Day 2832

If I'd waited just one more day, I wouldn't have had to repair the refrigerator myself yesterday. The appliance repair folks called and said the thermostats finally arrived. They want to come out and install them tomorrow. Oh, well. It was a learning experience.

It's going to be a busy day tomorrow. In addition to having the appliance repairmen out at the house, I've got a vet appointment for Dash. I hope the vet can shed some new light on Dash's ongoing problems. I"m worried that something is seriously wrong. I doubt that she'll have a definitive diagnosis, but maybe we can narrow down the range of possibilities. Dash has some very obvious symptoms. We just have to connect those symptoms to a plausible ailment.

I have a feeling that we'll be going to see a specialist again. All Dash's basic vital signs look good. If there is some new form of cancer lurking inside of him, it's probably going to take a MRI to discover it. The dog frequently has nausea in the morning and is not interested in eating. This could be a symptom of idiopathic vestibular disease. His rear legs seem weak and sometimes he drags his feet. This could be an early sign of degenerative myelopathy. His cancer could have returned too. Basically, almost anything could be wrong at this point. We've just got to find out what is causing all these problems.

I mowed the grass again this morning. Fall has definitely arrived, so hopefully this is the last time I'll have to mow this year. You never know in Texas though. We could get a lot of rain and the growing season could start all over again. I'm amazed at how tiring it is to mow the grass now. This task used to seem so easy. One of these days I'm going to have to give up and hire someone to maintain the yard. I'm not ready yet though. I keep thinking that the activity will do me good.

I wrote a letter to my luddite sister this afternoon. You'd think it would be easier to just call her on the phone, but this is how we communicate. I can't recall ever calling her on the phone. I think there are too many phone calls and far too few letters. Writing a letter helps to focus your thoughts. It's also a good way to avoid getting tangled up in family fights.

Dash is getting pretty good at leaving his injured dewclaw alone, but I still put the cone on him when I go to the post office or leave the house. We've made real good progress this week. I'd hate to ruin it all by leaving him to his own devices for an afternoon. Maybe after another week the wound will have healed enough so that we can retire the cone permanently.

On my way home from the post office I stopped at the storage warehouse to see when my annual rent was due. Just as I thought, it is due at the end of the week. Damn. One more big bill to pay. I have a feeling that I am going to be perpetually poor. The stock market continues to do well, but it isn't enough to replace a regular income. I've got to cut expenses. One obvious way would be to get rid of a lot of stuff in the storage warehouse so I could rent a smaller space. Lots of luck with that. I guess I've got another year to think about what I can part with.

I sure hope the vet can figure out how to get Dash eating again. Making sure he eats enough to stay healthy has become an all day activity.

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day