leaving in 9 days
i was clicking through Yahoo and came across an article which enumerated the world's ten smartest dogs and noticed that Orchard - my golden retriever - came in fourth. yay for him!

#4 Golden Retriever
A very affectionate and popular breed, the Golden Retriever is highly regarded for its intelligence. They can learn well over 200 commands, making them indispensable companions, both in the home and in the workplace. Loyal, loving, and patient, with a willingness to please and a love of learning, this is a fabulous companion pet to bring into your family.

i love him to death; but today was rather upsetting because i just learned from my mom this afternoon that he has been rather depressed ever since i left and now refuses to eat. so i think my brother took him to the vet earlier to make sure nothing is seriously wrong with him.

sigh. it just breaks my heart to know that i can't be there to hug him or teach him new tricks or bathe him or let him drag me around my village (he takes me out for walks instead of me taking him out for one) or just pet him whenever i want to. sniff. i didn't realize i would miss him this much, but i really really really want to go back to the philippines now so that he won't be depressed anymore so he can eat like a pig and jump around like the psycho dog he really is.

i miss you Orchard. i'll be back soon to shake your hand...