UNIQUE

I am so in luuurve with this beautiful white guy.

Sometimes, the thought of living without him seems unimaginable. Oftentimes, I've tried to imagine life after his death, or how devastating his parting would be, and whether would he ever have any idea how much it would hurt. Or would he be only too happy to be freed from suffering, assuming that he would - in time to come - die from old age?

A random thought struck me a few days ago. 

If time were to rewind, I am - with most certainty - able to instinctively pick out Tofu from a litter of puppies of similar breed.

Maybe it's in the way he proudly manifests himself in quiet strength. Tofu just has this charmingly dignified air (yes, yes, call me biased) around him. The way he puffs his chest up like royalty and holds his head high with ethereal poise and elegance. Or maybe it's the lively bounce in his prideful gait that is found in no other. Or it's how his paws go pitter-patter against the tiles as he trots lightly across the room. Or the telltale playful wags of his bushy tail; emanating his childlike, joyous innocence. The delightful, clever sparkles of brilliance shining through his clear, oval eyes. How his cushy paw seem to fit perfectly and melt as I hold it in my hand. How his ears perk up in alertness, and the particular angle in which his head is tilted to one side inquiringly. The way he automatically sits by my side like a limp piece of creamy-vanilla rug; with his face lit up with happiness and contentment at the mere display of affection - a simple tousle of his fur, a comforting massage on the nap of the neck, a series of light scratches on his manly chest. Or the way he likes to lap up water from the toilet tiles and mop basin - much to our exasperation. The way he sits quietly - all the time while drooling - as he makes known his feeble request to be fed off our plates. The fierce loyalty as he barks protectively when someone acts aggressively towards me. Or it's the way his fat butt wriggles cutely as he walks. Or maybe it's just how his snores sound. Or it's the way he licks my hand lovingly like he would a delicious piece of chicken bone. Or maybe it's just simply the way he gazes at me. Like I'm the most amazing thing on earth.

There is just something about him that makes him uniquely him, and unique to me. He just sticks out like a sore thumb.

And, for the first time in my life, I totally understand what parents mean when they claim they know which child is theirs just by one glance. Yes, mushy, I know.

AND my baby is turning two already in a few months' time. TWO!!! He has already lived one-fifth - or at best, one-sixth - of his life. Time flies by sooo fast! Let me weep.

PICTURES = THOUSAND WORDS

 

I simply luuurrve this picture.

A mischievous Dad play-bullying our family dog.

A poor Tofu looking all comical and supposedly pretending to cry.

And a happy me grinning broadly because I find it all too awesomely cute.

Poor Tofu. Oh, my baby, he must be feeling absolutely bewildered, if anything. 

KAYPOH AND GLUTTON

Spot the kaypoh kia! =)

AND he's a glutton!

TOFU

Hi! My name is Tofu! Born on 20th April 2010. 
This photo was taken when I was 3-months-old. I don't look as cute now as I used to.

I eat a lot, I sleep a lot, I play a lot, but most important of all, I EAT a lot. Yeah, I know I’ve already mentioned that.

I eat all kind of food. 
Rice, ham, veggie, beansprouts, ginger, garlic, bittergourd, carrot, durian, mango, and, oh yes, even TOFU!!! 
My owner is currently cracking her brain over what to experiment feeding me with next. She’s crazy, I tell you. But I still eat, anyway.

I’m very playful. I jump and hop and race around whenever I’m in the mood to. Especially when a family member gets home after school / work, I would get into one of these crazy moods to exhibit my overwhelming exuberance.


I'm dubbed "The Killer" in the house. Whenever an insect is sighted, The Killer is set on the loose. Ants. Flies. Spiders. And my most recent victory is a baby lizard. My owner was absolutely mortified! She refused to let me come near her for the next hour after that. Sigh!
 

I honestly think my name sounds stupid. Of all things, my silly owner just had to name me after a bean curd. BEAN CURD!! Imagine that! That stupid girl. I can never fathom how that brain of hers work!

DOG!!!

Just the other day, I was hugging Tofu. Bringing his face close to mine, side by side, I popped THE question to Dad.

"Dad!!! Do we look alike? 我们像吗？ Cute???"

He replied, cool as cucumber, "Yeah, of course! Very alike. YOU LOOK LIKE A DOG!"






SIGH!




Dads ARE evil, didn't I already say so?

GROOMING

Just sent Tofu to his very first grooming session.


It feels a little heart-wrenching; Tofu looking at us with those big, watery eyes as Dad and I were leaving. Those eyes! THOSE EYES!!! Someone should make it a legal crime for a dog to look at people with THOSE EXPRESSIVE EYES!


Home feels a little empty right now, too. It feels strangely lonely; not having Tofu running out to greet me at the door, wagging his bushy tail in sheer delight. Feels like something is just lacking.




Hope he's doing fine now. Surprisingly, the usually-fidgety Tofu was very well-behaved when I handed him over to the groomer. Docile, I would say; and proud of it.

Sometimes, I pity the dog. He has been with us for close to a year, and he has never once been groomed. I have never seen the need for it anyway; because there are no problems with bathing him myself and blowing him dry. Saves money, too! Anyway, this grooming session is pretty budget. I sent him to a neighbourhood pet shop off Changi Road, rather than going to commercial ones in shopping malls.


The main reason behind this sudden grooming decision is, well, because of my soon-to-be absence for two weeks! 


I think there's something about a dog's mentality; how every single member of the family gets viewed as part of a pack, and how each pack member gets subjected to a certain hierarchy system; albeit in the eyes of a canine. As a result, Tofu listens well to me (not always, but more than half of the time) - probably because I'm always the one disciplining and interacting with him most, and thus he has come to view me as the quasi-leader of the pack (that is, when he's not too busy vying for the alpha position). In contrast, he shows noticeably lesser respect, submission, and obedience to Mum and older brother. It sometimes gets frustrating, because, you know, I have to - countless times - step in and handle situations in which Tofu behaves inappropriately towards them both.


Anyway, hope Tofu will come back from the grooming; looking handsome and dashing! In this way, if he misbehaves during the 2 weeks which I'm not around, he would look such a darling that Mum will not be too harsh on him if he misbehaves! Hopefully!

TOFU

Born on 20th April 2010.

Brought him home on Tuesday, 10th August 2010.

Day 1, evening. Drove him back from the farmway. From when we first saw him at the farmway all the way until we reached home, we've not heard a beep from him. Even when he sees strangers (namely - Dad, the younger brother, and I). We thought that he is a mute.


Today is Day 4. 



Trust me, he's anything but mute.