distance but she had faith that Frodo and I were such good swimmers, it should not be a problem.

And ship ahoy! Time to set sail to Lazarus Island!

Ship ahoy! Away we go to Lazarus Island!

For the month leading up to our Vantage trip, I could hear whispers of 'Will we end up with a dog overboard?' (Frodo) and 'I think this is going to be Frodo's birthday instead'.

Dog overboard, we did not have (Thank God!)

But it was indeed Frodo's birthday instead.

You see, with my lousy hind legs, I do not enjoy treading on 'shaky' or unstable surfaces. The floor surface was a tad bit slippery (a human did suffer a big fall) and I did not particularly enjoy the rocking motion of the boat. Frodo, on the other hand, totally enjoyed it. Mr Lightfooted easily balanced even while the boat was going through choppy waters.

This was clearly Mr Yuppie Frodo's thing more than mine. And yeah, it was Happy Birthday daddy too!

It took me a while to like being on this funny thing called a boat. But I did eventually and well, with all that swims, how could I not come to like this adventure?

Mummy had plans to play with my new Xperia XZ1 phone but when we arrived at Lazarus Island and realizing the hassle of protecting the phone, she decided to leave it behind and focus on having fun with us instead. Daddy has not been feeling too good the whole day so decided to canoe himself to shore instead.

As it turned out, Uncle G is a fantastic swimmer! Mummy was so so glad he was there! Getting us to swim to shore was the easy part but getting us back on the yacht, that was the difficult part. So yay Uncle G! You are our new swimming hero!

Did I mention Uncle Nic rented the drone for the trip? 😃



Do you agree that it was actually Frodo's birthday?

---

Back At Home...

Mummy nearly died from cleaning me up. As some of you might know, I am the master of sand-rolling. This time, however, the sand had set into cakes from the yachting duration. Mummy ALMOST shaved me down as she struggled to wash the sand off. It was cruel clumps of sand that refused to leave me. After some half an hour of scrubbing me silly, mummy gave up. She rinsed me down and apologized to daddy that he was going to live with Sahara for a few days.

Sahara it was.

Where I laid, there was a sand outline of me.

Mummy wept.
Daddy swept.

Oh Mr Sun... Will I ever get to do this again? I love birthdays.

---

Special Thanks For The Gifts

Thank you Uncle G and Auntie RQ for joining us on this adventure and the ridonculously big angpow. Thank you Uncle G was being such a great swimmer and helping to get two big blonde elephants back on board. We were so blessed by your presence.... that itself was enough.

Thank you Dr A for getting me my very own Littman stethescope! You're da best!

Flapper Nightingale needs to put one serious work-face with his stethescope.

Thank you Barkery Singapore for that epic Flapper-In-A-Trash-Can birthday cake! It made my 11th birthday all that more complete and meaningful.

Thank you Uncle Nic for once again being there with me for my life moment AND the gorgeous photo book with the best memories of our year gone by since my last birthday. All our WETnesday memories in one book. Love love love it!

My 'Year Book' from Uncle Nic.

And I am officially 11 years old.

The end.

Once upon a time, a few days ago, a tiny little young one stole a whole lot of onion rings off the table. Funny as it may sound, that little one got very sick and severely anaemic. I have always known about 'do not feed your pets onions' but have never encountered the consequence of onion toxicity... till now.

I have to admit that I do not make special effort in remembering the tiring list of foods to avoid feeding one's dog or cat. I roughly remember the list but not the blah blah details.

"What Foods Are Toxic For Dogs" by Canine Journal.

Onions contain an ingredient called thiosulphate which is toxic to cats and dogs. The ingestion of onions causes a condition called hemolytic anemia, which is characterized by damage to the red blood cells.

The state of the puppy's anaemia took me by surprise. Its PCV (packed cells volume) was dangerously low at 10%. It was a case of "I knew onions are bad but not this bad!".

Like seriously?

Onions can be that lethal?

Yes.
Seriously.

I won't deny I was caught in a dilemma on whether or not to allow Frodo to be a blood donor again. Apart from the fact that Frodo's last blood donation was five months ago, there were other reasons which I refuse to divulge.

Call me selfish but I do try to limit to one blood donation per year for each dog even though blood donation for a dog can be done typically up to 5 to 6 times a year.

Twice is rare unless 'bo pian' (no choice).

I cheekily offered old man Flapper just because I knew the blood volume to be collected would be minimal. It was a teeny tiny pup who was half the weight of Pebbles. In all honesty, I still prefer using Flapper just because Mr Cucumber does not need sedatives for blood collection.

"No! You need to retire Flapper as a donor!", the vet told me firmly.

I laughed.

Yes m'am!
No Flapper!

While mulling in my moral dilemma whether or not to offer Frodo, the pup went on a rapid decline that morning. "Oh screw the damn dilemma. Saving the pup more important.", I mumbled as I quickly dashed home to pick Frodo aka 'goondu' up. I had a very bad feeling.....

The course of saving lives never did run smooth.

Please allow me indulge in some drama here. Surely I deserve just a fleeting moment of dramatic antics.

It was one of those scorching hot days and any remote form of transportation - other than walking - would fail me miserably. I stared at the sky and mumbled to myself, "Surely I don't have to walk with Frodo in this heat!".

Aye aye.
Walk it was.

Mr Full-of-S*** only added to my heated misery by pooping FOUR TIMES in our 7 minutes journey. Left hand Frodo. Right hand bags of poop. How glamorous. Oh Frodo!

Shortly after arriving at the clinic with Frodo, the pup suddenly went on its side, developed breathing difficulty and was immediately put on oxygen support. As the pup stabilised, the vets simultaneously started collecting blood from Frodo for the blood transfusion.

As with any blood transfusion, it is never 100% risk-free or definite survival for the receiver. Through the years of Flapper's blood donation (and now Frodo), the mortality rate is high. Many tell me it is because I get those "late night calls" which indicates the criticality of the receivers' conditions. Regardless, I can only pray for the poor pup that it does not develop transfusion reaction or rejection.

Frodo looking ridiculously happy after waking up from sedation. Yay Frodo for saving Onion Ring pup's life!

The blood transfusion started and phew! It went well. The pup slowly (but progressively) regained alertness and colour on its gum. And well, not a very grateful pup, I'm afraid. It growled at its donor when it regained strength. Ha!

Frodo recovered well from the sedation and he did not let me go unpunished for using him as a blood donor. I had to endure his farts in this little room for about two hours after he woke up. Thank goodness it was not the silent potent farts. But for being such a good boy and trooper throughout the process, I forgave him.

The pup is still in recovery process and has been discharged home.

For the love of the 'ungrateful' pup, hopefully the worst is over.

Oh puppy!

Onions/Onion rings, anyone?

---

You can read more about onion toxicity here - Toxicology Brief: Allium species poisoning in dogs and cats

Sunday night.
16th July 2017.
Singapore time.

There was a mad flurry of panic in the room as the humans tried to get a working live stream of the Wimbledon Finals. Before I knew it, Federer was two sets up.

"Me thinks. The match will be over by the time we manage to get a live stream", mummy joked.

You see, mummy has been a fan of Federer since her days as a vagabond. Those were the days before I was even born into planet earth - as a dog. A blonde dog. So the cliché goes that "Age is only a number" but the reality is, age is everything. No one really cares for talent or the 'has been'. One's value only lasts for as long as the word 'Senior' has not hit home. And in the tennis world, in a very crude way of saying, one has surely recognised Federer as being over the hill and way past his prime of being the people's champion.

Age is cruel. The body recovers slower. Limbs get creakier. One's movement slows down. Reduced hands-eyes co-ordination. Glucosamine becomes an essential part of one's life....

So yes, at 35 (turning 36 on 8th August), Federer had defeated the age-odds by winning not only the Australian Open but his much-coveted 8th Wimbledon title.... and well, only his 18th and 19th Grand Slam title respectively.

The accolades started flying around and as usual, I have decided that the debate of 'G.O.A.T.' was just so these writers have some thing to write about. After all this time, it has become nothing more than meaningless rants on their part to 'fill in the blanks'. Yawn.

Again, I guess it's believe that I can achieve such great heights. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to be here again in another final after last year..... I always believed I could always come back and do it again. And if you believe you can go really really far in your life and I think I did that and I'm happy I kept on believing and dreaming. And here I am today at this age and it is really fantastic.

What Roger Federer did with that epic, record-breaking Wimbledon win was give hope to many. I was no exception. At 66 human years young (turning 72 in September), I am considered way over the hill in doggie time. There are many days and nights when I wonder what's next at my age.....

Will I get that one last opportunity to do a meaningful show?

Will I get to jetset the world with mummy?

Will I ever get to play 'ball boy' at a tennis court?

Will I ever get to embark on my 'Dog For God' ministry?

Will I.... ?

Mummy always tells me, "Flapper, there is nothing wrong with dreaming. Part of dreaming is not knowing how it is going to happen. Considerations are merely excuses for not wanting to make things happen. Dreams give hope. It is okay if hope brings disappointment. At least you've tried. But most importantly, KEEP PRAYING. Trust in God's timing. If it is meant to happen, it WILL happen. BELIEVE."

Close your eyes... and dare to dream. Dream brings hope. Dare to dream and dare to believe. PRAY. You never know.....

As some of you may know from some of my previous posts, things never come easy for a dog in Singapore. There are more ridiculous rules, beliefs, excuses and limitations when it comes to dogs. Sometimes I do hear mummy grumble, "Only in Singapore do I feel like everything is impossible." Mummy is an eternal optimist and for her to feel 'hopeless' is rare. She lives eats sleeps possibilities, not impossibilities. She always tells me, "Flapper, nothing is impossible. Just set your heart on it and find solutions."

Mummy does get past her fumes of "only in Singapore..." pretty quickly. She will perk up, smile and tell me, "It's okay. Maybe it's not meant to be or the wrong timing. Let's look at something else. For now."

There are also days when I get disheartened and asked, "Mum.... I am but an old blonde dog now. Will I...."

My brutally honest mama would just smile and reply, "I don't know, Flapper. For as long as you are still healthy and mobile, there's always a chance of maybe. Keep believing."

Of course, I've created a monster, so I know I need to always win every tournament.

I felt for Roger Federer when he made this statement. He had made winning look so easy that even though he was getting through to the quarterfinals and semifinals of most major tournaments, he was receiving so much flak for his 'decline' and he was getting written off. For all other players, it would be, "Well done!". Pat on the back. But for Federer, nooooo, it becomes newsworthy. I will say it again, these reporters or writers MUST have something to write

Mummy calls me the doggie 'Federer' while Frodo is, well, she WANTS to refer to him as the doggie 'Nadal' but the only thing they have in common is perhaps 'raging bull'. Frodo is infamous for his lack of talent in precision so yes, if he were to be a human, he probably would not make it to the pro-circuit at all.

Mummy says, "Flapper has created his own monster. Because of how accurately he catches a ball/toy or how easily he figures out things, his precision is a given and people see it as a norm... boring."

This means, no matter how impressive my catch is or how quickly I figure puzzles out at this ripe old age is, it is 'meh' to the humans just because "it is Flapper." There's only one person who still looks at my photos and videos in awe. She smiles. She opens her eyes wide and she says, "Wah! Old man! Not bad! You still have the moves!"

She is of course immensely happy just because I have outlived my mobility age. Every day that I am mobile, she give thanks. Every day that I can still play, she give thanks. Every day I can still jump and catch the ball/toy, she knows I am blessed.

I created my own monster. No matter how impressive I catch a ball, it is considered "meh".

Frodo, on the other hand, is winning the hearts of many with his derp face and legendary inability to catch.

I have created my own monster. But you know what? We have all unanimously agreed that to succeed in life, all one needs is good looks, good physique, a derp face and s***-loads of luck.

Frodo epitomises that theory.

*guffaw*

People have told me 'Betty, Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with old friends...' .. At my age, if I wanted to keep in touch with old friends, I'd need a Ouija board.

I broke out with a wry smile when I heard Betty White's skit on Saturday Night Live. She could not have said it better. At my distinguished age, I've been seeing one by one of my pals cross the rainbow bridge and it seems like Doggie Heaven has no Facebook. I have been saying more goodbyes than 'Hello' lately. And most recently, I had to - sadly - say goodbye to two very very precious friends.

I did not mean to say goodbye.
I did not want to say goodbye.
But I had to say goodbye.


Goodbye Mr G

Dear Mr G, you still owe mummy one bite. She has not bitten you yet. Thank you for all the joy you brought to everyone.

I got to know Mr G under interesting medical circumstances. He was, in mummy's words, an a-hole. But she meant that in the most endearing way possible. You see, when I first got to know Mr G, he was what one would consider a feral cat. But he was also in a lot of pain. He was untouchable and uncooperative with medical examinations and treatments.

Time passed and that once feral cat became the sweetest and cutest cat possible. He was unabashed about needing affection and had an adorable 'meow'. He was the Frodo of the cat's world. He could be throwing up and the humans would hold back his orange mane and find him absolutely adorable. Those eyes of his melted the humans' hearts and I always hear mummy say, "G has better recall than most dogs I know".

It was true. Mr G loved human's attention so much that he would run full speed to them with beady eyes when called. And not only that, he would actually wait at the door for the human to return. He loved belly rubs and he would let mummy dangle him in whatever way she deemed fancy. BUT! He never did become any more cooperative on the treatment table.

Mr G crashed a couple of times through the course of those one years nine months at his new residence. He was a cat of extremities. He was either very well or very down. There was no such thing as 'okay' with him. Each time he crashed, he recovered quickly. But as the crashes became more frequent, it was becoming clear that he could be losing the battle of the bladder. He, operatively, became Miss G. The kitchen sink was thrown in to treat this boy girl. G was living on borrowed time. G had outlived his time but most of all, for all his borrowed time, he brought much joy to the humans.

On 4th June 2017, Mummy woke up with a very bad feeling about Mr G. But she did not receive any phone calls so she thought maybe not. As it turned out, Mr G suffered a major crash and after all human efforts of resuscitating him, he survived. Barely. The spirited Mr G laid there for the next few days like a living vegetable and almost unrecognizable. He looked frail. The only glimmer of hope? He could still conjure up resistance during bladder expression.

On 7th June 2017, G finally lost the battle. For the first time, I could see tiredness in his eyes and a look of resignation. He was a different cat. This battle was not G's to win anymore. He triumphed the odds so many times but this time, he could not. I know he is in a better place and free from his bladder problems. He is probably making God laugh with all his antics and nipping Him in the arm for attention.

This was one very difficult goodbye but I had to.

Goodbye Mr G.

You are still very badly missed.

Mummy has not bitten you yet.....

Goodbye Mr G.

Goodbye Miss Hallie

Hallie and I met at a bus-stop at Lim Chu Kang near my work place. There were a few packs of stray dogs in the area but she was a loner. She would be lying on the grass in the rain away from all the rest of the dogs taking shelter at the bus-stop. She never played with the other dogs. I’ve seen her being fed by some people who fed the stray in the area and she was having pretty nice food like chicken rice. 

As the days passed, the number of dogs in the pack would get lesser and lesser as the younger less experienced dogs got knocked down by heavy vehicles and cars. I noticed one day that Hallie was running after cars and it would be dreadful for her to be knocked over just like the other dogs. I tried to feed her some dog food to get nearer to her. Surprise surprise, she did not want to eat it at all. So much for feeding a scrawny stray dog! I needed to get her away from this place or she won’t survive very long there with all the chasing of cars. So I spoke to a friend to find a temporary place for her as I won’t get my own place until 5 months later then. 

So it was set. 

We made plans to catch her (and some of you may know that some strays are quite difficult to approach). So with my fiance, we walked over to near where she was lying down and made a clicking call. And guess what! She came running over to us with her tail circling in the air like a helicopter’s blade. 

And so her name is Hallie and thence adopted me. 

This scrawny girl was almost bald when we got her. She was quite fearful, freaked out with thunderstorms and had a bleeding mass on her vulva. We arranged for her sterilization and mass removal. With some nursing care, Hallie recovered well. Over the next few months, we tackled a few other medical issues with the vaginal discharge and Grade 2 heartworm disease. Then, we tackled her picky eating with some strict feeding habits. 

And all those were history. 

She is a fun loving girl who loves to chase lizard, squirrels and diving in snow. She’s also rather gentle with our toddler and starting to tolerate interacting with other dogs.


I first met Miss Hallie way back in 2014. I liked her a lot. She was a sweet, gentle, timid and very guniang. Miss Lim Chu Kang was more like a Sheltie-mix and ate like a princess.

We last met Miss Hallie in March. She joined us for Frodo's 6th Birthday party.

Miss Hallie would never stand close to the dogs but she did entertain us with a group shot. Don't be deceived by the smile. Her condition had already deteriorated significantly then.

Miss Hallie was a funny girl. A funny Lim Chu Kang girl. She did a photoshoot with Uncle Nic in October last year and mummy went to help out. One would think that being Miss Lim Chu Kang, she should enjoy the green fields and run around with her glory mane flying against the wind.

But no.

Miss Lim Chu Kang was quite happy to sloooowwwwllllyyyy sniff the fields. No chance of getting running shots of her. She was too preoccupied in her own little princessy world. Mummy could not stop laughing as she recounted the tale tail to me.

"Entertain you for photos? No way! I'd rather sniff the grass in my own time."

Mummy always says, Miss Hallie has the same emo eyes and tragic look as I do.

Shortly after Mr G left us, mummy told me that Miss Hallie was not doing well.  She had a pre-existing heart condition which deteriorated quickly in the past year. I heard that after Frodo's birthday, the excitement got the better of her heart but she recovered nevertheless.

By around May/June, she was on a rapid decline. The once chubby Miss Hallie became very boney from her lack of appetite. And in a blink of an eye, she went from standing to... immobility. Diagnostic tests were run. Her thoracic x-ray was "O.M.G.!" It was ridiculous how quickly she had deteriorated.

"Hallie! You must make it to Flapper's birthday party this year!", mummy said to her.

The humans were keeping their hopes up that Miss Hallie would pull through. Each time Hallie's mummy reported that she ate, resounding cheers all round.

Everyone was rooting for Miss Hallie.

Then came that awful awful day of 25th June 2017. Heavy thunderstorm. Mummy had a very bad feeling. You see, on the day of Mr G's cremation, it was heavy downpour and thunderstorm. Mummy was starting to hate thunderstorms. It never seemed to bode well.

True enough, mummy received a text to say that the thunderstorm had tipped Miss Hallie over the edge. Noticed the bold 'freaked out with thunderstorms' in Hallie's story? Well, sadly, her fear got the better of her and her heart could not take the stress.

Just like that, Miss Hallie passed on that afternoon. 😢

Goodbye Miss Hallie.

May we meet again across the rainbow bridge.

You can prance free now, my dear friend.

---

I am a very positive thinker, and I think that is what helps me the most in difficult moments.

After two months of glooms with dooms, the age thing started playing in my head. Believe it or not, the only survivor in two months is my grumpy 'ol curly-earred brother, Dumbo. I should be thankful that Dumbo managed to survive his seizure scare, no? But still, I kept wishing that both Mr G and Miss Hallie could have survived too.

Our latest family shot together. Grumpy Old Man is doing well though he might have had suffered a minor stroke on his left when he had his seizure. Still, I am grateful that Dumbo managed to survive through that horrendous season of death.

The age thing bugged me. A LOT. Let's face it. Uncle me ain't young anymore. I am turning 11 years old in September. In doggie kingdom standard, I am antique. Saying goodbyes is reality slapping me hard in the face to remind me of that everyday is my bonus. It brought me to self-reflection mode.

I am grateful that my life picked up pace at nine years old. Late bloomer, perhaps! I am grateful for the varied opportunities I've had and with my most recent collaboration with Sony Mobile Singapore, it elevated my WETnesday XPERIAnce that one notch higher. And no, unlike Mr Federer, I do not get million dollars endorsement deals.... not even thousand dollars deal.

But what I do get out of the collaborations is an avenue to expand creativity and energy. It has provided me with a fulfilling senior life. More than I ever dreamed of. More than I, a mere doggie, could ever ask for.

After the passing on of Mr G and Miss Hallie, I started thinking about what's next. Would I still have more opportunities of jaw-dropping collaborations now that I am all white in the face? Would anyone still want old man me?

There is always that space of unknown which makes 'come what may' all that more appreciated.

So yes, while I was mulling over that matter of age, Roger Federer gloriously won Wimbledon which gave me that huge glimmer of hope. His legendary comeback at the age of 35. winning two grand slams after a long time title draught which resulted in new records being set in the tennis world.... it was totally mind blowing!

Federer's epic Wimbledon win had a huge impact on me. It renewed my hopes and promise of life as a senior dog.

Most importantly, remembering about dreams, believing.... and faith.

Federer's epic win renewed my hopes and promise of life as a senior dog. Thank you Mr Federer!

---

Love. Cope. Hope.

If I could eventually spread a message about how dogs can contribute to community through Social Media, great! But if because of the laws I can't, it's okay. The work still goes on. I am here to serve the people and that's that. I am old. I don't know how much longer I have left but for as long as I can, I will.

A few days before Federer's glorious Wimbledon win, Daddy asked me with a broad smile on his face, "Flapper, would you like to do volunteer to do some doggie therapy for Love Cope?"

Daddy started telling me, very briefly, about Love Cope and how he was involved when it first started up. It is the community and services centre for St Hilda's Church. Daddy told me about how this lovely lady from Love Cope gave her testimony that morning and he could not resist but to ask if I, Flapper Choo, could volunteer.

My blonde eye-lashes sprang to life.

Thank you God!

After all these years of waiting, FINALLY! But after many disappointments from before.... to the extend of being told with incredulous and absurd looks, "HOW CAN DOGS CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY?", I did not dare put my hopes too high up lest it gets cruelly crushed again.

My meeting with the lady from Love Cope all set up. Daddy was more excited than I was as he knew it has been my long time dream. I pretended to keep a cool nonchalant composure but secretly excited I was.

Dream a little dream.

The meeting went way above my expectations. The people were so so nice and so welcoming. For the first time in a long time, I was not ostracized to be outdoors but was welcomed warmly indoors. I was not given ugly angry stares for my presence but greeted warmly by everyone including the residents. And after a long chat with lovely Ms A and eventually Ms M (who proudly showed me her cute Golden Retriever), I knew then and there it was the right place, the right time... God's time.

Common vision.
Common goals.

And most importantly, they understood my intentions and could see my joy of serving people. It is not the quantity, but the quality. Even if it is just one person.... that's good enough.

They understood.
They agreed.
I was moved.

It is all set.
I am ready to rock and roll in September.

After all this years of waiting... Praise God!

Maybe I will never get to be part of that meaningful doggie acting role in this lifetime but that's okay. It's this work that is more important. God's work.

And I cannot wait to start!

Don't write the old men out yet.

We have more stored in our tank.

Amen!