Day 2334

It drives me crazy when stuff breaks all the time. I called the electrician today to fix a broken sodium vapor light in the back yard. These lights typically last up to ten years, but this one bit the dust in less than a year. The good news is that the fixture is probably still under warranty. The bad news is that my electrician has gone to a four day week and doesn't work on Friday anymore. He won't be able to come out and replace the faulty security lamp until next Wednesday. By then, Janet and I will both have tripped over rocks and stepped in dog poop while taking the dogs out late at night. The security light is essential.

Next on the list was a call to the plumber to fix the leaking fixtures in the bathroom sink. I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I will have to measure and photograph the existing fixtures and then bring the photos to their offices so they can see if they can locate a suitable replacement. They're probably telling me the truth, since the modern fixtures I see at Home Depot and Lowes are too big to fit in the old sink. I had to do this once before when I owned rental property and it seemed like it took months to get the old leaking fixtures replaced. I keep thinking that all repair people are going to be like those friendly, knowledgeable guys on that PBS This Old House show, but sadly this is seldom the case.

I've started hearing a loud squeak or chirping noise on the left side of my car when I drive over a bump. I heard exactly the same noise a few weeks before the suspension went out on the right hand side of the car last year. To be proactive, I called the dealership to make an appointment to bring the car in for service. They don't have any openings until the end of the month. I guess I'd better not drive over any big bumps until then.

It was quite warm today and I could tell that Dot was already having trouble with the heat. We're going to have a real problem this Summer. The higher the temperature, the less energy she has. In Texas terms, this was just a mild Spring day. It's going to get worse. When Summer really hits us, we might not be able to walk at all. It's going to be a challenge to keep Dot moving in the Summer. I guess we could start using the underwater treadmill more, but it's a long ride in the car to get to our therapy sessions and cars can get very hot during Texas Summers.

Don't ask me why, but I had breakfast at a neighborhood cafe that appears to be a favorite with the over 70 crowd. Literally, everyone in the place was a senior citizen. I hadn't been to this place for several years, but it certainly hasn't changed much. The food is actually pretty good, but that's not why the place is popular. Old people love this place because the portions are huge. I could barely finish my meal this morning. It's weird how people tend to stay with their own tribe. There were no hipsters in this restaurant. There were no young moms, pushing their kids in fancy strollers. All I saw were a bunch of very old men who were clearly going to vote for Trump.

The new camera arrived today. I opened the box to make sure everything was there, but that's about as far as I got. I'll be taking plenty of pictures in the future, but my hands are full with other things now. Taking care of Dot and keeping the house from falling apart has become a full time job.

Patches is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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