Day 2946

Today was so similar to yesterday that I briefly wondered if anyone would notice if I just copied a few paragraphs from my previous post. Believe it or not, it's much harder to write about days where nothing happens. The arctic weather continues and Dash and I have had enough of it. It's still too cold to take Dash on a morning walk and this change in our routine makes us both a little restless. Without a walk, Dash slaps at the back door every five minutes and then wants to come right back in again as soon as I let him out. I don't know what to do with the extra time either. Long walks give us both something to do.

I did finally make an appointment to get a haircut tomorrow and to take Dash to the vet next week. Dash is so difficult to transport in the car now that we have to schedule vet visits when Janet can get away from work for a while. I wish I knew what was going on in Dash's mind. It used to be so easy to take him to the vet myself. I hate to wait until next week, but luckily there is nothing seriously wrong. We just need to take care of some routine things that the specialists at the cancer center don't normally do.

I should have waited to pay bills yesterday, because I got some more in the mail today. I used to let the bills stack up and pay them all once a month. Then I started getting late charges. Companies have shortened the due date. They all want you to pay online now and if you pay by mail, you have to be quick. I don't know why I am so resistant to paying online. Sending and receiving mail is just a part of normal daily life that I don't want to give up yet.

When the temperature climbed to the low 30's, I took Dash on an afternoon walk. The sun was out and Dash was enjoying smelling things. I thought we were going to have a nice long walk, but a loose dog spooked Dash and made him want to come home early. I've seen this guy and his dog before. The man thinks he's trained his dog so well that he doesn't need a leash. I was amused when the dog wandered off pursuing a scent and didn't follow his owner home. I don't know why Dash was upset, because this dog was no threat to anyone while she was off chasing rabbits. I had to show the guy where his dog had gone. Why don't people understand that a leash makes everything so much easier? A leash is safer too. The small dog was chasing rabbits but it could have found coyotes instead.

I balanced my checkbook a few weeks ago. Today it was time to balance the credit card purchases. I added everything up and was one dollar off. Why are these mistakes so hard to find? I must have looked at the figures three or four times before I found the missing dollar. Online banking would eliminate these chores, but I just can't bring myself to give up paper. Things just don't seem entirely real unless I can see them on paper.

I was pleased to see the DOW sail through 26,000 today. It has definitely been a good year for stocks. I watch the market the same way some might watch a NASCAR race. I've got my favorites and I check their positions with every lap. Unfortunately there is no finish line. I wish there was a finish line with investments when you could just relax with the knowledge that you had won. You can always get out of the market if you're feeling nervous, but you hate to get out too soon. I think the economy is good and the upward trend will continue for a while. I could be wrong.

I could be wrong about everything. It's kind up humbling to realize what a guessing game life actually is. Maybe it's good that we don't know what's in our future. I think it's uncertainty that allows us to hope.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day