Day 2062

Janet and I drove up to the Lewisville kennels today to photograph the latest additions to the Dalmatian Rescue family. Even after all these years, I continue to be amazed that so many wonderful, friendly dogs like these could have been dumped and abandoned so casually. Every dog you see featured in my Dalmatian of the Day pictures was a member of the Dalmatian Rescue program at one point or another. We have helped hundreds and hundreds of Dalmatians find new homes, and this is just a single breed in a single city. Almost all of the widely recognized dog breeds have active rescue organizations very similar to ours. There are even larger, more ambitious rescue groups devoted to helping mixed breeds. You wonder how things ever got this bad. How can people treat a living animal like a disposable object? And why do people get a dog in the first place if they aren't willing to make a commitment to taking care of it? I just don't  understand people sometimes.

After we got back in Dallas, I sorted through the pictures and updated the Dalmatian Rescue website. It takes me a little longer to make the updates now that I have converted the site to a more complex mobile friendly format, but I don't think I'm in danger of running out of time. I've got more time than I know what to do with. Few people are fighting over my time anymore. The clients I have left probably don't realize what a good deal they are getting. I never miss a deadline, but I linger over their projects and try to make them last as long possible so I won't have to face the horrors of an empty day. I've worked all my life and I don't really know what to do with an empty day.

Realistically, an empty day is just a theoretical concept, now that the dogs are getting older and Dot is becoming so frail. Just taking care of Dot and Dash has turned into a full time job. I've developed a new respect for people who have children with disabilities. I don't know how they do it. I really sympathize with the ones who try to keep their personal ship afloat while running a small business or working out of their homes. I lead a pretty simple life and am lucky to have the time and resources to provide Dot and Dash with the best care I possible can. It's tiring and stressful though. Dogs live such a short time that I often feel like I've been living with dogs declining and dying all around me for the past twenty years. Spot, Petey and Greta are gone. I want to enjoy the unique friendship I share with Dot and Dash for as long as I can.

It looks like we've got at least another full week of triple digit temperatures. Now that we're locked in an August heat wave, I don't think anyone even remembers the Spring rain anymore. I wonder how long it is going to be before the lake levels start to drop again. It is really hot this Summer. It is no longer pleasant outside when we take our pre-dawn walks with the dogs. It's just a bit cooler than it's going to be later in the day. At least there's usually a nice breeze early in the morning and you don't have to worry about the pavement being too hot for the dogs paws. Once the sun hits your face, it's all over. By mid-afternoon the air feels like you're living inside a pizza oven.

I guess I'll go to the gym again tomorrow. They keep it nice and cold at the gym and the air conditioning almost makes the exercise worth it. I don't need to worry about mowing the grass anyway. The lawn isn't even growing anymore. I water on the days the city allows, but things keep getting drier. I haven't been up on the roof in over a month. That alone tells you how dry it has become.

Lilly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day