Decluttering: why it’s therapeutic

A lot of people are on to the Mari Kondo craze, and I'm not surprised. I'm a decluttering fan myself--something that I slowly became throughout the years. At first, I decluttered because I had no choice. The kid's room was so full of toys that they couldn't find the stuff they liked. The garage had…

Circle of Happiness

Indians Abroad Desi Videsh Me

In helping others, we shall help ourselves.

Whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.     – Flora Edwards

*****

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Five things to ask a breeder before buying a puppy

Pinoy Dog Mom

Looking for a breeder is one of the biggest responsibilities that a prospective dog owner embraces. Owning a dog is a long-term commitment, and you would want your dog to come from a breeder who would be there for the countless questions, worries, and concerns that all pet parents like you face. Although I realize that Filipino dog buyers don’t expect to hear from their breeders once they have brought home their puppies, this should not stop you from looking for a breeder who will be there for you and your dog as the years go by.

I am writing this from the point of view of a prospective dog owner. These are the same questions I ask whenever I buy a dog, and this exchange with the breeder allows me to better prepare for the arrival of the new dog.

• How old is the dog? This is the first…

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Can you afford a pet?

Can’t emphasize this enough

Pinoy Dog Mom

When a cute puppy runs to you with a wagging tail, a happy smile, and eyes that say “take me, I’m yours”, it is very hard to say no.

Pets make delightful companions, dispensing affection and unconditional love. All over the world, people share their homes with an animal companion — usually dogs and cats — and many say that the love an animal companion makes all the adjustments they needed to make worthwhile.

Those adjustments include money. Caring for an animal comes with a lot of responsibilities, including the financial aspect. Pets are living things, and therefore, their needs last for their entire lifetime, about 10-15 years. Whether you’re getting an expensive dog with the most stunning pedigree or a mongrel you rescued from the streets, a live animal will have the same requirements: food, health care, housing, grooming, and affection.

Owning a pet is one of life’s greatest…

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Staying curious

You're never too old to learn, they say. This morning, I committed to prove that point to myself by enrolling in a diploma course in environment and natural resource management. I never really thought that I would be enrolling for a formal course at age 50-plus, but hey, curiosity is always good and I'm a…

2019 writing goals

New year always brings with it new hopes and the opportunity to start the year on a clean slate. I'm not one to do new year's resolutions, but I'd like to start 2019 with a goal or two--and one of those is to resume blogging anew. Somehow, I have never found the discipline to write…

Toy drive

Have you ever had a toy-crazy dog? If so, then you probably know just how entertaining it could be to watch the dogs "take care" of their toys.

My Sixteen Dogs – Part 3: My Heart Dogs

Tonight, I'll write about my heart dogs. People have various definitions of what a heart dog is -- your canine soul mate, your once-in-a-lifetime buddy, your friend who will stay with you forever. It sort of implies that only one heart dog exists in your life at any one time, but I'm not too sure…

A supertasker’s lament

Today, I came upon one word that best describes me: a supertasker. As a supertasker -- a multitasker times ten -- I  attend to several things all at the same time --  e.g. demanding colleagues, special needs kids, a fast growing adolescent, a husband, sixteen dogs, a full household, and assorted spiritual, mental and entrepreneurial…

Narrow spaces

In the past two days, it amazed me to realize how we can confine ourselves within incredibly narrow spaces---spaces made smaller and smaller by our self-imposed restrictions or inane ones created by others but which we've accepted without question. I see these narrow spaces everyday. On weekdays, at least for me, these spaces are sometimes…