Day 4826

It seemed strange that it was still dark when I woke up this morning. I looked at my watch and it was after 7 AM. Were we about to get another thunderstorm? Nope. I forgot that the time changed last night. Now we are living under Daylight Savings Time again. Some people actually prefer Daylight Savings Time, but I'd rather have sunlight early in the morning and dark skies at night. I see no benefit in having the sun still up at 9 PM. Oh, well. We're stuck with this until next Fall.

Dawn was a handful today. She's feeling better and if I let her out of my sight for one minute she'll try to jump off the bed. I could tell Dawn was mad because whenever I come home from mall walking she knows that it's time for her Sunday outing. Dawn has a good sense of time and Sunday is her day. She became very restless when we didn't go anywhere this afternoon. There was no ice cream either. I took her out in the back yard numerous times but that wasn't good enough. Maybe next week, girl. We're going to try a short walk in the park tomorrow.

Mall walking does nothing to restore my faith in humanity. The mall walkers seem strange compared to the people I see walking in the park. The store displays seem even stranger. Fashion these days seems to be a celebration of ugliness. The winter coats are gone from the windows now and have been replaced by colorful Spring styles. Some stores seem to cater to older people getting ready to go on a cruise ship, while others seem to be trying to attract the impossibly thin. The high end European boutiques all have unrealistically thin mannequins in their windows, while a few stores actually feature fat mannequins. Lifelike mannequins have apparently gone out of style. They all look like stylized android robots now. It's a strange world out there and it appears to be getting stranger every week.

Since Dawn was restless today and I couldn't trust her, I tried to update the Polaris star tracker in the bedroom with her. That didn't work. I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing and Dawn managed to jump off the bed while I was actually sitting on it. I spent so much time taking Dawn outside that the star tracker shut itself off and I had trouble restarting it. Maybe I just don't multitask well, but I won't be trying this again. 

Since we still aren't taking Dawn on a sunrise walk, I didn't get my steps at the mall and needed to take a walk in the park later in the afternoon to meet my goal. It was an exceptionally nice day today and that meant the park was even more crowded than usual. I need to remember to avoid the park on weekends. I think I prefer cool overcast days when there is a light mist. On days like these I have the park to myself.

Maybe I do wobble when I walk. When I was at the mall this morning I tried several times to walk in a straight line. There are many places where you can follow a straight line scored on the concrete floor. I could follow this line when I concentrated, but whenever I started to daydream or look in store windows I started to drift away. I'd look up and I was two or three feet away from the line. I'm never conscious of doing this, but maybe it looks weird to others. Truthfully, I think Dawn is steadier on her feet than I am these days.

I'll be glad when Dawn has finished with her meds. I shouldn't be critical since I take meds for blood pressure, cholesterol and a variety of other ailments myself. I think Dawn's meds have changed her personality though. It bothers me that there is no way to ask her how she really feels. I guess the vet is probably right. Without a lot of bed rest and inactivity Dawn might never get better. We'll see how tomorrow goes. As always, I hope there are no surprises.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4462

Another nice day. I keep hoping that our cold, rainy weather is over with, but as luck would have it there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow. I did nothing of significance today, but I did do a lot of walking. Dawn seems to have no problems with Daylight Savings Time. Even though we basically did everything an hour earlier today, there were no complaints. Some of our dogs would have become irate at a five minute change in their feeding schedule, but Dawn was fine. Underneath her many fears and phobias she's a very laid back dog.

I don't know why I spent so much time walking today because this wasn't a good day for my feet. After our sunrise walk, Dawn's Sunday outing, and my regular long walk I was beat. It was a good day for the weather however. I'm finally starting to see a few wildflowers in the park and the trees are starting to turn green. It's too bad that foot pain is still an issue. This would have been a good day to walk all the way around the lake.

I wasted a lot of time this afternoon trying to get my old Skype phone to work. This is a physical phone but it just hooks up to Skype. I used to use it a lot when I had clients in Europe, but I haven't turned the thing on in years. The phone is so old that the plastic case is starting to turn sticky and rubbery. The first thing I learned was that Skype is now part of Microsoft. When did that happen? The phone wouldn't connect to the AT&T WiFi, but it would connect to the older T-Mobile Hotspot. Microsoft has changed my easy to remember user name to a long string of letters and numbers that were almost impossible to type on the phone's tiny keyboard. I finally got the phone connected, but of course I have no one to call on Skype anymore. The whole exercise was just a way to kill time.

I'm surprised that I haven't heard anything from NASA regarding the upcoming Artemis-1 launch. Things are starting to happen next week and ordinarily I would have received a yes or no on my application for press credentials by now. I have no idea what is going on anymore. I don't hear much from NASA and I don't hear much from SpaceFlight Magazine. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone even remembers me. I don't think there's much I can do about the situation. I'm not a major player. There are a ton of launches in 2022 and even if I'm lucky I'll probably only be able to afford to attend two.

The Internet and my Fitbit both crashed about the same time this afternoon. It took me quite a while to figure out where the problem was. I ended up having to restart the router, the fiber optic gateway, the thermostat in the hall, my phone, the computer, and of course the Fitbit itself. I didn't even remember how to turn the Fitbit off. I think it has been on since the day I bought it. Everything works now, but I still have no idea what went wrong. Just another example of the complexities of networked life. Nobody really understands how all this stuff works.

I spoke too soon about Sammy's puppies. She had two more after last night's blog post. Now there are eight males and three females. Mom and the pups are still doing well. Dalmatian puppies are born without spots. The spots come later. Several of the pups were born with black ears though. These are going to be some good looking dogs.

Janet made a big pot roast for dinner so I'd have something healthy to eat while she was on vacation. I love a good pot roast. Dawn loves the carrots, so may she'll join me for dinner next week. Dawn is definitely Janet's dog, but I'll try my best to make life enjoyable for her while Janet is away. 

Wyatt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4461

Well, the return of Winter only lasted one day. The cold front has moved east, clear skies have returned, and by the end of the day the temperature was back in the high fifties. I think we're finally ready for Spring. The forecast shows clear skies and temperatures in the seventies for the rest of the week. It was still very cold when we woke up this morning so we didn't bother to take Dawn on a sunrise walk. She does much better when it is warmer. Later in the day she had a very enjoyable walk.

My shopping list was small this week and I was back home in less than an hour. Even though Janet's doctor says she still treats Covid cases every week, the pandemic appears to be over in Dallas. I saw very few masks in the stores today. I didn't notice any big price increases either. Actually strawberries went down in price. Since I didn't need gas today, I'll deal with prices at the pump later. I hear they have gone up dramatically this week.

Since the weather was nice, I walked my entire route today. My feet were bothering me so I was pretty slow, but who's counting. I'm still pretty slow on a good day. The Hoka boots I've been wanting have been in short supply all Winter, so I'll probably just get another pair of the Bondi 7 shoes I'm wearing now. Too bad these shoes don't last longer, but they're the only things that keep me on my feet.

Sammy, the new mama dog in the rescue program, had her puppies today. Six males and three females. From what I've heard, Mom and the pups are all doing well. They are not at the kennel. Sammy left to be with her foster parents shortly after we took her picture last week. I still think that Sammy might be related to Dawn in some way. Several of the puppies have black ears just like Dawn's.

There is already a new version of the star tracker software. I haven 't even figured out how to use the previous version. I haven't bothered to install the new software yet. It will give me something to do the next time I have a really boring day. I'm beginning to question my interest in astronomy. I see all these pictures on my Facebook feed of people setting up their telescopes in the snow. I would never do that. It's got to be a really nice night before I'll even consider going outside.

I picked up take out for dinner from a new Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood. This was so much easier than going to PF Chang's in Northpark and spending forever looking for a parking place. Our tasty meal was more affordable too. Neighborhood restaurants are a win win. Luckily we appear to be getting a lot more of them. There are quite a few other new places in the neighborhood I'd like to try.

Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow. I've always preferred Standard Time. I like to wake up to sunlight and not have to wait until past my bedtime to go out and look at the stars at night. Now it will be dark in the morning when we get up and it will be harder to get Dawn to walk in the morning. I wish we could just leave the time alone. Nobody seems to like these twice a year time changes. It's hard to change something once it has become established though. We'll probably be dealing with Daylight Savings Time forever.

It looks like tomorrow will be a good day for Dawn's Sunday outing. The native prairie is turning green again and I'm hoping we'll see some wildflowers. So far, there haven't been many Spring flowers this year. There will always be ice cream though. A nice walk with Dawn and some ice cream is always something to look forward too.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3604

Today seemed productive. I didn't really do that much, but nothing went wrong. After breakfast I went to the storage warehouse to see if I might still have a copy of the banner I was thinking of reprinting. Nope. It wasn't there. I sent the file I found yesterday to the printer and told them to reprint the banner.

Next, I went to get a haircut. I was amazed to see that all the stores are already in full Christmas mode. There were Christmas trees and decorations everywhere. A crew was already putting together the little hut where kids come to see Santa. It still seems a little early to me, but what do I know. Maybe it was always this way.

My haircut took a while, but I wasn't in a hurry. When I left the mall I could have sworn there there were even more Christmas trees standing than when I arrived. I didn't stop at the Apple Store today. I have very little interest in computers anymore. I didn't stop at the Tesla Store either. When you're thinking about taking long car trips, an electric car doesn't sound that appealing. I guess it's good that I don't feel like buying things these days. I don't have the money anyway.

I found out this afternoon that the last of my vintage guitars has finally sold. The whole process took over a year but I'm happy with the results. I kept one guitar just in case I feel like playing again. I rarely take it out of its case. Maybe I'll sell that guitar one day as well. I'm a bit surprised that I don't miss anything that I've sold. I spent so long collecting some of this stuff and now that it's gone, it's quickly forgotten. I don't regret the years I spent accumulating things, but it's time to move on.

One of the reasons that I'm in a good mood is that even though it rained a lot recently, there have been no further leaks. I haven't been up on the roof yet either. I'm sure there is still standing water. Maybe my last repair attempts actually worked. Of course, a leak could still appear at any minute. That's the way it works with water. It's always waiting to surprise you. I'll leave the buckets out for another day, just to be safe.

Tomorrow, I go back to the dentist to see if they can fix my retainer. I hope they don't try to tell me that it is just fine the way it is. I'll quit wearing the contraption if that happens. The dentist seems confident that he can adjust the retainer. How? The thing is made of hard plastic and it either fits or it doesn't. I hate to make the long drive for a third time, but I'm kind of curious to see what they're going to do.

I took my walk toward the end of the day because of my hair appointment. The time change really makes a difference. I left the house around 3 PM and by the time I returned home the sun was already starting to set. All in all, I think I liked Daylight Savings Time better. I can always sleep a little later until the sun comes up, but when the day ends early you're stuck. I'd better get used to this. Early sunsets are going to be around for quite a while.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3601

Daylight Savings Time is over for another year. I used to dread this day when the dogs were alive. It usually meant that their evening walk took place in darkness. It doesn't really matter anymore. I get up when it's light outside and go to bed after I finish writing the blog. I'm so slow eating breakfast that my morning walk ends up being around midday anyway. I don't know many people who like the time change. I certainly don't. Just pick a time and stick with it. When you get used to a schedule, an arbitrary change just seems silly.

The weather was nice again today. These 20,000 step Sundays are always more enjoyable when I'm not fighting the elements. As usual, I went to the gym right after breakfast. I had a god workout this week. Whatever was dragging me down last week seemed to have disappeared. Since the weather was warm, I decided to attempt some more roof repairs when I returned home. I measured where the leak was using a tape measure and then found the same spot up on the roof. The coating was perfect in this area. I looked for weak spots nearby and eventually found a few. It didn't seem possible that the minuscule tears could cause the leak, but what do I know. When there is a lot of standing water on the roof the water pressure could force a lot of water through these small holes when the silicon coating wasn't firmly attached to the substrate. Maybe this was what was happening. I ripped up the silicon coating around one of these small holes and sure enough there was water underneath.

I applied about a gallon of the silicon material to any place that seemed questionable. Truthfully, I have no idea what I'm doing. The roof shouldn't be leaking, but it is. I have a feeling that all my efforts might be pointless. The silicon dries in a nice waterproof sheet. The thickness of the coating is critical though. If the coating is too thin or too thick, it can tear easily. Sometimes even sweeping the standing water off the roof causes the silicon to tear. Since silicon doesn't really stick to what you apply it to, even a small tear can cause a lot of water to get under the coating. Using common asphalt sealers to patch the small holes won't work either because nothing sticks to silicon. The only thing that can patch silicon is more silicon, but you have to do your work perfectly. It's hopeless.

I didn't even have to wear a jacket when I took my walk this afternoon. The weather was just about perfect. There were lots of joggers and cyclists, along with quite a few picnickers. I could smell barbecue everywhere. Even the little circus was putting on a show this afternoon. I think we all know that this weather won't last long. You've got to take advantage of it when you can.

I need to try to reschedule my dental appointment tomorrow. I don't know how I managed to make a dental appointment on the same day we visit the Dalmatians. I'm sure I just wrote down the date the dentist gave me without really thinking. Usually one day is the same as the next to me. I'm lucky if I even know what day it is.

Wolfgang is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3363

I set up an Uber account today. I'll have to admit that there are a lot of things I like about this new form of travel. You don't pay with cash for starters. You also get an accurate estimate of what the charges will be before you even get in the car. If the price seems too high, you don't have to ask for the ride. I would imagine that all this would be welcome news to anyone who has spent a lot of time in cabs. I have lots of memories of riding in cabs in a strange city and watching the meter go higher and higher, not really knowing where my destination actually was. The Uber system removes some of this uncertainty. We'll have to see how well this works in real life. I've never used Uber before. I've never used Lyft either.

There's a reason I'm somewhat unfamiliar with ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft. I don't really go anywhere. I spend more time walking than driving these days. If Dash is feeling good and the weather is cooperating, we take two walks each day. Dash is very slow and likes to smell things, so these walks can take a while. For the past several days, Dash has been taking a longer route than usual. Sometimes he overdoes it, but usually longer walks are a good sign. We had a long walk this morning. Maybe that's why his outer boot tore. Without the outer rubber boot for protection, the middle layer sock got ripped as well. Luckily the inner fitted bandage was unharmed and there was no bleeding or damage to his paws. I hate when there's a problem with the boots when we're on the road. Boot or no boot, we've still got to get home. I may need to start carrying a spare pair of outer boots with me.

I've noticed that my gym is offering more classes this Spring. Janet loves classes. Maybe I should take a class as well. Perhaps a more structured setting would help me reach my goals. Oh, wait. I don't have any goals. I'm not even sure why I go to the gym. I think I started going because gym membership was a free perk with my supplemental health insurance. Eventually, I had to start paying for the membership myself, but by then it had become a habit. You need good habits to offset the bad habits. When I go to the gym on Sunday I don't feel so bad about having French Toast smothered in Maple Syrup on Friday.

I learned a few things about Uber this afternoon. Apparently it costs more to ride in a nice car. There is a sliding price scale, based on the type of car you order. Leather seats cost more. Another article said that drivers who live in their cars often sleep in the airport cue areas because it is safe and they will be first in line for early morning flights. The strange thing about this story is that there are apparently homeless Uber drivers who live in their cars. Doesn't this job pay enough to rent an apartment? I thought this was supposed to be a good way to make money. Maybe I was wrong.

I also learned that those power banks that people often use to recharge their phones and tablets are frequently banned on airplanes. So are loose lithium ion batteries. They say these things are fire hazards. I have a power bank. No wonder I got such a good deal at REI. The model I bought has been recalled for spontaneously catching on fire. In fairness, I have a newer serial number than the faulty product mentioned in the article, but it is the same brand. I guess I'd better not try to take this thing on a plane.

They say we're going to get a lot of rain this week. When will this end? I have no idea where the leak in the sewer line is now because the entire yard is wet and muddy. I have no idea when the roof is going to start leaking again either. I'm trying to control the standing water, but it's an uphill battle. I could care less about Daylight Savings Time. What I'm looking for is some dry time.

Ely is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3359

I started making arrangements to go to Johnson Space Center. Where did I get the idea I could fly to Houston for around $100? Seems like I've flown there for less than $100 before. Oh, well. I guess it's been a while. Uber and Lyft didn't even exist the last time I took a trip. I probably need to get with the times and download the Uber app. Janet likes Uber. I've never tried ride sharing. It's probably been five years since I hailed a cab. There just isn't much need for such things when you're going to the post office.

I wasn't always reluctant to travel. I used to travel frequently on business and even had clients in Europe. Jeez. I think I still have over 150,000 unused AAdvantage miles. Something has changed. Janet and I have enjoyed spending time in Athens, Paris, and Barcelona but now Fort Worth seems like the other side of the world. I just don't want to go anywhere. Maybe this little trip to Houston will break the travel curse. Maybe it will make me even more reclusive. Who knows. At least I'm still game to try things.

I certainly didn't go far today. The car never left the driveway. Dash did get two walks though and I managed to put 10,000 steps on the Fitbit. It was still below freezing on our morning walk and there was frost on all the vegetation. I was surprised at how quickly things warmed up. By the time we took our evening walk, the temperature was almost 60 degrees. I think it's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. That's fine by me. Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday. This seems like a good time to start Spring as well.

Dash has a big exam tomorrow morning. He's due for a complete blood panel and an echocardiogram. Fingers crossed. I really hope the vet notices the improvements we've been seeing lately. It really seems like Dash is feeling a little better but it certainly would be nice to get some medical confirmation of what Janet and I have been seeing. It's easy to imagine things that aren't really there. Wishful thinking can be a very powerful thing.

I'm supposed to get another roofing estimate tomorrow. I don't look forward to anything connected with this roof. I wish I could just limp along with the current roof for another ten years, but it isn't going to happen. I've already spent a huge amount of time and effort trying to patch this thing and it just isn't working. One way or another, a new roof is in my future. I still wish it was a new car instead.

Wow. Two things on the calendar for tomorrow. By my standards, that's a very busy day. I wish I could convince Dash not to poop in the car on the way to the vet. We haven't been very lucky recently. The last time we went to the cancer center we barely made it out of the driveway before he pooped. Maybe things will go well. A good report from the vet and a low estimate from the roofer would be appreciated.

Anne is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3232

I think I made a mistake. I tried moving some really heavy things today and strained my back. I also scratched the paint on my car when I was loading something I shouldn't have been lifting. I'm not sure I can complete this move myself. I called a moving company that had good Yelp reviews but just got a phone message that referred me to their website. I filled out the form, but when I received their automated response, it was clear that the company didn't understand that this was just a storage warehouse that was being moved. The estimate seemed way too high. There is no furniture and no packing involved. I'll see if I can talk with someone in person tomorrow.

After making two trips to the new warehouse, I made a third trip to a charity shop with some stuff that wasn't worth saving. When I realized that my back was starting to hurt, I decided to call it a day. The old warehouse is still pretty full and nothing I'm saving is all that special. This is not going to be pleasant. At least I didn't have to pay for an entire month at the old warehouse. They let me rent for fifteen days in November. That should give me enough time to complete the move. Of course rain could easily screw thing up. It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow, so I doubt that I'll be able to do very much. I should probably rest anyway. There's no sense in making my back any worse than it already is.

Dash didn't need to go outside last night so I got more sleep than usual. He did get me up at 5 AM to go poop, but it was almost daylight anyway. Making it until 5 AM is a win for me. There are so many nights when I hardly get any sleep at all. At least Dash is eating well. He hasn't thrown up in quite a while and seems to enjoy the food we cook for him. He eats better than we do now, but at least he's eating.

I think I'm going to have to buy Dash another pair of protective boots. All three pairs that we currently have in rotation need repairs. Dash is really hard on his shoes. He doesn't lift his rear legs as he walks and ends up dragging his feet. The boots keep him from injuring himself, but they wear out quickly. Maybe I'll go buy him another pair of boots tomorrow. This would certainly be easier than lifting more heavy boxes.

It's hard to believe that it's almost November. Where has this year gone? In a few days we'll have to deal with another time chance. I think we should just forget about Daylight Saving Time. It's such a nuisance to arbitrarily switch the clocks back and forth. Dogs never understand the time chance and wonder why their feeding schedule has changed. Usually we give Dash his evening walk after he's had his dinner. Now, I'll need to walk him before dinner to avoid walking in total darkness. This should be fun. Dash hates making changes even more than I do.

I'll be glad when the election is over. I'm sick of Beto and Ted Cruz making robocalls to my house  and sending text messages every single day. Do these guys really think this helps. It's irritating. Whoever thought robocalls were a good way to influence people has got to be a moron. Probably the only thing that Democrats and Republicans agree on is that they both hate telemarketers.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3227

Things are starting to improve. The roof has quit leaking, although for a while last night it gave me a scare. While it was raining hard, I noticed that a stream of water was flowing down one of the brick walls. This was new. The wet wall could either be a brand new leak, or water flowing sideways through the ceiling from the original leak. This water was a lot harder to contain, since I couldn't simply put a bucket under it. The leak was slow, so I just put some bath towels on the floor. By the time I got up in the middle of the night to take Dash out to poop, both leaks had stopped.

It was damp and overcast when we took our morning walk, but the sky kept getting lighter as the day progressed. By dinner time, I was seeing blue sky. I really hope the rainy season is over soon. The roof is only one of my problems. The humidity is very high and the dehumidifier is working overtime to keep the house dry. The back yard is muddy and it takes forever to clean Dash up every time he goes outside to pee. I've given up on keeping the car clean.

I still haven't decided what to do about the storage warehouse, but I thought I'd try to get a head start on cleaning the place out before my rent comes due. I filled the car with empty boxes and miscellaneous junk and was a bit dismayed that the storage unit didn't look any different when I was finished. This is going to take a while. I don't know why I saved so many empty boxes. I guess my original plan was to repack everything in its original box when we moved to an idyllic retirement home in the mountains. It's pretty obvious now that this isn't going to happen. The last thing you want to do when you get older is start over with a brand new set of doctors. Janet and I aren't wild about living in a large city, but we both like our doctors.

I'll be glad when Daylight Savings Time ends next month. It's completely dark when I typically walk Dash in the morning and lately I've been delaying getting started for about an hour. This ends up pushing the entire day back by about an hour. I used to walk our first Dalmatian in the dark during the Winter, but times have changed. There weren't packs of coyotes living in the park back then and the city felt much safer. I feel better waiting until the sun comes up these days.

I'll probably go back to the storage warehouse tomorrow. It would be tempting to just throw away a lot of these boxes, but I can't remember what is in them anymore. It would have been helpful if I'd labeled everything years ago. I'm going to have to open up every box just in case there's something important inside. I don't look forward to any of this, but it's got to be done.

Where am I going to have breakfast tomorrow? Last week's choice was a disaster. It looks like the weather is going to be nice, so maybe I'll explore a little further from home this week. I need to find some way to end this week on a high note.

Patch is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3001

I still haven't adjusted to Daylight Savings Time. Why are the stars out when it's time to get up in the morning? Isn't it Spring yet? I'm having a hard time getting out of bed in the dark. I know the days are getting longer, but everything was fine before the time change. By the time I wake up to sunshine again, it will probably be too hot.

Dash has adjusted to the time change better than I have. He gets up in the dark with Janet because he knows who feeds him. By the time I'm up, he's ready for his morning walk. At least the weather is nice. We're walking at sunrise again. All the trees are starting to bud and I see a few new wildflowers every morning. I enjoy our walks in the Spring. There's always something to see.

Dash might not get a walk tomorrow morning. It's time to get his nails trimmed again. I was lucky that Dash's vet could work us in. She was completely booked, but told us to come over before her first appointment. She's the only one left who is able to trim Dash's nails, so I think she knew how desperate we were. I hope Dash is well behaved tomorrow. When he was healthy, Dash used to actually enjoy going to the vet. He's always been a social dog and enjoyed the attention. Now, it's a different story. Even something as minor as a nail trim sends him into a panic.

Today was slow. We got off to an early start, but by the time I finished my morning smoothie and cleaned up the dog poop in the yard, it was time for lunch. I don't actually eat lunch, but Dash does. Somewhere along the line we started feeding him a rice cake at lunchtime and now he insists on it. The rice cake doesn't add many calories and it's something he can look forward to in an often boring day. When Dash was having trouble eating, we started spreading something tasty on top of the rice cake to make it more appealing. Sometimes I add a little peanut butter. Other times I add some canned dog food. Now this rice cake sandwich is part of our daily ritual.

I took a small check to the bank and paid a few bills this afternoon. Checks from clients are infrequent now, but they are still appreciated. There are so many things on my to-do list, but it is hard to focus on them. Everything is necessary, but nothing is appealing. I have a feeling that I'll fix the CD burner on my computer before the toilet, the roof, or the refrigerator. The computer still seems like a friend. The other things, no so much.

It's taking me forever to completely shake off this cold. I still have some nasal congestion and an upset stomach. Luckily the night sweats seem to be gone. Maybe the upset stomach has nothing to do with the cold. The last batch of food I got at Central Market's deli counter was way too spicy. I got the same things I always do, but there must have been a new chef. I wish people would leave recipes alone. As soon as I get used to something, it changes.

Day 3001 was a bit anticlimactic. I shouldn't have been surprised, but very little happened. It's a bit early to start thinking about Day 4000 too. That's almost three years away.

Wyatt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2999

The wind woke us up this morning. It was fairly dramatic. The windows rattled. Small branches broke loose and landed on the roof. There was no rain, but inexplicably the fiber optic cable went dead. How was this even possible? The cable is buried underground. When the wind subsided, I went outside  to see if the greenhouse was still there. The yard was littered with branches, but everything was intact.

I was baffled by the broadband outage. Wasn't the underground cable supposed to prevent this sort of thing? I called AT&T tech support, and as usual, wound up talking with someone who could barely speak English. As I was trying to explain my situation to someone half a world away, I noticed that the fiber optic line was trying to reconnect. The line re-booted several times and eventually became stable. Then the router and the DVR went through their own reboot cycle. The system was trying to repair itself. Before the tech support person could run her tests and figure out what was going on, everything was back to normal. This is why we won't have jobs in the future. The minute the line went dead, artificial intelligence algorithms kicked in and were already beginning to diagnose the problem. I never could explain the problem to the tech support person but the robots knew. The robots fixed everything.

I thought that Dash was going to get us up early, but he was oblivious to the time change. The wind storm didn't even wake him up. Eventually, he yawned and got up around 8 AM, with was really 7 AM to him. He wasn't the least bit upset about the lack of Internet, so we all went on a walk. We didn't feed Dash right away because we were still a little apprehensive about last night's vomiting episode. Everything was fine though. Dash took a nice walk, ate a normal breakfast, and then went back to sleep.

I was wide awake, so I went to the gym. I think everyone must have forgot to set their clocks forward, because the gym was virtually empty. Even the basketball court was empty. I quickly took advantage of the situation and shot some hoops. By the time I finished my workout, I was tired. My cold isn't completely gone, but I'm feeling better. There was a sign at the gym saying that if you had the flu it would be best to stay away for a while. I definitely don't have the flu. I never had a fever or any of the other symptoms associated with the flu. I just had a lot of nasal congestion and some weird night sweats. Hey, I slept well last night and my nose isn't running today. Maybe I'm better.

It was obvious that I needed to clean today. The house was a mess. I vacuumed, cleaned the front porch, and used the leaf blower in the back yard. Pretty soon it will be time to call the landscape guy again and have him remove all the leaves in the yard and plant new grass. The grass lasted a little longer this year, but not long enough. We're still going to have to put new sod in the back yard this Spring.

I'm going to take my big envelope of tax materials to the accountant tomorrow and then that chore will be out of the way. Looking for toilet parts is on my list for next week. There's one place in town that may have some. Dash needs his nails clipped too. I'll try to make an 8 AM appointment, so Janet can go with me. I hope something nice happens tomorrow. I'd like Day 3000 to be memorable.

Tyson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2996

Occasionally I think about going back to work again. I could probably get a job. Janet tells me there is a strong demand for older, seasoned workers. I'm not surprised. I know several business owners who are totally frustrated with the demands and expectations of their millennial staff. The question isn't whether I could get a job. It's whether I could keep one. "You know. you're completely unemployable," a headhunter friend once told me. I asked why and he said that I hadn't had a boss for thirty years. "I can't see you following orders," he said. "You have no respect for authority." The guy might be right. It's been a long, long time since I've been a cog in the wheel of a large corporation. Nevertheless, there are days when I miss eating donuts and sharing stories with co-workers in the break room and getting feedback after I've finished a project. Dash doesn't say much after I've finished writing something.

Dash might say something this weekend. We've got another confusing time change to look forward to. I wish we could just decide whether we liked Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time and pick one or the other. I don't really care if we gain and hour or lose an hour. Just pick something and stick with it. The trouble with time changes is that dogs don't understand them. Once you've got your dog used to eating at a regular time, they aren't very happy about changing their schedule. I can usually be flexible about dinner. It's breakfast that is the problem. Since Dash needs to take his pills and eat before Janet goes to work, we always need to change his schedule when the time changes. Maybe it will be easier this year, but I'm not looking forward to this.

I'm starting to see signs of Spring. I spotted my first tulips today. I'm sure there are daffodils blooming in the park as well. It won't be long before the irises start blooming and then there will be an explosion of wildflowers. I've seen these flowers for so many years now that I know exactly where they will appear. Even though this show is a repeat performance, it never fails to amaze me. Why do the wildflowers return year after year with no care at all and all the things I've planted in my back yard just die?

I sure hope the roofers come over before the Oak trees start shedding catkins. I never realized until recently that catkins were actually flowers. Whatever they are, they are certainly a mess. The sticky yellow dust that covers your car in the Spring is the result of catkins. I think they contribute to my allergies as well. Since we have several large oak trees in our yard, the roof gets covered with catkins when the trees start to bud. When it rains, the catkins turn the water a deep saffron yellow that stains the elastomer coating. There are so many of these flowers that they create miniature beaver dams that trap the water and make it harder to remove. The roof is difficult to deal with at any time of year, but Spring is the worst.

At least it's Friday tomorrow. I don't know whether I'm going to go out for breakfast or not. I just can't find a place that I feel like patronizing two weeks in a row. Maybe I'll just stay home and have a bowl of oatmeal.

Bacardi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2873

Our dogs have never understood Daylight Saving Time and I'll have to admit that I don't understand it either. There must have been a reason for these arbitrary time changes. I always though it had something to do with farming or children walking to school. Whatever the reason, it probably doesn't apply anymore. We're back to standard time now. All that means to me is that I'm going to have to convince Dash to take his evening walk earlier or walk him in the dark. I used to walk our first Dalmatian in the dark, but the city seemed safer then. There weren't any urban coyotes either.

I'm not as obsessive as I used to be. There was a time when I felt compelled to reset every clock and watch in the house when the time changed. When I was collecting watches, this could take me hours. There was little point to this bi-annual ritual because many of the watches didn't keep good time anyway. I re-set a few wall clocks today, but that was about it. Only one watch got any attention at all. It was a radio controlled watch that didn't re-set itself automatically. This puzzled me, since this watch receives a signal every night from the atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado. I couldn't even remember how to set this watch manually, so I had to find a manual online. Eventually, I determined that the radio signal is weak in the office. Who knows. Maybe the high-tech stuff I'm putting on the roof blocks radio waves.

The gym was really empty today, so maybe there were other people who were confused about the time change. Dash seemed to remember when he was fed in the morning, even though Janet and I were still asleep. I wonder how long it will take him to adjust to the time change? Since I ended up going to the gym very early today, I still had time to do all my Sunday chores when I got home. This wasn't really the plan, but that's how it worked out.

It was warm and clear today, so it seemed like a good idea to continue patching the roof. I prepared a small area that I thought would be easy to fix. Unfortunately, when I removed the torn coating, I discovered more moisture hidden underneath. The damaged area was only six inches in diameter, but by the time I had ripped up enough elastomer to find dry asphalt at the edges, I has exposed a six foot circle that will have to be re-coated. I didn't end up applying any coating today. After the wet area dries, I'll try again.

Dash seemed very agitated tonight. I don't know what was bothering him. He'd had his walk. He'd eaten his dinner. We'd taken him outside to pee several times and fed him some treats. This wasn't enough apparently. He barked at Janet and I for almost half an hour before he finally settled down and went to sleep. I hate when he gets agitated like this because he's got a bad heart and a weak rear leg. Telling him to calm down because he's going to hurt himself doesn't seem to have much of an effect.

I was going to make a list of all my prescriptions so my new doctor could renew them tomorrow at my exam. It's a lengthy list and I'm tired now, so maybe I'll just throw the pills in a sack and take them with me. I do need to remember to call the appliance repair shop first thing in the morning. One way or another, these guys need to fix my refrigerator.

Coach is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2871

There were several hundred people standing in front of the Apple Store this morning, all waiting for a chance to buy the new iPhone X. I used to stand in these kind of lines, but it's hard to get that excited about a phone anymore. I did go in the store and took a look at the new phone, but I didn't feel compelled to buy one. After a few minutes I continued on my way. There was only one reason I came to the mall this morning. I needed a haircut.

My stylist usually talks about her cats, but today she wanted to tell me all about Live PD. I've never seen this show, but couldn't help wondering whether reality TV shows like Live PD and Cops are real or staged. Who knows? It's kind of ironic that shows like these are considered real while the evening news is considered fake. It's hard for me to tell what's real these days. Often nothing seems real.

I look presentable now, but few people will notice. The only interaction I've had with other people lately has been with repairmen and doctors. Sadly, I think that I may be talking with one of these repairmen again soon. The refrigerator seems to be getting warmer again. Maybe this is just part of the automatic defrost cycle and everything is normal. I'll wait until Monday to call the appliance repair shop. I'm hoping that I don't have to disassemble the freezer again to defrost the evaporator coil.

The refrigerator wasn't my only disappointment today. I thought I was going to be able to repair the damaged areas on the roof, but there was still water seeping out from under the elastomer coating, so I ended up having to remove more of the old coating instead. Luckily, the weather is supposed to remain clear through the weekend. If I can ever get the damaged areas to dry out, the repairs should go quickly.

I'm trying to get Dash prepared for the end of Daylight Saving Time. When we go back to standard time, it will be dark when we normally take our evening walk. It's hard to get all his protective gear on by myself, but I was able to get him outside for a mid-afternoon walk by waiting to suit him up until I knew he needed to pee. Instead of stopping so he could pee in the yard, we headed straight for the back gate. This worked pretty well, and as soon as we got to the park, we had a nice normal walk. I hope I can get him used to this new schedule, because we're not going to be able to wait for Janet to come home from work after the time changes.

Dash is walking very slowly. He seems to enjoy stopping and smelling things every ten feet, but I worry that his heart might be giving him problems again. I never rush Dash these days. If he wants to take an hour to walk around the block, that's fine. I've certainly got no place to go. The only things on my schedule are a seemingly endless list of broken things to fix around the house.

It would be nice if the refrigerator cools down again on it's own tonight. It would be even nicer if I can complete all my roof repairs tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be nice, but I don't really trust    weather forecasts anymore. If water gets under the bare areas I've exposed, I'm really in trouble.

Wolfgang is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2645

One of Janet's brothers died this morning. I didn't know this brother well, but it still made me feel like the circle is becoming smaller and smaller. There are few births and marriages to celebrate these days, but there seems to be a continuous parade of funerals. Funerals bother me. I know we all have a limited time on this earth, but it would be nice to know how much time we actually had. So often death comes as a surprise.

I need to get better organized. I'd hate to leave a huge mess for somebody when my time comes. My Dad was so organized that he had his whole service planned in great detail before he died. I was so glad to find the piece of paper with his final wishes on it, because I wouldn't have known what to do. My Dad's sister passed away a few years ago and she was equally organized. I was amazed at how thoughtful she was.

It's kind of a balancing act to acknowledge that death is always nearby, while still concentrating on life. Dot could die in her sleep at any time, but I continue to treat each day as if it were completely normal. I think the fact that Dot still feels like a valued member of the family and still has the opportunity to do some of the things she loved to do when she was younger is why she is still with us today.

Dot has the luxury of having a dedicated full time assistant. Most people don't. My Dad did pretty well until a serious fall put him into a nursing home. Once he lost his house, his freedom, and his day-to-day routine, he went downhill quickly. I think one of the reasons I go to the gym and try my best to stay strong is that I don't want to become weak and frail like my Dad. Having your independence is everything. I can tell that Dot feels the same way. We work together well to keep her moving, but from time to time I see frustration in her eyes as I pick up her harness to lift her rear legs. She loves wandering around the back yard and smelling things, but she would much rather do it on her own.

I wonder why young people never join my gym. It is one of the best facilities in town, but I continue to think I'm the youngest member. There was a guy who used to walk on a treadmill next to me who always wore a t-shirt that said "I wish I was still 80." I haven't' seen this guy in a while. He probably died. I'm sure that watching old people work out gives me a distorted view of my own progress. I think I'm doing great because the people next to me are barely moving. These people are determined though. It's kind of inspiring. If I'm still going to the same gym ten years from now, I'm sure I'll be just as slow as they are.

So far, the switch to Daylight Savings Time hasn't saved me anything. I didn't get any more sleep. I didn't get any more done. I didn't even bother to reset the clocks. Tomorrow I'll be more organized. I have no choice. It's time to get started working on my taxes.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2644

Weekends are when I realize that I've lost control of the house and yard. I start with a long list of little things I need to improve or repair and when I'm finished, nothing has changed. I was certainly busy today, but it's not clear how much I accomplished. Dot has been peeing on the porch a lot and the garden hose isn't long enough to clean it off properly. I looked in the greenhouse and found several sections of old hose and strung them together to create a single long one. The only problem was that all the rubber gaskets had gone bad and my new hose leaked like a sieve where each connection joined. I would have saved a lot of time if I'd just gone to Home Depot and bought a new longer hose.

Next, I got some bleach and tried to remove some ugly rust stains in the ceiling. The stains are gone, but so is a lot of the old dry paint. I had to get the vacuum out and spend a lot of time cleaning up all the paint chips that had fallen on the floor. Since I had the vacuum cleaner out, I thought I'd clean all the leaves and debris out of the air conditioner floor vents. Leaves blow in the house every time I leave the back door open to take Dot out to pee and they all seem to wind up in the floor vents. Cleaning these vents seemed like it would be an easy job, but the vent covers are sticky and most of them have to be pried off with a screwdriver. Eventually, I got all the vents in the living room and kitchen clean and decided I'd done enough for the day. I spent a lot of time working, but nothing really seems to be improved. It's still the same old house.

I can't figure out the produce section at the grocery store. I love strawberries, but the produce manager has a habit of mixing bad batches of strawberries in with the good ones. I guess he thinks people will be stupid enough to buy the strawberries on the verge of rotting, but I haven't seen anyone buying them yet. Everyone searches through the entire display case, looking for the freshest looking package. I've seen people spend ten minutes picking over these berries. I spend a lot of time too. I usually wind up with a good package of berries, but sometimes I get fooled. I think they pack rotten berries in the middle on purpose where nobody can see them.

While I was getting gas this afternoon, someone came up to me and asked if they could inspect my windshield for rock chips and repair it on the spot. I resisted the urge to scream "this is a scam, get out of this parking lot immediately." Instead I just politely said "no thank you" and the person moved on to another car. I hate random people approaching me. Maybe they're crazy or won't take no for an answer. There are far to many people asking for money these days. I can never figure out whether all the people asking for donations in front of the grocery store are legit. Sure, the girl scouts selling cookies are real, but what about all the others? I have a feeling that some of these people have no connection with a charity at all.

The weather has changed again. This morning it was warm and muggy, but by the time I took Dash on his afternoon walk it had become quite cold. It feels like a storm is on the way, but the weather app on my phone still says that it will be 72 and partly cloudy tomorrow. Have I mentioned that the weather app on my phone is basically worthless.

The time changes tonight. This means that when we wake up at 7 AM tomorrow, it will already be 8 AM and I'll spend the rest of the day trying to catch up on things. Why do we even have Daylight Saving Time? I don't know anybody who likes it. Maybe it served some purpose a hundred years ago, but I don't think artificially shifting the time around makes much sense now. Trump seems to like abolishing things. Maybe he could just abolish Daylight Savings Time. That would probably get some bipartisan support.

Tyson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2281

After months and months of watching the seasons slowly change, it seemed weird to be plunged back into darkness again. There was an artificial feeling to our morning walk. It was as if all the gains we had made since the Winter Solstice had been erased in a single day. I still don't know what this arbitrary time change means. What does it prove to pretend that it is an hour earlier? At any rate, we're going to have to start walking a little later in the morning until the days get longer. The darkness felt a bit uncomfortable this morning.

The recent time change wasn't the only uncomfortable aspect to the day. It was also unseasonably hot. The temperature climbed above 90 degrees this afternoon, which seemed just as strange as walking the dogs in the dark again after watching the days grow longer since mid-December. The air conditioner is running now, although I bet the furnace will be running again tomorrow morning. At least Texas weather gives me something to talk about on days where very little happens.

The Prairie Verbena is starting to bloom alongside the trails in the park.  These perfect little circles of tiny purple flowers are usually a reliable sign that Spring has arrived. Maybe there will be one more cold front before we can finally say goodbye to Winter, but I doubt it. The trees are getting green. The ducks are starting to nest again. It won't be long before I have to get out the lawn mower and begin the weekly ritual of making the front yard look as nice at the neighbors yards.

I think the neighbors are already ahead of me. We have a new neighbor who seems to love lawn equipment. Almost every day my peace and quiet is interrupted by the sound of lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and chain saws. They apparently haven't learned that the effort is futile. If you live near the park, the prevailing winds will ensure that your yard is soon filled with weeds. It's not like my minuscule writing schedule needs that much quiet time anymore, but the noise is still irritating. I'm probably the quietest person on the block. My lawn mower is electric and hardly makes any noise at all.

There were a ton of things I needed to do today, but the only things I actually accomplished were making an appointment to get a haircut later in the week and picking up two prescriptions at the pharmacy.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to stay motivated and engaged. I used to jokingly tell people that I worked for praise. Now that I live in a world with very little feedback and direct encouragement, I realize that this statement wasn't a joke. A lot of things seem utterly pointless when nobody notices.

I still take new pictures every day, although I've lost interest in exhibiting in galleries. I still write everyday, although I no longer try to get published. Maybe this is enough. I do know that Dot appreciates me, although it would be difficult to explain my new found poop cleaning expertise on a resume. You're reading this, which gives me all the reason I need to continue writing.

Humphrey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day