Day 3085

The landscapers work late. They're in the back yard right now installing the St. Augustine sod. It will be nice to have a decent looking yard again. I've grown accustomed to the fact that grass doesn't last long in our back yard. The extensive root network for our big Oak trees immediately sucks up all available water. I'll probably have to replace the turf again next year. That's OK. At least things will be nice for Dash this summer. Hopefully, he will start pooping in the grass, instead of venturing into the thick Asian Jasmine ground cover at the back of the yard. Dash's rear legs are so weak that he occasionally gets stuck in the ground cover and I have to go extricate him.

I never dreamed that selling art at auction would be so complicated. I got a contract from one of the big New York auction houses and it was page after page of fine print. From all appearances, it would be much easier to sell a house. I'm glad and somewhat surprised that there is interest in the things I've collected. I've never thought of art as investment. I just bought things that I could afford and made me happy. I certainly never thought of the model trains as an investment. I had every intention of building a big model railway someday and just never got around to it.

It was sad to hear about Kate Spade's suicide. I remember listening to an interview with her on NPR while I was driving to the gym a few months ago and she certainly seemed like a happy, well adjusted person. She and her husband built their business from nothing and lived to see it become an international success. Why wasn't she happy with her life? I was equally surprised when I learned of Robin William's death. It just goes to show that depression has nothing to do with success or failure. Rich or poor, famous or obscure, depression seems like an equal opportunity curse.

I wish I could find some more durable dog boots for Dash. We've tried three different brands and all of them are wearing out. Even the indestructible Ultra Paws boots we got recently are starting to wear out. If a dog scuffs their feet while they walk like Dash does, nothing is going to last that long. The ToughTek material on the Ultra Paws boots is no match for Dash. It has completely worn through to the nylon shell below. The dog booties may not last that long, but they definitely do their job. Dash's paws haven't bled since he started wearing them.

I wish I'd remembered to ask my doctor about my irritating cough when I had my exam last week. It feels like I've got cracker crumbs caught in my throat. Maybe I do have cracker crumbs in my throat, but this feels more like when I used to take Zestril for high blood pressure. When I switched to Benicar, the coughing stopped. When a generic equivalent for Benicar was approved, I started taking that instead. I didn't have a choice. I've always wondered if generic and brand name drugs were the same. Maybe there is a difference that's causing this cough. It probably doesn't matter anyway, since my insurance won't pay for brand name medications when there is a generic available.

I'll read the contract from the auction house tomorrow. If I'm lucky, maybe Janet will just read it for me. Trying to understand legal documents makes my head spin.

Scooby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day