Day 3803

Dawn woke us up last night barking at the wind and rain. She's not scared of storms, but definitely doesn't like things that go bump in the night. The power went out just long enough to cause all the backup power supplies to start beeping which got Dawn barking all over again. Eventually things calmed down and we all went back to sleep. I reset the clocks and timers in the morning and wondered why we were having such a rainy Spring.

We walked Dawn as soon as we woke up since it looked like it was going to rain again. Starting early was a good idea. The rain never arrived and it ended up getting quite warm and humid later in the morning. I didn't feel like going up on the roof today, but since the pumps are working I don't think there will be a lot of standing water. Maybe I'll do this tomorrow.

My chore for the day was mowing the grass in the front yard. I think I'm the only one in the neighborhood who still mows my own grass. It's not my favorite chore but it's a small yard and I don't feel like dealing with a lawn care service. Pushing the mower does seen a little harder with each passing year however. Maybe I'm just a creature of habit. I've mowed this yard for as long as I can remember.

I had a lot of things on my grocery list today. I found most of the items we needed fairly easily but I don't think Clorox Wipes are ever going to return to the shelves. Shopping is certainly different now. Although stores are officially open again, it looks like some of the pandemic rules are here to stay. I'm still not a fan of one way aisles.

My e-mail server was down for most of the day. Being without e-mail is no great loss. Most of my messages are spam anyway. I never learned what the problem was but it must have been major. Service wasn't restored until almost supper time.

We haven't had barbecue for a while so I picked up some ribs from one of my favorite barbecue places. The restaurant was open for table service, but there wasn't a single customer inside. All the table were spaced out for social distancing and there was a full staff on duty. I really feel sorry for restaurant owners. They really got hit hard by the pandemic and it still doesn't seems very fair. I hope this place manages to stay in business. They definitely know how to smoke meat.

I keep getting letters from my gym telling me to be patient. They still can't decide when they are going to open again. I'll probably return to the gym as soon as they open. The place was never very crowded to begin with. I'm not so sure about restaurants. Many of the places I like are quite small. I guess we all choose what to believe about this virus. The theory that recirculating air from building air conditioning systems might be a problem sounds reasonable to me. I guess that's the problem in airplanes as well. My plan is to wait a month and let other people try these things first. We'll see how bold I actually am if I manage to get media accreditation for the upcoming Mars 2020 launch this Summer.

I didn't have much to write about today. I may have even less tomorrow. No Sunday plans at all.

Willie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2714

There were plumbers at the house today. The slow drains in the kitchen finally reached a point of no return and I had to do something about it. Plumbers and dogs aren't usually a good combination, but I was happy to have them over today. Dot hasn't paid much attention to strangers lately. She used to bark at the neighbors, people we encountered on our walks, and any and all service people. She's been pretty quiet lately, but somehow the sight of two plumbers in the house caused her protective instincts to kick into gear and she began her "stranger danger" bark. I haven't heard this bark in months.

The more Dot barked, the more she began to remember she was a dog again. I could tell she was enjoying herself. Maybe it was a jolt of adrenaline. Maybe it was some vivid old memories she managed to resurrect. I don't know. Something happened though. Protecting me from the plumbers stimulated her appetite and as soon as the plumbers left, she ate a full cup of her dry kibble. Later, she ate a grilled chicken breast while Janet was having dinner and then we took a nice walk. It was almost worth the $237 bill the plumbers left me with.

I thought snaking out the pipes would be an easy and inexpensive job. Unfortunately, nothing is easy at our house. It turned out that the problem wasn't in the main drain lines. The clog was in a hard to access line in the brick wall behind the kitchen sink. The plumbers has to remove the garbage disposal and several supply lines in order to reach the line they needed to clear. Everything works fine now, but the two plumbers were here almost three hours.

I wonder why there are always two plumbers now? One plumber used to be enough. The same thing happens with electricians and HVAC repairmen. There are always at least two people on any service call. I'm sure this is a big reason why most home repairs now cost twice as much. I wasn't going to quibble about the price though. I was delighted that the plumbers arrived so quickly. In a house where the washing machine is running constantly, I can't afford to have clogged drain lines.

I know there are people who think I'm not being realistic about Dot. They worry about her quality of life. I know life isn't what it used to be, but days like today make me realize that Dot still has the capacity to enjoy being the family dog. Yes, I know yesterday was a bad day, but that's how it goes. I saw this with my Dad as well toward the end. Things fade in and things fade out. You've got to give the memories a chance. There will be other bad days and sometime in the not too distant future, we will run out of time. All I know is that I'm not forcing Dot to stay with us. She wants to stay with us. At least for a while today, she was a very happy dog.

Ollie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2474 - Autumnal Equinox

I used to love going to hardware stores. Old fashioned hardware stores had everything from invisible brass cabinet hinges to appliance parts and nails by the pound. I would wander from aisle to aisle, getting ideas for future projects and lusting after exotic tools. Very few of these Mom and Pop hardware stores even exist anymore. They've been replaced by huge Home Depot and Lowes superstores, which despite their size, never seem to have anything I need. I went to Home Depot this afternoon with a small, very basic list. I needed some black silicon caulk to fix a leak in the shower stall and some powdered graphite to lubricate some locks around the house. Home Depot had neither of these items. Jeez, all hardware stores should have powdered graphite. Once again, I'll have to find these things online. Home Depot can't be bothered to stock things like this that don't have mass appeal. They'd rather sell you a new lock than help you lubricate an old one.

I liked buying nails by the pound, screen wire in narrow widths that actually fit my doors, and high quality hand tools that were made in America. Everything is from China these days. Even the expensive power tools are made in China. Instead of reaching in a bin and getting the five screws you actually need, you are forced to buy a plastic blister pack with a hundred of them. I don't like any of this, but I still go to hardware stores out of habit. I could save a lot of time by just ordering everything I need on Amazon.

Dot has turned into a night owl. She sleeps most of the evening while I'm writing the blog, but as soon as I'm finished and start getting ready for bed, she gets a second wind and begins following me around. Wandering around the house would be great if she could stand on her own, but she can't. I'm discovering that it's hard to brush your teeth when you are holding up a dog's rear legs. Dash is usually in bed at this point, but if he wakes up and discovers that Dot is in the kitchen, all bets are off. Both of these dogs live to eat. Eventually, I get everybody situated and we all go to bed.

I had a few minor website updates to complete and I cleaned up Dot's bedding once, but basically it was a slow day. It's hard to find the energy to start anything new. When I finish my chores and work assignments, all I really want to do is sleep. Dealing with the dogs is exhausting. Dot didn't stumble on her walk this morning, but Dash did. He's too young to stumble like this. I keep feeling that something is fundamentally wrong, but two different vets keep telling me that he's OK. Maybe I worry too much, but I'm pretty observant. Something has changed.

I'm way overdue for a haircut, but I don't feel like going to the mall. I'm becoming so adverse to crowds that I'm even starting to have second thoughts about going out for breakfast on Fridays. Maybe I'll get a haircut next week. My hair used to be thick and curly and now it's completely straight and very fine. I wonder what that means? Oh, well. At least I still have hair.

The trash has been taken out to the curb and Dot is starting to get restless again. I'm wondering whether breakfast tacos or pancakes sounds better tomorrow. Such big decisions. It would be nice it I could enjoy the last few hours of the day in peace and quiet, but I don't think that's in the cards. Both dogs are barking now.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2465

Taking care of Dot has given me a new appreciation for the problems that Moms with young children face. You really don't have much time to yourself. Whenever I'm trying to concentrate on a work problem, or relax over breakfast or dinner, one of the dogs seems to need something. Dot is not shy about barking when she wants attention. When she wakes up and starts barking, it often means that she needs me to help her up so she can go outside and pee. I never ignore her. You just don't ignore an incontinent dog. Dash has learned that barking seems to get my attention, so he's started barking whenever he wants something too. Often, Dash doesn't even know what he wants, but he has a very loud bark. Day after day of dealing with this chaos have taken its toll. I may still look normal, but I'm pretty burned out.

In between today's barking episodes I managed to get the damaged areas on the roof marked for the roofers. Doing this was discouraging because I know that when one area is patched, another area somewhere else is going to start delaminating and peeling away. I don't think this roof will ever be repaired properly, because what I really need is a whole new roof.

I picked up the prescription that was on back order yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the price hadn't gone up. About this time every year, my prescription drug coverage goes into what is commonly called the "doughnut hole" and the price goes way up until the end of the year. Why the government does this is a mystery to me. Why drug prices are so high in the first place is an even bigger mystery.

Dot's vet called to go over her blood test results this afternoon and they were better than I expected. For a very old dog, her lab results were remarkably normal. Her liver and kidneys still function fine. One of her liver enzymes is slightly elevated and her potassium levels are a bit high, but there was nothing to be alarmed about. I bet her potassium levels are a bit high because of the banana she and Dash get when I eat my breakfast. Dot's cholesterol levels are better than mine. On Friday, we go back to the cancer center for some more tests. I still wish that my own doctors were as thorough as Dot and Dash's vets.

I had another vegetarian meal from the vegan take out place for dinner. This meal was kind of a curry dish and it was delicious. When I eat these meals, I don't miss the absence of meat at all. In theory, I could easily become a vegetarian. Everything I've tried has been really good. The only problem is that I don't think I could cook this stuff by myself. The seasonings seem complex and it would be a pain to buy the vegetables and other ingredients in small quantities. I like the idea of a fresh, tasty meal that I can microwave in three minutes. Like everything else I like, this clever idea is way too expensive. Janet likes meat too. That could be a problem.

I got my September invoices in the mail today. That didn't take long. I really need more clients and more jobs. Maybe another writing assignment will come in tomorrow. I'm not going to worry about it. I probably wouldn't have time to write anything anyway since Wednesdays are Dot's physical therapy day. Will Dot poop in the car tomorrow? Will I get any sleep tonight? Life has become pretty basic.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2459

It's amazing how a few simple things can eat up an entire day. I don't ever plan anything on Dot's physical therapy days anymore. It seems to take forever to get her down to her appointment and back again. No matter how early I get started, I always seem to arrive late. Dot did well in the underwater treadmill this afternoon, but she didn't do so well in the car. I had to stop several times because she squirmed around and got herself stuck in an awkward position. When she gets stuck, she whines and cries and I have to look for a place where I can stop quickly so I can re-position her. I really try to avoid freeways now. Sometimes I wonder whether the rehab is even worth it, but I try to stay optimistic.

I got a couple of new writing assignments today. When I was looking through the input material, I noticed that the client misspelled the name of one of their products again. This has happened before. Nobody pays attention to details anymore. You'd think getting the name of your own product right would be a no brainer, but apparently not. It probably doesn't even matter. I suspect that people's inability to spell accounts for a lot of the really weird product names out there.

It was so hot today that Dash didn't even want to go outside. When he doesn't want to walk on a day like this, I figure that he knows best. Heatstroke in dogs is very common here in Texas. It's better to just let your dog rest on a hot day. Dot actually got the best deal today. The water in the treadmill was nice and cool. She was a little slow this afternoon, but I think she enjoyed being in the water.

I certainly didn't accomplish much today. Breakfast wasn't relaxing at all. Dot was sleeping nicely, but Dash woke her up barking for his banana. Pretty soon both dogs were barking and by the time I fixed their treat and got them quiet again, my smoothie was too warm and I had to put it in the freezer for a while. The temperature has to be just right for breakfast to be enjoyable. I'm always warming up my coffee in the microwave and putting my smoothie in the freezer. Dot and Dash never did stop barking. By the time I finished washing the breakfast dishes, the dogs were tired and so was I.

I"m going to try to get both my articles written tomorrow. I thought I'd have time to get started today, but it wasn't meant to be. If the dogs are cooperative, completing two articles should be a piece of cake. My big task tomorrow is figuring out how to load the garbage can so the robotic garbage truck empties it properly. I think I filled the big plastic trash bags too full last week and they got stuck in the can. I'll try twice as many half full bags this week. It's hard to outwit a robotic truck. I hate that truck.

There are so many little things I need to do. It's time to get a haircut again. The large printer has run out of ink and is probably clogged. Janet says the electric element in the oven is starting to fail. Where do you find a part for a fifty year old oven? The shower is starting to leak again too. I thought I did a really good job of sealing the shower stall, but my repairs didn't even last six months. I can't forget to call the roofer too. I found new areas that need to be patched. No wonder just taking a nap seems so appealing.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2451

I wish we'd discovered something more definitive about Dash today. The vet agreed that he wasn't moving his rear legs normally, but couldn't pinpoint a cause. The problem could be caused by a compressed disc in his spine. It could be a very early sign that Dash has a disease like Degenerative Myelopathy. It could be nothing at all. The exam today eliminated some possibilities, but many other possibilities still remain. We took x-rays of his lower spine and hips earlier this month, but I'll need to get another radiograph of his upper spine to eliminate the possibility of a damaged or compressed disc. He definitely hasn't ruptured a disc like Dot did, or his condition would be much, much worse. The vet didn't recommend an MRI at this time, because she said if that Dash has a neurological problem, an MRI can sometimes make the condition worse. I'm not sure how much I actually learned today. Dash is still in pretty good shape for his age, but if there's something we can do to help him, I want to know about it.

Dash is not a good passenger in the car. He becomes agitated and barks incessantly. By the time we got to the vet, I felt like I was going deaf and Dash was wound up like a spring. The vet said that acupuncture might help Dash if I could figure out a way to get him to ride calmly in the car. The acupuncture session would be largely wasted if he arrived full of adrenaline and bouncing off the walls. It's sad that Dash doesn't ride well in the car anymore. He was terrified of car rides when we first adopted him. Gradually, after years of taking him to dog parks and training classes, he began to act normally. Before both dogs got cancer, they loved to ride in the car to go to their favorite dog park on Sunday morning. We don't travel much anymore for obvious reasons. It's just too difficult.

I really hope there's nothing seriously wrong with Dash. After over two years of dealing with serious medical problems, I'm exhausted. Life has changed dramatically for us after both dogs got cancer. When Dot's spinal injury compounded the problem, I pretty much became a 24x7 dog nurse. Dot is such a high maintenance dog at the moment that I really need for Dash to stay healthy for a while longer. The best case scenario is that Dash is just getting older. It is common for breeds like Dalmatians and German Shepards to develop problems with their rear legs as they age. Spot's legs began to give out toward the end of his life and so did Petey's. Dash probably has quite a few good years left, but I want to be careful. I've dealt with so many serious dog problems over the years that anything out of the ordinary makes me nervous now. One way or another, I'll figure out what is going on with Dash.

I had some minor website revisions to take care of today, but nothing to reverse the trend I've been experiencing lately. My workload seems to diminish with each passing month. I know what I need to do, but the effort seems pointless at times. You need to interact with people to get customers. I need to start having lunch with people again. I need to go to industry events. It wouldn't hurt to take a few classes either. The problem is that I don't want to do these things anymore. Enough is enough.

Tomorrow, it's Dot's day to go to the vet. She's been doing surprisingly well lately. She's sleeping better now and occasionally gets up on her own to walk around the house. It's not a dramatic rebound, but she seems to have more energy than she did last month. I don't really know why Dot has good days or Dash has bad days. I just try to keep them both as healthy and happy as I can.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2302

The landscapers were here all day. Dot barked a lot, but it really wasn't as bad as I expected. We go through this ritual every year. The landscapers don't add anything new. They just replace the stuff that died during the Winter. This year we lost quite a few Liriope plants and of course all of our St. Augustine grass. I've become resigned to the fact that the grass is going to die, no matter what we do to take care of it. One year I thought seriously about putting in artificial turf, but I've see a few installations and they all look cheesy. Artificial turf also starts to smell after dogs pee on it for several years.

So here we are again. I feel like I'm paying way too much to have a small yard look nice for eight months out of the year. What's the alternative though? Years ago, I filled up my car with heavy squares of St. Augustine turf every Spring and installed the grass myself. It's just not worth the trouble anymore. I really didn't save that much money anyway. The landscaper gets a much better wholesale price on grass and plants than I could and this savings pays for a big chunk of his labor. I guess it's worth it.

Since I had to stay home all day, I actually got quite a bit of work done. I finished two new articles today and shipped them off to the client. There was even time left over to complete some minor website updates. The dogs were surprisingly good today. I was expecting total chaos, but Dash largely ignored the landscapers and Dot couldn't even hear them. It's sad that Dot is growing deaf, but it can be a blessing on days like this. She would bark whenever she saw the guys working out the living room window, but when I turned her around so she was facing the kitchen, she would immediately forget what she was barking about and start thinking about food again.

Since I upgraded the operating on my phone yesterday, I thought I'd upgrade the operating system on my watch today. The procedure took over an hour and the only difference I've noticed so far is that my maps app doesn't work anymore. This is par for the course with Apple upgrades. They add a bunch of features I'll never ever use, while quietly wrecking essential things I use everyday. You should never upgrade a computer operating system just because you're bored. It never ends well.

Now that there's new grass in the yard, I'll have to remember to water it everyday. For the next month or so the yard will be damp and soggy and the dogs will have muddy paws every time they go out to pee. Maybe that artificial grass wasn't such a bad idea after all. Even though it will involve some extra work on my part, I think today was a success. The yard looks great now. The lush green grass, trimmed hedges, and healthy ground cover probably won't last long, but at least we made an effort.

I took my evening meds this morning again. Now I need to remember to take my morning meds this evening before I go to bed. One of these days I'm going to end up taking the dogs pills by mistake and then I'll really be in trouble.

Dottie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2162

NASA approved my application to attend the Orbital ATK OA-4 resupply flight to the International Space Station in early December. I've been looking forward to attending another launch ever since I was invited to Vandenberg Air Force Base last January. Unfortunately, quite a bit has changed since January. Even though it was quite an honor to get press credentials to view a second NASA launch, I had to decline their invitation. Life has simply become too chaotic for me to fly to Florida for three or four days.

Taking care of Dot has become a full time job. It really takes two people to ensure that she gets her therapy and daily walks. We can't forget about Dash either. Even on a good day, coordinating everything can get complex. Our recent plumbing disaster hasn't made things any easier. When NASA gives you press credentials, they don't actually pay for anything. Airfare, hotels, rental cars, and meals are all at your own expense. Even if Dot were well, I don't think I could afford the trip after paying the huge plumbing and restoration bills caused by our broken pipe. That's life. Maybe I'll get invited to cover another launch after my life has returned to normal.

Life certainly wasn't very normal today. The environmental remediation company came to clean the HVAC ducts and remove their one remaining dehumidifier. Dot wasn't happy with the visit. The duct cleaning machine was noisy and it didn't take Dot long to start barking. Since there are heating vents in every room, I had to keep moving Dot to different rooms as the work progressed. It didn't take all that long for her to start pooping in the house again. I'm going to miss the big blue dehumidifier that's been humming away in our living room for the past week. Within an hour after the cleaning crew packed up their equipment and left, I was already starting to see the the humidity rise. I'd hate to go back to dealing with condensation on all the windows again, so we'd better go out and get our own dehumidifier soon.

One of the reasons the humidity was higher inside today was that it was 100% outside. Yes, it was a very rainy day.  I wish I'd told the tunneling crew to take all the extra dirt they couldn't fit back in the hole with them. Now, instead of wood mulch around the perimeter of the yard, there is a strip of sticky mud. Since this used to be one of Dash's favorite areas to pee, he's getting even muddier than usual.

It was amazing that I got any work at all done today. In addition to the disruptions caused by the duct cleaning crew, there was also quite a bit of thunder and lightning. Dash is even worse about storms than Dot now. Every time there was a thunder clap, I'd find him shivering under my desk. Eventually, the only solution was to take a nap with the dogs until they both calmed down. Naps are good, but they are only a temporary solution. There's a whole new day to look forward to tomorrow.

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2071

A busy day is not always a productive day. I was very busy today, but I don't feel like I accomplished anything. Dot seemed weak when she woke up this morning, but we still managed to finish our pre-dawn walk. I made my breakfast smoothie and listened to the dogs bark at me as soon as I began to peel the bananas. Eventually the loud barking stops but it's not an atmosphere where you'd want to linger over your last cup of coffee. I can tell that Janet is eager to get out of the house and off to work. Early mornings can be pretty chaotic.

After breakfast, I went and found a place where I could get my vehicle registration sticker. They didn't even ask to see my safety inspection results, or my proof of insurance card. All that information was already on their computer screens. You'd think since they've made the registration process simpler, that prices would come down. Nope. They actually went up quite a bit. I remember when the annual vehicle registration sticker was in the $30 range. Then it was $50 for a long time. Today I paid over $75 dollars for my sticker. Oh, well. At least I'm legal for another year.

The second of my Dad's two sisters died this morning. She was 99 years old. My parents both passed away quite a while ago, but now all the Aunts and Uncles are gone as well. We were not a very prolific family. To the best of my knowledge, I'm the last remaining male Sealander. For years I used to think that the family name would die out with me since I never had children. Now I'm not so sure. The rules for marriage and gender have changed so much in recent years that maybe one of the Sealander girls will decide to keep the name going.

A lot of people are saying that it's going to rain later this week. I'll believe it when I see it. There actually is rain in the forecast though. I'm glad that the roofers finally came out and made all the patches I requested. I'll have to take a look tomorrow and make sure they dried properly. There is nothing that could turn these highly anticipated showers into my old nemesis again like another roof leak. The roof is actually in pretty good shape, but roof leaks have been a part of my life for so long now that it's still hard to believe that I've managed to put these problems behind me.

Dot has her annual exam tomorrow. I still can't decide whether she's going to be fourteen or fifteen years old on her birthday. You never know for sure with a rescue dog. Today Dot seemed more like 25 years old, but that was probably just because I was feeling pretty tired myself. It's been a long, hard journey this year. I'm glad my family has good genes. It's going to take some hereditary magic if I ever make it to 99 years old.

Toby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2043

Having the cable guy in the house with a dog who can't walk and is suspicious of strangers, along with a friendly escape artist who will dart through any open gate or door and disappear, was not an experience I'd want to repeat any time soon. I'm sure the service technician would agree. Dot barked incessantly the whole time, causing Dash to race excitedly around the house. I couldn't keep the dogs safely corralled in one room because the technician needed to check the entire network. I had to keep moving the dogs from room to room. I had a hard time hearing what the technician was telling me above all the commotion, but it appeared that the router had gone bad. I really didn't want to replace this piece of equipment, because then I would have had to reconnect everything in the house with the WiFi network all over again. There's a lot of stuff on the network. I've done this before and it's a pain. The technician told me that she might be able to configure the new router from a backup copy of the old router's settings and save me the trouble of starting over, but that this procedure only worked 50% of the time. This seemed strange to me, but I told her to go for it. What did I have to lose? All I was really worried about at that point was Dot pooping in the house.

Amazingly, the backup proceedure worked. Even the WiFi thermostat and the weird WiFi Skype phone stayed connected. The technician was somehow able to trick new router into thinking it was the old router, so nothing had to be reconfigured or paired with the network. I'm a happy camper. I need to be real careful never to press the red re-set button on the back of the new router though. If I ever mistakenly restore the thing to its factory settings, it will forget everything and ask me for a different password while everything on the network becomes disconnected.

Once the technician packed up and left, the dogs calmed down and life returned to normal. Amazingly, Dot didn't poop in the house, although she was so upset that I thought she was going to have a stroke at some point. Dash didn't escape and run off, although I could tell that he was looking to see if the technician inadvertently left the front door open while she was working. It was hard to keep Dot and Dash in the same room while I was holding Dot's harness to keep her from falling while Dash was racing around, looking for opportunities to be bad. This would have been so much easier if the problem was with the outside line. I apologized to the technician about the dogs behavior, but I think she could tell that I had my hands full.

It's hard to believe that it's been 46 years since we landed on the moon. July 20 will always be etched in my memory because of what happened 46 years ago today. I thought I was an adult back then when I watched the landing on an old black and white Magnavox TV. What did I know? I was only 21. So much has changed and yet we still haven't returned to the moon. I was excited to see the first pictures of Pluto a few days ago, but I'd be even more excited if we had a colony on Mars. In 1969, most people were convinced that we'd have planted flags on several planets by now. When Stanley Kubrick made 2001, A Space Odyssey, he never would have dreamed that 2001 would actually end up being remembered for the attacks on the World Trade Center instead. I have a feeling that we'll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing without ever returning to the moon.

It's Dash's turn to go to the vet tomorrow. We need to do a test to make sure he's been cured of Lyme Disease. At least I think it was Lyme Disease he was exposed to. When I called the vet to make the appointment, I couldn't remember whether he'd been treated for Lyme or West Nile. Hopefully, nothing else will break in the house for the rest of the Summer. I don't know if I could handle another day like today.

Lady Jane is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2038

I got a lot done today. I finished my new website project and loaded it to the server. Yes, I did finally manage to find out where I was supposed to upload things. I'm sure there will be changes, but the client seems to like it. I'm always pleased when things go relatively smoothly. After finishing the website, I still had enough time left to write a new article and send it off to be published. There are two more articles in the queue, so I should have work for the rest of the week.

Instead of fixing my regular banana smoothie, I decided to make biscuits and gravy this morning. It was actually surprisingly easy, so I will probably do this again. Everything would have come out perfectly if Dash hadn't started barking at a critical moment, causing Dot to get excited and fall over. Janet suggested gating the dogs in the back of the house while I ate my breakfast, but that didn't work very well. They still barked and when I rushed back to help Dot get up, my gravy burned. The commotion also caused me to get things out of sequence with the Keurig and it brewed too much, spilling coffee all over the counter-top. I think tomorrow, I'll just keep the dogs by my side. They're loud, but much easier to control that way.

Even though I had a lot of work to do today, I found time to watch the New Horizons press conference on NASA TV. I'm a bit envious of the New Horizons science team. They're all doing something that actually matters. Occasionally I do something that matters, but not very often. Designing websites is not quite like discovering giant ice mountains on Pluto. I wonder what these guys did during the nine years New Horizons was traveling to Pluto. I'm sure that most of the team had jobs while the spacecraft was silent, but there couldn't have been much to do but just wait until it arrived.

Dot pooped in her bed again last night. There doesn't seem to be any way to predict when this is going to happen. I was pretty sure that last night would be accident free, since she had pooped before we went to bed. It wasn't meant to be unfortunately. Dot is such a clean, fastidious dog that she would never do this if she had any control over the situation. It's just kind of sad to watch age take its toll on her. The good news is that we are all learning to cope. Dot still loves her meals and her early morning walks. I've gotten much better at quickly and efficiently cleaning up her occasional accidents. I'm also getting better at anticipating when she might fall, so I can be there to support her and keep her upright. I'll ask again tomorrow at her physical therapy session if there is anything else we can do to improve her chances for a full recovery. I think I already know the answer though. We are already doing everything we can.

This week has gone quickly. I need to start looking for another new website project. It's always nice to have something new to work on. The articles I write are not new anymore. I appreciate the work, but I could write most of them in my sleep by now. The same goes for the bread and butter website updates I do every day. I'm not complaining though. I know it's not rocket science, but this quiet life of mine has paid the bills for a long, long time.

Lizzy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2036

I started on my new website project today. I thought that this one would be a piece of cake, but I almost immediately ran into a couple of snags. Absolutely nothing is a piece of cake anymore. In my experience, everything from getting a prescription filled to changing a light bulb can quickly turn into an unintended learning experience. Website design is always full of surprises. It didn't take me long this morning to learn that Plan-A just wasn't going to work. That's why I always make sure there's a Plan-B.

The New Horizons spacecraft will reach Pluto tomorrow. I continue to be amazed by the audacity of this incredible journey. It takes Pluto 248 years to orbit the Sun. The last time Pluto was in it's current position in space, the United States wasn't even a country yet and nobody on Earth was aware of its existence. Pluto wasn't even discovered until 1930. A lot can change in a single orbit. The technology that sent New Horizons on its three billion mile trip is over a decade old. The iPhone wasn't even invented when the spacecraft was launched. The fact that everything still works after this nine year journey is a testament to what we can do when we really put our mind to it. Sadly, this golden age of exploration that began with Sputnik is drawing to a close. Enjoy the moment tomorrow, because you won't see anything like this again in your lifetime. We have lost the will to explore. Maybe Elon Musk will eventually figure out a way to get to Mars, but we won't get another first look at a new planet for a long, long time.

The dogs are driving me nuts at mealtimes. The barking has become a permanent part of the mealtime ritual. As soon as I start preparing breakfast or dinner, they start to bark. I'm not exactly sure when this started, but it didn't used to be this way. They don't bark when Janet eats either. It's just me. To keep them quiet, I fill a coffee cup with dry dog food and feed them one kibble at a time. I feed them slightly less at their own dinner time, so they won't get fat from this additional food. Dot and Dash are far more tenacious than I am. Maybe they would eventually quit barking if I ignored them, but I don't have time to find out. Instead of training them, they always end up training me. It all works out OK, I guess. They are still eating exactly the same amount of food as they always were; just in an irritating, unconventional way.

One of my cousins recently sent me a copy of a family history her mother had written for her before she died. I started reading the history today and was totally amazed at how richly detailed my aunt's recollections were. The history was 75 pages long and described a way of life that no longer exists. There were generations of Sealanders that I'd never even heard of. Families were closer then. I'd be lucky if a were able to write a single Tweet about each of my family members. I've just never kept up with anybody. It was fascinating to read about my Swedish and Norwegian ancestors, but it left me wondering if the story ends with me. I won't be taking this family history and passing it down to my children. There are no children, and my own family memories are fuzzy. I can tell you plenty of stories about dogs though.

Watson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2017

Today was slow. It was a good kind of slow though. We got up later than usual. The dogs got a long, leisurely walk before the temperature got too hot. I dawdled over breakfast, because there was no particular reason to be in a hurry. I did have a few website maintenance chores when I finally got around to turning on the computer, but I finished everything in less than an hour. By the time the dogs reminded me that I needed to fix their lunch, I had accomplished virtually nothing.

The afternoon was busier.  I went out and got a haircut, which took longer than usual because it was long overdue. I really should get my hair cut once a month, but often I go two or even three months between cuts because it's not really a high priority anymore. I feel better with a good haircut though, so I probably ought to make an effort to look presentable a little more often. I've worn my hair every which way over the years, but I think today's trim look is much better than those questionable years when I wore a mullet or tried to look like a member of The Grateful Dead.

On the way back from the hair salon, I stopped at the Apple Store to pick up my birthday watch. I wear lots of different watches, but I've got to say that I was impressed with the thought that went into the Apple Watch. It's extremely well made and a lot of the features are actually useful. I like that you can respond to a text message by just talking into the watch. Many apps are voice activated, so you don't have to do much typing on the tiny screen. A lot of things I typically use my phone for, like checking the weather or my appointment calendar are easily accessible on the watch. We'll see how long the battery lasts. Batteries usually end up being a disappointment on anything that Apple makes. I love the watch though. It's very useful and I have a feeling that it will be on my wrist a lot more often than the other watches I usually wear.

I've gotten into the habit of feeding the dogs little pieces of banana and kibble as I eat breakfast to keep them from barking at me. I think I've created a monster though. Now, they want me to do the same thing at dinner. Meals have turned into a ritual of one bite for me and one bite for you. I feed them tiny little pieces, so they won't get fat, but the ritual itself is getting complicated. Meals were much more relaxing when both dogs were just sleeping in the bedroom.

Dot resumes her physical therapy tomorrow. I assume that the underwater treadmill is fixed by now. Maybe I ought to check. I need to think about resuming my own physical therapy as well. I definitely have a greater range of motion in my shoulder now, but my therapist told me at the end of my first series of sessions that I ought to come in again in the summer. I'm not sure that insurance will pay for more therapy though. Another thing I need to check.

The Spring wildflower season is starting to come to a close. A lot of the flowers would be gone by now if we hadn't received so much rain in May. I'm starting to see seed pods though, and that's usually a pretty good sign that the flower show is over.

Rio is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1939

My life is a lot like watching paint dry these days. Dot is definitely getting stronger, but progress is very slow. I've still got some new projects on the back burner, but it could take weeks or even months before any of them come to fruition. I'm still doing my physical therapy exercises, but any progress in regaining the use of my shoulder is still measured in inches. I've learned to take it all in stride. I don't even expect anything to happen fast anymore.

People who are in a hurry probably find me infuriating. I can spend hours eating breakfast. I never drive over the speed limit anymore. I finish everything on my to-do list, but it can take months for me to get around to the less desirable tasks. I still brag that I've never missed a deadline, but this is probably only because my clients are getting slower too. Even writing this blog is taking longer than it used to. I guess this makes sense. It's not easy to say the same thing over and over again without becoming redundant.

Today was particularly slow. I did have one website problem to solve, but that was about it. Since the dogs were unusually quiet today, I wanted to find a way to fill the day without waking them up unnecessarily. I ended up watching Interstellar at a very low volume all over again. It's a long movie, so it used up a lot of time. I don't mind reading a book or watching a movie twice. If it was good the first time, it is usually good the second time as well. When I watch a movie twice, I'm always surprised at how many things I missed at the first viewing.

I thought I was going to get lucky and make it through the afternoon without any frantic barking episodes, but a yard crew came to the neighbors house and started making a huge racket with their lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Not surprisingly, this sent both dogs into a barking frenzy. Dot and Dash have always barked at strange noises, but I guess I just ignored them because I wasn't actually participating. Now that I'm holding up Dot's rear legs, I sometimes feel like I need to start barking too. I took the dogs outside, fed them a rice cake, and eventually got them settled down again after the lawn crew finished their noisy work. I thought I was home free, but then the UPS delivery guy knocked on the front door and the barking started all over again.

Dot is probably more frustrated than I am. All she wants is her freedom back. I'm sure she's not wild about having me following her around holding her harness everywhere she goes, but it can't be helped. If Dot wants to wander around freely again, she going to have to become a bit more surefooted. She thinks she's hot stuff now, but I still catch her and keep her from falling at least ten times a day.

To continue today's slow motion theme, I got a call from my insurance company saying that the car accident in California had finally been resolved. Jeez, the accident happened in January and it's April now. I never thought the whole process would take this long. Everything takes a long time now. I'm working on a video for a client that probably won't be finished until June. Lord knows when I'll finally get my teeth fixed. After all Dot's expenses, dental surgery seems pretty pricy right now. By the time I can afford to have the dental work done, I'll have to overcome my fear of the dentist all over again.

Everything in good time, I guess. Somehow my taxes will get finished and filed on April 15. The dead limb on the big oak tree in the back yard will be pruned by Summer. I'll probably be wearing an Apple watch before Christmas. Somewhere in the grand mix of things, Dot will be walking on her own in the park again.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1938

Today was surprisingly busy. I walked Dash early to avoid the rain I thought was on the way. I needn't have bothered. It didn't rain at all and gradually grew warmer and warmer as the day progressed. I put the warm coat I wore yesterday away and got ready for Summer again. By the end of the day, the air conditioner was running and cooling the place down.

By the time I finished breakfast and turned on the computer, there was already a long laundry list of things for me to do. I spent the rest of the morning answering client's questions and making changes to various websites. It was a good thing I watched my movie yesterday, because there wouldn't have been time today.

It's getting harder and harder to get things done while the dogs are sleeping. Now that Dot is feeling better, she doesn't sleep as long. She doesn't like being penned up either. My little window of "quiet time" seems to shrink with each passing day. I keep trying to see if Dot is strong enough to wander around the house on her own, but she's definitely not ready yet. She can get up reasonable well without assistance now, but she's still pretty wobbly. Even though there are non-slip rugs everywhere, she can still find the few isolated areas where the floors are still slippery. It's great that Dot is becoming more mobile, but I have to follow her around constantly, so I can catch her when she starts to slip.

After I got finished answering e-mail and updating websites, I thought there would be time to go up on the roof and remove all the standing water. That didn't work out so well. Whenever Dash hears the front door start to open, he races to the hallway and starts barking. This wakes Dot up and she starts barking too. They both think Janet is coming home whenever they hear something at the front door. Lately, the only way I can get out of the house with any semblance of peace is to quietly go out the back door, unlock the back gate, and go around to the front of the house. I tried this several times this afternoon, but still wasn't able to finish everything up on the roof.

I'm not sure what to do about the dogs. Dash seems depressed now that Janet has returned to work and Dot has grown so used to having me at her side all the time, that she's developing separation anxiety when I leave. I will be so glad when Dot is strong enough to live a normal life again. Dalmatians are high energy dogs by nature. The tried and true remedy for keeping Dot and Dash happy while keeping my own sanity has always been to take them both on a very long walk first thing every morning. When they came home tired, they immediately went to sleep and I had the rest of the day to myself. This plan no longer works. Even when Dot gets stronger, I doubt that I'll ever be able to walk them together again. Dot needs slow steady walks on flat surfaces and Dash needs a chance to roam the park and be a normal dog. Me? I think I need a vacation.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a little quieter. It felt like a three-ring circus today. I don't think I'd ever choose nursing as a profession. To me, it would be so discouraging to throw your heart and soul in to helping someone get better and then have to turn around and start all over again with another sick person. I think I am doing a good job with Dot, but I will be so glad when she's strong and independent again. Every morning on our walks I tell Dash that he'd better stay healthy for a long, long time.

Paxton is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1937 - Easter

I had a feeling that lots of egg hunts and Sunrise Services were spoiled this morning when I woke to the sound of pounding rain on the roof. We actually needed the rain to help the new grass root properly, but it would have been nice if Easter Sunday was as beautiful as it was yesterday. There was no need to get up until the rain subsided, so we all got some extra sleep. Dot and Dash didn't even need to stick their nose out the door to know it was raining. They both just curled up on their blankets and waited for the rain to stop.

It's so nice that Dot doesn't have her incontinence problems anymore. During her cancer treatment I often had to take her outside in absolutely atrocious weather. It couldn't be helped. When you've got to go, you've got to go. Today, the dogs were content to wait until 10 AM to do their business. That's when the weather radar said the rain would stop, and that's exactly when it did. We all had a leisurely breakfast and then I took Dash for a walk while Janet took Dot for a much shorter walk up and down our street. The wet weather made things a little slippery for Dot, but she still did pretty well.

Since it was such a dismal, cold day I thought it would be a perfect time to watch the Interstellar DVD on my computer. I've heard both good and bad things about the movie, so I was curious to see if it lived up to my expectations. It did. I just didn't realize that the movie was so long. Dot will rest quietly for up to two hours at a time, but after that, there's going to be a lot of barking unless I'm there to cater to her needs. I never ignore her barking because when she gets excited, she poops. Believe me, it's much better to pause a movie than to clean up dog poop in the house.

As science fiction movies go, Interstellar was pretty good. I liked the way they described wormholes. It seemed to make more sense than Farscape, Sliders and many other films that have utilized wormholes in the plot. Of course since nobody knows if wormholes even exist, I'll be the first to admit that films like Interstellar are really just Harry Potter movies for people like me. I think wizards and zombies are rubbish, but am perfectly willing to to believe that wormholes could whisk someone from one galaxy to another in a matter of seconds. You almost have to believe in wormholes if you think the human race is going to reach the stars someday. The two voyager spacecraft have been traveling for decades and they've barely reached the edge of the solar system. We need wormholes. And maybe we need wizards too.

It's hard to believe that it's going to be 85 degrees tomorrow, since it's only 50 today. The air conditioner was on yesterday, but overnight the fancy new thermostat automatically switched things back to heat mode and we woke up toasty and warm. I got an e-mail recently saying that I was eligible for an upgrade to the WiFi thermostat that would coordinate our energy use with real-time weather patterns and automatically keep the house at the perfect temperate. This sounded intriguing, but I was a bit suspicious. The whole idea felt a bit too much like driverless cars to me. I want to be the guy setting the temperature, not a computer off in the cloud somewhere. I didn't click on the "lets get started" button, even though the ad said it would save me hundreds in electricity bills.

Tomorrow is Monday. Monday's are usually pretty boring. I'll bet I'm going to wish I'd waited another day to watch that movie.

Angel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1936

I got up several hours before dawn to watch this morning's lunar eclipse. I left the house quietly, so I wouldn't wake Janet and the dogs and went out to the street where I cold get a good view. Apparently, watching eclipses wasn't a high priority in the neighborhood. All the houses were still dark and the roads were empty. It was quite peaceful.

As the dawn approached, I could hear birds begin to sing as the moon shrunk to a smaller and smaller crescent. This was supposed to be a Blood Moon, but I couldn't see the red glow at totality. Since the moon was near the horizon, it just gradually disappeared as it sunk into the low lying haze and ground fog. I went back to bed for a while after the moon disappeared and then started the day all over again when the dogs woke up and wanted their breakfast.

Janet takes Dot on a short walk now while I walk Dash. Dot made it all the way to the end of our street this morning. She was feeling good. The constant tremor in her rear legs is largely gone now. She is learning to stand normally and her paws seldom knuckle under anymore. We have reached the point now where she feels better than she did before the surgery. The main challenge now is to build back the muscle mass she lost both before and after the surgery. Her rear legs are very weak, but each week they become stronger. Surgery is always risky and sometimes you don't make the right decision. I think in this case, the surgery really helped.

Since Dot still sits down really hard if we aren't there to steady her and is prone to stumble at the least little obstacle, Janet and I still divide our time watching her. I ran my errands in the morning, so she could run hers in the afternoon. It would have been nice if the dogs felt like sleeping, because I picked up the Interstellar DVD while I was getting groceries. I thought I might get a chance to watch it this afternoon, but that turned out not to be the case. Dot didn't want to sleep. She wanted to bark and continually move from one dog bed to another. Every time I created a safe enclosure so she couldn't hurt herself, she wanted to go somewhere else. She didn't want to be penned at all and wasn't shy about letting me know. When Dot starts barking, Dash chimes in and starts barking too. It was a lot more peaceful when I was watching the eclipse by myself at 6 AM. The only way I was able to keep any semblance of sanity this afternoon was to divide the dog's dinners into small portions and feed it to them at two hour intervals.

I never was able to watch my movie, but I did manage to get some work done. It was a shame to stay inside on a beautiful day like today but I didn't seem to have much choice. I certainly can't blame Dot for being restless. I'm sure she would have rather chased squirrels in the back yard and barked at cars going up and down the alley. If Dot understood the cause and effect between exercise and being able to do the things she loves, maybe our sessions in the underwater treadmill would go smoother. We're getting there though and have really made an enormous amount of progress since February.

I should make an effort to go to the gym tomorrow. I need to spend as much time on my own physical therapy as I am on Dot's. It's kind of pitiful in a way. An old guy with a dislocated shoulder probably isn't the best choice to help an old dog with bad legs get back in shape. Maybe by Summer I'll be able to move my arm freely again and Dot can return to her walks in the park.

Dottie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day