Day 1180

Rain, rain, go away. Come again...well, never would be nice. On rainy days like today, I like to speculate about more hospitable climates where we could live. I love the dry, desert air around Las Vegas. I don't like the snakes and scorpions typically found in the desert, however. I went to high school in Alaska. There were no bugs whatsoever in the Winter. Somehow, they made up for lost time in the Summer though. The temperature was perfect in Seattle, but it rained even more there than it does here. Nothing seems right. I'd probably be a good candidate to colonize Mars. I could live in a hermetically sealed building for extended lengths of time and don't mind solitude. It wouldn't be solitude though. There would be other colonists. I guess Mars wouldn't work either. I don't do well in groups.

When I was sweeping the water off the roof this afternoon, I smelled what appeared to be burning insulation. I thought there was an electrical fire and I went back in the house to make sure nothing was burning. Everything was fine. Nothing seemed amiss and I couldn't smell anything at all. As soon as I went outside again, I caught another whiff or the burning insulation smell. Then, I saw smoke coming off my neighbor's front porch and thought their house was on fire. Just before I called the fire department, I saw my neighbors on the porch as well. They were barbecuing something on their grill. This was the worst smelling barbecue I've ever come across in my life. It smelled like they were burning old tires instead of charcoal in their grill. To each his own, I guess.

We photographed Sarge today at the Dalmatian Rescue kennels. Luckily, the kennel had a room we could use, since it was raining outside and I don't think a wet dog would make a very good portrait. Sarge was a very friendly boy and I had trouble getting him to stay still long enough to take his picture. He should find a new home quickly. The real question is why a great dog like this lost his home in the first place. I don't think Sarge was a stray. I think his previous owner surrendered him. I just don't understand how people can abandon their pets this way. There was probably a divorce involved. A lot of dogs come into the program as a result of a divorce. So many people trying to run away from everything. I bet some of them would drop their kids off at the pound too if they could get away with it.

Tomorrow doesn't look like a very auspicious day to go to the dog park. Even if it does stop raining, the dog park is likely to be muddy, and that means it will be closed. A muddy, wet day isn't much good for giving a dog a bath either. Maybe I'll finally have to get started on getting all my tax information organized. April 15 will be here before you know it.

Val is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day