Day 3569

I used to go for years without seeing the dentist. Now, I never miss an appointment. Every six months a dental hygienist cleans my teeth and once a year I get new x-rays and the dentist gives me an exam. I've always had good teeth, but it's not worth tempting fate anymore. Life is full of problems as it is. I don't need to add dental work to the list.

There were no problems today. The dentist thinks I'm doing a good job of taking care of my teeth. I use a Sonicare toothbrush and a Waterpik everyday and do my best to avoid sugar. The only thing that needed attention today was the retainer I wear at night. I broke it in half about a year ago and have just been wearing each half at night. The dentist said this was fine, but I think my teeth are shifting a bit. Getting a new retainer was more reasonable than I thought, so I'm going to go ahead and have them make me a new one.

There was no time for a morning walk today. As soon as I finished breakfast it was time to go to the dentist. This didn't mean I skipped the walk. It just meant I was outside during the hottest part of the day. Jeez. When are we going to get some Fall weather? It was really hot this afternoon. Temperature really does make a difference. These walks are much easier when it's cooler.

I can't figure out what is going on with the security light in the back yard. This weekend the light stayed on all night. Yesterday it didn't work at all. Now it's back on again. I've had this problem before and every time the light eventually seemed to fix itself. I'm hoping that it will start to work normally again. The light itself is inexpensive, but I always have to call an electrician when there is a problem. In theory I could easily install a new light myself, but it is located very near our power line and I'm clumsy at times. I don't want to get myself electrocuted. I'm trying to convince myself that it's easier to look at the stars at night when the yard is dark, but I like a little light coming in through the windows at night. Somehow it is easier to sleep when the security light is working.

I'm still eating leftover sandwiches from the golf tournament for dinner. If I'd thought to take a few more, I wouldn't have to go to the store at all this week. I ate the last sandwich tonight, but I doubt that I'll be very hungry tomorrow anyway. We're planning on going to the fair on Thursday. There's so much junk food at the fair that you seldom want to eat when you get home. You can get virtually anything deep fried on on a stick at the fair. I know it's not good for you but that's why the fair is only once a year. Whatever I eat tomorrow, there's a virtual certainty that it will give me heartburn.

I recharged my laptop batteries and applied a security patch this afternoon. With all the power outages we have around here, you never know when I'm going to need this thing. I used to ignore the security updates but you can't really do that anymore. Apple is no longer immune from hackers and malware. My laptop seems very slow, but that's probably just because it's old. I hate to retire this thing. It's the last laptop Apple made that came with a CD/DVD drive and full size USB ports. There's a slot for camera cards too. New laptops don't have any of this stuff.

Last year at this time, Dash was having seizures and I was getting nervous about an upcoming art auction in New York. That all seems so long time ago now. The only thing that hasn't changed are the telemarketing calls. We're still getting a ton of telemarketing calls.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2655

I thought my plan to go to the dentist early in the morning was pretty clever, but I forgot one important thing. The drive was right in the middle of morning rush hour. Ouch. As much as I complain about cleaning up dog poop, it's still not as bad as driving in rush hour traffic. All it takes is one small fender bender wreck to back traffic up for miles. I think I'd go insane if I had to do this every morning. Luckily, I have other things to drive me insane.

Every time I go to the dentist, there is a new dental hygienist.  Sign of the times I guess. The first dentist I went to had the same dental hygienist until he retired. Now there's a new hygienist every six months. The woman who cleaned my teeth today was pleasant enough, but she talked the entire time. It's very difficult to carry on a conversation while there are dental instruments inside your mouth.

I got new x-rays today and the dentist said my teeth are in good shape. No cavities. I'm not surprised. I use a Waterpik Flosser every day and brush with one of those Sonicare electric toothbrushes. I thought I was ahead of the curve, but apparently not. They now make WiFi toothbrushes that connect with your phone. This seemed a little over the top to me, but the hygienist said that the high tech brush provides feedback to let you know if you are cleaning your teeth properly and reminds you if you forget to brush. The robots are coming. I'm sure there will be a plate soon that reminds you to eat all your vegetables.

I knew I should have taken Dot outside to pee last night before I went to bed. She was sleeping peacefully though and I hated to wake her. Big mistake. When I woke her up this morning, she peed all over the place. Three rugs got soaked before I was able to get her outside. The house would be much easier to clean if we didn't have the rugs, but they are essential to keep Dot from falling. I tried to air dry the rugs in the back yard today after I washed them. They are making a mess in the dryer because little bits of the rubber backing flake off and clog the lint trap. There is no good solution though. By the time the rugs are dry, there will be spiders building webs in them.

I went to the vegan store this afternoon to pick up something for dinner. I always look at the website first to make sure they have something I like. Typically, when I get to the store, there is a completely different selection of meals. It doesn't seem to bother these people that the website and the store are perpetually out of sync. It's frustrating to me because I'm picky about my vegetables. I like chickpeas, brown rice, lentils, and any type of bean. I don't like sweet potatoes though. I'm not wild about tofu either. I ended up getting something I didn't really like, thinking that I really should have gone up the street and ordered a bowl of Pho from the neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant.

I need to call the roofer again. They still haven't come out and patched my roof. I need to call the landscaper too, even though it will be a waste of money. I wonder if there are any bedding plants that can tolerate being stepped on again and again? Years ago, Janet and I thought about putting artificial turf in the back yard. It probably would have been a good idea.

Brooke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2544

I never know what to expect when I open my e-mail in the morning. Today there were more new assignments than I'd had all week. It was going to be a busy day. After taking Dash on a long walk and finishing breakfast, I got started on a lengthy website revision. It seemed like I'd just changed this site recently, but I guess it was time to change it again. It's not my role to question these things.

The dogs were good this morning, so I was able to work quickly and efficiently. Before noon, I was ready to get started on a new writing assignment. Neither of today's assignments were very exciting, but I was glad to have them. It's still important to have something to do besides cleaning up dog poop.

The replacement parts I ordered for the Waterpik and the LunaTik iPhone case I ordered on Black Friday both came in the mail today. I love getting things in the mail. If I had more money, I'd order even more stuff I don't really need. I think the main reason I started collecting watches many years ago was that I liked getting little packages in the mail. I was never a very orthodox collector. I seldom bought expensive or traditionally "collectible" watches. I preferred obscure brands with odd looking dials. People always worry about being scammed when buying watches online. I never worried at all, because who is ever going to go to the trouble to counterfeit a cheap watch. Whenever a package comes in the mail these days, it reminds me of my collecting days. Eventually, I realized that most of the fun was over as soon as I opened the package. I don't collect anymore, but I make no apologies for the money I've wasted on useless stuff. When you work alone for years at a time, you've got to use your imagination to keep your day interesting.

If you saw my closet, you'd probably think I collected coats. In my mind, I'm just being practical. Each coat represents a ten degree difference in temperature. Today I picked one of my warmer coats for our morning walk. This was the first time this year that the temperature was in the 30's when I woke up. Nothing froze, but it got pretty close. I dread the day when the temperature actually does drop below freezing. The garden hose on the back porch has become an essential component in my continuing efforts to keep Dot clean. It is much easier to take Dot outside and clean the poop off her butt with a hose and then dry her off with a bath towel than it is to try and accomplish the same thing inside using wet rags.

I've been wondering what to do with the extra garbage can the city sent me last month. One of my neighbors solved the problem for me. They stole it. Why they would want a broken garbage can is beyond me, but at least it isn't sitting behind my house in the alley anymore. I've actually been having pretty good luck getting my trash emptied recently. Maybe there's a new driver on our route. I haven't had any problems in well over a month, but I'm still superstitious. When I took the trash out this evening, I made sure to place it in my lucky spot. If a car is ever parks in this spot on Thursday night, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Dot is sleeping now, but she still hasn't pooped since early this morning. It makes me nervous. This is an accident just waiting to happen.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2536

I wanted to catch up on things today and I partially succeeded. I cleaned up the brushy area in the back yard where I fell several nights ago. I can't really see where I'm going when I have to take Dot outside in the middle of the night, so eliminating potential hazards is probably a good idea. I ordered some spare parts to fix the first Waterpik properly, even though I have a second one now. If this doesn't illustrate that fixing things is a compulsion with me, nothing will. Hey, the parts were cheap, the repair looks easy, and doesn't everybody need two Waterpiks?

I never got around to vacuuming the house over the weekend, so today seemed as good a time as any to get this chore out of the way. The dogs didn't seem to agree. Usually Dot and Dash ignore me while I'm doing chores on weekends, but today either Dash was in the way or Dot needed attention. Every ten minutes or so Dot started barking in her bed and struggling to get up. I would stop what I was doing, take her outside, and then resume vacuuming when she decided she didn't need to go outside after all. Five minutes after I finally got everything tidy and clean, Dot pooped on one of the living room rugs. I wasn't the best person in my younger years, so I just figure that this is karma.

I'm kind of irritated that my heartburn has returned after I quit taking the Protonix pills. Most of the medications I take don't make me feel any different at all. The pills I take to lower cholesterol and reduce blood sugar levels don't make me feel any different. I don't even notice a difference when my blood pressure is controlled. Now, the one pill that actually made me feel better turns out to be unsafe. For ten years I had no problems with acid reflux at all. Protonix worked. I am skeptical of a lot of things my doctor tells me, so I did a little research and it turns out he was right. Protonix seems to lower bone density and can increase the risk of a fracture in the hip, wrist, or spine in people over fifty. Damn. Now it's back to eliminating all the things that cause heartburn from my diet. Unfortunately, most things that are really tasty do cause heartburn. Pizza is the worst.

When I walk Dash in the morning, I've noticed that a lot of people in the neighborhood have already put their Christmas tree up. When did putting your Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving get to be a thing? I must not have much Christmas spirit. Putting the tree up Christmas Eve would be fine by me. The season has arrived though. Christmas tree lots are popping up all over town. Stores are busier than usual. And Janet has started watching those Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel again.

It looks like we are going to have nice weather for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Last year, there were thunderstorms in the area and Dot was vomiting, so we had to cancel our dinner reservation at the last minute while I looked for an emergency vet. Hopefully, there will be no dog emergencies this year.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2533

There was frost on the ground when I woke up this morning. The leaves aren't very colorful this year, but they are definitely falling. I hope a big wind comes to blow them all off the roof, so I won't have to do it myself. The dogs love the cold weather, but I have mixed feelings. Pretty soon, the furnace will be running full time and the gas bill will go up dramatically. The office is in the coldest part of the house, so I often have to put a little ceramic heater under my desk during the day. As least we don't have to worry about snow very often. Some parts of the country are already under a blanket of snow.

I spent so much time doing little things around the house that I never got around to vacuuming. I cut up cardboard boxes so they would fit in the trash. I polished shoes. I changed the sheets on the bed and washed a bunch of dog blankets. I figured out what I did wrong with my Waterpik repair yesterday, but it hardly seemed worth the trouble to start over again. I have a new one now.

I stopped by the REI store and got a pair of pants on my way to the gym. Since I don't have business meetings anymore and rarely go out in public, these rugged outdoor clothes are just about the only things I wear. I still can't figure out where to put these new utilitarian duds. I haven't thrown away any of my old clothes and my closet is full. Neatness just isn't very high on the agenda anymore. Ever since Dot got sick, the house has been a disaster. I just put my new pants on top of the large format printer when I got home and that's probably where they'll stay.

The gym was nearly empty today. I thought it would be full, since it was so cold outside today, but apparently most people had more important things to do. I miss my favorite basketball. I still don't know why there are only three basketballs now, but since I seem to be the only person who uses the court, I guess three is plenty. I had a good workout, but I felt too tired to do the vacuuming when I got home. There was no point disrupting things anyway. The dogs were sleeping peacefully on some of the rugs I needed to clean and Janet was already fixing dinner. I'll finish cleaning the house tomorrow.

Dot had a good day. She had more energy than usual and I actually saw her wag her tail a bit during our evening walk.  I haven't seen Dot wag her tail in ages, since the muscles in her rear end don't work properly anymore. I wish I knew what caused some days to be better for Dot than others. If I knew, maybe I could help her have more good days. I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to Dot's health anymore. We've all been running on empty for a long, long time.

It's going to be a short week next week. I hope there are no dog emergencies on Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to having a nice dinner away from home for a change.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2532

My Waterpik broke last night. I was curious about whether it was possible to fix this thing and quickly found a YouTube video explaining the entire process. These guys who make YouTube videos about how to repair even the most obscure appliances and machinery are the unsung heroes of the modern age. It doesn't matter if it is a broken electric shaver or a crashed computer, there's always someone out there willing to tell you how to fix it. I've been able to fix lots of things I might have thrown in the trash as a result of these videos. Most of these self-help tutorials are not professionally made. They are quirky labors of love. Occasionally, the instructions are misguided and will get you electrocuted, but generally the information is helpful. I appreciate the people who take the time to make these videos. I mean, who would take the time to tell you how to take apart a Waterpik, of all things?

Since the Waterpik was held together with glue instead of screws, you basically had to break the thing and then carefully Superglue it back together after you made the repairs. I should have known that I was in for trouble when I learned that Superglue was involved, but I went ahead with the repair anyway. An hour later, everything looked pretty good, except that it was harder to insert the attachments now. Hmm. What did I do wrong? It the attachments couldn't be secured properly, all I had was a high pressure hose that would spray water all over the bathroom. I didn't have a lot of faith in my repair, so went out and bought a new Waterpik anyway.

Dot made a horrible mess last night. When she woke up and tried to change position around 3 AM, she strained too much trying to move and ended up pooping on herself. This poop was runny and she smeared it all over herself as she twisted around in her dog bed. By the time I woke up to help her, it was too late. It was also too cold outside to take her out and hose her off. After considerable effort Janet and I got her cleaned up so we could all go back to bed. While I was outside hosing off the soiled bedding so I could throw it in the wishing machine, I realized that I had forgotten to remove the lawn mower battery for the winter and bring it inside. The unexpected cold front totally caught me by surprise. If last night is what we are going to be dealing with in the months ahead, I'm not looking forward to Winter at all.

A couple of days ago I stopped taking the proton pump inhibitor I've been taking for years to treat an acid reflux problem. My doctor told me that Protonix could interfere with the way the body absorbed calcium and lead to bone loss and even increase the risk of stroke. I guess it made sense to quit taking the stuff, but last night my heartburn returned. Prescription medications are a bitch. You've always got to decide if the side effects are worse than the cure. I tinkered with my diet for years before deciding to take the Protonix. The drug worked like a charm, but now it appears that it is a false friend and I've got to come up with another solution. I had the same problem with Benicar a couple of years ago. Sure wish the pharmaceutical companies could come up with pills that didn't have dangerous side effects. That would be nice.

I'm thinking about upgrading all my computers to Sierra. Since this is a major move, I need to do a lot of research first. Today I tried to find out if my aging hardware would even run the new system. Next, I've got to find out how many of my applications will be broken by the upgrade. Finally, I've got to figure out how to do the upgrade when some of my hard drives are nearly full. I'm not sure if this effort is worth the trouble, but it would be nice to be current again. Each year, the software on my desktop computer gets further and further out of date. The software works fine, but the world has changed. Who knows. Maybe if I wasn't such a dinosaur, I'd start getting good assignments again.

I hope the dogs sleep well tonight. I tried to find the rest of the dead bird in the yard this afternoon, but came up with nothing. Dash has a much better nose than I do, so if it's out there, he's going to find it and get sick again. I hope that Dot doesn't have another accident like the one she had last night. She hates to soil herself, and I'm not wild about the cleanup operation either. Just sleep until morning dogs. That's all I ask.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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