Day 2919 - Winter Solstice

It didn't seem like the shortest day of the year. It didn't seem like the first day of Winter either, since the temperature was over 70 degrees. Truthfully, it didn't even seem like Thursday. Instead of the sunset walks we used to take at this time of year, we take mid-afternoon walks now. I split Dash's dinner into two parts these days, since I've discovered that he's more likely to eat all his food that way. We walk between the 3 PM early dinner and the 4:30 PM late dinner. I eat much earlier now as well. By the time the sun sets at 5:30 PM, our day is already finished. I kind of miss the old sunset walks, but it is much easier to just let Dash do what he wants. With this new early-bird schedule, there are no worries about chance encounters with a pack of coyotes either.

Today was uneventful. I didn't bother to go up on the roof because it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow. I did buy a pair of pants though. Every Christmas I get a gift card from a local menswear store that says if I spend at least $100 they will take $50 off the price. This always seems like a bargain and I inevitably go buy something whether I need it or not. I didn't need another pair of pants. I didn't need shirts, socks, or shoes either. This just shows that I am as susceptible to marketing as the next guy. I bought an overpriced pair of pants I don't even need because I was convinced I was getting it for half price. I'm sure the store still made a decent profit on the transaction.

The neighbors who own the dog that bit me are doing some remodeling on their house. I watch the workmen come and go with trepidation, since they inevitably leave gates open and I worry that the dog will escape. I hate having to worry about aggressive or loose dogs. The neighborhood is full of them. There are two German Shepherds who haven't realized yet that they could easily jump over their low fence. There is a dog who was sweet as a puppy, but has become increasingly territorial as he's grown older. This wouldn't be a problem if the dog's owner didn't leave him out in their unfenced front yard in the mornings without a leash. There is one street that is so full of barking, nervous dogs that I won't even go down it anymore.

I wonder if the city realized what it was getting into when all these ride sharing bicycles arrived. There are literally hundreds of abandoned Limebikes in the park now. I think I counted almost thirty on our walk today. Downtown there are areas where sidewalks are completely blocked by these rental bicycles. I guess the concept is popular because I see people riding these bicycles all the time. I just don't understand why they are abandoned in such strange places. If you leave your Limebike under a tree in the park, where do you go from there? I don't like bicycles in general, but the Limebikes are the worst. This is just a new type of littering.

The forecast doesn't look good, but I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. If it's a rainy day, Dash won't get a morning walk and I probably won't be able to go out for breakfast. I"m already trying to decide whether to fix pancakes, make an omelette, or have a bowl of oatmeal and fruit. I'm becoming more and more like Dash. All I really think about is food.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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