Day 2641

Delivery services must hate me. I track everything obsessively and when a package doesn't arrive when the website says it should, I feel compelled to locate it immediately. Almost always, these missing packages turn up the next day anyway, but that isn't good enough for me. Today, the post office website said a package was out for delivery, but I'd already received my mail and there was no package. Was there a separate mail carrier for this type of package? I didn't think so, but it didn't hurt to ask. I called the number listed on the website and listened to an automated voice tell me that there would be a thirty minute wait for the next available agent.

On a whim, I called my local post office, because this was the last listed location on the tracking app. A familiar voice answered the phone immediately. It was the lady I buy stamps from. I described my situation and she called the postman's cell phone on my route. He had inadvertently left the package in the truck when he was delivering my mail and said he'd swing back by my house within the hour. Thirty minutes later, I had my package. I only mention this because doing something the old fashioned way worked out wonderfully. I talked to someone I knew on the phone and quickly found the answer I needed. It made me nostalgic for the days when everything was this simple.

When I take Dot out to pee, I typically leave the back door wide open because Dash usually wanders outside while I'm holding Dot up in the backyard. This probably makes my heating bill go up in the Winter, but it's a lot better than having Dash barking and scratching at the door to get out. Today I realized that there was a flaw in my strategy. Bugs. Specifically, the Crane Flies are back. These awful bugs look a lot like flying spiders. They're everywhere when the weather warms up. Crane Flies don't bite and they fly very slow, so they're relatively easy to catch. They're still irritating though, because they love to fly in the back door and buzz around the house until they fall in your morning coffee or get trapped in the refrigerator. Today, about ten of the pesky creatures entered the house while I was waiting for Dot to pee. It's going to be a long Summer.

This morning, I noticed that my fancy WiFi scale had updated its firmware overnight and had added something else to the long list of things it measured. I wonder if this high tech gizmo is on the Wikileaks list of home devices the CIA can hack. Maybe they could slowly drive someone crazy by inputting the wrong weight of someone on a diet. Who knows. Personally, I don't really care if the CIA listens to my TV or messes with my scale. They can listen all they want. All they'd ever hear is an occasional "Goddamnit" when I inadvertently stepped in Dot's poop.

My camera really didn't capture the spectacular rays radiating outward from the rising sun this morning. The effect was subtle, but quite beautiful. The fan shaped shafts of light were kind of like a solar pillar, except that instead of a single shaft of light, there were many. I watched for about thirty seconds as the sun crawled above the horizon and then the effect was gone. I love seeing things like this on my morning walks. I'm a cynical person and I need to be reminded occasionally that the world is a wonderfully mysterious place.

Dot's left rear leg was still very weak today. I hope this isn't permanent. I tried to massage the leg, but she couldn't put much weight on it. Somehow, having one rear leg that is more reliable than the other is causing her to walk in a circle. I have to keep gently nudging her with my knee as we walk to keep her headed in a straight line. I wish I had my own underwater treadmill. The water therapy really did help her maintain muscle tone, but the stress caused by traveling to and from the vet is just too much for Dot these days.

I looked at my calendar for tomorrow and it's absolutely empty. I'm sure something will happen though. It always does.

Bacardi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2626

Either my Spring allergies arrived early this year, or I've got a cold that just won't go away. I've had a runny nose and itching eyes for at least three weeks now. I have to remember to stuff my pockets with paper towels when I walk the dogs or leave the house, because my nose continually drips. I'm starting to look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I've never been able to blow my nose silently and often end up waking the dogs, which is the last thing I want to do. It's frustrating. I suspect that I'm having allergy problems, because a cold would never last this long.

The cancer center finally returned my call about Dot's Gabapentin pills. It would be a lot easier if you could just talk to the doctor directly, instead of receiving relayed information from a nurse. I know that doctors and veterinarians hate to take phone calls though, because if they did they would spend their entire day talking with people looking for free medical advice. It took a while to explain Dot's situation. The pills were working great at night when Dot was sleeping, but seemed to impair her limited ability to walk during the day. All I wanted to know was whether it was OK to just administer the nighttime dose and forget the pills she was supposed to take during the day. The nurse kept suggesting that I discontinue Dot's Tramadol pills instead. "But she's been taking Tramadol for almost three months now and these pills aren't causing a problem," I kept saying. I thought this would be an easy conversation, since Google listed the three most common side effects of Gabapentin as drowsiness, weakness, and feeling tired. Finally, I think we got on the same page. "It's a pain pill," the nurse said. "If Dot's uncomfortable, give her a little more. If the pills make her weak, give her a little less." I guess I'll just continue doing what I've been doing.

I got a long awaited check from a client today, but it still wasn't enough to offset Dash's rather large vet bill. Looks like I'll have to transfer some money from savings. I don't know why it bothers me to do this, since it's just moving money from one pile to another, but I always feel defeated when I have to dip into savings. I guess I'd better get used to the idea. It won't be all that long before retirement becomes a reality and I'm faced with the prospect of living on social security.

I went to make an appointment for a bone density scan at my doctor's office and discovered that you don't need an appointment for this sort of thing. This just gives me an excuse to postpone the test a little longer. I've started taking calcium supplements to increase my bone density, but I don't know if I've been taking them long enough. I hate to take a test if I know I'm going to get a bad result. This desire to fudge test results has even got me experimenting with my new WiFi scale. I've learned that you weigh the least when you first wake up, but that your heart rate might be better later in the day. I can't seem to find the right time of day when all the things this high tech scale measures are optimal. Food is a lot heavier than I thought though. I guess the best way to diet would be to just quit eating.

Lizzy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2623

I'm not so sure about the Gabapentin. Dot slept soundly last night after her first dose, but within an hour after receiving her second dose this morning, her entire body seemed to go limp and she could hardly stand up. Later in the day when the drug started to wear off she started to return to normal. There is no room for error with Dot. If the side effect of a drug is to make a dog sleepy, it will probably knock Dot out cold. The doctor did say that the Gabapentin might make Dot a bit lethargic. She didn't say it would turn her into a wet washrag. I don't want Dot to be in an pain, but she does need to be able to walk. Maybe we'll just give Dot the Gabapentin before bedtime. I'll call the oncologist on Monday, but I suspect that she'll just say that Dot needs time to get used to the drug. That's what doctors always say.

The app that lets me bypass the checkout line at the grocery store crashed while I was shopping today. So much for technology. I had to check out the old fashioned way and I'm still wondering whether the purchases I made before the app crashed are floating around in the cloud somewhere. Before the app crashed I noticed that there had recently been a software update. Why do people keep "improving" things that already work perfectly. This happens again and again with software and apps on my phone. I'll have an app that I really like and then an automatic software upgrade will ruin it.

I think we're having an early Spring. It's only the middle of February and the temperature is getting close to 80 degrees. Judging from the number of people in the park today, this unusually warm Winter is pretty popular. I'm not sure the dogs agree. They both like the cold weather and days like this make them uncomfortable. I had to run the air conditioner today to keep Dot from panting. The sweet spot for Dot is very small. The weather has to be just right. She can't overexert herself, but she still needs to keep moving to prevent further muscle atrophy. Too many drugs knock her out and too few leave her painful. It's a delicate balance.

My new WiFi scale that measures everything indicates that my stress levels are continuing to rise. I don't know what to do. I feel responsible for the dogs and almost every day there is a new surprise. My diet is deteriorating too. That doesn't help. When everything is going well it's easy to eat Quinoa and Kale. When I'm under stress I gravitate toward comfort foods like ice cream and waffles.

I definitely need to go to the gym tomorrow, but the weather forecast says there are going to be thunderstorms. If it rains, I seldom go anywhere. I don't like to drive in the rain and I worry that my two storm phobic dogs are going to freak out. I suspect that my sweet spot is even smaller than Dot's. I can function well in almost any circumstance, but everything needs to be perfect before I'm happy.

Dash wouldn't eat his breakfast this morning, but then took a long, energetic walk. This evening he enthusiastically ate the same food he refused this morning, but refused to leave the back yard when it was time for his evening walk. I don't know what is going on. I keep thinking that the doctors might have missed something important when he was sick, but than again this odd behavior might just be Dash's normal personality.

Maybe the weather forecast is wrong. I'm hoping that it doesn't rain. The roof is clean and dry and the dogs are happy. Rain will spoil everything.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2614

I think the high point of the day was discovering a new kind of cheese in the refrigerator. It was that kind of day. I'll have to admit that there was a mild bit of drama early this morning when Dash and I encountered a coyote in our path on our morning walk. Dash is often terrified of loose dogs, but he was too busy looking for nasty things to eat in the grass to notice the coyote up ahead. I didn't want to take chances, so we made a wide detour to stay out of the coyote's way. The encounter ended peacefully, but I'm still nervous about the growing number of coyotes in the neighborhood.

Dash seemed steadier on his feet today. He seems to be getting his balance back, just like the doctor predicted. Dot seems to be having fewer episodes of urinary incontinence too. I have to remember to take her outside frequently, but if I do my part, she is trying to do hers. We still have to deal with pooping in the house, but at least a small sense of normalcy is returning.

I'm trying to stay engaged, but my mind feels a bit numb. I rarely get excited or mad anymore. There isn't much of an agenda. I just try to focus on what needs to be done at the moment. I gathered up all the trash for tomorrow morning's garbage pickup and compressed it so it would fit in the garbage can. I really miss the days when the trash truck came twice a week. Little things like this define my day. I was pleased that the strawberries still looked good when I made my morning smoothie, but was disappointed that the bananas are starting to go bad. It's hard to buy fruit a week in advance. It's even harder to watch the news. I turned off the television midway through breakfast because all the political rancor just doesn't interest me anymore.

I took Dot on her afternoon walk right after lunch today, in hopes that she would get tired and take a nice nap when we returned. This experiment didn't work at all. Dot seemed energized by the unexpected walk and spent the rest of the afternoon barking to get my attention. When it was time for Dash's walk, Dot let me know that she wasn't happy. She didn't want to be left behind. I was hoping that a new schedule might give me more time to work in the afternoon, but it wasn't meant to be. I may just have to accept the fact that I'm not going to get much done in the afternoon for a while. It's actually very good when Dot is active, so I need to do my best to be supportive.

I figured out a way to sync all my working fitness bands to the same account. Now, if I want to wear a different band for some reason, my step count will continue uninterrupted. I tried to give the extra fitness bands to Janet, but her wrist was too small and they didn't fit. I think I've become addicted to tracking things. The combination of a smart watch, an activity tracker, and a WiFi scale that measures body composition gives me the ability to track quite a few things. It all leaves me wanting more. I've got my eye on a WiFi blood pressure monitor and a little wireless device that monitors your blood sugar. You'd think I might be a hypochondriac, but I have no interest in going to the doctor. This technology just seems fascinating to me.

I hope the dress rehearsal for this weekend's photo shoot goes smoothly tomorrow. I'd really like to get this done quickly, because Dot is certain to poop in her enclosure if I'm gone too long. I'm not as worried about Dash as I was a few days ago. He doesn't seem like he's going to have another seizure. Nevertheless, if I'm gone all afternoon, I'm just asking for trouble. Clients just don't understand how difficult it is for me to leave the house. I'm getting tired of explaining too. Maybe it's just time to retire.

Jazz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2593

My new scale that measures everything arrived today. I'm always intrigued by the latest technology; especially stuff I've never heard of before. This WiFi scale not only tracks your weight, it also analyzes your body composition, measures your body mass index, determines your resting heart rate and pulse wave velocity; plus it gives you a daily weather report. At first I couldn't figure out how this little flat box could calculate your bone and muscle mass, the percentage of water in your body, and half a dozen other things just by standing on it for a few seconds. I did a little research and discovered bioelectrical impedance technology. Basically, sensors in the scale measure the electrical impedance, or opposition to the flow of an electric current passing through through body tissues in your feet. The results are used to provide an estimate of body composition. Is impedance analysis accurate? Who knows. It sure is cool though. I bet my doctor will hate it when I start showing him results on my phone that contradict all his fancy machines. I'm convinced that this is the future of medicine. It's already getting harder to see a doctor in some parts of the country. As medical costs continue to spiral out of control and options for care diminish, a lot of people will just start doing the simple things themselves. I can easily imagine a future where my phone will give me a warning if my vital signs get out of whack and then make me an appointment to see a robot doctor.

It took me longer than I thought to pair the scale with my WiFi network. It always takes me a long time to configure network devices. WiFi gizmos that only include a superficial two page "quick start" manual are the worst. There's always something weird that prevents stuff from playing nice with my router. I eventually got everything working properly and was amazed to see that all my vital signs were automatically imported into the Apple Health app on my phone. The cloud knows everything apparently. I'm not sure that I want Amazon Alexa listening to all my conversations, but it's actually quite convenient that Facebook knows everybody's birthday. I guess it's OK that my new scale knows my body composition. I don't use Siri much on my phone, but that's just because I don't talk very much. If I did have one of those Amazon Alexa personal assistants, all it would hear is me swearing occasionally when I accidentally stepped in dog poop.

The weather was really nice today. I wonder how long this will last? Every Winter, people in Texas go around telling each other how weird the weather is, but the truth is that rapid changes have always been normal. What would really be weird is if it remained cold all winter like it does up North. Today was perfect for walking dogs. I didn't need a heavy coat, but it was still cool enough so that Dot didn't get overheated.

I had to pick up some more phenobarbital for Dash this afternoon, as well as order more printer ink. It seems like I refilled both these things only a few weeks ago. It's too bad I can't pick up printer ink at the pharmacy. My prescriptions and my printer ink seem to run out at about the same time.

I'm glad it's Friday tomorrow. I can't decide whether I want an egg sandwich or pancakes for breakfast. I should probably weigh myself before I leave the house though. I always eat a big breakfast. If it stays clear this weekend, I'm going to look for Mercury again. It should be easy to find in the pre-dawn sky for the next several weeks. I'm not really worried about the inauguration. I've got astronomy, a plethora of personal tracking devices, and a tasty breakfast to amuse me.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day