Day 1107

At times like these I seem to spend my entire day lacing up heavy boots and piling on layer after layer of clothing to ward off the cold. I put the sweaters and jackets on when I go outdoors and take them all off again as soon as I come inside. The dogs have their own set of sweaters and jackets, because they get cold too. In and out we go, because dogs have an almost primal need to go outside no matter what the weather is doing. It is all very time consuming.

Since I didn't notice that Dash got the bed all muddy when I let him outside last night, I started the day doing several loads of laundry. Next, I washed a dishwasher full of dirty Christmas dishes and then when I could find no more domestic things to do, I finally sat down in my chilly office and began writing. My office should be the warmest room in the house, since I spend most of my time here. Unfortunately, it is the coldest.

I got two articles finished today, which is a pretty good day for me. I also took Dash to the vet this afternoon for his regular Tuesday antigen shot, since the clinic was closed yesterday for Christmas. For a moment I thought that my car wasn't going to start, but after sluggishly turning over half a dozen times, the engine finally coughed into life. Anyone who owns an older car will recognize the sound of an engine that will barely turn over when the weather is cold. I hate that sound, because I seldom have a backup plan if my car dies. In the Winter I always worry that my car won't start. Of course, in the Summer, I always worry that it will overheat. It's always something, isn't it.

In theory, there is no dog training class when the temperature drops below freezing. That's what it says on the training class website anyway. In practice, there is always training class on Wednesday, no matter what the weather is doing. There are always a few diehards who look at terrible weather as a challenge. These are the same type of people who love to run marathons in the middle of Winter and jump in freezing water for a brisk swim. Dot and Dash won't be joining these crazies tonight. They are sensible dogs who realize that sitting on the bed under a warm blanket and watching television is the preferable course of action on days like these.

I hope it warms up tomorrow, but I'm not counting on it.

Freckles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1026

It's jacket weather again. For the first time since last Spring, I needed to put on a coat when I went to run my weekend errands. I like jacket weather myself, mostly because jackets and coats are the only form of clothing that I actually enjoy buying. I've got more jackets than I know what to do with, but if I pass by the right sort of store on a chilly day, I'll probably get another one.

Unfortunately, I'll be wearing my jackets indoors soon if I don't get the furnace replaced. I tried to turn on the heat today, but I couldn't get the pilot to light. This doesn't really surprise me, since the furnace wouldn't work late last Winter either. I just didn't want to deal with it then. It was almost time to start using the air conditioner and I didn't want to spend the money. I guess the time has arrived. It's going to be chilly this evening.

I stopped by the neighborhood Oktoberfest this afternoon and had a beer and a bratwurst. The Weizenbier I tried was quite good. I initially thought it was imported until I looked on the label and realized it was a product of a little microbrewery in Plano, Texas, only a few miles down the road. When I used to work in Germany a lot, I remember that every town had its own local brewery. With the increased popularity of craft beers and microbreweries, it's getting to be that way here as well. Too bad I can't enjoy these tasty brews as much as I like anymore. I can survive without beer, but I'm not going to make it very long without a liver.

The dogs were wild on their walk this evening. I don't know whether they were enjoying the cool weather, or were cold and wanted their sweaters on. They certainly had more energy than they did yesterday. I guess it makes sense that the dogs would act diferent today. The temperature dropped at least 35 degrees overnight.

I got another assignment to write about the oil and gas industry today. I used to do a ton of these jobs and then they all disappeared for a while. Now, they're coming back again. The opposite is happening with my watch industry assignments. I'm not writing as many watch articles these days. This is the way it's always been. When one thing picks up, another thing slows down. I feel like I'm treading water instead of making any real forward progress. Hey, I'm still in business though and paying my bills. I know a lot of people who can't say that anymore.

Cassie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day