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Bundles of joy for the new year |
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By Ranee Mohamed
As new mothers feasted on home-cooked rice
wrapped in banana leaves on New Year's Day,
at the
Castle Street Maternity Hospital
they had more reason to party than any of
the New Year revelers on 31st night.
There was happiness sans liquor, music in
their hearts sans bands and gifts sans
wrapping paper on Thursday, January 1 as the
New Year babies were heralded with much ado.
For young Chathurika and her husband Sadun
Madusanka, it had truly been a great gift on
January 1. "It was 6.24 a.m. when our son
was born and we were happier than anyone in
this land. We had no kiribath or tables
laden with sweetmeats before us, but were
standing here on the corridors of this ward
- but we were so happy," said Madusanka and
his mother-in-law Renuka.
A very happy new year
As Chathurika sat holding her infant son
close to her face, his pink hued cheeks
spoke of a very happy New Year for the young
couple.
"I was in church praying when I got a
telephone call from my mother-in- law
informing me that my wife was in labour. It
was about 10.30 p.m on December 31. I rushed
home and tried to get a vehicle to bring my
wife to hospital, but being 31st night there
weren't many vehicles around. Everyone
seemed to be in a mood of merry making. But
I was determined and somehow got a vehicle
and rushed home," said Madusanka, an
employee of Ceylinco Life.
The couple who live in 462, Palanwatte,
Pannipitiya rushed to the Castle Street
Hospital amidst crackers and sparklers. "My
wife was crying out loud and I was so
frightened. The crackers outside too made me
more scared. I could not bear to hear my
wife Chaturika screaming and I screamed
along with her," said Madusanka.
Screaming for different reasons
And as New Year revelers at the five star
hotels screamed in delight, Madusanka and
Chaturika had screamed in both fear and pain
while making their way to the hospital. Life
is strange, different people heralding the
new year screaming for different reasons.
"We truly believe that our baby is a gift
from God. We have been praying to Jesus that
he gives us a son and on that day when my
son-in-law was praying in church came the
call," said Chaturika's mother Renuka,
overcome with happiness that cannot be
expressed in words. "We have named him
Sithika Yohan and this is the name we had in
mind each time we prayed to God," said
Renuka.
Achini Sithara Wijekoon seemed to be in pain
on New Year's Day, having given birth to a
daughter at
6 a.m. "This is our first baby and I am delighted that she came
to us on New Year's day," said Achini as her
mother-in-law sat next to her. The white
clad baby in the cot looked like the ideal
New Year's gift for anyone, but babies come
to special people at special times - and
there is no better time than on New Year's
Day.
Never been so happy
"My daughter will always remind me of the
happiest New Year I have had in my life,"
said Achini.
"My husband says that he has never been so
happy in all his life and set off
immediately after the baby was born to get
an auspicious time and an auspicious letter
in the Sinhala alphabet to name our
daughter," said Achini.
Dharshini had just been brought to the ward
and with her was her son who was but a few
hours old on New Year's Day.
"I was brought to hospital at 10.15 on
December 31. I really don't know how I came
here. There was so much pain, so much
screaming and so much of noise outside.
There were crackers being lit on the road
side and I frankly could not care. I was
unhappy about leaving my older son who is
five -and- a-half years old but there was no
other alternative. He begged us to bring him
back a little sister. I left him at home
with my grandmother. My husband and I had no
time to think, things happened so suddenly
when we had made all plans to have a New
Year breakfast together as a family," said
Dharshini.
Birth of her second son
Dharshini spoke of her great happiness and
said that all her wishes in life have come
true with the birth of her second son. "I
however wish that we had electricity in our
home," said Dharshini who lived in a house
belonging to the CGR in Wanawasala.
Himalini Wijesinghe too was wheeled into the
ward with a bundle wrapped in white atop
her. It was a amusing sight, but for the
mother it was the most important moment in
her life. "I will never forget this New
Year," said Himalini laughing, overcome
with joy over the event. A New Year, a new
baby and no sadness whatsoever.
So seldom in life does one get to experience
such complete happiness and there are but a
few lucky ones amidst us. A baby is a gift
from heaven, a little human being whose
worth one will never know till one gets to
hold close one's very own.
And these women from the not so rich
families here today seem to be the richest
of them all - with their cooing babies and
promises of smiles and other delights in the
weeks and months to come.
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New babies and a new director
For Dr. Rani Fernando, the new director
of the Castle Street Hospital for Women,
January 1 was the first day at work.
Coming to her new job here at Castle
Street Hospital for Women, Dr. Rani
Fernando leaves behind her top position
as deputy director of the National
Hospital - having managed over 3000
beds, the entire medical staff,
approximately 1000 doctors and a total
staff of about 6,500.
"I made a request to come here, I
applied for this position when the
transfer scheme came," said Dr. Rani
Fernando who is well known in her work
towards the underprivileged sections of
society. "The rich can always go to any
of the private hospitals in the city,
but the poor women depend on us. They
have no insurance cover and cannot go to
the private hospitals anyway and we are
determined to give them the best," said
Dr. Fernando.
"Castle Street Hospital for Women was
managed by my predecessor Dr. K.K.W
Karandagoda. This hospital is well known
for being a quality hospital which has
won so many awards. I have a challenge
before me - to maintain the quality of
the hospital as well as to improve it,"
said Dr. Rani Fernando. |
What the stars foretell
for the country for 2009
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Army will be more popular in 2009
(inset) Ranil and Mahinda |
By Risidra Mendis
The sound of crackers and sky rockets were
among the first signs of the dawn of yet
another new year. The dawn of a new
year is always welcomed by all of us who
within our hearts hope and pray for a better
year.
But despite our hopes and dreams we have to
accept the fact that we don't always get
what we want. For some of us 2009 may prove
to be a fruitful year. However for others it
may be an year worse than the one that we
just said goodbye to.
Be prepared
But whatever 2009 may hold, we as citizens
of this country have to be prepared to face
what comes our way. One way to find out what
the future holds for the country is by
looking at the stars. The stars often tell
us what's in store and it is to the
astrologers that many make a beeline to at
the beginning of a year.
But we human beings may not want to know
the bad news that 2009 has in store. But
being prepared for the worst is always
better than it hitting you unexpectedly.
So what better person to talk to than an
astrologer to find out what's coming in
2009. The Sunday Leader spoke to astrologer
Uditha Weerasinghe to find out what is in
store for 2009.
Unpleasant situations
"The country is under the Aquarius (kumba)
star sign. When studying the overall picture
for 2009 the country will face many
unpleasant situations and its people will
have to undergo much suffering. However the
country will have some good moments where
the three armed forces will succeed in
gaining more ground in the battle field,"
Weerasinghe predicted.
Weerasinghe's predictions for the country
for 2009 are given below.
From January 28, to May 15, positive results
will be seen with regard to the war
situation in the country. During this time
the security forces will gain more ground in
the battle field and become more powerful
and popular among the public in the country.
Disasters
From July to August 15 and in September,
October and November the country will face
many natural disasters in the form of
floods, cyclones and earthquakes among
others.
During the months of March, May, July and
from August 23 to November 2 there is a
possibility that some of the financial
institutions will crash.
In April and August people will have to face
a spate of rare diseases hitherto unknown in
the country.
From January to November from time to time
there may be changes in the judiciary and
some matters may cause discomfort to the
judiciary.
From April 14 to May 14, from August 15 to
September 20 and from November to December
there is a possibility of a general election
taking place.
Stronger opposition
There are signs of the opposition getting
stronger. However Opposition Leader Ranil
Wickremesinghe cannot compete with President
Mahinda Rajapakse on the astrological front.
The President's stars are very strong during
this period whereas Wickremesinghe's stars
during this period are not as strong.
Welfare
From January to September there will be
problems in the education sector. The cost
of living will also rise during this time.
However in October, November and December
many wise decisions will be taken with
regard to the education sector.
In the months of February, March, July,
September and October the government will
take decisions with regard to the people's
welfare. The government during this period
will succeed in taking positive decisions
with regard to the people's welfare.
During the months of March, June, August,
September and October there will be many
protests staged against the government. In
February and March due to the problems
within the cabinet, the government will have
to face some difficult situations. However
the government will find ways to overcome
these situations.
Global recession coming
home to roost
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(Inset) Annesley Malawana and Dayal
Fernando
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By Nirmala Kannangara
With the dawn of yet another new year the
country and its people are hoping for the
best but nobody knows as to what exactly to
expect.
The world financial recession is yet to
impact us, but according to a cross section
of people The Sunday Leader spoke to the
country's bad economic policies will have a
huge impact on day to day life, and unless
the government takes immediate action to
address these issues the country will surely
go down an economic precipice.
The tourism industry is facing a severe
crisis and the agriculture sector - tea,
rubber, coconut - is also in a bad way and
the apparel industry which was once a
thriving industry is facing many challenges.
According to reliable sources from the
country's apparel industry many garment
factories are on the verge of closure and if
the present trend continues thousands of
garment factory employees will lose their
jobs.
Mixed reactions
There were mixed reactions about the year
ahead but according to many people The
Sunday Leader spoke to unless peace is
ushered in immediately the days ahead look
bleak.
Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thero is
confident that peace would be achieved this
year. He called upon all politicians to
unite and to work hard towards the country's
prosperity.
"This year would be the year of peace and
everyone should work hand in hand with the
government to achieve its target to bring
peace to the country. As usual we hope that
the year ahead will be more peaceful and
prosperous than the previous year but the
question would be whether we can achieve
it," Dr. Wimalaratne Thero told The Sunday
Leader.
According to the Ven. Thero it is not only
Sri Lanka that has had to face the deadly
threat of terrorism but the entire world
and that to make it worse Sri Lanka has had
to face the world's most dangerous
terrorist group.
"This is a challenge to us. Since the
present government is working towards
ushering peace to the country, the people
irrespective of party politics should come
forward and help the government to achieve
its goal. Although there are ups and downs
in this government we should ignore that for
a while as far as the war is concerned.
"We should not cultivate hatred but instead
be compassionate towards each and every one
and work for the welfare of humanity," added
the Thero.
Eschew hatred
Ven. Wimalaratne Thero further said that
since this country belongs to the Sinhalese,
Tamils, Muslims and Burghers, all these
races should live amicably, eschewing
hatred.
"We are one nation. Each and every one
should respect the other and that alone
could help to put a halt to unnecessary
problems in society," the Thero said.
Ven. Wimalaratne Thero also said that the
government has asked the people to sacrifice
many things in order to usher in peace, and
that those who govern the country too should
set an example to the people by making
sacrifices themselves.
"When the rulers are requesting the masses
to tighten their belts they too should do
the same. Unless there is a complete halt to
bribery and corruption within the government
the people of this country would not heed
the request of the government. Hence the
rulers should set an example if we are to
usher in prosperity and peace to the
country, and all political leaders
irrespective of their party politics should
rally round till peace is ushered to this
country," Ven. Wimalaratne Thero added.
Remedial measures
Meanwhile, Manager, Amaya Reef Hikkaduwa,
Dayal Fernando told The Sunday Leader that
unless remedial measures are taken by the
government to revitalise the leisure
industry which was once the fourth largest
foreign exchange earner for the country, the
industry would have to face a great threat.
"We are still in the winter period and the
industry banked all its hopes on the season.
But with the present world financial
recession the industry is facing numerous
challenges and we are waiting in hope till
the end of this month since no new bookings
have been received for the rest of the
months," Fernando stated.
Hit rock bottom
According to Fernando the country's tourism
industry has now hit rock bottom and it is
high time the government helped the
industry financially in order to keep the
tourism industry afloat.
"When the country's tea industry faced its
worst crisis those in the industry got on to
the streets asking that the government
provide support to the industry. But the
leisure industry, which is a service
oriented industry could neither protest nor
get on to the streets. Instead we have to
bear the losses silently.
"Those dependent on the industry too will
have to face many challenges including loss
of livelihood which again would directly
impact on their families. This will badly
impact on the economy," added Fernando.
Fernando further said that the restrictions
imposed on serving liquor in hotels too has
placed a severe strain on the industry.
"The main purpose of a guest visiting a
hotel is to relax and enjoy. No one comes to
a hotel to suffer. But with the present
restrictions the hotels have to close the
bars by 11p.m. The worst is that in addition
to the Poya days where we are not allowed to
serve liquor there are numerous other days
that bars are ordered to close," he said.
Regulations
"If you are looking at it from a Buddhist
point of view these regulations are good,
but you cannot mix religion and the leisure
industry together as most of the time we
depend on the sale of liquor. It is up to
those who are in the government to think
twice before they impose regulations that
strangulate the industry," added Fernando.
"We are also unable to hold any open-air
shows due to the Noise Pollution Act. All
these restrictions have contributed to the
downfall of the tourism industry and unless
the government intervenes to set things
right there would not be a ray of hope left
for us in the near future," Fernando
claimed.
According to Fernando if the present
situation continues, many hotels would face
the threat of closure and all new additions
to the industry would come to a complete
standstill.
"If the government could grant interest free
loans to the hotel industry to keep the
industry afloat they could expand the
services despite the present situation. If
not the properties cannot be upgraded and
the result would be that tourists would not
wish to visit our hotels, which would not be
up to standards. If the services provided
are not good the tourists could even claim
compensation, which would be an additional
headache for the industry."
Hoteliers migrate
"Considering these factors the most
experienced hoteliers in the country have
already started to migrate which is not good
for the industry," said Fernando.
However popular singer Annesley Malawana is
optimistic that the music industry would
thrive once peace is ushered in the country.
"Now this year has been named as the year of
peace and hopefully we are praying that
peace would be ushered in very soon. Once
peace is established the music industry
would flourish and there would be more
bookings for musical shows," Malawana told
The Sunday Leader.
Meanwhile Sulochana Perera, a mother of two
young girls and an accountant by profession
told The Sunday Leader that the year ahead
appears to be the worst ever as there is a
sharp decline in her income which has been
compounded by the skyrocketing cost of
living. She and her family are bracing for
the worst in the days to come.
"Because of the current situation our
institution too is incurring losses
resulting in no December bonus. Our annul
increments have been postponed till April.
Since many factories are on the verge of
closure we are not quite sure whether we
too would have to face a similar
situation," Perera said.
From bad to worse
Perera said she was attached to one of the
leading garment manufacturers in the country
and since the financial situation has gone
from bad to worse the employees of the
institution are now in fear of losing their
jobs if the present trend continues.
"Things are going to be very hard as the
apparel industry is facing difficult times
and if things continue to be the same we too
would lose our jobs which will directly
impact on our families. Already my fuel
allocation has been reduced as a result of
the financial crisis and I came to know that
the company is to stop giving fuel
allocations altogether," Perera added.
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A Little Boy Awaits Sadeeptha |
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A Little Boy wistfully watched,
Unkempt hair frequently scratched;
Busy pavement unseeing many passed,
Christmas shopping fury and fast.
Better times the lad remembers,
Father's memory burning embers;
One more cadre in Wanni's battle,
His world collapsed all unsettle.
Father's son on father's shoulder,
Last Christmas a happy toddler;
He touches glass case toys to hold,
No son - for money only they're sold.
Well lit shops display so dazzling,
Why not for me it's so puzzling;
Few have much many not a dime,
Will for me Christmas bells chime.
Night's so long civilian or soldier,
Out of home without love or shelter;
Madding crowd run helter skelter,
Grab more, posses glamour and glitter. |
Centuries past to a maid and carpenter,
Was born a Boy His bed a manger;
Straw and dung first Christmas decor,
Poor He was Heaven's ambassador.
King sought Innocence to exterminate,
Priests thought Him to excommunicate;
Knowing not Peace Prince God Incarnate,
Into one's heart comes as Love Intimate
Soldier's orphan son is one with Him,
Who was Lord but suffered every whim;
Poverty, cruelty, vengeance, ignominy,
This His life from cradle to
Calvary.
Little boy without father arise a dawn,
Tears hushed bright resurrection morn;
You my boy and our Mother Lanka,
Await! Await! a glimmer of Sadeeptha.
- Dr. Lalith Mendis
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2009 - The year of the
ox begins...
Chinese New Year 4706 or 2009 in the Western
calendar is the Year of the Female Brown
Earth Ox - sometimes called the cow or water
buffalo. This year of the ox is the second
year in the 12 year cycle of the Chinese
zodiac.
Like the houses of the zodiac in Western
astrology, the animals of Chinese astrology
are thought by many to influence ones luck
during the year. Your horoscope for 2009,
the year of the ox, depends on which animal
signifies the year you were born.
General Outlook
The year of the Ox is associated with
domestic trouble that seems to have no
solution. The grounded, rational, earth
influence of the ox may bring good fortune
to troubled economic times but only with a
sustained, well planned effort. The ox
influence brings an aversion to risky credit
and quick answers that are not well
conceived.
The ox year brings success only through
discipline and hard work. The steady ox is
quick to anger when confronted by what seems
to be irrational opposition, but the use of
reason works well and avoids a charge by the
angry bull. There is much danger of war and
unrest if diplomacy does not prevail.
The last time the earth ox was seen as the
ruling influence was during January 29, 1949
to
February 15, 1950.
The world suffered a recession in late 1948
and early 1949. The world economy recovered
during the year of the ox due to rational
decisions and careful planning. By 1951, the
recession was over.
Many will be searching for a quick solution
to the current economic crisis, but the ox
favours a well planned, consistent path that
will take more time but lay a foundation for
long lasting results.
The strong earth influence of this year
favours a strengthening of the housing
market, but risk takers will not find this
year favourable. Those who look for long
term benefits, have a well thought out plan
and are willing to work to see results will
find great success.
Baby boomers who were born the last time the
brown earth ox ruled the zodiac celebrate
their 60th birthday this year. Those who are
influenced by the ox will have experienced
many years of good fortune if the planning,
hard work and discipline of the sign were
heeded.
Babies born in the year of the ox
Those who failed to plan are given a new
opportunity this year. If the lessons of the
past are integrated, the future brings
harmony and good fortune at home and in
business.
Babies born under this sign are said to be
intelligent and hard working. Although they
tend not to be easily sociable, their
honesty and eloquence makes the ox a born
leader. A secure and steady home life,
spending time with family and close friends,
are the dominant social contacts for this
sign.
The earth influence strengthens the ox's
earth nature for those born in this year
making them especially gifted planners and
serious about doing the work to bring their
plans to completion. The bullish and
belligerent aspects of the ox are toned by
the addition of this year's nurturing earth
force. These are leaders to be followed with
trust and good partners for a life filled
with good fortune.
The ox is steady and disciplined and not a
friend of quick changes. When faced with
obstacles that cannot be overcome by
planning, hard work or analysis - the ox can
be an angry life partner or business
associate who does not easily forgive. The
ox does not forget that the rat used his
broad back to win the first place of honour
at the side of Buddha, but the ox still
values the friendship of the rat and is
content when trust is not betrayed.
Those born under this sign are always ready
with kindness and assistance for family and
friends in need, but those willing to listen
to the advice that is offered will find this
to be the greatest gift from the insightful
ox. Steady intelligence, the ability to see
what is important and the discipline to work
until the goal is met are traits that bring
success in both business and personal
affairs. Those that follow the ox walk an
easier road.
Famous people born in the year of the ox
Johann Sebastian Bach, Shirley Bassey, Kate
Beckinsale, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charlie
Chaplin, George Clooney, Bill Cosby, Oscar
De La Hoya, Walt Disney, Moctesuma Esparza,
Jane Fonda, Clark Gable, Jorge Garcia, Nomar
Garciaparra, Richard Gere, Whoopi Goldberg,
George Frideric Handel, Adolph Hitler,
Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Rock
Hudson, Saddam Hussein, Keira Knightley,
Kate Moss, Eddie Murphy, Paul Newman, Jack
Nicholson, Richard Nixon, Barack Obama,
Picasso, Princess Diana, Robert Redford, Meg
Ryan, Peter Sellers, Bruce Springsteen,
Meryl Streep, Margaret Thatcher, Vincent Van
Gogh and Sigourney Weaver are some of the
well known people who were born in the year
of the ox.
Compatibility
This ox is an earth sign and it is said that
those born under the influence of the ox
make a very good match for rats, snakes and
roosters, but can have some troubles with
the horse, the sheep and the pig. It would
be very unusual for the strong, dominant ox
and powerful tiger to find themselves in a
harmonious relationship.
Characteristics of people born in the year
of the ox
People who are ruled by the ox tend to be
patient and dependable, bright and rational
to the extreme. Although they may seem
quiet, when they speak they are eloquent and
worth paying attention to.
Their steady pace can inspire confidence in
others and helping others is important. The
ox will avoid risk in business or personal
relationships whenever possible. Steady
savings and financial stability are the
hallmarks of this sign. Credit cards and
high debt are not the choice of this
conservative sign. The ox does not seek
extremes. Steady, hard work that brings
balance to their secure and stable home and
work life is the goal.
The ox can be a strong ruler but needs to be
very careful to accept counsel from others.
Beware of the blind pursuit of their plans
which can make them harsh dictators. Those
born in the sign of the ox do not like to be
argued with. Like the ox, they can be
stubborn, bigoted and easy to anger.
The ox does easily forgive those who
disagree, interfere or stand in the way of
their success. The ox finds failure
extremely disturbing. Luckily, the careful
planning and hard work they are known for
mean that they do not often have to deal
with this.
The ox stone is Lapis-Lazuli, topaz or
amber.
Dogs and separation
anxiety
Does Spot love you so much that when you
leave she can't stand it? Does she get so
upset that your rugs, furniture, and
anything else she can reach or knock down
show signs of her affection? If she is a
well-behaved dog when you're home and only
turns into a nut case when she can't be with
you, then Spot is probably suffering from
separation anxiety.
It is estimated that 10-15 percent of the
canine population experiences some type of
separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is
tied to a dog's natural instinct to be part
of a pack, which explains why cats do not
seem to suffer from this problem. But there
are many things you can do to help your
lonely pooch out. She certainly deserves the
help; after all, she acts out because she
wants to be around you.
The difference between separation anxiety
and just plain bad behaviour is easy to see:
pets with separation anxiety only act out
when they are unable to get to their owners.
In severe cases, anxious pooches will act
out even when their owner is simply in
another room with the door shut.
Common ways of acting out include
destructive behaviour, excessive barking,
house soiling, attempts to escape, loss of
appetite, inactivity, sadness or depression,
and psychosomatic disorders such as
diarrhoea, vomiting, and excessive coat
licking. Also, a dog suffering from
separation anxiety will often closely shadow
her owner when they're together.
Why Spot?
Why does your dog suffer from separation
anxiety while your neighbour's dog is fine?
The possibilities abound. Some dogs simply
do not ever gain enough confidence in
themselves to be on their own. For some,
it's because they were left alone for too
long when they were puppies.
Others have had the misfortune of being
abused or neglected. There are some poor
pups that are pushed from home to home until
they finally end up in an animal shelter;
needless to say, they might be afraid of
being left again.
Often a beloved pet is fine for years, then
suddenly begins to act out. If her behaviour
seems inexplicable, take a look at the
changes in your lifestyle that occurred
around the same time Spot decided she loved
the taste of your favourite chair.
Maybe Mom went back to work or the kids left
for college. Perhaps you got a new job
requiring longer hours. Whatever the reason,
Spot is spending more time alone and she
doesn't know what to do with herself.
A dog's bathroom schedule could influence
anxiety. When a dog has to try to hold it
past the point of being comfortable it
builds anxiety. If this is repeated
routinely then she will become anxious at
the thought of you leaving for long periods
of time. This leads to anxiety as soon as
you start to get ready to leave.
Taming the trauma
Dealing with separation anxiety is different
than dealing with just the problem
behaviours. First, you must learn to check
your anger at the door. Punishing Spot will
not fix the problem - it will only make it
worse. Once she associates your absence and
return with punishment, her anxiety will
increase (punishment can simply be a stern
voice upon your return). Your dog will
automatically become submissive; they behave
this way because it is natural to submit to
the leader when they become angry, not
because she knows what she did wrong.
There are many different ways you can help
your dog deal with her fear. Your number one
goal is to teach her that you can be trusted
to come back. One of the first exercises to
practice is "sit and stay." This will
prepare your panicky pet for practice
departures.
Make Spot "sit and stay" while you move from
one place to another. If she obeys, give her
a treat. If she couldn't stand it and didn't
stay, try it again for a shorter time and
distance. Once you find something that works
(even if it's just moving from the living
room to the dining room) you can slowly
increase the time and distance. This builds
confidence in your pet and this helps them
to handle times alone much better.
The next step is to change your habits.
Think about your routine. Do you do the same
things every time you walk out the door?
Kissing your spouse, grabbing your bag,
closing your briefcase or even picking up
your keys can tell Spot that you're leaving.
She associates your preparations to leave
with her destructive behaviour. Your goal is
to change your pattern, teaching her new
cues that let her know that you're always
coming back and help disassociate her
learned, destructive behaviour from your
absence.
Do something unusual and different from your
normal routine: turn on the radio or
television, or give Spot a treat. There are
many toys and treats designed to entertain
your pet while you're out. A Kong toy
stuffed with food is a popular option - she
will spend many distracted hours working to
get the food out.
New cue review
Begin using your new cue when you start
doing practice departures. The key here is
to take baby steps and to be very patient.
When you first give Spot the new cue, leave
the house for just a minute or two - a time
short enough that you know Spot will be all
right. When you come back, avoid a big fuss
and simply go about your business. The
expectation of a big to-do when you come
home only increases her anxiety level.
Practicing departures does the same thing as
the "sit and stay" training; you're teaching
Spot that when you leave you will come back.
Slowly, you will increase her confidence in
you and in herself. Continue to practice
your departures all day long for
increasingly longer amounts of time.
Stay away a couple of minutes longer each
time, but remember to take it slow. If Spot
becomes upset at a certain point cut the
time in half and be patient. For example, if
Spot acts out after two hours, then decrease
the time to one hour and work your way back
up from there. Repeat the cycle over and
over again, until Spot is confident that you
will always return.
Ideally you will be able to spend at least a
week gradually easing Spot into a new level
of self-confidence. If you don't have that
much time, try to begin early on a Friday
evening and continue the practice departures
throughout the weekend. There are new
anxiety drugs on the market that can help
calm your anxious pup if you don't have
enough consecutive hours to work on
correcting Spot's behaviour.
These drugs are not sedatives; instead, they
are designed especially for dogs with
separation anxiety. Dogs take a daily dose
to relieve some of their anxiety, making it
easier for them to learn new, better
behaviour. Once the new behaviour is
learned, the medication can be discontinued.
As with any drug, be sure to visit your
veterinarian to ensure the medication is
appropriate for your specific pet.
Another strategy to help you deal with the
problem is to take Spot out for a good walk
before you leave the house. Not only will
you spend some quality time together, it
will also help tucker her out, making it
more likely she will spend her time away
from you sleeping. Another benefit to the
long walk is that once Spot sees the
pattern, she will have something to look
forward to when you leave. And the exercise
will be great for both of you.
With these tools, you should be well on your
way to boosting Spot's self-confidence. With
enough time and patience you can teach Spot
that you love her just as much as she loves
you. Eventually she will realise that you
won't leave her.
Don't be afraid to seek professional help.
Ask your veterinarian for suggestions, or if
the problem persists, ask your veterinarian
to recommend a behaviour specialist. Chances
are both you and your dog will benefit from
some one-on-one guidance. Together, you can
transform her anxious love and your tattered
home into a secure peace you both can enjoy.
Nothing like Christmas in Sri Lanka
It's nice to now that although some
countries don't recommend their citizens to
travel to Sri Lanka, still lots of my
friends don't fail to come over here for
Christmas. They say there's nothing like
Christmas in
Sri Lanka.
It's true, where else in the world will you
find non-stop partying under whatever
circumstances?
A party is cancelled very rarely unless the
hosts are compelled to do so. We most
certainly know how to paaahtay! Everyone
loves to go for the various carol services,
and of course midnight mass. Those who come
from overseas go especially for the midnight
mass so they can meet up with old friends
afterwards.
Someone I know went to
midnight mass this year hoping to bump into an old flame.
What a disappointment! She never turned up.
I had gone back 24 hours in time, and I was
blissfully unaware that the following day
was Christmas Eve. What a shock I got when I
realised it, since I hadn't wrapped a single
gift! I started a frenzied session of
wrapping, determined to keep the Christmas
traditions that were still practiced.
Worked as a team
The two girls were roped in and we worked
quite well as a team. We managed to wrap
everything up before Christmas Day. Since
the two girls had chosen their gifts, I
excused myself from wrapping them up, and
told them to act surprised when they got it
out of the bags!
I did tie huge bows on them to glam them up
a bit! This year almost everyone seemed to
be economising due to the high cost of
living. When the manager of the supermarket
I patronise asked me if I was ordering
turkey, duck or any hampers, I said I
wasn't. "But why? It's Christmas only once a
year!" I told him it would be okay if he
didn't charge me once a year, since I was on
a tight budget. Somehow, he wasn't amused!
This year I was almost set on fire by a
Christmas pudding. My brother in law who was
in high spirits in keeping with the ˙season,
liberally poured the brandy on the pudding
and set it alight. He had poured almost the
entire contents of the bottle, and the
pudding was positively immolated by fire!
Highly inflammatory
It all looked very pretty, with the lights
turned down low, and everyone sighed, "Aaah!"
when it was set alight. Then brandy in the
tray too started flaming, and he brought it
over to me. Now, I was in a highly
inflammatory state, having unearthed
something from the depths of my wardrobe.
I managed to stay away from the fireworks,
but here the fire was being virtually
presented to me, and on a platter too! So,
naturally, I started shrieking hysterically,
"Get that away from me! Aaaargh!" To add
further to the confusion, my bro-in-law's
finger started getting burnt. Somebody
whisked it away from him, another sensible
person blew out the fire and ice was
hurriedly brought to tend to the singed
finger.
What a to-do, but the pudding was
delicious, through very alcoholic, since the
brandy butter too was laced liberally with
the stuff. A mere sniff of it would make
your senses reel!
Phoning Santa
Another very amusing and cute incident was
when my little grand-niece was overheard by
my grand-nephew talking on her mum's cell
phone to Santa. "Hello, Santa? Etc. .."
After listening to her, the little guy pulls
out his own phone, and asks, "Uncle P. can I
have Santa's phone number too?" So Uncle P.,
always a quick thinker says, "Lets see, the
code for the North Pole is 996453 (or
something like that) and the country code is
9834."
So there he was, solemnly punching in all
these numbers. Then he goes back to Unc to
say he wasn't getting connected. So Unc
says, nodding wisely, "Aaaah, these days
it's very difficult to get through to Santa,
everyone from all over the world is calling
him, the line is always busy."
Then he starts singing, "You'd better not
shout, you'd better not cry etc." and so the
little fellow is diverted and quite
satisfied with the answer he received!
All this eating, drinking, dancing and
whizzing around is making me quite dizzy. I
seem to be permanently stationed in the
kitchen. I do hope I don't smell of garlic
and onions all the while! Well, it is
supposed to ward off evil spirits and
vampires, but I suppose even humans will shy
away from me! Never mind, those who really
love me will still hug me!
- Honky Tonk Woman
HUMOUR
A New Year's Wish
On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the
local pub and said that it was time to get
ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted
every husband to be standing next to the one
person who made his life worth living.
Well, it was kind of embarrassing. As the
clock struck, the bartender was almost
crushed to death.
Mother-In-Law
Two friends meet each other on the street.
"Hello! Where are you coming from?" asked
Bill. "Oh, don't ask me! I'm coming from the
cemetery. I just buried my mother-in-law"
replied Sid. "I'm so sorry!" said Bill, "But
why is your face scratched all over?" "It
wasn't so easy!" said Sid, "She put on a
hell of a fight!"
Two aerials fall in love
Two aerials fall in love and get married.
The ceremony was a disaster, but the
reception was brilliant.
Cannibal soup
Two cannibals were having lunch.
One cannibal said "your wife makes a great
soup."
"Yes" said the other one, "but I'm sure
gonna miss her."
Looking for a bachelor
Father cannibal to daughter: It's time you
got married. We'll start looking for an
edible bachelor.
A divorce
A farmer walked into an attorney's office
wanting to file for divorce. The attorney
asked, "May I help you?"
The farmer said, "Yea, I want to get one of
those dayvorces."
The attorney said, "Well do you have any
grounds?"
The farmer said, "Yea, I got about 140
acres." The attorney said, "No, you don't
understand, do you have a case?"
The farmer said, "No, I don't have a Case,
but I have a John Deere."
The attorney said, "No you don't understand,
I mean do you have a grudge?"
The farmer said, "Yea I got a grudge, that's
where I park my John Deere."
The attorney said, "No sir, I mean do you
have a suit?"
The farmer said, "Yes sir, I got a suit. I
wear it to church on Sundays."
The exasperated attorney said, "Well sir,
does your wife beat you up or anything?"
The farmer said, "No sir, we both get up
about 4:30."
Finally, the attorney says, "Okay, let me
put it this way. WHY DO YOU WANT A DIVORCE?"
And the farmer says, "Well, I can never have
a meaningful conversation with her."
A painful meeting
A frog telephoned the Psychic Hot line and
was told, "You are going to meet a
beautiful, young woman who will want to know
everything about you."
The frog said, "That's great! Will I meet
her at a party?"
"No," said the psychic. "Next term - in her
biology class."
Ready to drink
A drunk was brought before the court.
"Mister," the judge began, "you've been
brought here for drinking."
"Great!" the drunk exclaimed. "When do we
get started?"
Expensive psychiatrists
A psychiatrist is a person who will give you
expensive answers that your wife will give
you for free.
To drinking buddies
I just read an article on the dangers of
drinking....
Scared me to death.
So that's it!
After today, no more reading.
Passing the exam
Three patients in a mental institution
prepare for an examination given by the head
psychiatrist. If the patients pass the exam,
they will be free to leave the hospital.
However, if they fail, the institution will
detain them for five years.
The doctor takes the three patients to the
top of a diving board looking over an empty
swimming pool, and asks the first patient to
jump.
The first patient jumps head first into the
pool and breaks both arms.
Then the second patient jumps and breaks
both legs.
The third patient looks over the side and
refuses to jump. "Congratulations! You're a
free man. Just tell me why didn't you jump?"
asked the doctor.
To which the third patient answered, "Well
Doc, I can't swim!"
Old lady
Worried because they hadn't heard anything
for days from the widow in the neighboring
apartment, Mrs. Silver said to her son,
"Timmy, would you go next door and see how
old Mrs. Kirkland is?"
A few minutes later, Timmy returned.
"Well," asked Mrs. Silver, "is she all
right?"
"She's fine, except that she's angry at
you."
"At me?" the woman exclaimed. "Whatever
for?"
"She said 'It's none of your business how
old she is,'" snickered Timmy
Finding a house
Two police officers saw this old woman
staggering down the street, stopping her
they can tell she has had far too much to
drink and instead of taking her to jail they
decide to just drive her home. They loaded
her into the police cruiser and one of the
officers got in the back with the drunk
woman.
As they drove through the streets they kept
asking the woman where she lived, all she
would say as she stroked the officer's arm
is "Your Passionate." They drove a while
longer and asked again, again the same
response as she stroked his arm "Your
Passionate."
The officers were getting a little upset so
they stopped the car and said to the woman,
'look we have driven around this city for
two hours and you still haven't told us
where you live.' She replied, I keep trying
to tell you: "Your Passin It!"
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