Day 3400

I like round numbers. 3400 seems reasonably close to 3500 and 3500 makes 4000 seem possible. I still don't know if I can reach my goal of writing something every evening for 5000 consecutive days, but I haven't given up yet. The thing that keeps me going is that I really don't know what is going to happen in the future. Anything could happen. Maybe the future will be worth reading about. I certainly hope something interesting occurs in the days ahead. Right now there isn't much of a story line. The blog has always been the story of two special dogs. Now that Dot and Dash are gone, so has a lot of my reasons for blogging.

We'll see what happens. Right now, I'm just trying to clean up the house. I took another load to the storage warehouse today. With Dash's support system gone, the house is stating to look bigger. I kind of miss the dog beds and kiddie gates, but there's far too much clutter around here already. It's time to restore some order to the place.

Janet brought an old computer home and wanted me to remove the hard drive so she could donate it. Nobody really wants old computers, but we've found a place that will take them. This was one of those Apple computers that looks like half of a bowling ball with a screen on a swinging chrome arm protruding from the top. I thought it would be easy to remove the hard drive, but apparently Apple didn't think this was a good idea. I had to disassemble the entire machine to access the cleverly hidden drive. It's a good thing I had a complete set of Torx screwdrivers. You couldn't even open the case with regular screwdrivers. Eventually, I finished the task, but I'm still wondering if it was worth the effort.

I got a voice message from the crematorium saying that they were unable to meet our request for a Saturday cremation. WTF? Dash's cremation is scheduled for Thursday morning. When I called to find out what was going on, the receptionist apologized immediately and told me she has been trying to reach someone else named John and had called me by mistake. "I'm so sorry," she said. "We'll see you tomorrow morning." "Tomorrow is Wednesday," I told her. "Our appointment is for Thursday morning." "Oh, I'm so sorry," she told me again. "I don't know why I even said that. Your appointment is definitely scheduled for Thursday." Somewhat reassured, I hung up the phone and continued my housecleaning.

I'm continuing my efforts to keep walking. Walking without a dog is just exercise, but at least Mr. Fitbit is happy. Somehow I've convinced myself that I need to take at least ten thousand steps a day. Ten thousand steps is easy with a dog. It's a little harder when you're just wandering around the house.

This is going to take a while. Dogs of ours have gone to the Rainbow Bridge before, but there was always another dog waiting to greet us when we returned to pick up the pieces. This is the first time there have been no dogs in the house for a very long time. It's awfully quiet around here.

Becker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3147

You know you've finally come to terms with your dog's incontinence when he poops in the bed and you're just happy that the poop is firm. I thought I smelled something last night, but I was really tired and Dash farts a lot anyway. I didn't notice that he'd pooped in the bed until morning. This was a first and I hope it isn't a sign of things to come. At least the mess was on Dash's dog blanket and it was easy to clean up.

We've been through this before with Dot.There was a period of time between when she initially became incontinent and when she lost the ability to climb on the bed that we were doing a lot of laundry. I hope Dash's instinct to head for the back door continues for a while. It makes life a lot easier.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother to write on Monday. Nothing ever happens on Monday. The big event of the day was putting the new vehicle registration sticker on my windshield. If the state doesn't need a safety inspection sticker anymore, I wonder why they still need a registration sticker? Probably it's just a different bureaucracy that's involved. I can tell that the carpel tunnel in my wrist has gotten worse. It was surprisingly difficult to position the sticker in the bottom corner of the windshield. It probably would have been easier if I wasn't such a perfectionist. The sticker had to be absolutely parallel.

Dash had a nice walk this morning, but as soon as we returned home, he seemed exhausted. We walked really slow and he seemed to be enjoying himself, but maybe we are overdoing things. It's hard to tell. Dash went to sleep while I was fixing my smoothie and didn't return to the kitchen to eat his own breakfast until 10:30 AM. He does still eat his meals, but there is no real schedule anymore. I just leave the food in his bowl and he eats when he's hungry.

It looks like I won't be able to upgrade my computers anymore. Apple just announced that it's new Mojave operating system won't run on any of the computers currently I have. Apparently, they are all too old. Apple is actively trying to make the operating system in their computers work more like their phones. Pretty soon your desktop computer is just going to be a big, giant iPhone. I guess a lot of people like this idea. Not me. I have a feeling that I'd probably be happier using Linux now. Apple is working way too hard to please the millennials.

I wonder if anything interesting will happen tomorrow. I need to write my sister and I should probably call the guitar store to see if the guitar that disappeared from the website actually sold. If it sold it would give me an excuse to drive over to the store and pick up a check. There's always naps. I took a long nap with Dash today. It wouldn't be difficult to do the same thing tomorrow.

Margo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3026

Mother Nature apparently didn't get the memo that Winter is over. The temperature was in the thirties when I woke up this morning. It didn't get much warmer as the day progressed either. Jeez. The Bluebonnets are in bloom. We've already had our air conditioner running. This just isn't supposed to happen in Texas.

I wasn't happy about the weather, but I definitely was happy to see Dash feeling better. After a rough day yesterday, he was almost back to his old self. Even though it was very cold, he seemed eager to walk this morning. A stiff wind made it feel like the temperature was in the teens, but Dash didn't seem to mind. I can't say the same for myself.

I didn't spend much time outside today. After going to the grocery store and running my Saturday errands, I got the urge to hook up a MIDI keyboard to the computer. I hadn't done this in years, and not surprisingly the keyboard didn't work. After doing some research on Google, I discovered that the keyboard was no longer supported by Apple. I still didn't know whether the old equipment worked, so I restarted the computer using an external drive with an old system on it. I found a driver for the keyboard online and installed it. Suddenly I had gone back in time. Everything worked perfectly. I wish I'd never upgraded my system. My computer and my own brain seem to work better using Mountain Lion. Once Apple stopped naming their operating systems after cats, everything began to go downhill.

I played the little keyboard for a while and was surprised that I still remembered quite a few chord progressions. I had a bit of trouble getting my left hand and right hand working together, but with a little practice I could probably play piano again. Unfortunately, I had to put the keyboard away and restart the computer under Sierra again. Spending time in the past may be pleasant, but I can only make money in the present.

If I had a ton of space and nothing better to do, I'd keep a separate computer running for each decade I've been using one. I really liked my original Osborne 1. I hauled the heavy sewing machine shaped machine to user groups once a month where I would trade software on floppy disks with other geeks. Affordable hard drives hadn't even been invented yet. I got my first Macintosh in 1984 and have owned at least eight Macs since then. I edited video on machines that would be considered dinosaurs today. Everything worked though and I never missed a deadline. I miss those days.

Janet fixed chili tonight. A bowl of chili has always been our go-to meal on really cold days. As tasty as the chili was, I hope it is warmer tomorrow. I've had to plug in the little ceramic heater to keep the office warm and I'm wearing a sweater as I write. I'm not looking forward to going out in the middle of the night with Dash tonight. I wouldn't be surprised to see snow.

I was going to get a birthday card for my Luddite sister and I discovered that the Hallmark store in our neighborhood had gone out of business. I think the store has been gone for a while, but I don't buy cards very often. This isn't really a sign of the apocalypse, but it is discouraging that greeting cards are a thing of the past. I guess everybody just clicks the birthday button on Facebook now.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2776

Dash threw up again late last night. We don't know what is causing this. It seems to happen about once every two or three weeks. He almost always throws up in the middle of the night after spending a very normal day. There is usually no advance warning. He just wakes up after sleeping normally, wants to go outside and eat grass, and then throws up. Sometimes he seems a bit unsteady on his feet and we think he must be having another vestibular episode. Other times it just seems like he has an upset stomach. This has been going on for a long time and he has been examined from tip to tail. Sometimes the vets think vestibular disease nausea is causing the vomiting. Other times they think he is eating the wrong food and that we should change his diet. Dash almost always feels better after he has vomited and goes right back to sleep. By the time we are able to get him to a vet, he usually seems quite normal. It's frustrating because something is clearly wrong and nobody seems to know what it is. Last's night's episode didn't seem like vestibular disease at all, but I still couldn't come up with a better explanation.

Dash was fine today. It was almost as if last night never even happened. I know he was sick because I cleaned up the vomit. We also took him on a short walk around midnight down our very dark street in hopes that it might settle his stomach. I remember looking up at the stars as we walked down the street and feeling a bit sad that it wasn't really safe to have an interest in astronomy in some parts of this city. I never would have said this when I was younger, but when I hear sirens and helicopters late at night, I feel much more comfortable just staying indoors.

I had to renew a prescription at my primary care physician this afternoon. This was a bit awkward, because this was the doctor that fired me as his web designer last week. I talked to the practice manager for a few minutes and told him that there were no hard feelings on my part. I even told him to call me again if the younger son screwed up the website as much as the doctor's older son had a few years earlier. Yes, this was the second time this doctor has fired me to turn over the marketing to one of his children. They had to hire me back to repair the damage the first son did. If this happens again, I'm definitely going to raise my rates.

I finished watching season one of The Expanse today. I thought I might be able to watch season two on Netflix, but Google was wrong. The series wasn't available on Netflix after all. Oh, well. I guess I'll have to go back to the overpriced iTunes Store after all. No wonder Apple is so rich. They overcharge for everything. Apple's high prices have always frustrated me, but I keep coming back. I like their phones and computers better, and they always seem to have more of the shows I like on iTunes.

I hope Dash sleeps well tonight. It always worries me when something goes wrong in the middle of the night. With any luck, we'll all wake up early and take another sunrise walk. I'll drink my fruit smoothie, water the grass, and check the mail. Dash will take a long nap, but I'll still need something to do. I'll probably end up downloading season two of The Expanse even if it is too expensive.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2656

I need to come up with a new plan for getting Dot outside when she wakes up in the morning. She just can't make it to the back door anymore. For the past three days I've had to wash a bunch of rugs that she peed on while making her exit. It's a mess. If I take up the rugs, the floor is too slippery and Dot will fall. She's too heavy to carry. And it's impracticable to have her sleep in the living room. Incontinence is a bitch. I've placed Dot's bed so I can see it while I'm working. I've learned that if she lifts her head and looks at me, she needs to pee. I stop what I'm doing and take her outside immediately. This usually works during the day. Nights are a problem though because she sleeps much longer than the two hours she can reliably hold her bladder. I really don't know if there's a solution to this, but it's wearing me out.

My project for the day was cleaning a bathroom faucet that seemed to have mold inside it. You'd think running water would keep the faucet clean, but apparently not. I needed to clean this thing because it was a bit disconcerting to turn on the faucet to brush my teeth and see little black flecks come out. At any rate, I took the faucet apart and soaked the parts in bleach. The faucet and the water coming out of it seem clean now, but I'm sure this is just a temporary fix. Everything I do these days is a temporary solution.

Since I was successful at cleaning the faucet, I decided to watch a YouTube video and learn how to replace the hard drive on my desktop computer. This used to be super easy on the old tower Macintosh computers, but things have changed. Even the screws that hold things together on my 27" iMac are different. To exchange the hard drive on my current computer, I'd first need to buy a set of special Torx screwdrivers and a big suction cup to get the glass off the front. Once the the components were exposed, I would risk ruining the fragile LED screen if I accidentally touched it. To make matters worse, there was a special heat sensor that only came with Apple OEM drives, so replacing the drive with a high capacity third party drive wasn't going to be easy. I learned that somebody made a replacement for the Apple heat sensor, but it was uncertain if this part was even available anymore. Basically, it took me longer to watch the video than it used to take me to replace all the drives in my old silver door Mac.

It is fundamentally discouraging to realize that I can no longer fix most of the things I use every day. I feel like a stranger in a strange land. For most of my adult life I have modified and upgraded all manner of things on my own. Modern manufacturing techniques make it virtually impossible to change components or make simple repairs. We live in a disposable society now. If something breaks, you're not supposed to fix it. You're supposed to have insurance, or Applecare in my case, and use your policy to exchange your damaged gizmo for a new model.

The adjustments we've made to Dot's pain medications have made her more alert and active, but they haven't made her any stronger. This means that I'm spending even more of my time moving Dot around when she gets restless. Dot is heavy. After a day of holding up her rear legs, my shoulder is begging for mercy. Caring for an injured dog with carpal tunnel in your wrists and a dislocated shoulder is not something I'd recommend.

We're supposed to have severe weather tomorrow morning. I brought all the rugs that were drying outdoors back inside and took the trash out to the curb. Luckily, the rugs appear to be dry. I guess I'm prepared for the rain, but I'll miss going out to breakfast tomorrow. I'm all out of bananas and fresh fruit, so hopefully there are still some toaster waffles in the freezer.

Ariel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1910

I only need three words to describe this day. All day rain. Today's rain wasn't just a light shower either. It was a genuine soaker. Rain is the last thing I need right now. It's hard enough getting Dot outside to pee on a dry day in her current condition. Add a downpour to the mix and it's a real mess. After we come back inside, I have to carefully clean her paws while holding her up with the harness so she won't get all her bedding muddy. Then I have to make sure the area around her incision is clean and dry. When we're done with all that, I have to throw whatever I'm wearing in the dryer, so I don't spend the day wet myself. Then, two hours later, we repeat the whole process all over again.

Oddly, Dot wasn't the real problem today. It was Dash. He steadfastly refused to go outside and pee no matter how many times I opened the back door for him. Dash thinks he's going to melt in the rain and it's almost impossible to get him to do his business on a rainy day. Usually, I can find a break in the rain using the weather radar app on my iPad, but today we were out of luck. It rained continuously from sunrise to sunset. Eventually, when Janet and I thought he was going to explode, Janet put a leash on the stubborn dog and took him on a walk in the rain to relieve his bladder. Ten minutes later, they both returned soaked to the bone and Dash looked much happier. Yes, he walked all the way to the spot where he usually pees, despite the fact that he was soaking wet. Sometimes it is hard to understand what goes through dogs minds.

Since I was housebound today, I watched some of Tim Cook's Apple Watch Event on my computer. I always knew that this watch would be expensive but I wasn't really prepared for the cost of the stainless steel model with a matching stainless steel bracelet. $1,100 seems a bit high even if the watch is a technical marvel. Granted, a basic stainless steel Rolex Submariner, Omega Speedmaster, Panerai Luminor, or Bell & Ross BR-1 will cost you five times as much, but these high-end timepieces won't be obsolete in three years. You can hand a Rolex down to your grandchildren. Apple products, not so much. I've never owned an Apple product that wasn't obsolete in three years. I doubt that the watch will be any different. The watch is cool though. Even if you do have to plug it in every night to recharge.

I'm hoping that this rain will be over with by tomorrow. I can't really go anywhere anyway, but at least seeing a little sunlight out the office window fills me with hope that I could leave the house if I really wanted. The "safe area" we've constructed for Dot seems to be working very well so far. In a few days, I'll go to the post office, or somewhere nearby and check her on the baby monitor to make sure she's still calm and resting while I'm away. I'm fully aware that taking care of Dot will become much more difficult once Janet returns to the world of the fully employed. When Dot gets strong enough to stand up on her own, her rehabilitation will become easier. Right now, she's pretty fragile and I have to watch her like a hawk.

I'm trying to see the silver lining in all these dark clouds. Dot's vet bills will keep me from wasting money on things like Apple watches. Being housebound will keep me focused on work. Even working on things I don't particularly enjoy beats being bored out of my mind. Seeing Dot get a little bit better with each passing day is really its own reward. This resilient girl is really a remarkable dog.

Val is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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