Day 3369

When I was walking Dash today, a couple stopped us and asked me if I knew the area. "Kind of," I said. We're lost, the guy said and we can't find our car. This seemed strange to me. There aren't very many parking lots in the park and they are all clearly defined. I asked the couple if there were any buildings they could describe near where they parked. They mentioned a few that I recognized. They were on the opposite side of the lake. "You guys are at least eight miles away from your car," I said. "It's over there," I told them, pointing at something near the horizon. The couple seemed discouraged. How could somebody walk so far without having any idea where they were going? I have a pretty good sense of direction, so getting lost this way seemed almost incomprehensible to me. I wished the couple luck and continued my very slow walk with Dash. It was questionable who was going to get home first.

The World War II bombers flew overhead again today. At one point a B-17 made a low pass right over our heads. It would be tempting to go see these planes again, but I'm sure they would look exactly the same as they did last year. Maybe I'll go and see Apollo 11 tomorrow instead. It's playing now at several theaters in Dallas. I've heard a lot about this new documentary. It was made using 177 reels of pristine and previously unseen wide screen 65 and 70 mm Panavision footage recently discovered at the National Archives. Who knew that NASA even made these films. There is nothing new about the story of Apollo 11. I think this is a movie you see primarily for the cinematography. I typically just download movies on iTunes and watch them on my computer. This is something that would definitely look better on the big screen.

Janet had an all-day Dalmatian Rescue event to attend, so I spent most of the day babysitting Dash. You just can't leave him alone for long periods of time anymore. Sometimes he can get up on his own, and other times he can't. If he panics and starts struggling to get up, he can hurt himself. Everything got done today, but sometimes it took a while. It took a handful of treats to just lure Dash to the park this morning. I could tell he wanted to walk, but he also wanted Janet to lead the way. Dash can be very stubborn at times.

I accomplished virtually nothing today. I was able to go out and get groceries after I was convinced that Dash was sleeping soundly. There wasn't much on my list today, so I was able to get back home fairly quickly. Dash was still asleep in exactly the same place when I returned. There were all sorts of things I should have done today but I just didn't feel like it. The house is relatively clean, most of the March bills are paid, and the roof is dry. I'm not quite ready to deal with my taxes yet.

I guess the big decision tomorrow is whether to go to the gym or the movies. It would take too much time to do both. I don't really have strong feelings about either alternative. We'll see how the day goes. Since I fell asleep for about thirty minutes while writing tonight's post, it might be a better idea to just take a long nap.

Ruthie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3367

I got a call saying that the Sequential Circuits synthesizers I am restoring are finished. I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't be done until this Summer. Jeez. What am I going to do with these things? I haven't even managed to sell my guitars yet. I certainly don't want to put the synthesizers back in the storage warehouse. That's how they became damaged in the first place. Everybody says these old analog electronic synthesizers are very collectible. We'll see. Having something that is 'collectible' is very subjective. First, you've got to find another collector. I guess I got spoiled by the auction houses. They made the whole process of unloading stuff easy. It would appear that art is still more desirable than model trains or old musical instruments.

I've been seeing old World War II bombers flying overhead while I've been walking Dash for the past several days. It's looks like the Wings of Freedom tour is back in town. It's doesn't seem like it's been a year since Janet and I took a tour of these planes the last time they came to Dallas. Time goes by so quickly. I remember that there was a B-17. a B-24, a B-25, and a P-51 Mustang on display that you could go aboard and even take a flight in if you wanted. The demonstration flights were pretty expensive, but it was fun to walk around inside these restored old bombers. I love old mechanical things. I was amazed by the Saturn V rocket in Houston. I was fascinated by the B-17 bomber. And I've always loved old steam trains. I guess I'm just an analog kind of guy. That's probably why I'm still fond of the Sequential Circuits synthesizers. There's something about the sound of a vintage analog synthesizer that current digital models just can't duplicate.

The weather was beautiful today. I've certainly been enjoying seeing the sun again, but I think Dash is enjoying things even more than I am. He's been really eager to walk lately. Today he didn't even need Janet to guide him down to the park. He was ready to go on his own. He was no stronger than he usually is, but he was definitely more enthusiastic. It's hard to keeping him from slipping and falling when he feels like this. He doesn't really realize his limitations until he's flat on the ground. We did OK today. There were no mishaps. I was even able to get his rubber boots and special socks on by myself. This is much harder than it might seem. I think my arthritis is getting worse.

I can't believe that it's the middle of March already. I haven't even started on my taxes yet. I do this every year. I keep procrastinating and then end up spending an entire weekend scrambling to meet the deadline. I never seem to have extra time anymore. The simple things consume my entire day. Today I made the bed, walked Dash twice, made my morning smoothie, wrote a letter to my sister, paid a few bills, and took the trash out to the curb. Sadly, these meager activities ate up the entire day.

I started going out for breakfast on Fridays to keep things from getting too monotonous. Now, these restaurant outings have become one more item on the to-do list. If I don't go out for breakfast, I feel like I'm becoming a slacker. I will admit that a continuous diet of smoothies does get old after a while. I'm thinking that Shrimp Grits would be a nice change of pace.

Humphrey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3020 - Easter

Janet and I have been watching old World War II bombers fly over our house for the past week, so we decided to go see them today. A traveling exhibit called Wings of Freedom was in Dallas this week which included some of the last remaining examples of legendary planes like the B-17, the B-24, and the P51 Mustang that are still in flying condition. You can even take rides in these planes although it is pretty expensive. I had no idea how a thirty minute flight could cost $450 until Janet and I climbed inside the B-17 parked on the runway and took a look inside. Good Lord. How do these things still fly? It might be pretty exciting to ride inside one of these ancient bombers, but bungee jumping seems safer. The planes looked huge on the outside but were claustrophobic inside. The B-17 only has room for 7 passengers and costs $4000 an hour to fly. No wonder rides are expensive. You have to always watch your step, because there are few areas where you can stand up and lots of sharp things to bang your head on. These bombers were state-of-the-art in the early 1940's, but seem primitive by today's standards. It's amazing how much the world has changed. I don't know if I'd have the nerve to fly in one of these things, but I have a lot of admiration for the men and women of my Dad's generation who did.

I was surprised at how cold it was this morning. I'm sure glad I fixed the furnace. Maybe it was a little premature to think that Spring was here to stay. Hey, at least we aren't getting snow like some parts of the country. The cooler weather didn't deter the hordes of people who descend on the park every Easter. People were already staking out their territories when we took Dash on his sunrise walk. Later in the day the place looked like a rock concert. I don't know where these people come from, but they sure don't believe in picking up their trash. Every year, the park is a disaster on the day after Easter. Lots of garbage get blown away by the wind and never gets picked up. The rest sits around for weeks until the sanitation department finally gets around to removing it. For the next three weeks I'm going to have to watch carefully to make sure that Dash doesn't eat chicken bones or children's Easter candy. The stuff is everywhere.

It's a shame that Dash wasn't feeling great today, because Janet and I had a delicious Easter feast. We enjoyed a traditional meal of smoked ham, candied yams, green beans, corn on the cob, and spiced baked apples. Dash had an upset stomach and was reluctant to eat his favorite dog food. He must have experienced another vestibular event. Even though Dash seemed normal for much of the day, he ended up throwing up twice as evening approached. Hopefully, the worst is over now and he'll be able to hold down his evening meds. It's always important that he takes his phenobarbital.

It was enjoyable to get out of the house today. While we were at Love Field we stopped to visit the Frontiers of Flight museum. The museum is home to the Apollo VII capsule and they were getting ready for a fiftieth anniversary celebration of the launch later this year. Has it been that long? Jeez. I'm really getting old. I remember each of the Apollo launches quite vividly. There were a couple of World War II vets touring the B-17 with us. I imagine they felt even older.

It was nice having a holiday weekend, but it's back to normal tomorrow. I might even have to mow the grass.

Haley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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