Day 1231

I seem to spend Monday getting ready for the rest of the week. It's not typically very exciting, but it's necessary. I took a bag of oranges and a pineapple and made another half gallon of juice with my new juicer. I washed a big load of towels. I balanced my checkbook and discovered that I'd already received my tax refund. As usual, the refund was just about enough to pay my accountant for figuring out my tax return.

I've just about decided on a contractor to replace my roof. It would be nice to have a knowledgeable person to confirm my decision with, but I don't know anyone who has a roof like mine. I have three different companies recommending three different processes and any or all of them could be pulling the wool over my eyes. The trouble with roofing contractors is that you don't really know if you've got a good roof until about three years after the job is finished.

It got warm enough to turn on the air conditioner today. I'm glad I have a fully functioning heating and air conditioning system this year, but I still find Summer more difficult to deal with than Winter. Air conditioning units extract moisture from the air and this condensate has to go somewhere. In a lot of new houses the condensation is piped directly outside. In my house, the condensation stays inside and goes down the same overflow drain in the utility room that is used by the washing machine. In the Winter, I plug this drain up, since the new front loader washer empties water too fast for the old 2 inch drain system. I can't leave the drain plugged in the Summer however. When the drain is plugged, the condensate from the air conditioner has no place to go and floods the utility room. I constantly have to remember to open and close this drain when I'm doing laundry. This seem easy enough, but I forget a lot. Winter is much easier.

I watched the old Pyramids of Mars episode of Dr. Who with Tom Baker as the fourth doctor this evening. I think the fourth doctor was my first introduction to the Dr. Who series. I remember the series used to come on after midnight on PBS a long time ago. Watching these old episodes from the 70's and 80's makes you realize how far special effects have come in twenty years. Old science fiction shows have incredibly crude and rudimentary monsters. If you forget about the poor production values, the show is basically the same though. Sara Jane Smith is actually one of the doctor's best companions.

I'm having a little trouble meeting my 10,000 step a day activity goal as the weather grows warmer. Dot is very sensitive to the heat and will turn around to go home a little earlier with each additional degree of temperature. I can almost predict exactly when she will want to turn around now by looking at the weather app on my iPhone. She's still fine in the morning, but that will only last another month or so. Another Texas Summer is on its way.

Parker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day