Day 4978

Today was busier than usual. As always we started with a sunrise walk with Dawn. The temperature was in the high 80's and it felt muggy outside, but this was still the nicest part of the day. We walked earlier than usual because Janet had plans. The days are getting shorter and it was still kind of dark outside. If we continue walking this early, we're going to have to bring out the flashlights again soon.

After my regular breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit, I checked my messages and started a load of laundry. Since it was a little cooler today I decided to cross a few outdoor chores off my list. I've been trying to avoid removing the spiderwebs from the house for a long time, but it really had to be done. The spiders make big webs under our eaves and on the West facing windows. It's really a mess removing the spiders and their webs using a big broom. I wear a hat and a long sleeve shirt because spiders are falling everywhere. After you've had a few spiders in your hair, you learn to take precautions.

It took quite a while to clean everything up, but the windows look much better now. Maybe I'll clean them all with Windex tomorrow. I need to go to Home Depot and get some spider spray as well.  If I don't spray under the eaves, the spiders will all return soon. There are a ton of spiders and wasps in our yard. It's kind of amazing that more don't find their way inside.

After I cleaned up all the spiderwebs, I watered the plants in the atrium. This used to be easy, but is much harder now that the sliding glass door won't open properly. There is a water faucet inside the atrium but I haven't used it for years. The faucet is in a brick bearing wall that is also the wall to our bedroom on the other side. Once a long time ago this faucet broke and caused a plumbing emergency. I was really afraid that the house was going to flood. A talented plumber managed to fix the leak without tearing down the brick wall and I haven't used the faucet since. I water the plants from the outside now through the screened in western wall of the atrium.

After I folded the laundry and put it away, I went to the gym. I wondered if it was some kind of holiday because there wasn't a lot of traffic on the roads and the gym wasn't full at all. There were lots of parking spots in the garage. Getting rid of the spiders must have tired me out because I did terrible on my three mile walk today. I had the slowest time I've had all month. Oddly, I did much better on the basketball court. I completed my ten free throws in seven minutes today. It used to take me eleven or twelve minutes to do this. I'm adding additional weights on my upper body exercises now. I'm only adding a few pounds at a time, but any kind of progress is a good thing.

Friday is Dawn's favorite day of the week because that's when Janet does her grocery shopping. Dawn starts listening for the car at least an hour before Janet returns. I have to gate her in the bedroom while we bring the grocery bags inside and then as soon as I open the gate, Dawn races to the kitchen. She seems to love being Janet's kitchen helper. It probably helps that she get a little sliced turkey and a bit of cheese for her efforts.

This heat wave seems like it will never end. Each weeks feels a little hotter than the last. I think the temperature is supposed to reach 110 degrees sometime next week. I've kind of resigned myself to a miserable summer and keep hoping that the air conditioner doesn't break.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day