Day 4323

We definitely made the right decision when we adopted Dawn. Younger Dalmatians have way too much energy for us these days. Charlie, Oliver, and Pepper are fun to play with when we visit them at the kennel, but they'd run circles around us at home. I must have had a lot more energy when I was younger to be able to walk Dot and Dash at the same time. Dot and Dash slowed down a lot when they reached Dawn's age, but when they were young and healthy, there was no stopping them.

I thought that Pepper would be a little more subdued because the last time we saw her, we were taking her to the vet to be spayed. She was still wearing a cone when we saw her today but it didn't slow her down much. She appears to have fully recovered and I think she only has to wear the cone for a few more days. Pepper is very playful and unlike Oliver and Charlie, never appears tired. I think she would play all day if we had the time. I can't get over how large Oliver is for a young dog. Pepper is twice as old as Oliver, but only half the size. Charlie is the most energetic of all when we first arrive, but he tires more quickly than the others. He always lets us know when he is tired of playing and is ready for his treats.  As always, we had a lot of fun playing with the dogs while Dawn took a long nap on our bed.

On the way home we drove by Dawn's training class site and filled in the hole that Janet was afraid of falling in. When I saw the hole, I could see why Janet was worried. The hole was obscured by grass so it was hard to see, but it was quite deep. If a dog inadvertently got their paw in the hole while they were doing a training exercise, they could easily break a leg. A person could twist an ankle pretty easily as well.  While we were filling the hole, a city water utilities worker who was in the vicinity gave us a strange look, but said nothing. We only used about half of the bag of dirt I bought. We took the rest of the dirt home and  who knows what I will do with it. There are certainly no holes in our yard. Maybe I'll buy a plant and pot it in one of the big empty pots in the greenhouse.

I made good time on my long walk today. My speed must be related to the weather. On cooler days I always seem to walk faster. I still have a little foot pain, but I'm going to stop complaining about it. My bones are old and I do a lot of walking. I'd probably have the same discomfort if I spent a lot of time at the gym. Actually, I did have a lot of aches and pains at the gym. They were just different. I had problems with my shoulder when I was lifting weights and problems with my knee on the treadmill. I guess I should be happy that I'm still pretty mobile.

I did some bookkeeping this afternoon. Finally, my Florida trip, the expensive car repairs, and the plumbing expenses have all been paid for. Since I use a credit card for everything, expenses sometimes don't show up until several months after an event has taken place. It can be disorienting. The big charges are easy to remember, but some of the little ones remain a mystery. The only time I wish I was still working is when I am paying bills. The rest of the time I am very content to do nothing. 

I'm dreading my upcoming colonoscopy and EGD. It's a safe, routine procedure, but I'll have to go to the hospital and be anesthetized again. I've never liked being anesthetized. I'm not a very trusting person and I always wonder if I'm going to wake up again. I can't say that I like the prep for a colonoscopy either. That's just disgusting.

Luckily there's nothing to worry about tomorrow. It's supposed to be another nice Fall day. I hope this beautiful weather continues. After a month of clear skies and cool breezes, Winter is going to be a real disappointment.

Patch is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day