Happy weekend pretty pictures

Could this be the world's most disgusting pizza?

At what point does pizza cease to become pizza and become a different kind of cuisine Frankenstein?

This Spanish Tapas mess looks absolutely vile if you ask me.

I also spotted 'Peking Duck pizza' on a Hong Kong menu the other day, and 'Thousand Island Seafood' which looked a bit like Spanish Tapa Frankenstein, but with more seafood and less tapa.

Yes, I have learned there are no limits to Chinese pizza. If it's edible, and gross, pour it on top. Someone will eat it.

On a lighter note - actually no - on a heavier note, B and I hit the 'American Store' in Happy Valley yesterday and picked up these dietary delights:

Shall I book my appointment for Weight Watchers now? Or should I wait until I've devoured both the Reese's Cookies and the Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies down to the last crumb?

The American store is a menace. And so is Betty Crocker. And you Reese.

Meet Ted

I suppose I should formally introduce Otto's brother Ted (also known as Edward, Teddy, Fred, Fat Boy).

B and I always knew we wanted a second dog, not so much for our benefit (Otto was more than enough work) but, well, because Otto was more than enough work. We required a second a dog in order to distract Otto from shredding our apartment, inch by inch, with his teeth.

Ted was found at our local pet shop, one year old and needing a home. Apparently his previous owners had given him up because "he had too many teeth." Possibly a Chinese superstition thing? Or maybe in actuality, it was those back knees which both require surgery (which we didn't find out until a month or so after buying him). Joyous.

Regardless, since we bought Ted he has had thirteen extra teeth removed (a highly superstitious number in Chinese culture). Our vet decided he should be renamed "Jaws." And h

e will also be operated on at some point to fix his poorly, luxating kneecaps.

So for matters of introduction, allow me to sum Ted up in a few points:

* He's - ahem - 'portly'. His previous name was "Fat Boy" in Chinese. I asked the vet if he's morbidly obese and we should be worried. He said he's not, just 'carrying a little extra around the edges.' Aren't we all.

* He gets bullied by Otto. B's mate recently stayed with us and said, "It's like Ted and Otto are stuck together in prison and Ted's Otto's b*tch." Poor Ted often gets cornered by Otto who chews him till he cries out. I can't really blame Otto, anyone could confuse Ted with a toy.

* Don't worry; Ted's happy. He bites Otto back plenty, and they are like any old married couple: one minute they're biting, the next they're cuddling and kissing. They also play together a lot.

* Ted has fussy eating dramas... he goes beside himself at meal times, jumps up, cries out because he can't wait, does circles, the whole bit. And then half the time we plonk the food down and he just stares at it before wandering off. This aint the Ritz buddy, it's basic steak and veg all round.

But it's ok - at least Otto's always there to wolf it down. Like yesterday, when he ate all Ted's dinner and his antibiotic pill. At least Otto won't be getting any infections. Can't say the same for Ted.

* Ted could possibly sit under our dining table forever. He has incredible 'zen' powers to be still and meditate for hours at a time in his safe place, which is under the table, squeezed between the leg and wall.

* He's incredibly skittish. If you throw a toy at him he'll lunge at in joy it with all his inhibitions down, and then realise his place and, leaving the toy behind, bolt back under the table leg. We can only assume he was mistreated in his old home. Poor Ted.

But it's ok, he's getting lots of love here. And an occasional bully for a brother.

Pretty pictures

What the tiny terrors do when mum's asleep

Oh joy.

I am convinced that many people, if not all, are slightly psychic.

You know that feeling when a song comes on the radio and you swear you were just thinking about it... or knowing who's calling when the phone rings?

I woke up this morning and had a funny feeling things weren't right. I never have that feeling, but this morning I knew the tiny terrors were up to something.

Otto and Ted (let's be fair: likely 90% Otto, 10% poor Ted who was bullied into it) had turned our flat into a puppy-nappy demolishing farm. It was everywhere, including hardened bits wedged into Otto's beard, which I had to cut out.

As for how much nappy is currently being absorbed in Otto's insatiable tummy? Anyone's guess.

The tiny terrors are in big trouble this morning. NO treats.

4th June, 1989

The Chinese army storms a mass demonstration in Tiananmen Square, killing several hundred student demonstrators.

The demonstrations in Tiananmen Square have been described as the greatest challenge to the communist state in China since the 1949 revolution.

They were called to coincide with a visit to the capital by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, by students seeking democratic reform.

Troops were used to clear the square despite repeated assurances from Chinese politicians that there would be no violence.

It has been suggested that the Communist leader Deng Xiaoping personally ordered their deployment as a way of shoring up his leadership.

Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of people were killed in the massacre, although it is unlikely a precise number will ever be known.

This photo taken: 4th June, 2010

Times Square

Hong Kong

Me again...

Um, hello everyone

(said with sheeepish tone)

Yes I have been very slack with updating this blog... believe me... I know (said with guilty tone)

Excuses, excuses; but May has been a widlishly crazy month and blogging has, once again, had to take a back seat.

Blogging is a luxury. Work, food, rest, etc, are all survival things.

Here's a slice of what's been invading my mental and temporal space:

- B and I bought another dog... (are we mad?? The answer might be, well clearly, yes...) I shall blog more about this when I locate more of that elusive temporal space.

- I finished a university semester with a pile of nasty assessments, assignments (are they the same thing? Do not ask my fried brain), essays, exams and the like

- I've been finalising a whole bunch of important info for my business to get it launched by July - this is still not yet done (said with neurotic tone, and perhaps the sound of a pile of papers thrown across the room)

- Another massive and time-consuming thing has happened, of which I can't tell anyone yet, so hard to really talk about it here (what am I, cryptic-gal now?? once again, yes...)

- I went and hid in Macau to escape each of the said points

The bottom line is: I am still here, I am still a blogger, I just need some time to come up for air before any long-winded posts re-appear. In the meantime, I'll try to make some shorter posts just to keep things moving!

Plus, my daily photo blog with the gorgeous Belinda in Sydney is alive n' well: http://sequinsstillettosandsparkle.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your patience, and here's a few piccies from May just to prove we all are still alive:

Our new dog, Ted, on the left (also known as the living Teddy Bear)

Otto's new reason for living: Ted's food

How happy was I to hit Macau

The better half - he keeps me sane